Parlour : Inc Action & 2019, 2020 impact: Welcome to our bumper The second half of 2019 was an exciting time – we expanded our core team, our activity report, covering extensive record of work and action was Parlour action over the period recognised through the Paula Whitman May 2019–December 2020. Prize for Gender Equity, the WikiD film was on display at the London Design We are pleased to document Museum, we gave a keynote address at the successes of the latter part Fielding Architecture in the UK, and we of 2019, which paved the way finished the year with Transformations: Action on Equity, a two-day symposium for the decisive action and with the University of Melbourne that burgeoning event and editorial brought speakers from around the world. program of 2020 as Parlour Then came the pandemic. As the harsh rallied in response to the realities of COVID-19 became clearer, COVID-19 pandemic. we introduced an extensive editorial and online event program to assist Parlour is a small, lean non-profit our communities to navigate the new organisation that has a big impact. challenges and set up new futures. We thank all those who support our We launched three new event series – Light work, and the many organisations and at the End of the Tunnel, Midday Monday individuals who collaborate with us. and Parlour LAB – and moved the Parlour Salons online. These provided venues for We are particularly grateful that our camaraderie and connection, information Parlour Partners are standing by us and story telling, insight and reflection. through these challenging economic times. Their continuing financial and moral Parlour’s editorial program focused on support has enabled Parlour to respond understanding the ever-changing situation, quickly and effectively to the challenges what it meant and how to navigate it. In of the pandemic. addition to one-off articles we developed two new series – Home/Work and The Path Parlour numbers Ahead. Contributors were universally generous with their advice, wisdom and Instagram: 18.9K followers tips for coping through difficult times. Twitter: 5.6K followers The Work & Wellbeing survey gathered an Subscribers: 5.9K subscribers extensive body of data to understand the Website visitors: 49.6K annual individual visitors impact on Australian architecture and to explore and effect possible new futures. In all of this, we used our substantial reach to broaden the conversation and help make space for a wider range of voices. Parlour: Activity report: 2019, 2020 1 Naomi Stead, Alison Cleary, Gill Matthewson, Susie Ashworth, Justine Clark, Julie Willis, Sarah Lynn Rees. Photo: Peter Bennetts. Architecture Profession: Women, Work & Leadership. Paula Whitman Prize Other initiatives include: Parlour Guides to Equitable Practice, Marion’s List (an online register of Parlour was delighted to be awarded the women active in the Australian built environment 2020 Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender professions), WikiD: Women, Wikipedia, Design, Equity Prize from the Australian Institute Transform Symposium, Seasonal Salons, and the of Architects. most recent research report – Parlour Census Report 2001–2016: Women in Architecture in Australia which This recognition of eight years of research, extends the mapping of women’s participation in the advocacy and action is much appreciated. We Australian profession. have all worked very hard on and for Parlour, and Parlour’s research and advocacy led to the it is lovely to have this work celebrated, and the development of the Gender Equity Policy for impact valued. the Australian Institute of Architects and the We are particularly pleased to receive an award establishment of the National Committee for Gender named after Paula Whitman. There are many Equity which has successfully championed for intersections between Paula’s work and our own. significant reform across the organisation. While Some of us also had the good fortune to know Parlour has many contributors, most notably it has Paula personally – she was a lively, sparkly, super been led by six women; Naomi Stead, Justine Clark, smart woman who contributed a huge amount to Julie Willis, Gill Matthewson, Susie Ashworth and Australian architecture. Karen Burns. Each has made long-standing and significant contributions to gender equity. Current Citation Parlour office holders also include Alison Cleary and Sarah Lynn Rees. Launched in 2012, Parlour is synonymous with gender equity in architecture. Combining research, Parlour’s compelling and wide-reaching projects education, advocacy and engagement, Parlour’s work work to transform architecture into a more equitable has led to significant changes in policy, structure and robust profession demonstrating outstanding and attitudes across the profession in Australia and leadership in gender equity in architecture. increasingly around the world. Activist and advocacy work of Parlour is based on scholarly research developed through the research project Equity and Diversity in the Australian Parlour: Activity report: 2019, 2020 2 Research: knowledge in action Architectural Work Cultures: professional identity, education and wellbeing Rigorous research provides the ground Parlour is very pleased to be associated with the for Parlour’s activities, and we continue a substantial new research project looking at to develop this through new projects and mental wellbeing in architecture, led by Naomi action-based research. Stead and Maryam Gusheh of Monash University. The project is modelled, in part, on the research project that led to Parlour, which was also “I fell into the survey. It was long, but I initiated and led by Naomi. Justine Clark is also was absorbed by it. I felt like I was doing involved in the new project in an advisory role. something important.” Architectural Work Cultures is a multi-disciplinary —Monica Edwards project funded through the ARC Linkage Program. Research partners include industry bodies and “My whole office has completed the survey. six architectural practices. The research builds on Great questions. Vital research.” themes identified in part through Parlour work. It will result in a set of guides, events and forums —Shaun Carter in addition to scholarly outcomes. Parlour looks forward to supporting this Work & Wellbeing: Australian Architecture important new work. and the COVID-19 pandemic In June 2020, Parlour conducted a comprehensive survey to help understand the impacts of the Potential for positive workplace change COVID-19 pandemic on the people of Australian architecture and the built environment. The survey results help us understand the demographics, working environments and wellbeing of our broad community. Work & Wellbeing: Australian Architecture and the COVID-19 pandemic was a collaboration with Architects Champions of Change and the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia. The survey identified significant changes in work arrangements and circumstances, explored what new aspects are valued and what people would Do you see the opportunity for permanent improvements in workplace and work like to take forward into the workplaces of the cultures following COVID-19 future. It provides the data to support individuals, practices and organisations as they consider next Flexibility steps and future plans. The results will also inform the research project “Architectural Work Cultures: Professional identity, education and wellbeing”. We had an amazing turnout – 2,082 people responded, with 1,883 providing useful data. Analysis is being undertaken by Gill Matthewson and Anwyn Hocking, with Justine Clark. Among the very many fascinating findings, one of the most notable is that 96% of respondents see opportunity for permanent improvements in workplace and work cultures following the If you have the opportunity to work flexible hours (regardless of full or part-time pandemic. Now, the challenge is to make this arrangements), which options are of the most interest. happen! Analysis is being published over time on the website and on our Instagram account. Parlour: Activity report: 2019, 2020 3 Events: building networks Light at the End of the Tunnel If there was a silver lining to 2020, it was the Parlour’s event program is going strong. opportunity for the Parlour community to come Over 2019 we had held more events than together online for our weekly Light at the End of ever before – 17 Salons across the country, the Tunnel sessions. Topics ranged from flexibility, including our first regional sessions, and negotiation and employment to mentoring and sponsorship, ethics and architectural citizenship, additional one-off events, including a and procurement and new models of practice. live Letters to My Younger Self reading, and a public conversation between Adam Way back in May, Justine Clark and Naomi Nathaniel Furman and Naomi Stead. Stead devised the online talk series to help our communities navigate the world of work, the This program was turbocharged in early futures of the profession and paths forward in 2020 when we moved online - all together the midst of the pandemic. Little did we know it would be running 30 weeks later! we ran 54 events in 2020! It became a valuable way to provide mutual The pandemic provided unexpected support, solidarity and camaraderie in a time opportunities to launch new online event of great uncertainty. Many new people joined series, which significantly expanded the the Parlour community, forging connections reach to regional audiences and those across the country. Continuing professional overseas. Regular sessions