1 / Base
International Archives for Women in Architecture -
International Archive of Women in Architecture / IAWA was founded in 1985 at the initiative of Professor of Architecture Milka Bliznakova (1927-2010) on the basis of the Polytechnic Institute and State University of Virginia. The archive became part of a joint program between the College of Architecture and Urbanism and the University Library. The archive board is now headed by professor of architecture Donna Dunei.
2 / Composition
At the moment, the archive contains more than 2400 storage units and is constantly being replenished. They are combined into 450 personalized collections from and 47 countries, of which about 150 collections are a unique heritage, including documentation of the work of independent architects, architectural firms, large architectural organizations and exhibition materials. Another part of the archive contains 300 small collections, materials for biographical descriptions of women architects with references and sources, as well as books, publications, films and electronic files in 17 languages of the world.
3 / Founder
Founder of the Archives of Women Architects - Professor of Architecture
Milka Bliznakova, a native of Varna, a graduate of the Sofia Polytechnic and Columbia University of New York. Researcher of Soviet architecture in the 1920s, co-founder of the Institute of Contemporary Russian Culture at the University of Texas, now based in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California. Then he was a practicing architect and lecturer at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Milka Bliznakova's collection is available on the IAWA Archive's personal collections website.
4 / Prize
In 2001, the IAWA International Archives for Women in Architecture established the annual Milka Bliznakova Prize to continue and develop her legacy. The prize is awarded to architects, educators and scientists for their work researching women's creativity in architecture, building sciences and adjacent design areas. This research, together with archive-based conservation projects, is helping to reconstruct a fair historical picture of the achievements of women in the architectural profession. The annual open admission of bids with an indication of the remuneration is announced on the archive website.
The IAWA recently developed a new program with an annual prize for student research. A student group was formed at the Department of Architecture and Design to participate in the study of archival materials.
The archive publishes the journal annually
IAWA Newsletter, organizes exhibitions, conferences, student programs, research projects.
5 / Send materials
Since 2002, the archive has registered more than 25 personal folders of women architects from Russia. The archive invites all women architects to submit materials about their professional activities. Accepted: drawings, albums, sketches - originals, DVDs, books and magazines. Biographical information, professional, children's and family photographs. All materials must be accompanied by a description. For detailed information in Russian, please contact Anna Sokolina: [email protected].
Archive website:
List of Archive Collections:
Anna Petrovna Sokolina
PhD in Architecture, Professor
IAWA, SAH, SHERA, CAA, BWAF, ASEEES, AWSS, NESEEES, IKOMOS
