A 'Primitive' Milieu: Assessing Diversity Within College Architectural Programs

The status of inclusion in the architectural profession and particularity the schools of architecture are approaching extinction for African Americans and other minorities within the ethnicity of the architectural profession in United States. Gender inclusion has made some progress within the ranks of academia but remains stagnant within the professional domain. The architectural profession has finally realized that their future clients, staff and members will primarily come from minority groups that are now underrepresented in their ranks. The findings substantiates that the majority of students from the research did not think that schools of architecture practiced racial and gender discrimination; and were satisfied with the context of their architectural education. A sizable percentage of the student’s surveyed population believed that women and ‘persons of color’ were treated differently than the general architectural student population. But still a “PRIMITIVE” milieu exists for the student of color and the female. This is purported in the literature that racial discrimination, economics, ignorance, social forces are alive and well in schools of architecture. The paper concludes with suggested improvements for more scholarships, gender and minority involvement in the recruitment at the middle and high school levels, and more middle and high school architectural programs.

Volume Editors
Ikhlas Sabouni & Jorge Vanegas