Gill Matthewson

Last updated

Gillian Matthewson
Born
Gillian Matthewson

Nationality New Zealander
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
University of East London
University of Queensland
OccupationArchitect
PracticeClaire Chamber Architects
BDP
Matrix

Gill (Gillian) Matthewson is a New Zealand architect, scholar and educator, based since 2016 at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Contents

Early life and education

Matthewson was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and educated at Tawa College. She received her bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Auckland, School of Architecture, in New Zealand, followed by a master's degree in architecture from University of East London for a study on the work of Lilly Reich titled "Sex, Lies and the Barcelona Pavilion" (1994). [1] She completed her PhD at the University of Queensland in 2015 on the topic "Dimensions of Gender: Women's Careers in the Australian Architecture Profession", for which she received the Dean's Award for Outstanding Thesis. [2] [3] This was part of a larger research project, Equity and Diversity in the Australian Architectural Profession: women, work and leadership, led by Naomi Stead. [4]

Research and professional experience

A strong advocate of addressing gender discrimination in the field of architecture, Matthewson's scholarship concerns the state of the architectural industry's treatment of women. During her professional life, she has practiced architecture full-time for a decade, including at the firm Claire Chamber Architects (New Zealand), [5] and in England at Matrix Feminist Design Cooperative and BDP. In addition to practicing architecture, Matthewson has contributed to the field as an academic with teaching positions at Wellington Institute of Technology. She undertook her doctoral studies within the ATCH (Architecture Theory Criticism History) Research Centre, in the School of Architecture at the University of Queensland. She joined Monash University Art, Design and Architecture in March 2016, where she is a Lecturer and Senior Researcher at the XYX Lab. [6] She is also a Senior Researcher on the Architecture Education and the Profession study led by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia which is due to conclude in June 2019.

Matthewson is a co-founder of Parlour: women, equity, architecture, an organisation devoted to advocating for gender equity in architecture, and a co-editor of the Parlour website. [7] Matthewson's extensive statistical map of the participation of women in the architecture profession in Australia has been an important base for Parlour's advocacy. [8] This work has been extended into demographic studies of the Australian architecture profession as a whole, including studies for the Association of Consulting Architects. [9] [10] Her work also informs the reporting undertaken by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia. [11] [12] She is acknowledged as the national expert on the demographics of the profession. [13]

Matthewson also contributes regular commentary and analysis on contemporary issues in architecture to Parlour and other professional publications, including commentary on the use and misuse of statistics. [14] [15]

Matthewson has long advocated for women in architecture in New Zealand, as an activist, commentator and writer, and has been described by historian Dr Julia Gatley as 'the most persistent commentator to date' on women in New Zealand architecture. [16]

Published works

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References

  1. "Gillian Matthewson Overview". University of Queensland, Australia, School of Architecture. University of Queensland, Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  2. Gillian, Matthewson (20 November 2015). "Dimensions of gender: women's careers in the Australian architecture profession". espace.library.uq.edu.au. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. "Dean's award". Graduate School. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  4. "Equity and Diversity in the Australian Architecture Profession: Women, Work, and Leadership - Architecture Theory Criticism History - The University of Queensland, Australia". atch.architecture.uq.edu.au. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  5. "Claire Chambers (nee Taylor)". Architecture + Women + New Zealand. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  6. "Gill Matthewson". Monash University. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  7. "Welcome to Parlour - Parlour". Parlour. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  8. Burns, Karen; Clark, Justine (2016). "Counting Women". In Lloyd Thomas (ed.). Industries of Architecture. London: Routledge.
  9. Matthewson, Gill (2016). "2016 Salary Survey Report and Analysis". Association of Consulting Architects. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  10. Matthewson, Gill (18 May 2016). "Architects in Australia". Association of Consulting Architects.
  11. Matthewson, Gill (October 2016). "Using Data to Drive Action". Presentation to Architects Accreditation Council of Australia.
  12. "Architecture in Australia". comparison.aaca.org.au. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  13. "Announcing the ACA Insight 2017 Webinar Program | ACA - Association of Consulting Architects Australia". aca.org.au. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  14. "Parlour: women, equity, architecture". Parlour: women, equity, architecture. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  15. "Shock horror statistics - Parlour". Parlour. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  16. Gatley, Julia (2014). Schnoor, Christoph (ed.). "Women in New Zealand Architecture: A literature review" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand: Translation. Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand and Unitec Press. 31: 249–262.