50th Anniversary Symposium

Planning has begun for our fiftieth year anniversary celebration which will include a number of events taking place over the course of 2023! As in past anniversary years, we plan to host a symposium, this time around the general topic of the future of shelter. The symposium is likely to be a one-day event, held on the UC Berkeley campus in April 2023. The preliminary planning team; led by Carol Mancke with Mui Ho, Rachel Slonicki, Leslie Moldow and Naomi Horowitz; has begun by exploring different ways of thinking about the topic. What are the consequences of housing truly becoming a right? What if we think of housing as health care? Or as a conduit for justice or reparations? What happens when we think of shelter as a living component of a local natural ecosystem: 'How can women architects and design professionals participate in shaping the future of of shelter through policy, financing mechanisms as well as the design of the physical built environment?’ If you are interested in joining the conversation and/or helping to develop the symposium, please contact Carol at carol@machinaloci.com.

1983 - 10th Anniversary - Women practice in architecture

On our first anniversary, OWA was still in its infancy, we were seeking ways to make our organization stronger yet still worrying about the survival of the organization. Speakers were invited to discuss the direction or small professional organization and how it help the practice of architecture, landscape architecture, planning and the education of young women in these fields. Mui Ho and her committee invited speakers from both academia and practice to get a balanced point of view. Speaker included both Mai Arbegast, Ann Markessen, Sara Boutelle, Dolores Hayden, Polly Cooper, Norma Wikler

Brochure: Prepared by Nancy Baker and Mui Ho in 1983 to highlight the work of two California Women Architects: Lutha Maria Riggs and Edla Muir.


1993 - 20th Anniversary - To celebrate OWA's success

A party to celebrate the vigor of the organization and friendship among members in the Brazilian Room, Tilden Park. The party started in the afternoon followed with a catered dinner in the evening.


2003 - 30th Anniversary - Toward an Engaged Architecture

Brought together historians, architects, planners, landscape architects, designers, and scholars to discuss how we can infuse architecture with a sense of urgency and social responsibility to engage urban citizenship on both local and global scales. Mui Ho, chair of the Symposium, promoted the idea of inviting speakers from outside California and, more importantly, that speakers be compensated. The speakers were Dolores Hayden from Yale University, Kathryn Anthony from the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana, Nasrine Seraji from Cornell University, Ananya Roy from the University of California, Berkeley, and Eleni Bastea from the University of New Mexico.

2013 - 40th Anniversary - Gender Matters

A Symposium to present various viewpoints concerning the intersection of women's issues and architecture. The one-day event featured 4 speakers and discussion, a catered lunch, an evening reception and a 40th Anniversary Exhibition of work by OWA members. Speakers were: Annemarie Adams, Eleni Bastea, Lori Brown, June Williamson, and discussants: Mary Hardy (moderator) , Allison Kwok (moderator), Mui Ho (Chair), Jennifer Wolch (Closing).