Transgender Awareness Week

Focus on the Lincoln School of Architecture and the Built Environment

Dr Zakkiya Khan (they/them)
EDI Lead: Lincoln School of Architecture and the Built Environment

This week, we unite to celebrate Transgender Awareness Week, fostering a culture of inclusion, respect, and understanding. As the chair of the LSABE EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) committee, I would like to share resources that aim to enrich our collective knowledge and empower us to create a more inclusive environment within the field of architecture and the built environment.

1. Awareness:

📚 Why Transgender Awareness Matters

In recognising Transgender Week of Awareness, it is crucial to understand who are transgender individuals and what are some of the challenges faced by transgender individuals? Explore resources that shed light on the importance of awareness and education in creating a supportive community.

[Transgender Awareness]

2. Design and Space Inclusion

🏠 Inclusive Design: Shaping Spaces for All Genders

Architects wield immense influence in shaping the world around us. Delve into the principles of inclusive design and the transformative impact it can have on creating spaces that celebrate gender diversity. Let’s explore how our designs can be a catalyst for positive change.

Take a look at this guidelines document on trans-inclusive design for museums, galleries, archives and heritage organisations:

[Trans Inclusive Design]

3. Space and Gender

🌐 Rethinking Spaces: Exploring Gender-Inclusive Environments

Spaces and gender are intricately connected. Discover how the design of spaces can influence and impact our perceptions of gender. Let’s engage in a conversation about challenging environments to resonate with diverse gender identities.

[Challenging Architecture]

[Unbuilding Gender]

4. Design that Makes a Difference:

✨ Architectural Activism: Designing for Social Change

Architecture has the power to be a force for social change and healing. Explore the works of designers who use their craft to address societal issues, including those related to gender diversity. Let’s be inspired to make a difference through our designs.

[Supporting trans designers]

[Design for dysphoria]

5. Gender Diverse Designers

👩‍🎨 Spotlight on Gender Diverse Designers

Celebrate the contributions of gender-diverse designers who have left a mark on the world of architecture and design. Their stories inspire us to embrace diversity and cultivate an environment where every voice is heard.

[Perspectives of Gender Diverse Designers]

[Interior designers addressing inequality]

This week, let’s embrace the opportunity to deepen our understanding, challenge assumptions, and cultivate a culture of empathy and acceptance. By integrating these resources into our collective knowledge, we can contribute to making the Lincoln School of Architecture and the Built Environment a place of inclusivity.

Together, let’s build a future where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

Decolonising@Lincoln: Academic spotlight

We have added a new article to the School of Architecture and the Built Environment ‘Decolonising Architecture’ page on the Library website:

Decolonisation in Tertiary Design Education. Redesigning the Content, Structure and Space of Design Disciplines for an Inclusive Pedagogy

https://guides.library.lincoln.ac.uk/ArchitectureAndTheBuiltEnvironment/DecolonisingArchitecture

Denver Hendricks is an Senior Lecturer in Interior Architecture and Design. He is a mixed-race Professional Architect, Tertiary Design Educator and Researcher who was part of the drive towards the decolonial and digital pedagogical transformation in South Africa. Previously he was a full-time lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, where he tought design, technology and theory. Through his innovative pedagogical approach to design education,  he established the Fabrication Laboratory at the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture and is the designated Development Coordinator. His focus in education is on developing collaborative 21-century curricula and research which embraces both decolonisation and digital design methods of tomorrow. Denver was Head of the Department of Architecture from 2017 to 2021 and now pursuing a PhD in alternative and innovative pedagogies. He also has almost 20 years of practice experience in public, residential and commercial architecture and urban design.

His studies include a Masters in Urban Studies, A postgraduate degree in Architecture and undergraduate diplomas in architectural technology. He won both the Housing Development Agency and PG Bison Awards during his final year of studies. He has completed short courses in material studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is an external examiner for architecture schools in South Africa, sits on examination panels and was invited to talk at institutions in New York, Italy and the United Kingdom. He also has a strong international network of academic peers.

Here is a link to his personal website:

https://marinam107.wixsite.com/denverh

Decolonising@Lincoln Competition a great success!

Academic Subject Librarian, Oonagh Monaghan has been the lead on a very popular competition in collaboration with School of Design students within the College of Arts.

The competition was initiated as an idea for internal use by the library that grew into a larger project with input from colleagues from the University-wide ‘Decolonising@Lincoln Steering Group’.

Illustrated image of ear as question mark with words 'Whose voice are you hearing?'
Winning design by Cherry Wright (Illustration student)

The decolonisation of Higher Education is a global movement. At the University of Lincoln it involves recognising, examining and attempting to address the detrimental legacies of colonialism on knowledge, pedagogy, ways of working and the campus environment.

The work is contributing to raising awareness of how the voices and perspectives of Black, Indigenous and other non-White people have been marginalized, and to include a broader range of voices, ideas, approaches and intellectual perspectives in teaching, learning, research and scholarship.

The competition brief asked students to create a recognisable and memorable image that would promote and highlight parts of the University Library collection which help amplify marginalised voices.

Photograph of Ian Snowley, Rhoda Datsomor, Cherry Wright, Dinh Huy Truong and Oonagh Monaghan
From Left to right: University Librarian Ian Snowley, Runner-up Rhoda Datsomor, Winner Cherry Wright, Runner up Dinh Huy Truong and Subject Librarian Oonagh Monaghan

 

The winning image will also be used on other material in the Library, across the University and in its publicity material as the overarching theme for Decolonising@Lincoln. This includes the Decolonising@Lincoln website which will launch in Autumn 2022.

Read all about it in the Staff News: Decolonising@Lincoln Design Competition – Staff News

© 2022 Image by Cherry Wright and the University of Lincoln Library. All rights reserved

97 Ideas About Creativity

In response to discussions concerning ideas for creative collaboration between the School of Design and the Library, it was proposed that we hold an installation based upon the 97 Ideas About Creativity book, copies of which are already held by the library.  The Library copies of the book allow the student to write within the pages and share their own creative ideas.  The installation is being held as part of the Festival of Creativity.

installation pictures
97 Ideas Installation

The installation comprises of a screen in the library, displaying one idea per day randomly from the 97 ideas contained in the book – to present the ‘Idea for the Day’.  Accompanying the screen element, a computer is available to Library users who are able to control the screen and browse any of the 97 ideas.

 

 

Book Arts event – make a book!

Would you like to make a book?

 Japanese stab binding is a traditional technique originally used to bind pen and ink drawings. 

 Learn more about making books and have a go at binding your own book in this free, enjoyable workshop for staff and students. Suitable for all abilities.

Continue reading “Book Arts event – make a book!”