Born in Harlem to Trinidadi parents, Norma Merrick Sklarek (1926–2012) made history as the first African American woman to join the American Institute of Architects and start a female-led architectural firm.
Born in Harlem to Trinidadi parents, Norma Merrick Sklarek (1926–2012) made history as the first African American woman to join the American Institute of Architects and start a female-led architectural firm.
Norma Merrick Sklarek © Pioneering Women. License: Creative Commons.
Norma Merrick Sklarek © Pioneering Women. License: Creative Commons.
She was also the first Black woman to become a licensed architect in two states, New York and California. Sklarek’s perseverance and talent opened doors that had long been closed to women and people of color in architecture.
She was also the first Black woman to become a licensed architect in two states, New York and California. Sklarek’s perseverance and talent opened doors that had long been closed to women and people of color in architecture.
Commons Courthouse Center, Columbus, Ind. Photo by Korab, Balthazar. Retrieved from the Library of Congress.
Commons Courthouse Center, Columbus, Ind. Photo by Korab, Balthazar. Retrieved from the Library of Congress.
Her passion for architecture overcame the prejudice of the time, earning her the title of the “Rosa Parks of architecture.” She worked at many renowned architecture firms, such as Welton Becket Associates, and eventually co-founded Siegel, Sklarek and Diamond, one of the most successful architecture companies in the world. Norma Merrick Sklarek believed that “architecture should be working on improving the environment of people in their homes, in their places of work, and their places of recreation. It should be functional and pleasant, not just in the image of the architect’s ego.” She played a crucial role in the design of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, leaving her mark on an international scale. Her other notable projects include Fox Plaza in San Francisco, Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport, the Mall of America in Minnesota, and many more.
Her passion for architecture overcame the prejudice of the time, earning her the title of the “Rosa Parks of architecture.” She worked at many renowned architecture firms, such as Welton Becket Associates, and eventually co-founded Siegel, Sklarek and Diamond, one of the most successful architecture companies in the world. Norma Merrick Sklarek believed that “architecture should be working on improving the environment of people in their homes, in their places of work, and their places of recreation. It should be functional and pleasant, not just in the image of the architect’s ego.” She played a crucial role in the design of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, leaving her mark on an international scale. Her other notable projects include Fox Plaza in San Francisco, Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport, the Mall of America in Minnesota, and many more.
Center Green and the central fountain at the Pacific Design Center. From the Carol M. Highsmith Archive collection at the Library of Congress.
Center Green and the central fountain at the Pacific Design Center. From the Carol M. Highsmith Archive collection at the Library of Congress.
Building of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan © Designpulp. License: Creative Commons.
Building of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan © Designpulp. License: Creative Commons.