There’s no better time to be in ArchVis
When I entered the world of ArchViz, I wasn’t sure where I’d fit in, having a background in English Literature is not your typical gateway into the world of rendering. However, after attending D2 2024, meeting inspiring women guiding the way and experiencing a community eager for change, I’ve never felt more confident about my place here. Women aren’t just entering the field, they’re leading it, and as a newly emerging industry, there’s no better time to be in Arch Vis.
Endless possibilities
D2 is one of the largest Arch Vis conferences in the world and the most valuable thing for me was seeing how many women were in the field. From students to CEOs, there was no shortage of conversations to be had. As you may have gathered, Arch Vis is quite a male-dominated field at present, based on the CG Architects industry survey, only 7% of the Arch Vis industry are women. Despite this, it also means that there are endless possibilities for the knowledge and experience women can bring to the industry, especially arriving from other fields.
Paving the way
D2 was significant, especially as a newcomer- I was able to have inspiring conversations about the role of women in Arch Vis and concluded that you can only grow where you can go. This means seeing women be amazing studio founders, producers, artists and directors is one of the most valuable things as a young woman entering the industry. By seeing the likes of Dagmara Kowalik, Kay Sames and Keely Colcleugh pave the way for women in the business, it’s so much easier to see yourself there too.
Tackling Stereotypes
One of the most exciting prospects for women entering the field is the inevitable culture shift that will happen. A majority of work is coming from the MENA region, and working with Middle Eastern architects and developers who champion women across their teams is pushing back on the outdated narrative that the Middle East doesn’t have many opportunities for women. By working in such close collaboration with clients across the Middle East, there are more and more opportunities opening up in that area of the world. In the words of one of our clients, “women get sh*t done.”
Somewhere women are nurtured
Speaking to Megan Griffiths, our Middleweight project manager at Somewhere, “There’s definite room for growth in the industry. One thing we do well at Somewhere is getting women in from a grassroots level, such as interns. We have women-focused policies, such as maternity and menstrual leave, which is invaluable, as not all workplaces offer these benefits.”
Starting as an intern herself, Megan has found Somewhere to be a nurturing environment to grow, having recently been promoted to Middleweight Project Manager. This trajectory for growth is one of the reasons Somewhere is an industry leader. When asked about her hopes for the future of Arch Vis, she says “It’s such an exciting time to be in the industry, everything is constantly evolving, there’s always something new to understand, and Somewhere is a great place to learn. We want more women in the field, there are endless possibilities within Visualisation, so it’s a great time to be part of it.”
As someone new to Arch Vis, and myself joining Somewhere as an intern, I can attest to the great support and learning opportunities I’ve been given. There’s certainly a long way to go, but with studios such as Somewhere paving the way, from policies to culture, it gives me a lot of hope and excitement for the future.
As we continue to develop as an industry, adapting to changes is key to keep innovating. From new tech, to new people, to new clients, there’s always going to be change in Arch Vis and by diversifying not only our knowledge but the team of people who bring that knowledge, we can only continue to “get sh*t done.”If you’re interested in joining our team, we’re hiring! View live job vacancies here: https://wearesomewhere.net/careers