Numbers matter! We hope you find the Parlour Census Report 2001–2021: Gender & diversity in Australian architecture thought-provoking and useful. We trust you will activate this knowledge in your own context as we work together to improve equity for all.

The latest Parlour Census Report tracks 20 years of progress – some fast, some slow. It captures some remarkable positive change and identifies key issues that continue to impede career progression. The report includes new material about the gendered impact of parenting (extreme) and new data about business ownership in relation to practice size (sobering). Importantly, the report takes an intersectional approach and investigates the pay gap in terms of cultural diversity and gender (devastating).

The Census is an immensely valuable source of information about the architectural workforce. It records changes over time and reveals shifting patterns of participation. The 2021 analysis shows that, although substantial progress has been made, there is still continuing inequity in the profession. 

The Parlour Census reports are a means to review the profession’s current state and to develop strategies for activation. They were developed by the Parlour research team – Gill Matthewson, Justine Clark and Anwyn Hocking – who spent many months of painstaking work unpacking, analysing and presenting the latest statistics.

We invite you to put this data into action in making a more equitable and robust profession. Download the full and summary reports today!

Parlour Census Report 2001-2021

DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT (spreads)

DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT (single pages)

2021 Census Wrap

DOWNLOAD CENSUS WRAP (spreads)

DOWNLOAD CENSUS WRAP (single pages)

Data in Action – report launch

Watch the launch of the Parlour Census Report: Gender & diversity in Australian architecture, 2001–2021. This session begins with a presentation by Gill Matthewson and Anwyn Hocking, followed by a panel discussion with Sonia Sarangi, Kukame McPierzie, Amy Muir and Kathlyn Loseby, chaired by Naomi Stead.

Watch Data in Action

Abbreviated key findings

See the full reports for expanded key findings, full statistics and detailed analysis.

  • Women comprise an increasing proportion of the rapidly growing architectural workforce.
  • Graduation rates have doubled since 2000, but less than half the graduates enter the Australian architectural workforce.
  • Registration numbers for women have increased significantly.
  • The architectural workforce skews young, but the average age of women is increasing.
  • Retention rates are equivalent for women and men over 40 years old.
  • Increasing proportions of the workforce are employees.
  • Women are a growing proportion of owners of architectural businesses.
  • Women are significantly under-represented as owners of larger businesses.
  • Gender pay gaps persist.
  • Long hours persist, but have reduced over the last two decades.
  • Patterns of part-time work are strongly gendered.
  • Caring for dependent children has a significant and gendered impact.
  • The number of Indigenous practitioners has doubled, but overall numbers remain low.
  • The architectural workforce is culturally diverse.
  • Cultural and gender pay gaps reveal significant inequity.

Thanks

We acknowledge and thank the organisations that have come together to financially support this Census report – ArchiTeam, the Association of Consulting Architects, the Architects Accreditation and the Australian Institute of Architects.

We urge all organisations and institutions to publicly report their own data as part of the ongoing efforts to understand and improve our profession. Consistent, reliable, publicly accessible data helps us all.