Tracing Lines: A New Documentary on South Asian Women in Architecture

In 2023, Foundations: Women Architects of South Asia emerged as a pivotal work in architectural discourse. Directed by Anjali Mehra, the documentary highlights the contributions of South Asian women architects in a male-dominated field.

The film features Yasmin Lari, Pakistan’s first female architect and the 2023 recipient of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal. It also showcases Kiran Joshi, known for her urban conservation projects in India. These women exemplify a movement within the profession, addressing societal challenges like patriarchal norms and financial instability.

Mehra’s inquiry begins with stark statistics. A 2020 report from the Council of Architecture of India reveals that while women make up nearly 50% of architecture students, they represent less than 20% of licensed architects. This trend reflects global patterns. A recent survey by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) shows that barriers to retention remain, with women leaving the profession due to discrimination and caregiving duties.

The film avoids a simplistic ‘success story’ approach, opting for a nuanced exploration. One sequence features architect Mariana Qureshi leading a community design workshop in Dhaka, where local women reimagine public spaces. Another highlights Sri Lanka’s Minnette de Silva through archival footage, a pioneering figure marginalized in mainstream architectural narratives. Mehra states in an interview with Architectural Digest India: “It was important to resist portraying these architects as lone warriors. They are part of larger movements and networks that challenge us to rethink what inclusive architecture means.”

The documentary also addresses the intersectionality of identity for diaspora architects. Sophia Malik’s London-based practice illustrates this tension, as she integrates materials from her Pakistani heritage into UK housing projects. This cultural hybridity serves as both a design ethos and a challenge in markets favoring homogenized aesthetics.

A common critique among the architects is the emphasis on large-scale projects as markers of legitimacy. Yasmin Lari’s focus on low-cost, sustainable housing for flood-affected communities in Pakistan serves as a counterpoint. Lari states in the film: “Architecture for me is no longer about building monuments. It’s about building resilience.” This perspective resonates with younger architects, who view their work as a means for social agency rather than mere career advancement.

The documentary does not shy away from uncomfortable truths. Women architects often feel compelled to justify their presence in professional spaces, whether through exceptional talent or credentials. The film highlights Anupama Kundoo, whose innovative designs gained international acclaim but faced skepticism domestically, a recurring challenge for women outside conventional paradigms.

Visibility also extends to historiography. While de Silva and Lari are mentioned in academic texts, many South Asian women architects remain undocumented. Dr. Farida Alam, a historian at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), notes in the film: “The canon of modern architecture is still overwhelmingly male because those who wrote it — and institutionalised it — were male. Until we address this archival bias, we risk perpetuating the erasure of women’s contributions.”

The significance of Foundations lies in its refusal to treat gender equity in architecture as merely aspirational. By examining how systemic barriers intertwine with broader socio-economic inequities, the film urges viewers to question the conditions under which architecture is produced. It invites professional bodies and academic institutions to reflect on their roles in either perpetuating or dismantling these inequities.

Debuting at the Mumbai International Documentary Film Festival in September 2023, Foundations has ignited discussions within architectural and academic circles. A panel discussion following the premiere featured Yasmin Shariff, a UK-based architect advocating for equity in design education, who remarked: “The documentary is not just about representation; it’s about reorienting the values of the profession. If we only celebrate women architects who conform to existing hierarchies, we miss an opportunity to redefine what architecture can achieve.”

The documentary’s impact extends beyond the screen. Mehra has partnered with the South Asia Design Collective to create an open-access online repository of works by women architects from the region, set to launch in early 2024. This initiative aims to “document, preserve and amplify” the contributions of women to South Asia’s architectural heritage. While the potential for fully addressing structural inequities remains uncertain, these efforts signal a critical step forward.

Ultimately, Foundations serves as a call to action — to broaden the parameters of what counts as architecture, who practices it, and how its histories are recorded. In doing so, it honors the architects it profiles and asserts a claim for future generations.