The expansion of Frau Architekt in Nicosia, constituted the first dedicated exhibition celebrating the work of women architects from Cyprus. The exhibition connected to a global movement which discusses and highlights the valuable contributions of female architects who are transforming the field. This exhibition aimed to open the discussion and enable local experts to engage in this conversation.
Moreover, the exhibition celebrated architecture as a diverse practice which creates a positive impact on society. It featured works ranging from designed and realized projects, to academia, activism, social engagement, entrepreneurship, sustainability, urbanism, and preservation.
A conscious effort was made to select and showcase Cypriot female architects from different periods, as well as different fields within the profession of architecture. While it was the first exhibition focused on female architects in Cyprus, it was not to be viewed as a comprehensive or historical presentation. The portraits featured individuals and partnerships working on either side of the divide and/or closely collaborating across it. Such collaborations are in themselves a political statement and a step towards peacebuilding. The exhibition also showcased for the first time the work of Maro Efthymiades-Adjini, the first known Cypriot female architect, who graduated in 1960. She opened the way for other contemporaries such as Solmaz Feridun (1961), Eleni Romanou Demetriadou (1969), Androula Demetriou (1970) and Sevim Altan (1972).
The Cypriot architects presented in the exhibition were Maro Efthymiades-Adjini, Meltem Nalbantoğlu, Sevina Floridou, Margarita Danou, Esra Can Akbil, Münevver Özgür Özersay, Christiana Ioannou, Athina Papadopoulou, İlkay Feridun, Veronika Antoniou, and Simzer Kaya.
The Curators of the Cypriot Chapter:
Müge Riza and Teresa Tourvas
