FAME collective's RIBA Exhibition - Exposing the Barriers in Architecture, from a FAME Perspective

The visiting times for this exhibition is during the RIBA library opening times: 

RIBA Library, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD

Opening times: Monday to Friday: 11am to 5pm (Tuesday: 12pm to 7pm)

23rd January - closes at 5:30pm 20th May 2024

Guided Tour by FAME collective founder Tumpa Husna Yasmin Fellows:  7th March, 11th April and 16th May at 5:30pm. Link to book a place for the Guided Tour.

Join a guided tour by the curator of the exhibition Tumpa Husna Yasmin Fellows, founder of FAME collective. Guest respondents will be invited to speak about the exhibition. There will be an opportunity for visitors to respond, giving visitors a voice and encouraging engagement with exhibition themes.

The Exhibition launch event took place on 23 January at 4pm at the RIBA.

About the exhibition

Exhibition at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)  Exposing the Barriers in Architecture,  from a FAME (Female Architects of Minority Ethnic) Perspective.

FAME collective’s research and exhibition are explored through an intersectional feminist lens to amplify the underrepresented voices in architecture.

Exhibition Design

This exhibition design was led and curated by Tumpa Husna Yasmin Fellows , founder of FAME collective, and co-created by FAME collective.

The exhibition documents FAME collective’s research projects, communicating underrepresented voices and the lived-experiences of barriers in architecture. Mapping the pathways to success, how to navigate the barriers and providing valuable recommendations for those experiencing barriers and those in power to make a change. The design of the central and the primary exhibit has been influenced by the ‘feminine embodiment practice’, from the concept of the Nakshi Kantha (traditional Bangladeshi diaspora embroidery technique). The concept involves re-using layers of recycled fabric and diverse materials, used to co-design the ‘pathways to success in architecture’, by delving into the narratives of the lived experiences of the barriers, from a FAME perspective.

Exhibition information 

The design of the central and the primary exhibit has been influenced by the ‘feminine embodiment practice’, from the concept of the Nakshi Kantha (traditional Bangladeshi diaspora embroidery technique). The concept involves re-using layers of recycled fabric and diverse materials, used to co-design the ‘pathways to success in architecture’, by delving into the narratives of the lived experiences of the barriers, from a FAME perspective.

FAME (female architects of minority ethnic) collective’s research responds to an urgent need for understanding the barriers in architecture, for female architects of minority ethnic.

This research investigates the systems of discrimination in architecture and disadvantage experienced due to someone’s race, class and gender; and how these affect established practitioners, young scholars and students, from diverse backgrounds, knowledge and practices.

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Research process 

The research for this exhibition is explored through an intersectional feminist lens to amplify the underrepresented voices in architecture. It has been conducted through a range of participatory methods and by engaging with the community of practitioners and students of architecture. Therefore, directly challenging institutions such as the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Architects Registration Board (ARB), universities and practices, by disseminating the findings and evidence-based research.

This research has been disseminated extensively to make it accessible to those in power. FAME collective’s research dissemination led to ARB's recent policy changes that came into place to remove the policy barriers in architecture by increasing access to the architecture profession for a wider demographic.

Ultimately, this research acts as a tool for activism; it reviews and highlights systemic inequities in architecture by documenting the lived experiences' narrative as a valuable form of research tool.

The research is supported by a critical review of the current data that reveals the state of intersectional barriers such as race, gender, and class at each stage of architecture education and the profession as a whole.

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About FAME collective

FAME collective was founded to support women of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities in architecture and the built environment. They aim to raise awareness of the barriers, inequalities, and lack of diversity in architecture as well as demanding change.

Many thanks to the contributors of the exhibition: Tumpa Husna Yasmin Fellows, Hannah Ismail, Stefania Bellato, Grace Izinyon, Alifayah Jariwala, Nica Sabet, Reshma Upadhyaya, Iba Dagny Tony, Scarlett Rose Ryan, Tasnim Huda, Alex Ford

Additional thanks to the supporting members of the exhibition: Angela Vinci, India Whiteley, Marie Nevin, Lumie Okado, Hiten Odedra

Follow FAME collective on social media: Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn.

Email: architecture.fame@gmail.com