IE School of Architecture & Design Newsletter - March 2021

time to focus on ON HONORING FEMALE CAPITAL For some time now, institutions have championed women for their ability to achieve the same as their male counterparts, whether in science, art or architecture. Less valued are women who have raised, fed and educated; women who have nurtured cultures, sustained cottage industries or handed craft traditions down through generations.  Real change comes when we rethink the reasons for which we honor people’s legacies and actions, and challenge what exactly defines an era, culture or society. Should we understand our history only through those who have had the means to fight wars, lead conquests and make discoveries? Or also through those who have defined what we eat, how we interact, our hygienic habits and our family structures? Asking new questions produces new answers; therefore, it is crucial that museums and institutions change the questions they ask themselves, rather than force answers that present a vision of parity. If ‘social capital’ is defined as the networks between people that allow a particular society to function effectively, then it is important to define the term ‘female capital’ as the role that women play in building those networks. Institutions must focus greater attention on this female capital, asking how these networks have evolved over time, how they continue to differ between contexts and - most importantly - why they have been historically invisible. Izaskun Chinchilla Professor at IE School of Architecture and Design and founder of Izaskun Chinchilla Architects.

Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020)

Trophy cabinets for the virtual age IE Women's photography award, which recognizes students’ perspectives on female empowerment and gender equality, announces its winner on Friday. But with award ceremonies like this taking place virtually instead of in-person, how might the winners feel the same pride and joy as when receiving a physical trophy? Ruxandra Iancu-Bratosin, adjunct professor in the Bachelor in Design program and co-founder of spatial strategies studio 50(Super(Real)), provided a solution: a digital, animated award that the winner can display on her devices and share online. “I was trying to embody all the values of IE Women, like community, growth, and empowerment,” she explains. “I wanted to make it visually playful and engaging.” The design proves that, despite the pandemic, a winner can still display and admire her award proudly. “The animation can be shared across different devices and digital platforms,” continues Iancu-Bratosin. “The idea is to display it on your digital shelf, if not a physical shelf.” FIND OUT MORE

A bridge between academic and professional practice “It is both fascinating and unfortunate how little academic production from architecture schools becomes something other than an intellectual exercise,” says Romina Canna, director of d-Lab, a platform that builds bridges between academic production and the professional sector by offering work experience for design students.  This design laboratory is an extension of the academic curriculum. Students work on projects for real clients in Segovia, tackling various tools and procedures in the field of architecture and design.  “The d-Lab acts as a liaison between the city’s needs and the institutional structures able to support them,” continues Canna. “Blending academic research with fieldwork, the innocence of school production with real-world demands, and knowledge acquisition with professional training, the d-Lab has become a partner in culturally and socially reactivating Segovia's urban fabric.” FIND OUT MORE

Annual award for Spain's female leaders Three professors from our Master in Real Estate Development program have been nominated for Spain’s Top 100 Women Leaders award, which has been increasing the visibility of the country’s female business talent since 2011. This year, Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of the Red Eléctrica Group, and Vanessa Gelado, senior managing director at Hines Spain, are nominated under the senior management category, while, Carmen Panadero, founding partner of WIRES Spain, is nominated in the independent professionals category. Votes are open until 16 March. VOTE HERE

A balanced, inclusive future for real estate Women everywhere are leading developments of towns and cities - but real estate still remains a male-dominated industry. Our goal is to foster the advancement of women in this sector, so we have launched scholarships to be granted to female candidates for our real estate masters programs. These grants are designed to provide opportunities for outstanding women who wish to build a career in real estate, a sector that is certain to take a complex and challenging course in the wake of the pandemic.   FIND OUT MORE

Biodiversity blossoms at the new Nurture Hub Spring is in the air in Segovia, where Adelaida Balthazar and Rafaela Valencia-Dongo, 3rd year students from the Bachelor in Design program, have thought up an on-site ecosystem designed to increase awareness of biodiversity. The Nurture Hub - which arrives on campus in April - features four living structures, known as ‘growrooms’. These will act as spaces for interaction and relaxation, while also providing a protected environment for native plants and attracting pollinator species, such as butterflies, many of which are under threat of extinction. WATCH THE VIDEO

'Alexa, how can we improve education?' Ana Domingo, 4th year student from the Bachelor in Architectural Studies, was part of the team that won IE University’s Amazon Challenge. Students from various faculties were asked to invent a solution using voice technology to improve educational experiences at the new IE Tower, opening in Madrid this September. The winning project was ‘Alexita’, a new virtual teaching assistant that takes on tasks like launching Zoom meetings, opening documents and delivering announcements. Inspired by Amazon’s popular Alexa device, the team of designers wanted to use a similar technology to make classroom processes more efficient. LEARN ABOUT THE IE TOWER

Sustainable Cities and Equality March 15, 11.00 am (CET) Online Equality is a crucial issue to consider in the urban environment. Gender, for example, plays a key role in how we perceive and interact with cities. In many societies, women often carry out very different daily tasks to those of men - but are cities built in a way that ensures that difference does not produce inequality?  In this discussion, Celia de Anca, ethics, diversity and inclusion expert at IE Business School, and Manuel Pérez Romero, chair of IE School of Architecture and Design’s Center for Sustainable Cities, will talk about the role that equality - in terms of gender, and otherwise - plays in building sustainable cities. The event will be published as part of IE University's new liquid learning e-book showcasing the legacy of women. ATTEND HERE

A retrospective of Carmen Pinós Until May, 9 Fundación ICO, Madrid This month, we suggest you check out an exhibition in Madrid that shines a light on the life and practice of one of the great figures of contemporary Spanish architecture. Major projects by Carme Pinós include the CaixaForum in Zaragoza, the Escola Massana art and design centre in Barcelona, the Torres Cube in Mexico and MPavilion in Australia. From the architect’s early work alongside her former husband, the late Enric Miralles, to the numerous projects carried out by Estudio Carme Pinós since its founding thirty years ago, the exhibition charts the journey of a pioneering figure who believes strongly in the power of architecture to dignify our environment.  FIND OUT MORE

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