Last Thursday, 17 July, we hosted our fifth  Making Space for Women at Broadway Malyan, an energising evening that drew voices from every corner of the design world, including students, professors, practising professionals, policy‑makers and architects. As our Head of Public Realm Valerie Beirne reminded us, the series belongs in Waterloo, a neighbourhood “shaped by pioneers – from Emma Cons and Lilian Baylis to the women who built Waterloo Bridge. With today’s thriving cluster of architecture and design practices, bringing this community together to share ideas and spark change just makes sense.”

Co‑hosted with Build Studios, the event explored how play can nurture healthier, child-friendly cities and why young people must be involved directly in the urban-design process.

Dr Ana McMillin FRSA opened the discussion with an economic perspective, noting that places historically imagined, financed and delivered by men too often leave women “experiencing space through vulnerability rather than authority.” We then heard from Lou Abbotts , who championed layered, community-led engagement, insisting that co-design works only when children remain at the heart of every decision, and Marina Milosev, who highlighted the systemic nature of gender inequality and called for feminist, ethically grounded, intersectional engagement so that “every voice is heard, not just the loudest.” The conversation was expertly guided by Helen Santer of Build Studios, who kept the room leaning in.

A huge thank-you to the Broadway Malyan team for their warm hospitality. Events like these are essential for shaping truly inclusive design, where gender equity is embedded as a founding principle, not a tick-box exercise.

We hope to host our 6th Making Space for Women in the coming months – keep an eye on our channels for details.