When Women Gather; Chicago Architecture Center’s ‘Disrupters’ Exhibition Honors 50 Years of Non-Profit Chicago Women in Architecture

In 1974, a group of female architects gathered in a colleague’s office, connected by a common experience of serious workplace challenges. They sat on tables and on the floor and talked about how to start organizing.

That colleague was Gertrude Lemp Kerbis, who, after more than a decade of producing award-winning projects with large architecture firms, opened her own practice in 1967 in response to discriminatory practices. While this decision eliminated some frustrations, another set of issues quickly arose. In a context where female architects were rarely hired or promoted, Kerbis struggled to obtain the clients and projects she desired and deserved. Fueled by a need to connect with others experiencing similar issues, she “sent out a little note” to all the women architects she knew – an invitation to come to her small office on Michigan Avenue. More than 20 women turned out for this first meeting of Chicago Women in Architecture (CWA). 

This first gathering of talented and motivated women in the 1970s formed the foundation of a robust advocacy organization that is still going strong today. They also led their own firms, took on leadership roles within a growing CWA, started the CWA Foundation, and were bold trailblazers and leaders at AIA.  

In 2008, 34 years after she organized the first CWA gathering, Kerbis received AIA Chicago’s Lifetime Achievement Award – the first woman to receive the honor. As she acknowledged in the tribute video that year, “I just hope that I pushed the ball a little farther.” 

In honor of its 50th anniversary, Chicago Architecture Center is proud to partner with CWA to present “Disrupters,” a new exhibition that recognizes the challenges women continue to face in the field while celebrating the significant gains they have made. CWA has sustained and grown over the years, outlasting many similar groups throughout the country. This is due in part to the group’s willingness to push boundaries while fostering a supportive community and advocating for women in the profession. This exhibition celebrates the work and impact of CWA leaders and members over the years through imagery, photographs, oral histories, and built projects around the world. 

“Disrupters” is now on display through January 5, 2025, at the Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60601. Learn more and purchase tickets to the exhibition at architecture.org.

Guest written by
Eve Fineman, Assoc. AIA
Director of Exhibitions, Chicago Architecture Center
Board of Directors, AIA Chicago