Trio triumph at WICE Awards
In a fantastic evening for the practice, our outstanding finalists achieved a clean sweep of the three architectural accolades at the European Women in Construction and Engineering (WICE) Awards 2018.
Tania Love was named Best Woman Architect, a category in which colleague Hilary I’Anson was also shortlisted. Shortly afterwards Nathalie Baxter clinched Best Young Woman Architect. The third and final architectural prize, Best Woman Architectural Technologist, was then awarded to Claire Harlow.
Tania Love, Senior Associate at FaulknerBrowns, said: “I’m super-proud of my win! It’s a phenomenal accolade. A huge thank you to all those who have educated, supported and mentored me along the way. I have been breaking down barriers and building new heights for 26 years in this industry. It’s a privilege as an architect being able to affect change in the built environment, creating buildings and places for the diverse communities we live in. However, our projects will be all the more rewarding, relevant and successful when the project teams more closely reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.”
Nathalie Baxter, Architect at FaulknerBrowns said: “Wow, what an amazing night! I’m honoured to have received this award and thankful to have been given the opportunity to participate in the process. I hope in time, that female practitioners will not be publicised or identified as ‘Female Architects’ but as ‘Architects’ in their own right, and I hope my success, along with that of my colleagues, will go some way towards changing that representation. I will use the award, along with my role as chair of the Young Architectural Practitioners Forum (YAPF) to promote equality and diversity in the industry going forward, whilst continuing to work in mixed teams to produce great architecture!”
Claire Harlow, Architectural Technologist at FaulknerBrowns said: “Winning the award for Best Woman Architectural Technologist is fantastic, I can hardly believe it! At the judging day and awards dinner, I have met so many powerful women who have inspired me beyond words to achieve bigger and better things. I have learnt that there are so many opportunities in the world that are there to be taken! I am going to use this award to demonstrate to those with a career in construction— or considering one—that they can succeed no matter what, just as I have.”
Celebrating its fourth year, the WICE awards set out to find the most exemplary women within architecture, construction and engineering across Europe. The aim of the awards is to make these industries more enticing to women by creating positive role models and encouraging companies in these sectors to employ and train more women. The four finalists from FaulknerBrowns were selected from around 350 entries from across Europe.
Nick Deeming, Partner at FaulknerBrowns, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see three of our talented colleagues recognised for their excellence in this way. To achieve winners in each of the three architectural categories, against strong competition from across Europe, really reminds us of the depth of talent we have here at the practice. We encourage all of our staff to strive for excellence in their respective fields and will continue to provide them with the opportunities and support to do so.”
