Not Just An Architect showcases the traditional and non-traditional routes that those interested in aspects of the built environment e.g. development, construction, landscape and architecture can endeavour that contribute towards our built world. Presenting options and opportunities that can cater towards young people, the talk highlights the importance of taking risks, learning new skills and the power in communities and networks.

Black Females in Architecture (BFA) is a community of more than 200 members consisting of architects, students and professionals from a wide range of built environment professions.

The network is an exclusive space catering towards Black women's needs and career development which include sharing their lived experiences and challenging visibility and access within mainstream media and the industry. The network helps to establish Black women's careers through creative opportunities, support and social events.

Black Females in Architecture, BFA is a network for and by Black and Black mixed heritage women to support and encourage career progressions and creative opportunities. Akua Danso and Alisha Morenike Fisher are two of four co-founders catering for a network of over 250 members internationally. Remi Connolly-Taylor is one of BFA's Advisors and champions the growing network and is Founder of Remi.C.T Studio.

Speakers

Akua Danso (BFA Co-Founder)

Alisha Morenike Fisher (BFA Co-Founder)

Remi Connolly-Taylor (BFA Advisor & Founder of Remi.C.T Studio)

Programme

18:00-19:00 – Panel Discusion (2X112, X Block)

19:00-20:00 – Refreshments and Professional Networking (Atrium, X Block)

There will be an opportunity for Q&As from the audience at the end of the discussion; please come prepared with your questions.

Biographies

Alisha Morenike Fisher

Alisha Morenike Fisher is an entrepreneur and co-founder of multi-disciplinary design collective, co-founder of multi-disciplinary practice, Migrant's Bureau°09. She has worked for the award-winning studio, HTA Design and UrbanWorks in Johannesburg. She created the active self-organised network, 'Young Architects Network' and is a teaching facilitator for the built environment at the NLA. Alisha works within construction project management in Bristol at Arcadis. Alisha co-ordinates between the Advisory Board and the management of the network.

@aalishafisher

Akua Danso

Akua Danso is an Architect within the Design Delivery Unit (DDU), a Scott Brownrigg company. Recently qualified, she passed her Part 3 with a Merit at the London Metropolitan University. Three years prior, she graduated with a First Class Master in Architecture at the University of Liverpool and in 2014 became a Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust bursary winner and has since continued to work with SLCT through their partnership with Scott Brownrigg.

Akua leads the Marketing Team and BFA's Membership Team.

@akuadanso6

Remi Connolly-Taylor

Remi Connolly-Taylor is the founder of East London based architectural design studio, REMI.C.T, opened in 2017 challenging the design and development. Her undergraduate years were spent at Leeds Metropolitan University, where she gained a BSC in Architecture, before starting her first job with Fosters and Partners, back in London.

For her Part II Remi studied at Columbia University, New York in the AAD programme and graduated as an award winner of the Lucille Smyser Lowenfish Memorial Prize. Remi's ambition through the studio is to challenge the parameters of London's housing, work, retail, and public spaces and to extend their potential to suit each location, through her passion for innovation in design, and re-framing 'development'. Remi advocates a design approach which highly values the art of collaboration and conversation presenting at Venice Biennales 2018 and sourcing to constructing infill housing.

About Equity

Equity is an innovative, positive-action talent programme for UWE's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students, developed in response to national labour market statistics that reveal disparities in the performance and experience of BAME students. We welcome you to attend our professional networking and speaker events where we host inspirational speakers who represent the best of Britain's BAME talent. These events are a great opportunity to network with diverse students and professionals from across the city. Events are open to professionals of all ethnicities and from all disciplines.