A Feminist Exchange of Gendered Expectations
A Feminist Exchange of Gendered Expectations is a user-led architectural response to the structural imbalance between work and care. Rooted in my own mother’s experience with the motherhood penalty, this project challenges the gendered assumptions that still underpin parental leave, childcare, and workplace accessibility. What began as a design for mothers became a spatial strategy for rebalancing caregiving responsibilities, creating places that support both parents and children through dignity, flexibility, and presence.
Set in Hulme, Manchester, the proposal includes co-working offices, family facilities, a well-being centre and cafe, connected through layered outdoor spaces. The design draws from feminist values that shaped every detail: exceeding regulatory standards, prioritising comfort, and designing for emotional and physical accessibility. Rather than separating users by age or ability, the building offers opportunities for shared occupation, stairs that act as seating, flexible toilets designed for parents and children, and passive environmental strategies that promote comfort and well-being.
My wider interests lie in residential architecture, urban development, and interior design, all of which are reflected in this work’s scale, strategy, and emphasis on the lived experience of space. I currently work as a part-time interior design assistant, which has further developed my understanding of materials, detail, and user-centered communication, bridging my academic learning with industry practice.
This project is the conclusion of three years of architectural learning and a personal commitment to designing for equity and care. I hope to continue this ethos into practice, designing spaces that support real lives.
