Women architects in the first generation of Spanish democracy, Madrid, 1978-2008

reflections about domestic space

Abstract

The paper addresses the qualitative scope and character of women designed architecture in Madrid area, from the beginning of Spanish democracy Transition to the economic crisis of 2008. This architecture presents its own nature in, at least, three aspects: functionality, materiality, and shape. As it is called in the title, the research has focused on Madrid and its housing design, being not a qualitative study –even though is supported by data–, but a few findings that leads to critical conclusions about the effects of women professional incorporation to Madrid housing architecture. Through these reflections has been abstracted two main questions, related to domesticity: on the one hand, housing typologies, its spatial composition and functional program. On the other hand, condominium in-between spaces, that joint the public realm to the private sphere. From this gender perspective, the paper shows how in less than 20 years, from the beginning of the 80’s to the endings of the 90’s, the activity of women architects meant a significant increasing of solutions oriented to improve everyday life, individual and collectively, of the people who inhabit the domestic realm.