We imagine change in historic and contemporary environments to cultivate thriving, sustainable, and resilient communities.
Associate Principal, Elisa Hernandez Skaggs, AIA, was invited to be a presenter at the Princeton University School of Architecture’s Latinas in Architecture Summit. The Summit, held March 21– 22, invited 43 Latina architects and 13 students from across the country to share their stories and celebrate their successes as leaders in the profession. Latinas represent less than 1% of all architects in the United States and the hope of this Summit is to encourage more Latina girls and young women to pursue careers in architecture
@elisaskaggs says:
I grew up in the South Plains of Texas in a neighborhood where only a handful of my peers pursued higher education. So, spending a couple of days at Princeton University, attending the Latinas in Architecture Summit, and hearing the stories of Latina architects from across the country, was inspiring. We are strong, tenacious, and we will “Lift as We Climb.” I am thankful to work for a firm that supports my engagement in events such as this. - Elisa Hernandez Skaggs, AIA.
@elisaskaggs dice: Crecí en las Llanuras del Sur de Texas, en un barrio donde sólo un pocos de mis compañeros siguieron estudios en la universidad. Así que, pasarme un par de días en la Universidad de Princeton, asistiendo a la Cumbre de Latinas en Arquitectura, y escuchando las historias de arquitectas latinas de todo el país, fue inspirador. Somos fuertes, tenaces, y «levantaremos mientras subimos». Estoy agradecida de trabajar para una empresa que apoya mi participación en eventos como este. - Elisa Hernández Skaggs, AIA
Page & Turnbull has recently celebrated the contributions of women throughout history, and now we aim to acknowledge the women shaping our present. These individuals include both established leaders and emerging talents within Page & Turnbull. They offer their perspectives on inspiration, motivation, leadership abilities, strategies for inclusion, and guidance for young women pursuing careers in architecture, planning, and preservation.
Our colleagues Hannah Simonson and Sarah Brummett attended the Preserving the Recent Past 4 (PRP4) Conference in Boston. The conference brought together preservation leaders to discuss rehabilitation and reuse strategies for recent past buildings and sites, and the importance of preserving and celebrating diverse histories.
Hannah presented a leading-edge context statement on Late Modern, Postmodern, and New Modern architecture in San Francisco from 1960-2000. The presentation was immensely popular and struck a chord with attendees, even being cited in the closing plenary session—asking how to consider and evaluate the significance of buildings from those eras more broadly.
There were many tours and Hannah and Sarah were able to visit Boston City Hall (1968 / Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles) and MIT’s Cambridge campus with recent past masterworks like Baker House (1949 / Alvar Aalto) and the Chapel (1956 / Eero Saarinen).
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Hannah: One of the highlights was a walking tour through what Chris Grimley and his colleagues have termed the “Ugly Valley” which explored the cycles of taste and maintenance while looking at some of the best (or worst?) examples of Brutalism and Postmodernism in Boston’s Back Bay and South End.
Sarah: A strong through-line for me was both the importance and unique possibilities of community engagement, organizing, and advocacy in preserving buildings of the recent past, particularly those associated with significant changes in immigration patterns to the US in the latter half of the 20th century. The ways in which diverse and dynamic communities inhabit, adapt, and contribute to the built environment inspires and requires new approaches to preservation practice.
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To read Hannah’s Context Statement, click the link in our bio.
To continue our celebration of Women’s History Month, we share the story of Julia Morgan, the first woman to become a licensed architect in California, and who also became the first woman to receive the AIA Gold Medal.
She is widely recognized for the design of the Hearst Castle and Asilomar, both California State Parks.
📷 Credits:
Julia Morgan Portrait by Pioneering Woman of American Architecture