Matrix Feminist Design Co-operative

Matrix originated as a feminist offshoot of the New Architecture Movement (NAM) in London.[1][9] In the late 70s a group of women involved in NAM began meeting separately to discuss feminist perspectives and specific issues facing women in the built environment. This led to the formation of the Feminist Design Collective (1978–80) which then split into Matrix and Mitra.[10][11] The latter focusing on enabling more women into the architectural profession; whilst Matrix focused on changing existing practices.

Related groups include the Women in Manual Trades (WAMT) a pioneering charity supporting women in construction, and the Women's Design Service, founded in 1985.[12][13]

Matrix had many contributing members involved across a range of projects and affiliated groups between 1978 and 1994. These included the Women and Space conference (1979), the Home Truths exhibition (1980), the Matrix book group (1980–84), the Matrix support group (1980–84), and the architectural practice (1980–1994).[14] Key members include Frances Bradshaw, Susan Francis, Barbara McFarlane, Anne Thorne and Jos Boys, among many others.  Many of the founding members lived in squats or short-life housing while the collective was active, which meant living costs were minimal and energy could be directed to the work of the collective.[15]

The Matrix Feminist Design Cooperative design cooperative was a women-led and multi-racial architectural practice. Set up as a workers’ cooperative, it was run using a non-hierarchical management approach.[16][17]

The practice specialised in collaborative ways of working with people, groups and organisations that were traditionally excluded from architectural design processes.[1][5][18] The type of projects undertaken by the practice also extended beyond the range of standard architectural services, to include design guidance and training support. Along with other architectural organisations at the time across the UK, Matrix provided 'technical aid' to community and women's groups. The aim of Community Technical Aid Centres (CTAC) was to provide free or funded support services in a locality such as in construction, how to obtain funding, create neighbourhood organisations and building projects, and how to campaign for change.[19]

Methods for working with clients stemmed from Matrix's founding commitments to involving women in the design and production of buildings.[1] Women from the practice used models and building visits to empower their clients to share in making design decisions.[20][21]

The Cooperative also provided courses on technical drawing for trainee tradeswomen, on the building process for workers and client groups, and on building law, casting general structures and construction for practising tradeswomen.[3]

A course on technical drawing that started as a consultative tool for Dalston Children's Centre was developed further for use on women builders' training schemes, particularly at Women's Education in Building (WEB), a group delivering projects on behalf of Learning and Skills Councils in West and Central London. Some of this work helped the development of a Women into Architecture and Building (WIAB) access course at the Polytechnic of North London (later University of North London, then London Metropolitan University) founded by Yvonne Dean with many women from Matrix involved as tutors, and with Matrix co-founder Susan Francis as course leader for a number of years.[10]

Built projects include:

• 1988-90: Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, Tower Hamlets: conversion of Poplar Town Hall
• 1988-90: Grosvenor Terrace Housing, Southwark new build housing for single homeless people.
• 1987-88: Pluto Lesbian and Gay Housing Co-operative, Islington: housing conversions
• 1986-88: Jumoke Training Nursery, Southwark London (Ref - Owens, Ruth, Childcare Challenge: Building Feature: Jumoke Nursery[22]
• 1984-87: Jagonari Educational Resource Centre, Tower Hamlets: new build for Asian women’s organisation including crèche and large kitchen.
• 1984-85: Hackney Women’s Centre: shop conversion
• 1984-85: Dalston Children’s Centre, Hackney: conversion of disused baths

Matrix are well known for the Jagonari Educational Resource Centre, a project for women from the largely Bangladeshi community of Whitechapel, London.[23][24][2] An unsuccessful application was made to list the Centre in 2018.

Matrix were a member of the Association of Community Technical Aid Centres (ACTAC) and gained funding from the Greater London Council to provide technical advice. The GLC enabled over 40 voluntary organisations which benefitted women to develop their premises. Client organisations included Brixton Black Women’s Centre, The Calthorpe Project, Bermondsey Women’s Centre, Hackney Asian Women’s Centre, Maxilla and Defoe Nurseries, Lambeth African Women’s Centre, Haringey Women’s Training/Education Centre and Charterhouse Women’s Project.[25][26]

Matrix produced a range of publications, including the books Making Space: Women and the Man Made Environment (London: Pluto Press, 1984) and two pamphlets funded by the GLC Women's Committee A Job Designing Buildings: For Women Interested in Architecture and Buildings (London: Matrix Feminist Design Co-operative, 1986) and  Building for Childcare: Making Better Buildings for the Under-5s (London: Matrix Feminist Design Co-operative, 1986).

Matrix were part of a much bigger second wave international feminist movement in the 1980s and 90s that campaigned to increase the number of women going into the architectural profession, to challenge conventional design practices and to enable women influence the design of built space. They were contributors to the seminal Paradise Circus: Women and the City film shown on Channel 4 in 1988, directed by Heather Powell for the Birmingham Film and Video Workshop. [27] Matrix led and took part in many events of the period, including Women and Space at the Architectural Association in 1979, ‘Women’s Realm’ (Feminist Architects’ Network, North London Polytechnic 1987) and Alterities, a major international conference in Paris on feminism and architecture in 1999.[10]

Exhibitions of their work include:

• Drawing on Diversity: women, architecture and practice at RIBA Heinz Gallery, 1997
• AA XX 100 Women in Architecture 1917-2017, in 2017, with an associated publication edited by Lynne Walker and Elizabeth Darling[28]
• Still I Rise: feminisms, gender, resistance at Nottingham Contemporary[29],
• Arnolfini Gallery Bristol, 2019 [30]
• De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, 2019 [31]
• Making Space: Housing Feminism and Urban Change at Guest Projects London, 2019[32]

Matrix has had ongoing impact on feminist approaches to design and participatory design methodologies, and is an important precursor to later feminist groups and organisations.[5][33][34][6][35] Recognition is increasing, the editors of Women and the Making of Built Space in England, 1870-1950 describe Making Space as “highly important but underrated.”[36] Founding members of Matrix went on to have significant roles in British architectural practice and as educators,[37][38] campaigners and researchers.

Individuals of the collective and connected to Matrix have continued to work with others around feminism, gender and architecture throughout their careers, including the all-female practice Anne Thorne Architects[39] others work writing important reports for the RIBA on gender and diversity.[40][41][42][43]. Some developed feminist spatial practices such as through Taking Place[44][45][46][47][48] formed by Jos Boys, Julia Dwyer, Sue Ridge, Jane Rendell, Doina Petrescu, Katie Lloyd Thomas, Brigid McLeer, Helen Stratford, Miche Fabre Lewin, Angie Pascoe and Teresa Hoskyns. Spatial practice was also developed by the Julia Dwyer and Sue Ridge partnership.[49] Jane Rendell has expanded research and writing surrounding feminism and architecture, Jos Boys has worked extensively on disability and architecture.[50]

The impact of the collective was reinforced in 2019 and 2020 when Matrix was nominated for the RIBA Gold Medal Award by Harriet Harriss.[51][52] In 2020, the Matrix online archive project received seed funding from the University College London Bartlett Innovation Award.[53]