“My career jigsaw is finally pieced together.
“For me, it’s almost like a coming of age, I feel all that I’ve learnt and worked on over my substantial career as an architect, has matured and suddenly I understand the value and meaning of where I am in the industry.” Chithra Marsh is reflecting on her year of two positions, being National Chair of Women in Property and being Director, of Buttress Architects. Chithra isn’t having a Zen moment, she’s reached a point in her career, where she understands the finely-tuned relationship of community, culture and place. Many people don’t reach this moment, they continue with the rudiments they were taught and have practised over the years and do not question the real playout of culture within the community that they are designing for. This is where Chithra is at: and it’s her moment of reflection of being National Chair of Women in Property.
As a director of a busy architecture practice, based in Manchester and Leeds, with projects spanning the UK, Chithra is very accustomed to… excuse the cliché, living out of a suitcase and meeting many people. But her year as National Chair of WiP has ramped this up and enabled travel and talk with people in wider subjects from architecture and property topics. Her passion is, and always has been, social value and equity, diversity and inclusion and it’s her tenure where she has brought these subjects to the fore and opened dialogues with people who care and are listening. Her message has been received far and wide and those who have been in Chithra’s audience and conversations, ranging from the many young people who have participated in WiP’s events, including its annual student awards, UK Government officials and politicians, renowned broadcasters and the many thousands who have heard her speak at the many conferences and panels. Opening up the opportunities for raising the narrative from a local through to regional and now national levels, there is no difference to whatever platform Chithra works from – all are equally vital.
Chithra explains: “My role at Buttress is centred around community, social value and creating places that work for communities and I’m currently in the throes with the team on several projects, particularly in Cumbria. People are very much at the heart of everything, we go beyond the classically taught mechanics and rudiments of design and architecture – people, their culture and how they sit in their community has very much been my theme in my role as National Chair for WiP. I’ve been able to take this ‘people’ message out to events, wider audiences and media interviews – and I do feel that I’ve set the people wheels in motion.”
But Chithra’s year hasn’t all been about her broadcasting her EDI and social value passions, she, admits to the year being about her learning and embracing other cultures and going deeper to draw off from her own cultural heritage. A light bulb moment happened in Venice. It was during her time at the opening of the British Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia 2023: following her participation as part of the Selection Committee for the British Council and collaborating in the selection of the winning curatorial team that went on to be exhibited at the British Pavilion: this allowed her the opportunity to experience the exhibition which harnessed a deep awareness that was an opportunity to refocus the lens and open the door not only much wider to other cultures – but ensure that there isn’t a door in the first place. Reflecting on the visit, she commented: “It certainly influenced how I think about architecture and the influence of culture and community. It proves that there is great innovation embedded in all cultures and we should broaden our perspectives.”
She explains, “This was a crucial moment for me because more than ever I realised I had to dig further into other cultures and that there should never be a ‘one size fits’ all where we explore communities.”
Furthering this subject Chithra has also spent the year aiming her voice towards the education sector. “I was very lucky, my father was an engineer, and I could see myself in the industry – but as always, we need to consider and get behind people who have backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the industry – they need to see architects from all backgrounds for them to feel included.”
“I was lucky my father encouraged me to sit with the architects in the practice he worked at, and I fell in love with the whole creative environment, and I felt my instant connection to this industry.”
But it even goes further, “We need to question whether university curriculums do not strip people of their passions, their backgrounds and do all they can to encourage them to bring their culture into the industry – otherwise we will create an industry with a very repetitive culture – and this isn’t an inspiration bed for architecture.”
Even in her own words, Chithra has spent a long time in architecture but only feels that this year has been the catalyst in her deep understanding of her role and work within it. Although nice, it’s not all about an expanded list of contact names and exciting places to visit – it goes further. My year as National Chair, in my mind, isn’t a year, although my title will change, I feel it will be a continuation of maturing my thoughts on culture and diversity and taking these to more audiences and practising them within Buttress. There’s always more to do.
On that note, she talks about her final learning strand and one that is why Women in Property, the organisation, is so critical to the industry. “Over this pivotal year, I was promoted to director at Buttress, now more than ever, I have the opportunity to encourage women into the industry. We all know we shouldn’t need to have these conversations in the 21st Century – but until we have a positive representative, gender pay equality, and flexible work - there is work to be done – and I feel that as I approach the end of my career, this is where I will continue with my energies and voice.”
Chithra’s year as National Chair of Women in Property may be over in title, but there is no doubt that her strength and passions will only build to a crescendo throughout the property industry. Her tireless energies and genuine personal warmth, coupled with her stature in architecture will change the industry – but I feel that this, still, won’t be enough and it's evident that her journey in reshaping the architectural narrative is far from over.
Chithra Marsh spoke to Melissa Paxton in January 2024.