Women in Architecture: Peacock Architects Are Shattering The Glass Ceiling & Taking Names

The statics of women in architecture is staggering. When Tamara Peacock received her license, she was one in 4% of female architects in the industry. In 2021, 33 years later, her daughter Cristin Peacock became a licensed architect. But still the percentage of women in the industry is only at a meager 17%. What is more shocking is that 50% of architecture students are female. So why the large drop off? We’ve spoken with Tamara & Cristin Peacock, Presidents of Peacock Architects, on their experience working in this male dominated field. 

In 1958, 1% of registered architects were women. By 1988 that number had risen to 4%. Tamara, you got your license in 1987 meaning you were a part of the 4% of women in the industry at this time. What was your experience being a part of the slim number of female architects in the industry?

Tamara: First of all, there were no women’s restrooms in upper 3 floors of the architecture classroom building at University of Florida. I remember the guys would stand at the door and watch guard so that I could use the men’s room. 

Generally, there were a lot of awkward moments in meetings when a developer would ask what I was doing there or a contractor would make a crude sexiest joke and think it was funny. And then there was a former boss that nicknamed me Fluffy. I later found out that this has some reference in the porn industry. Things seem to be changing for the better, but it was definitely a different time back then.

Tamara, what challenges did face making a name for yourself in the industry?

T: People not taking me seriously. It was so bad, that I would literally fake a call to someone older and male, hang up and then tell the men in the field what they needed to do to solve a construction problem. I had the knowledge all along, but only when falsely referring to a male, would they listen.

Tamara, when did you know you wanted to start your own firm? Give us a little background into the Peacock Architects origin story.

T: I worked for a Chicago based firm with 5 offices and during the recession which started in 1987. They contracted back to Chicago and left me on my own in the Florida office. I had brought them 5 public contracts that they had no interest in completing. So it was be self employed or unemployed. So I put on my big girl pants and did the damn thing. Thus, Peacock Architects was born.

Tamara, if I remember correctly, you were one of the first female architects to build in Las Olas/ Fort Lauderdale? Tell me more about this project and how it came to be.

T: Yes, I was the 2nd licensed women architect in Broward County and the largest 100% women-owned firm in the state for more than 10 years. We have completed 6-7 projects on Las Olas while working for The Las Olas Company.

Cristin, what made you want to follow in your moms footsteps? What drew you to architecture?

Cristin: To be honest, I didn't at first. While I was trying to find my passion I decided to take a studio class just to test the waters. I remember my first architecture class my professor asked the class to draw the space around the stool, and I knew EXACTLY what he was talking about. I just understood architecture from a different perspective because I had always been around it. It was that first studio class that really hooked me. It was a second instinct to me.

I remember the first model I built for that class. The class was supposed to choose their favorite model sitting on the table without knowing whose it was. The whole class chose mine. It was one of those  aha moments where I knew this was just meant for me. 

Now my mothers footsteps is another question. She cares about architecture, her community, how the architecture effects her community, and those who want to do the right thing for the project at hand. I think that taught me the most and defined her as an architect that made her so influential to me. The work was never about how much money she could make or how high profiled the client was, it was always about the project and doing the right thing for it. And when she did those things, everyone respected her. I think that is what inspired me the most. A women who has been in this field for as long as she has and is highly respected by all her peers. And it's not because she played nice, it's because she was honest to her work and to the project. She took her emotions out of her decisions and became well respected for it. And I hope to have the same respect one day.

Cristin, you have big shoes to fill, what challenges did you face stepping in as Tamara’s successor? Did also coming in as a young women pose any additional hurdles?

C: I think the hardest part during the transition was having people actually see me as a leader, the one behind the steering wheel running the show. And convincing them that I was just as capable of making the decisions as Tamara was.

As far as hurdles I have had to face stepping into the position. More than my being a woman, it was my being a young woman that was the hardest pill to swallow. Ageism is still a very prominent thing in our society. While there is an acceptance in our industry, I have still faced many trying times where I had to convince people of my ability to run a project. Hell, I cut my hair off and started wearing different clothes so people I met wouldn't see me as a young girl.

 I’ve had people question me as if I was on the stand, hoping I would fail, trying to prove that I wasn't capable of handling a job. I just want to be one of the companies that embraces young women and gives them the opportunity to excel in this field. We can't grow and prosper if no one gives us a chance and I think the younger generation deserves for us to take a chance on them.

Tamara & Cristin, a big conversation in architecture is that half of architecture students are women, yet the number of women in the workplace and licensed women architects isn’t proportionate to that statistic. As of 2020, there are only 17% women licensed architects. What is your opinion on this age old topic?

C: I can understand why there is still a low statistic for women licensed architects. I just got licensed last year and that took me 3 years of actively studying to complete. I gave up my weekends, my social life, everything just so I could pursue licensure. It's a full time job to sit for the board exams. Plus it doesn't just take studying but actually being out in the field and applying what you are studying. 

So if you are a woman and you're married or in a relationship, or about to have kids, and working, it's hard to take the time to study. The fact that the amount of licensed women architects today compared to when Tamara first sat for her exams shows that even with all the things that we as women are expected to do in their life journey, this massive exam has not kept them from pursing a career. I always say, if it were easy, anyone would do it, but it's not. It takes extreme dedication. So that 17% is the phenomenal dedication of these women pursuing their dreams.

Tamara & Cristin, do you have any diversity initiatives at Peacock Architects for helping raise the previously mentioned statistic?

C: We don’t have any internal initiatives. While we are a women-owned firm we stand for equality among women and men. I do believe many women want to work with us because we are a women-owned firm and with our profession being male dominated they feel more comfortable working with us. I think the initiative that we give is that we believe in fair compensation and equal opportunity.

Cristin, what advice to you have to young women entering the industry right now?

C: I think what I would tell the women currently entering the field to just book the exam.  The scariest part of the whole thing is going into the testing center. I would also say to make a schedule. That was the most helpful thing for me. I would plan out my weeks of studying after I booked the exam. One week it was thermal, the next concrete work. I always had a schedule I had to keep up with to keep studying. From there, try and understand what you are studying. Ask your peers questions, let them walk you through things you don't understand. The last piece of advice would be to continuously test yourself on the materials so you can understand what you know and don't know. Once you understand it, great! But if you don’t, write it down, understand what you didn't comprehend, and put that as another item on your list for the next week of studying.