Equality lessons from Mars | Michal Ziso | TEDxJaffaWomen

We are born into architecture. It doesn't matter if it is in a city hospital or a village or a camp, it was designed and laid out by someone. In this talk, Architect Michal Ziso explores the effects of the built environment on our behavior and the way we think and feel. She raises the burning question - Why do we go through life never questioning if our built environment could be better suited for us and our personal needs? We accept our surroundings as a given even when they may have been created in times of a complete different social structure.

An international architecture competition set to design a settlement on Mars brought Architect Michal Ziso to the understanding that by stepping outside of our comfort zone, sometimes even reaching far foreign planets - like Mars - we could truly question cultural habits by experimenting freely, and promote change in an innovative way.

You can learn more about Michal’s work at her websites: https://www.theziso.com
and https://www.marsismore.com

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

"I want this to be a gentlemen's club.

Over here, I want to have
a long, wooden bar.

Over there, I want
a comfortable seating area

and a small kitchen.

Downstairs, I want to have
rooms for massages

and maybe some geishas
for the gentlemen's entertainment."

I realize that what my client
is basically describing to me

is a very fancy locker room
for powerful men.

I felt my blood starting to boil,
and I knew then and there

there is no way I can be
the architect of such a project.

But still, I had to ask him one question:

We're in 2017,
in the middle of New York City.

Why wouldn't you consider
having this a women's club instead?

His answer was short and simple
and completely caught me off guard.

"Interesting you ask," he said.
"My wife asked me the same thing."

"I really wouldn't mind it,
but I don't think a woman

would be able to pay
the high membership fee

I intend to charge here."

Well, this was obviously not true,

as New York houses maybe
the most successful women in the world.

I was shocked that these
biased assumptions still happen

and people want to create spaces like this
that promote gender inequality.

I obviously never took on this project,
and neither did the firm I was working at.

But there's a good chance
another architect would have.

And these types of projects
will continue to be built.

Being a woman
in a very masculine profession

is a challenge.

Architecture is often referred to
as "the boys' club."

Rings familiar?

Many times, I find myself
the only woman at the conference table

and the only woman
at the construction site.

There have been times
when I expressed my opinion

and I was shushed
with a hand gesture to my face

or explained by a man
to the rest of the room

that I was very opinionated,
stubborn, and bossy.

"Bossy." You've got to love that word.

Architecture is often associated
with the physical act of building,

which is mostly linked with men.

For many years,

women were not even allowed
to study architecture in universities.

But today, about 50% of architecture
students are in fact women,

yet,

Can you guess how many
out of the top architecture firms

in the world today are led by women?

Three. Only three out of the top 100.

You can just Google "famous architects,"

and you'll immediately see
what I'm talking about.

It is safe to say that most
women architects around the world

don't get to higher positions.

And they number much fewer
when it comes to decision-making roles,

in firms and also on city boards,
commissions, and councils.

When some are being recognized,

they're often honored
as "women architects."

They're not just architects
like the men are recognized,

as if we are in a separate league
and we can't really compete with the men.

But why should you care that
there are not enough women architects?

Because it means

that the majority of the built environment
we live in today around the world

was designed by men -

mostly white men, age 45 and up.

They may be brilliant,

but research shows it is human nature
to plan and design from self-experience.

And when one narrow demographic
is the main planner and designer,

it affects each and every one of us

on a daily basis.

It affects how we feel when we're at home

or when we walk down the city streets

or even at the office.

For example, imagine
how our built environment would look

if it was designed by elderly people.

We would have
much more places to sit, right?

And how about if it was
designed by millennials?

We would have charger spots
and selfie stations everywhere.

And if it was designed by parents -

who took an active and equal role
in childcare, obviously -

maybe the sidewalks would be wider,

and the kindergartens, offices,
and places like the post office

would be found closer together

to help make those busy days
a bit easier to manage.

When our built environment is good
and fits our needs,

we don't really notice it.

Kind of like we don't overthink
our body when it is healthy.

But when there are problems,
we just know it.

We feel unsafe. We feel uncomfortable.
We feel frustrated.

Good architecture is more than
just beauty and aesthetics,

it is when our built environment is
tailored to our personal, everyday rituals

but it must come
from a diverse point of view,

or in other words,
it must be equality-driven architecture.

So I believe that when more women
would influence the built environment,

there will be fewer dark or unlit streets.

The diaper-changing tables
in public bathrooms

would always be found
in both the men and the women toilets.

Underground -
(Laughter)

(Applause)

Underground parking lots
may look completely different

because their designers would consider
safety as their number-one priority.

(Applause)

And glass, transparent staircases
in fancy stores will just not exist

because women also wear skirts, you know.

(Applause)

When design decisions are made
by a narrow demographic,

it unintentionally
treats people differently.

This has a name.

It is called "discrimination by design,"

and it affects various groups
and minorities in societies.

From the poor to different ethnic groups,
to the elderly, to the LGBTQ community,

and to women.

So first, we have to agree that diversity
of architects and designers is important.

And next, we must realize that women
are in fact not a minority group

but actually are half of the population,

and that gender equality
is a good place to start.

(Applause)

Imagine how different our world would look
if the people who design it

would reflect the diversity
of the people they design for.

(Applause)

All of the examples I just gave
can be an amazing change

and yet seem a bit small.

I believe that
only by thinking big and far,

we can really make changes happen,

so when I got back from New York,
I decided to turn "bossy" into "boss"

and open my own firm -

(Laughter)
Thank you.

(Applause)

And open my own firm

that is designed to combine architecture
with innovation and gender-equality ideas.

I made it my mission
to not only become a top architect

but to do so by actively working
for a cause I care so deeply about,

which is gender equality.

The very thing that held me back

will now be the thing
that pushes me forward.

So in the name of thinking big,
I want to tell you

about a rather unique international
architecture competition I took part in

and had the opportunity
to design a settlement ...

on Mars.

(Applause)

You're probably thinking,

What does Mars have to do
with equality-driven architecture?

Well, I found this competition fascinating

and decided to use Mars
as an opportunity to experiment

with what equality-driven
architecture could look like.

And I will show you how, but first,
I want to tell you why.

If I were to ask you right now

to imagine a world and society
as far into the future as you can,

you'll probably be thinking
about things you know

or places you've been to that may have
been there long before you were born

or even things you've seen in movies.

You'll be doing that because it is hard
to truly let go from what we know.

But if I were to ask you
to imagine this future

on a far foreign planet like Mars

and ask you things like
"What would you take with you?"

or "What would be the things
you would choose to leave behind?"

I'm guessing you will not find
these questions intimidating

but, rather, exciting

and maybe have some good
and innovative ideas.

You see, the Martian environment

is very harsh and extremely
different than Earth,

which allowed me to really go far
with my imagination.

So for my Martian settlement,

I decided to explore
the pure geometric shape of the circle.

I found that circular shapes
of building complexes

provides a natural sense of unity.

Think about the way
people sit around the campfire

or sit around the table,
there is no one seat

that is more special
than the next, right?

So, in that sense, the circle is
a magnificent structural way

to promote equality.

It is also practical
for defense against danger,

like the shape of walls or water channels
guarding medieval cities

like Milan or Paris.

It was used in different ways
back in history,

but as power systems such as religion
and governance came into play,

both needing large, landmark buildings
that would stand out from the rest -

and both also typically led
by one narrow demographic -

the circular architecture was left behind.

If you were to walk around
these circular settlements -

which are kind of like
donut-shaped, right? -

you would notice that the public functions
are always in the center,

and they're surrounded by the private,
the residential areas.

In that sense, the private is
always overlooking the public,

which helps to eliminate unwatched
and therefore unsafe areas.

Another thing that can be unsafe
looking from the equality lens

are means of mobility,
both indoor and out.

Indoor means of mobility
are elevators and staircases,

which are usually closed spaces

that can bring uncomfortable encounters
between different genders.

The Martian low gravity
allowed me to eliminate both things:

get rid of the closed spaces,

and also benefit from a more compact
and efficient floor plan.

By basing my architecture
on the ability of humans

to jump higher with the help of machines
I call "suction boosters"

[that] I placed on ceiling corners,

people can now jump from floor to floor.

How often do architects on Earth question
the existence of elevators and staircases?

Let's question outdoor
transportation as well.

We can avoid altogether
the idea of underground parking,

which can be unsafe,

avoid traffic and pollution
and also avoid unwanted physical contact

that can result from crowding
on public transportation.

Instead, we can travel in electronically
operated tunnels underground,

choosing who we travel with.

You see, the Martian settlement,
which offers a clean slate,

helps us experiment freely

and truly understand
the benefits of change.

I ended up not winning the competition -

(Laughter)

(Applause)

but what I did gain
is this new perspective

and these three
equality lessons from Mars.

Lesson number one:
bypass cognitive fixations.

I realized I could use Mars
as an alternative channel

to think and talk about things

that otherwise were too uncomfortable
or complicated to imagine,

just like when I asked you
to imagine the far future.

Thinking of our life
on a whole different planet

can be a tool to help us
get past cognitive fixations,

which is when we only act
from what we know,

and we do this unconsciously.

So, next time you encounter such a block,

try to use an example
outside of your everyday life.

I can lend you my Mars if you want.

Lesson number two:

equality-driven architecture
is an actual thing.

My Martian settlement offers one option

as to how equality-driven
architecture could look like.

It is one out of many possible outcomes

to both looking at the built environment
from a woman's perspective

and also to what happens
when we step outside our comfort zone.

How else could it look like?

Well for that, we'll first need
a true diversity of architects.

And finally, lesson number three:

why wait?

I personally believe
that the day is not far

when we will be faced
with some tough sociological questions

regarding actual life on Mars.

And when this day comes,
we have to be confident

that this reality on Mars
has equality written all over it

and also know exactly how to get there.

But if we know how to get there,

What stops us making this equal society
a reality here on Earth?

We are born into architecture.

It doesn't matter
if it is in a city hospital

or a village or a camp;

it was designed and laid out by someone.

We go through life being influenced
by our built environment

and never stop and ask
"Is it good enough for me?"

At the end of the day,

we are here on our blue planet
for a relatively short period of time,

so why wouldn't you demand

that this life would be planned
perfectly for you?

And it will only happen
when diversity will work for diversity.

Mars, the Red Planet,
is not so far from humanity's reach.

But why wait until we get there

when we can start the change
right here, right now?

Thank you.

(Applause)