The research network Where are the Women in Scandinavian landscape Architecture? met one last time in Copenhagen in September 2022 to spend some exciting days together with workshops, presentations and writing exercises. Photos: Liv Løvetand Rahbek 2022
In September 2022, we held our last physical meeting for our international research network, Where are the Women in Scandinavian Architecture? in Copenhagen.
Here, researchers from all over Scandinavia joined, all of whom work with questions of gender and overlooked female contributors in 20th century landscape architecture. The network is rooted in a strong belief in collaborations as a means to create new knowledge. That is why we are exploring new ways of researching and writing together. Across national borders, disciplines and positions, the network develops feminist methods whereby we can create new knowledge that can contribute to more inclusive, diversity-promoting and fair cities and landscapes in the future.
This time, we focused in particular on archives and studied the way in which we archive: why are some materials and stories recorded in archives while others are excluded?
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek
We held a workshop where we had to discuss objects that we had found in public places. Here, we discussed, among other things, why a tampon, a can of Swedish snus (tobacco) and a picture of a car running out of petrol must be archived. We also held a writing workshop where we all wrote an individual text, based on locations, materials and people we have encountered through the network. These texts will be collected in a book based on the work of the network which will be published in 2023 by the publishing house De Gruyter.
The book will present a number of contributions from Nordic and international researchers, artists and landscape architects and contribute with new knowledge about gender, fairness, landscape and architecture.
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek 2022
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek 2022
These texts, written from our own individual points of view, are important for architecture historical research, because questions of women’s contribution to the 20th century landscape architecture in Denmark, Sweden and Norway remain, for the most part, unanswered in the history books, archives or scientific articles that we have worked with so far. Another notion, which also has not received much if any attention, are the common perspectives across the Scandinavian countries that we in the network have discovered. This is why we chose to use the writing exercise as a starting point to disseminate experiences from the network’s many meetings, excursions, webinars, workshops, lectures and group sessions.
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek 2022
The network meeting offered workshops and presentations from:
- Project leader, Women in Danish Architecture, Svava Riesto, University of Copenhagen (KU)
- Project leader, Women in Danish Architecture, Henriette Steiner, University of Copenhagen (KU)
- Associate Professor Heidi Kajita, University of Copenhagen (KU)
- Associate Professor Meike Schalk, KTH School of Architecture (KTH)
- Professor Annegreth Dietze-Schirdewahn, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
- Professor Catharina Nolin, Stockholms University (SU)
At we write this, we are in the process of gathering the network’s research findings into a publication, and we are looking forward to showing you the results of our collaboration.
Thank you to all the network members for a fruitful, warm and inspiring last meeting.
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek 2022
Where are the Women in Scandinavian Landscape Architecture? network meeting. Foto: Liv Løvetand Rahbek 2022
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