The Psychological Stigma of Gendered Spaces

The Psychological Stigma of Gendered Spaces Undermining the female sexed subjects through a symbolic comparison to space

Chani Samudradewa - 19016779 ARCH 5006 – Architectural History and Theory Word count: 1911

ABSTRACT Gender inequality- to this day, a worldwide conflict. Stereotypes that undermine the power and capabilities of women due to cultural or traditional intents determine a woman’s character or behaviour regardless of her desires.

Commencing with the role of women, from early ages, as birth-givers and associating a woman’s character with domesticity, while men were known as the providers. Consequently, resulting in a hierarchy and a segregation not only between the gender roles but within spaces. With the hierarchy between genders, a patriarchal society has subsequently diminished women to secondary materialistic roles and assigned them to spaces with negative connotations1. However, the theories of patriarchy or extreme biased feminism are a psychological manipulation supported by the stereotypes and symbolistic representations of genders.

This essay will explore gender inequality in suburban residencies and its spatial compositions to comprehend the injustice of the concept of feminine absences or discouragement and in doing so will establish that the metaphorical resemblance drawn between sexed subjects and spaces are only a psychological stigma or in other words, a means of spatial depiction that does not create room to differentiate between sexed subjects.

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Such as instability, fluidity or flexibility, constantly changing, unsocial, private, etc.

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Table of Contents UNDERSTANDING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STIGMA OF GENDERED SPACES ............................................................... 3 o

Methodology

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Overarching conflict

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Thesis statement

SPATIAL COMPOSITION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES .......................................................................................4 METAPHORICAL REPRESENTATION OF SPATIAL EXPERIENCES AND SEXED SUBJECTS............................................ 7 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 o

Works cited

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Figure references

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UNDERSTANDING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STIGMA OF GENDERED SPACES In the book “Irigaray for Architects”, Peg Rawes explains, French philosopher, Luce Irigaray’s symbolistic and metaphorical views of gendered spaces that situate extreme measures of feministic ideologies. Irigaray aims to empower women by promoting the causes for the creation of gendered spaces to be viewed as a benefit for women, in other words demoting the patriarchal society2. A female’s biological conformation may be a factor of danger in certain spatial arrangements but to Irigaray, if these factors are viewed as a psychological power, the so-called gendered spaces would not influence a woman’s desired behaviour, character, or power within a given space.

Referring to her metaphorical views of feminine power and capability, “a woman is never closed/shut up in one volume… unless the womb is reduced [by him, by him in her] in phallic appropriation” (Irigaray, 1997, p.65). While arguing that the notions supporting gendered spaces emerged due to a patriarchal society hence determining or concealing a woman’s character because of phallocentric cultures, she further states that “an individual’s physical and biological characteristics [therefore] represented a fundamental and positive difference between themselves and the dominant patriarchal notion” (Rawes, 2007, p.17).

One could argue Irigaray’s ideology of gendered spaces through Jacques Lacan’s theoretical framework of the female subject; and Sigmund Freud’s beliefs upon the ‘patriarchal and phallocentric society’. While Irigaray’s views are focused on the metaphorical and psychological notions within society, Lacan has used a more literal approach towards defining subjects and hence creating gendered spaces based on the physical and biological conformation of a subject. “As Lacan said… there is no symbolization of the woman’s sexual organ as such… The feminine sexual organ has the character of an absence, a void, a hole…” (Willette, 2013). Lacan has combined such definition of subjects with the notion of existence to conclude that “woman cannot be; she cannot exist” (Willette, 2013). It is understandable that to Lacan a subject’s physical features determine their character hence, according to this determination, the physical features of an environment and/or space must correspond to the subject’s physicality. Therefore, as Irigaray stated that the notion of gendered spaces emerged due to views of a patriarchal society3, the spatial segregation as internal and external spaces or public and private spaces are subconsciously but directly correlated with a subject’s biological sexuality.

In architecture, the idea of gendered spaces and the inequality within, started post 1945 when town planning was focused on area zoning which resulted in “stereotypical ideas about man’s use of the environment” (Boys, 1984).

Most domestic and housing sectors, in urban towns, were in close proximity to leisurely facilities. Meanwhile, the workplace hub was located further away from domestic zones hence, “the mobility of women is restricted unless they live in an area with a very good public transport network” (Boys, 1984). Therefore, urban cities, by default, support a patriarchal society which cultivates gendered spaces by allowing men easier access while limiting a woman’s.

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Irigaray, a patriarchal society is one in which men hold authority or positions of power over women due to ‘capabilities’ and stereotypically known domestic ‘role of women’. In other words, can be viewed as ‘woman’s place in a man’s world’.

3 Lacan’s view of a patriarchal society, unlike Irigaray’s, does not take in to account the existence or presence of women. This in turn creates a hierarchy in power due to the existence of men and non-existence of women because of her physicality/ sexuality.

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With this said, the intent of this essay is to focus on suburban residencies [away from a ‘man’s world’ – urban spaces] to investigate the extent to which spatial composition, in regards to public vs. private and internal vs. external spaces, undermine a woman’s existence and character due to phallic power/ patriarchal society and how spaces have evolved, from modern to contemporary architecture, to naturalize the co-existence between opposite subjects. The effect of spatial compositions will be assessed through Irigaray’s visions of feministic ideologies and gendered spaces and Lacan’s views of women and female existence to ultimately prove that spatial segregation towards gender is only a psychological stigma supported by metaphorical views of space.

SPATIAL COMPOSITION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES Irigaray, as a biased extremist, states that while external spaces are associated with masculinity, female subjects are associated with both external and internal spaces “because no single discrete boundary defines a woman’s sexual experience or biological organs” (Rawes, 2007, p.20). In other words, the external and internal or public and private spaces in architecture must be unconsciously expressive of their function and allow the coexistence of subjects hence, dismissing gendered spaces. Contrastingly, Lacan’s phallocentric comprehension of space, suggests that the absent, non-existing nature of the female subject is prevalent through form and acutely agrees with Irigaray’s biased adamance of the ‘absolute patriarchy’. Meanwhile, he advocates that a form may potentially be indicative of masculine or feminine qualities, through user occupancy, that arguably creates a bias among space. Therefore, in Lacan’s eyes, the feminine absences is physically represented through private spaces as they are not as inclusive or have a larger user capacity inhabiting the space in comparison to public spaces that are significantly more powerful in terms of user experience and flow. As public spaces are created for a more social experience, “Lacanian theory eliminated women … from meaningful participation in society” (Willette, 2013). Lacan’s influence or the subconscious outcomes of patriarchy is fluent in modernist architecture as seen in the Frederick C. Robie House (figure 1) built in 1906, Chicago, USA. As per client’s request, Frank Lloyd Wright’s design initiated a new domestic residential style in the suburbs of Chicago: the Prairie style following the American horizontal landscapes. Even though not intended, Wright’s spatial compositions that attempt to portray an open space within the interior, debatably, supports the Lacanian theory of gendered spaces in which the female subject ceases to exist.

Figure 1: Frederick C. Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright (1910) Photo credits: Columbia university Page | 4

Figure 2: Robie House floor plans (top -bottom; ground floor, first floor, second floor) Image credits: Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright Trust (area zoning)

A maze like composition or compartmentalizing a space, as seen in figure 2 displaying the floor plans, limits access between the public and private spaces. However, the social and public spaces, associated with the male subject, such as the entry hall, billiard room, living room, and dining room, placed in a neighbouring manner allows direct access within the spaces. If viewed through Irigaray, the Robie house would be a gendered space as access between the public spaces, masculine, is better managed than access between public and private spaces, feminine.

In addition, the spatial arrangement restricts views consequently stimulating curiosity amongst users, although, “for women… spaces where mystery figures lurk, or could easily hide, feel dangerous” (Boys, 1984). Yet again a morphological and functional demonstration of Irigaray’s aggressive bias of the feminine absence.

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Figure 3: The Naked House by Shigeru Ban (2001) Photo credits: Hiroyuki Hirai

Contrastingly, The Naked House (figure 3) in Kawagoe, Japan designed by Shigeru Ban in 2001, even though less than a century apart from the Robie house, holds an entirely different approach to spatial composition. The contemporary suburban house “provides the least privacy, so that the family members are not secluded from one another – a house that gives everyone the freedom to have individual activities in a shared atmosphere, in the middle of a unified family” (Ban, 2001 cited Stang et al. 2005). Figure 4 shows the level of privacy and publicity available within the interior of the house, in a fluid manner which Lacan would view to be strategizing the gendered spaces.

Instead of a spatially segregated kitchen space, Ban opts for an open kitchen where users control the public or private moment in the house, through the temporary solution of a curtain. Yet another manoeuvre of strategizing the gendered space where users are in control of their experience, which is seen as expressive where individualistic experiences can be tailored from a non-preconceived user expectation. Moreover, figure 3 shows the soft, warm glowing façade of the naked house, constructed with the use of corrugated fibre-reinforced plastic cladding while the interior walls fitted with nylon fabric and foamed polyethylene used for insulation purposes which allows the lights to filter through the translucent use of materials. Regardless, Ban still retains the publicity within the household through the fluidity and open atmosphere of the interior space (figure 5). Hence the stereotypical association of women with private spaces is merely a psychological stigma as the space appropriates for various sexed subjects.

Figure 4: Flexible and fluid interior of the Naked House Photo credits: Hiroyuki Hirai

Figure 5: Floor plan of the Naked House Credits: Shigeru Ban Page | 6

While interpreting the spatial composition of public and private spaces through Irigaray’s and Lacan’s theories, it can be argued that the Robie house does not accommodate for different sexed subjects but only the male subject. Even though a metaphorical stance is applied to understanding spaces that influence the psychological viewpoint, Wright’s attempt at creating public and private spaces that, through an architectural perspective, accommodate the sole purpose of socializing or having privacy while allowing a female subject to exist. Although, throughout the two architectural time periods, it is vivid that the spatial compositions in suburban residencies have adapted to a more inclusive and more female considerate spatial arrangement as seen through Ban’s Naked House. However, it can be understood that gendered spaces will not cease to exist unless the psychological and metaphorical understandings of spaces have diminished in order to create the natural and unforced balance between spatial arrangements that lessen the concept of gendered spaces and allow subjects to co-exist.

METAPHORICAL REPRESENTATION OF SPATIAL EXPERIENCES AND SEXED SUBJECTS Through Irigaray’s perspectives derived from symbolic representations of objects and spaces, she is able to make the female subject more included in society through a positive metaphorical, yet psychological comprehension of female qualities resembling or mimicking spatial compositions. This symbolic parallel can be seen through Irigaray’s analysis on Plato’s philosophical text, The Republic, in which she states that “men – with no specification of sex – are living in one, same, place. A place shaped like a cave or a womb” (Irigaray, 1985, p.243). Thus to Irigaray, Plato’s myths “relegates woman to a secondary, supporting and material role in the production of the human subject” (Rawes, 2007, p.36), in other words, the ignorance undermines a woman’s powers and capabilities.

Figure 6: Mobile compartments of the Naked House Photo credits: Hiroyuki Hirai

By means of Irigaray’s symbolistic representation, the flexible composition that Ban has integrated through unsealed and mobile compartments (figure 6) allows for fluidity and adaptability that directly correlates with Irigaray’s theory of feminine spaces which suggests that “spatial experiences and relationships with other people can be reconfigured into fluid, permeable boundaries, rather than discrete finite spaces” (Rawes, 2007, p. 34). Even though Irigaray promotes female qualities by depicting the negative associations of women through a positive light, she believes that “woman has been aligned with [negative] ideas of incompletion, infinity, and formlessness, because Page | 7

of her unstable physical fluid powers” (Rawes, 2007, p.38), expressing Lacan’s ideology upon the function of the female-absence. Therefore, it can be argued that Ban’s flexible and fluid spatial composition of the Naked House could contradict the norms of designing through a feminine lens, as the spaces may not be functional or designed for stability. However, Irigaray further states the parallel between a female subject’s physical ability to adapt, change, and produce with the ability to rearrange the spaces in the Naked House suggesting the fluidity within the Naked house metaphorically represents “the positive nature of woman’s powers of material and psychic transformation” (Rawes, 2007, p.39).

Figure 8: Living room of Robie House - 1910 Photo credits: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust

Figure 7: master bedroom (top), kitchen space (bottom) of Robie House - 1910 Photo credits: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust

Contrarily, to both Freud and Lacan, a female subject is associated with voids, holes, and blind spots because “a woman’s castration is defined as her having nothing…nothing like man” (Irigaray, 1985, p.48). Therefore, a space, with the symbolistic representation of voids or holes, would tend to have a composition of darkness and emptiness portraying a lack of existence or being. As seen in the Robie house, the more feminine on private spaces such as the bedrooms or kitchen spaces (figure 7) are composed of minimal amounts of natural light and propose a rigid and inflexible atmospheric space. The living room (figure 8) however, a more public and social space, in comparison is composed of large repetitive windows allowing substantial amounts of natural light. Furthermore, the spacious area with flexibility of spatial arrangements with furniture and an expressive amount of detail can be argued to represent an external space. Supporting the Lacanian theory of associating femininity with voids and holes, the composition of the public interior spaces in the Robie house, due to the commendable qualities, can be connoted with masculinity consequently suggesting a patriarchal interpretation of space.

Exploring the spatial compositions of both Ban’s Naked house and Wright’s Robie house through the theoretical framework of Irigaray, Lacan, and Freud, it is evident that throughout the time period, spaces that mimic the negatively connoted qualities of femininity have been reconfigured to recognise the existence and socially include the female subject. However, it is evident that space is represented in a bias to psychologically influence the users’ views and experience. The spatial depiction is a manipulative approach of the respected society’s hierarchy as means to manoeuvre a spatial experience as one will not be given the opportunity to differentiate between sexed subjects or being silent contributors in promoting the feminine-absence in society.

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CONCLUSION Having explored the effect of spatial compositions that reflects the silent advocation and channelization of feminine-absence, with time, gendered spaces have relatively diminished to subdue the power struggle between feminine and masculine influence. Through flexible and fluid spatial arrangements demonstrated successfully in Ban’s Naked House, it is possible to reconfigure the space as opposed to traditional manoeuvres, consequently generating an enhanced functional user experience. Furthermore, it is evident that Irigaray and Lacan’s approach to represent spaces, to an extent, created a more vivid segregation between different subjects. It should be understood that a subject defines a space but a space does not define a subject. Hence, the symbolic representations of gendered spaces is only a psychological stigma due to the manipulation imposed by the hierarchy.

Therefore, it is fair to suggest the contemporary architect to prioritise the function and client requirement, similar to Ban’s flexible, compositional intent, where users define and curate their experience personally, instead of exploring space through a preconceived decorum.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Works cited ArchEyes. 2016. The Naked House by Shigeru Ban Architects | ArchEyes. [online] Available at: <https://archeyes.com/naked-house-shigeru-ban/> [Accessed 28 March 2021].

Boys, J., 1984. Women and Public Space. In: Making Space: Women and the Man-made Environment. London: Pluto Press, pp.37-54.

Irigaray, L., 1985. Speculum of the other woman. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, p.48 and p.243 Irigaray, L., 1997. Marine lover of Friedrich Nietzsche. New York: Columbia University Press, p.65.

Murphy, L., 2011. Summary: The Instance of the Letter in the Unconscious or Reason since Freud. [online] Thowe.pbworks.com. Available at: <http://thowe.pbworks.com/w/page/36292786/Summary> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Rawes, P., 2007. Irigaray for architects. London: Routledge.

Stang, A. and Hawthorne, C., 2005. The Green Space. 1st ed. Princeton: Princeton Architecture Press, pp.84-89.

Willette, J., 2013. Jacques Lacan and Women | Art History Unstuffed. [online] Arthistoryunstuffed.com. Available at: <https://arthistoryunstuffed.com/jacques-lacan-and-women/> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Figures

1_ Perez, A., 2016. AD Classics: Frederick C. Robie House / Frank Lloyd Wright. [online] ArchDaily. Available at: <https://www.archdaily.com/60246/ad-classics-frederick-c-robie-house-frank-lloyd-wright> [Accessed 20 March 2021].

2, 7, 8_ Getty.edu. 2019. Frederick C. Robie House Conservation Management Plan. [online] Available at: <https://www.getty.edu/foundation/pdfs/kim/robie_house_franklloydwright_cmp.pdf> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

3, 4, 5, 6_ Hirai, H., 2016. The Naked House. [image] Available at: <https://archeyes.com/naked-house-shigeru-ban/> [Accessed 20 March 2021].

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