Three on a Theme: Female Architects

March is Women’s History Month, so each Friday my Three on a Theme will focus on picture book biographies of well-known and lesser-known women in history. This week, check out these three women architect who paved the way for women interested in this artsy/science/math career!

Julia Morgan Built a Castle by Celeste Davidson Mannis

“From the time she was little, Julia Morgan wanted to know how everything fit together. Her family often visited San Francisco, where she could puzzle over the many new buildings under construction there. Julia desperately wanted to be an architect—but in the late nineteenth century that was rare for a woman. Julia was not deterred. After several rejections, she finally made it into the prestigious all-male École des Beaux Arts, in Paris. She also became California’s first licensed female architect and designed over 800 buildings, including newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst’s magnificent San Simeon. With exquisite illustrations, this is the story of a spirited pioneer.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey

“As a child, Maya Lin loved to study the spaces around her. She explored the forest in her backyard, observing woodland creatures, and used her house as a model to build tiny towns out of paper and scraps. The daughter of a clay artist and a poet, Maya grew up with art and learned to think with her hands as well as her mind. From her first experiments with light and lines to the height of her success nationwide, this is the story of an inspiring American artist: the visionary artist-architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.” (Taken from Goodreads)

The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter

“Get to know Zaha Hadid in this nonfiction picture book about the famed architect’s life and her triumph over adversity from celebrated author-illustrator Jeanette Winter.

Zaha Hadid grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, and dreamed of designing her own cities. After studying architecture in London, she opened her own studio and started designing buildings. But as a Muslim woman, Hadid faced many obstacles. Determined to succeed, she worked hard for many years, and achieved her goals—and now you can see the buildings Hadid has designed all over the world.” (Taken from Goodreads)