Hi All: Please post the following announcement. This is a
great opportunity for scholars interested in women in architecture,
women's studies, art history, urban planning, landscape architecture,
etc. A very nice presentation of the announcement, suitable for
posting on bulletin boards and the like is attached.
- Heather
Proposals Now Being
Accepted for the Third Milka Bliznakov Prize Competition
The Milka Bliznakov Prize, conferred in recognition of research that
advances knowledge of women's contributions to architecture and related
design fields, was created to encourage the use and growth of the
International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA). The Board of
Advisors of the IAWA, following a two-stage process, awards the annual
prize of $1000. The first stage is an open review of proposals, the
second stage is by invitation to finalists from the first
stage. Stage one, the review of proposals, must be postmarked
by 1 September 2002. Proposals consist of a 250-500-word discussion
of the original projects, research, or scholarly work, relative to the
IAWA collections, and which will contribute to and advance the
recognition of women's contributions in design. Details about the IAWA
and the Bliznakov Prize can be found at
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/iawa/.
For more information, contact Donna Dunay, AIA, via email or phone at
[log in to unmask], or (540) 231-5512.
About the IAWA
The International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA),
established in 1985, is a joint program of the College of Architecture
and Urban Studies and the University Libraries at Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). The purpose of the
archive is to document the history of women's involvement in architecture
by collecting, preserving, storing, and making available to researchers
the professional papers of women architects, landscape architects,
designers, architectural historians and critics, and urban planners, and
the records of women's architectural organizations, from around the
world. The IAWA focuses primarily on collecting the papers of those who
practiced at a time when there were few women in the field (before the
1950's). The IAWA collects this information to fill serious gaps in the
availability of primary research materials for architectural, women's,
and social history research.
The IAWA also collects books, biographical information, and published
materials as part of its mission to act as a clearinghouse of information
about all women in architecture, past and present.
A voice for women in architecture: Milka Bliznakov…
Milka Bliznakov only knew two English words when she came to the
United States from Bulgaria in 1961 -- yes and no. Now, fluent in
English, she speaks a bold “yes” for the importance of women in the field
of architecture. When arriving at Virginia Tech in the early-70s to teach
architecture, Milka was mindful that she was one of very few women
architects, and that there was no recognition for the contributions made
by these women. Coming from a family of professional women as daughter of
a doctor, and niece of a dentist, she wanted to do something about this
problem. In 1985, with the help and support of faculty and
administrators, Milka founded the International Archive of Women in
Architecture (IAWA) as a joint program of the University Libraries and
the College. Today there are over 200 collections in the
archive.
Now retired, Milka has dedicated much of her time to making personal
calls to women architects, designers, and planners all over the world,
encouraging them to consider donating their drawings and projects to the
IAWA. Most recently she gave a lecture at the National Gallery of Art in
Washington, D.C. entitled “A Unique Collection of Women’s Creative
Accomplishments” which showcased the content, scope, and value of the
IAWA collections. For a detailed listing of these collections housed in
the Special Collections at the University Libraries of Virginia Tech, see
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/iawa/guide.html.
Heather Ball
Art and Architecture Librarian
Honorary Advisor, IAWA
Virginia Tech
302 Cowgill Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0206
tel: 540-231-9272
fax: (Arch. Dept.) 540-231-9938
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.lib.vt.edu/services/branches/artarch/
