Architect Barbie reading at the BWAF Bookshelf. Photo Credit: BWAF Archive
The long-awaited Architect Barbie debuted to the public on August 15th and arrived in our office the same day. Despina Stratigakos, BWAF Advisor, and Kelly Hayes McAlonie, President Elect of AIANYS, championed Architect as Barbie’s newest “I Can Be…” career. Despina and Kelly petitioned Mattel for a vote on the new career, as young girls need Architect Barbie as a role model in the predominantly male field. These two women were instrumental in making Architect Barbie a reality.
Kelly Hayes McAlonie spoke to BWAF about Barbie, saying “Architect Barbie is finally a reality. Like Louise Bethune, the first professional woman architect, we hope that Barbie will inspire little girls to consider architecture as a profession. Most importantly we hope that they will have hours of fun playing with the doll and imagining a world they can design and build.” Despina Stratigakos has written an article for Design Observer, What I Learned from Architect Barbie.
BWAF is spending time with Architect Barbie each week to educate her on the legacy of women in architecture. You can follow the photo-updates on our facebook page.
Check out the links below to read more articles on Architect Barbie’s arrival on the scene.
Architecture Is Tough! Will Architect Barbie Help More Women Become Designers?
