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Leveling the Playing Field
For architect Rupande Shah, setting up a studio in early 1990s India was no easy feat. As a 20-something female designer, building a practice that relied on blending new technology with traditional craft posed a unique set of challenges. “It was a process to prove to myself and others that just because we’re women, doesn’t mean we cannot be better thinkers than men,” she said in her presentation at the March KOHLER Bold Arts PechaKucha, hosted in celebration of International Women’s Day. Centered on the topic “Eves: Even to UnEven,” the storytelling event was a hybrid live and recorded all-female session that we hosted in collaboration with media partner CNN News 18.
Shah also recounts the social stigma surrounding her career choice. “Some family members said I wouldn’t survive in the male-dominated world of architecture,” she says. Today, her 20-member-strong firm Rupande Shah & Associates is well established and widely published across the country.
Despite an uneven playing field, Shah and her contemporaries have carved a space for themselves across design genres, each of them having to shatter their share of stereotypes and paving the way for women in design. We take a closer look at some of the factors that have contributed to this revolution.
Changing the Narrative
Traditionally, STEM fields like architecture and industrial design have been male-dominated, with the seemingly more creative streams like interior design and lifestyle product design viewed as women’s jobs.
Sonal Singh, who was Kohler India's Senior Manager and Lead Industrial Designer at the time of the talk, observes a skewed male-female ratio in product design and engineering colleges. She says that the average class make up is ten males for every one female, and back when she was a student, the ratio in her mechanical engineering course was 50 to one. “It makes you feel like you are stepping into a man’s world, where women don’t have a place. But honestly, I didn’t care too much about it,” she says.
Amrita Guha, Founding Principal of Untitled Design Consultants, notes the shift in perception that arises when fields become less gendered. “We observe a huge change in perceptions as we realize more architects are dabbling in interior and product design. Not only is it an extension of their narrative, but it also is a more lucrative aspect of the project, which at one time was women-centric,” she says.
Breaking the Bias
Globally, a key area of concern for female designers and architects continues to be pay inequality. In 2018, a related New York Times report linked the issue to a general lack of acknowledgment of women’s contributions in the field, which includes assumptions that they will quit once married or post pregnancy, and skepticism over on-site leadership or creative ability. “Many workplaces consider woman a liability and prefer not to invest in them as they see them as a short-term resource,” Singh adds.
It’s no secret that females feel they have to work twice as hard as male colleagues. But Guha asserts that confidence, expertise, and talent are major differentiators in gaining recognition in a male-dominated industry. “Integrity, effort, and authenticity in one’s work will always pay in the long run. It may be a longer path, but nevertheless, it’s something I am proud of,” she says.
Finding the Right Fit
Early on in her career, Singh was one of only two female designers in a global team of over 200. In the absence of female role models, she found herself relying on intuition to further her career. “It’s important for women to have a strong network and feel supported to navigate workplace challenges,” she says.
Organizations are now introducing diversity and inclusivity programs in a bid to overcome institutional biases. Singh appreciates Kohler India’s Women in Network (WIN) initiative, which helps her connect and share ideas with female colleagues across divisions and learn from their experiences.
Mentorship is central to Untitled Design Consultants’ culture, irrespective of gender, and Guha says the studio’s women-centric team has grown organically. As a mother of two, she also acknowledges the work-family balancing act that many female professionals deal with. “Our office is an extension of our family, and the support system always extends to any personal circumstances,” she says.
Similarly, an increasing number of multinationals have partnered with preschool and day-care chains as part of their parenting-related gender diversity solutions, which also often include counselling for parents looking to reintegrate into the workforce.
Owning Your Story
Design professionals agree that it’s crucial for women to champion each other, challenge stereotypes, and serve as role models for future generations. For Singh, self-belief goes a long way in helping unlearn years of social conditioning and realizing the value of one’s unique perspectives.
“Follow your dreams and be fearless. Gender bias has always existed, but let that be in the minds of others,” Guha advises young female designers.
And as Singh so rightly notes, at its core, design has the power to shape culture and challenge the norm. Better female representation will bring much-needed inclusivity and sensitivity to the discipline.
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