Angela Brady Architect
Practice: Brady Mallalieu Architects
Established: 1987
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
www.bradymallalieu.com
[email protected]
Born in Dublin, graduated from Dublin School of Architecture. Post-graduate scholarship to Denmark for 18 months and worked for a year in Canada. Came to London, set up Brady Mallalieu Architects with my husband Robin Mallalieu in 1987, an award-winning design-led private practice, specialising in contemporary sustainable design in housing, education and commercial projects.
I am an active campaigner for better design and environmental issues and promote architecture on TV and in the media. I am passionate about giving a better understanding of architecture to the public, in particular in schools, where I run design workshops.
I chaired Women In Architecture for five years, coordinating the world tour of DiverseCity, completing in October 2010 at the RIBA.
Current roles: CABE enabler; external examiner; RIAI Councillor; Chair RIAI; Stem ambassador; Ambassador GEO Equality Office.
Past roles; Design Champion LDA board, CABE/English Heritage Urban Panel member; Trustee Director Building Exploratory Hackney.
I am President-Elect of the RIBA, taking over the Presidency in September 2011, only the second woman to be elected to the role.
Brady Mallalieu Architects
Mastmaker Road, London
Mastmaker Road - 200 mixed-tenure homes - is a sustainable project created with the involvement of the community. Lots of public and community spaces are created in streets and squares, also including a football pitch on the fifth floor and allotment planters in the forecourt. It has large family houses with their own gardens, key-worker flats and penthouse apartments all within the same development - a new attempt at integration. The scheme won Evening Standard and RIAI Design Awards in 2010.
| How does diversity of people reveal itself at work? | Diversity is very important as it adds variety of people and backgrounds to our office culture and work practice. Our office is 50 per cent women from different parts of Europe, all of whom have different skills and points of view to offer. Half of our clients are women and of mixed nationalities. We work on a wide range of projects from special-needs housing to one-off private houses and specialise in community engagement - so important to designing within our community. |
| If you could change one thing in our profession, what would it be? | I would like to offer better opportunities to women in the workplace. It is still too male-dominated and women's contribution is not fully appreciated. Women still have to 'prove' themselves in doing the same work. The long-hours culture does not suit family life - still the domain of women. I strongly believe men and women working together create the best architecture and it is up to the men to help fight our corner. |
| How have your clients and projects benefited from your involvement? | Women have great communication skills and are good at listening to clients' wishes. Our clients say they enjoy being involved with the whole process of a project too, particularly in understanding our built environment and how to build sustainably. They enjoy showing the completed project to the public for Open House events and learning from the process. Most come back to us, which is a good sign, or recommend us to others, which is the best compliment! |