A Guide to the "That Exceptional One: Women in American Architecture, 1888-1988," Exhibition, 1988 "That Exceptional One: Women in American Architecture, 1888-1988," Exhibition Ms1991-041
Special Collections, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, Va.
Collection Number
Ms1991-041
Title
That Exceptional One: Women in American Architecture, 1888-1988," Exhibition, 1988
Physical Characteristics
100 Cubic Feet
3 boxes; oversize panels
Language
English
Abstract
Traveling exhibit created by the
American Architectural Foundation of the American Institute of Architects about women in
American architecture. The exhibit starts with Louise Bethune, who in 1888 was the first
woman to join the AIA. Materials include exhibit panels, planning documents and research for
the creation of the exhibit.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "That
Exceptional One: Women in American Architecture 1888-1988," Exhibition, 1988, Ms1991-041 -
Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Acquisition Information
The material in the collection was donated in 1991 and March 2000 by the Library and
Archives of The American Institute of Architects to the International Archive of Women in
Architecture housed in the Special Collections at the University Libraries of Virginia
Tech.
Processing Information
Processed by Federica Goffi and Gerrianne Schaad, May 2000
"That Exceptional One: Women in American Architecture 1888-1988" commemorated the 100th
anniversary of the election of the first woman, Louise Blanchard Bethune of Buffalo, New
York, to membership in The American Institute of Architects. The idea for this exhibition on
a century of achievements by women came from the AIA Women in Architecture Committee.
The exhibit consisted of the following three sections: "Becoming an Architect" covered the
establishment of schools of architecture in the United States during the late 19th century;
the influence of the Beaux-Arts and Bauhaus movements; the political and social activism of
the 1960s and 1970s; and the enrollment gains of women in architecture and other
professional school. "Practicing Architecture" profiled women in professional practice-from
the early all-female firm of MIT graduates Lois Lilley Howe, Eleanor Manning, and Mary Almy,
to current and precedent-setting practitioners, Natalie De Blois and Laurinda Spear. It
reflected a wide range of building types, practice types, specialties, and locales. "
Gaining Recognition" used an illustrated timeline to document the evolution of women in
architecture as their achievements and numbers grew and as attitudes both among and about
female architects changed over a century.
The collection "That Exceptional One" consists of documents, articles, correspondence,
photographs, slides, and other related material documenting the phases of preparation,
organization and display of the exhibition. Researcher notes reflect their efforts to
identify collections and sources of material on women architects. The slides are examples of
the architects work.
Also included in the collection is the physical exhibit.
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