The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation has launched a competition titled "Built By Women Los Angeles 2020" to recognize the significant but often overlooked work of women architects, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers, contractors, and developers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Starting with the landmark exhibition in 2014, Built by Women has offered the opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of achievement in the building industry by women at the highest levels. 

The competition is open to architects, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers, contractors, and developers with work in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This includes both the City of Los Angeles, and LA County. Work in Los Angeles by firms from outside the area is eligible.  

Projects will be selected for this initiative through a juried entry process. The project must have public significance, and the primary team in its discipline must have been lead by a woman. Other criteria for judging will include design quality, and positive social impact. Projects that are publically accessible or visible will be more likely to be selected for the map. All projects are eligible for exhibition and other promotion.  

Submissions may be by individuals, firms, and students of architecture and allied disciplines. Historic work can be entered at no cost; if it is not possible to submit a complete entry for historic work, the architectural historian member of the jury will vet the project. Historic work is defined as work executed by a woman who was born prior to 1940 and is no longer in practice.  

An exhibition featuring the selected projects will open on May 14 at the Architecture + Design museum and extend through the summer, accompanied by a trail-blazing map, programming, and tours. This independent effort will enhance the architectural programming around the AIA National Conference in Los Angeles, May 14-16, 2020.

The jury members composed of Andrea Cochran, FASLA; Erleen Hatfield, AIA; Carrie Byles, FAIA; Cathy Simon, FAIA; Claire Weisz, FAIA and Kim Yao, AIA will be the “outside” jurors for Built by Women Los Angeles 2020. Professor Judith Sheine will advise on architectural history and Deborah Weintraub, Deputy Chief Engineer of the City of Los Angeles, will advise on context.

Deadline for submissions is October 15, 2019.  

Entry fees:

BWAF Friend: $75 first entry; $50 additional entries

Non-BWAF Friend: $125 first entry; $100 additional entries

Historic projects: Free

To learn more, register, and submit a project visit the competition's website. 

Contact: [email protected] with any questions. 

All images courtesy of Built By Women Los Angeles 2020

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