Womanica

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Architects: Patama Roonrakwit Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

Patama Roonrakwit (1968-present) is a Thai architect and the founder of CASE Studio. She is known for participatory architecture that involves local communities in the design process to create sustainable and affordable living spaces. Her work emphasizes social responsibility and improving living conditions for underprivileged communities in Thailand.

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This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

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Architects: Jane Jacobs Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

Jane Jacobs (1916 to 2006) was a pioneering urbanist and activist best known for her influential book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), which challenged conventional urban planning ideas by advocating for vibrant, community-centered, and pedestrian-friendly city design.

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This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Maya Lin Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

Maya Lin (1959 - present) is a sculptor, architect, artist, and designer known for her memorial work and focus on landscapes and the environment. At age 21 she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 1982. Since then she has seamlessly weaved between art and architecture, producing work that has earned her both a National Medal of Arts, as well as a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Further reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Yasmeen Lari Mar 17, 2025

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Yasmeen Lari (1941-present) is Pakistan’s first female architect and an influential figure in the intersection of architecture and social justice. Though she built her career designing “starchitect” buildings for oil interests and private parties in Pakistan, she shifted at the top of her game to what she calls “barefoot architecture,” focusing on the social consequences of architecture and historical conservation in rural villages.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Zaha Hadid Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) was an Iraqi-born British architect known for her radical deconstructivist designs. Her fantastical and fluid style challenged architectural conventions and was the source of much controversy. In 2004 she became the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize and is remembered as a giant in the field for pushing boundaries in design.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Emily Warren Roebling Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Emily Warren Roebling (1843-1903) played a pivotal role in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. She was married to the Chief Engineer of the bridge and took charge of his work on the project after illness prevented him from continuing in his role. When the bridge opened in May 1883, she was the first person to cross it. She went on to study law and became an advocate for women’s equality in marriage.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Deborah Moody Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

Deborah Moody (1586-1659) moved to the New World after facing religious persecution in England. She played a major role in founding the colony Gravesend on occupied native lands. Gravesend was based on religious freedom and implemented a street grid system over a century before it was commonplace throughout New York City.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky (1897-2000) was an Austrian architect and the first woman to pursue architecture professionally in Austria. She is most famous for designing the “Frankfurt Kitchen” in 1926, a revolutionary design that influenced modern kitchen layouts by emphasizing efficiency and ergonomics. Beyond architecture, Schutte-Lihotzky was politically active, joining the anti-Nazi resistance during WWII, for which she was imprisoned. Her career spanned nearly a century, and she remains celebrated for her contributions to functional design and social reform.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Norma Merrick Sklarek Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

Norma Merrick Sklarek (1926-2012) was an African American architect. Known as the "Rosa Parks of Architecture," she fought for her buildings and was a pioneering African American female architect in the field.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architects: Julia Morgan Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Julia Morgan (1872-1957) was an American architect based in the San Francisco area. She designed, rebuilt, and remodeled hundreds of buildings, most famously the Fairmont Hotel and the Hearst Castle. She was the first woman to gain an architecture license in California and posthumously won the AIA Gold Metal from the American Institute of Architects.

For Further Reading:

This month, we’re talking about Architects. These women held fast to their visions for better futures, found potential in negative space, and built their creations from the ground up.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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