Letter: Building equality

Sir: I was horrified to read the view of Richard Todd, a civil engineer, (Letter, 30 July) that his granddaughter had "no chance" in architecture because she was female.

Bastions of the architectural profession have been crumbling, fortunately, in recent years. As role models appear (Eva Jiricna, Zaha Hadid and others), the student intake is about 50/50 across the sexes. As children, girls are as able as boys to take up design challenges.

The Aberdeen-based "Designing the Future" programme, run jointly between the Urban Studies Centre, the schools and local architects, produced some amazing results: the top prize went to a young woman for a fantastic conference centre in a disused quarry.

The Construction Industry Board is busy campaigning to change the industry's image and attract a broader spectrum of society - including women. It may be things aren't changing fast enough for Richard Todd - but I doubt many women architects would recognise the "poseur" tag. They're all too busy.

SEBASTIAN TOMBS

Secretary & Treasurer

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland

Edinburgh