Celebrating the women of OPN and the women of architecture

Roughly half of all architecture students are women. Yet, according to the American Institute of Architects, women accounted for only 20% of its licensed members. Even fewer women have leadership roles at their firms.

OPN promoted its first female partner in 2015 and a second in 2018. We have continued to defy statistics, with women making up 33% of our staff and 24% of our architects and emerging professionals. By comparison, just 17% of our state AIA membership are women.

The women of our firm are also leaders in industry organizations like AIA Iowa and Iowa Women in Architecture, both of which play important roles in reshaping this narrative.

In advance of International Women’s Day on March 8, we honor all of OPN’s women who are doing their part to rewrite the gender imbalance in our industry.