By inviting women with various interesting approaches to their respective spatial practices, Les Conversations brought together architects, urbanists, artists and curators working internationally with fascinating projects. Hosted in the Niche Berlin project space, Hinter den Vögeln, the talks presented an opportunity to discuss one another's practice in a co-operative setting.
Following introductions by Nele Heinevetter, Christina Landbrecht and Rosario Talevi went on to moderate the conversations with our special guests: Gilly Karjevsky, Marie Alléaume, Merril Sinéus, Fee Kyriakopoulos and Joanne Pouzenc. Christina made a very salient point about the significance of Les Conversations in light of the project:
What was the intended position regarding the focus on feminine guests? It should be emphasised that the approaches towards architecture and urban planning that were presented were not specifically gendered practices. L’Espace Féminin does not aim at spaces or spatial practices for women in a gender-specific or gender-exclusive sense.
The intention of the female focus was simply to present women architects and urbanists - acknowledging that it is a standard method to perceive architecture by looking at the architects (who happen to be male most of the time). So we placed the women, and their roles as moderators, initiators and mediators of and within the project, centre stage.
Each guest spoke about one of their projects, presenting to the audience a range of innovative urban strategies that demonstrated the breadth of practice among women in spatial fields.
What was the intended position regarding the focus on feminine guests? It should be emphasised that the approaches towards architecture and urban planning that were presented were not specifically gendered practices. L’Espace Féminin does not aim at spaces or spatial practices for women in a gender-specific or gender-exclusive sense.
The intention of the female focus was simply to present women architects and urbanists - acknowledging that it is a standard method to perceive architecture by looking at the architects (who happen to be male most of the time). So we placed the women, and their roles as moderators, initiators and mediators of and within the project, centre stage.
Each guest spoke about one of their projects, presenting to the audience a range of innovative urban strategies that demonstrated the breadth of practice among women in spatial fields.