REPORTER 25 Her years of experience have led her to


believe that a female perspective can bring specific design values to a project. ‘I do think that we strive to add an extra


layer to the design, in terms of the complexity of form, texture,colour function and meaning,’ she begins. We also design with high level of empathy for the end user. I think that women are nurtured to be more caring and empathic, and we naturally lean into this aspect of design. We don’t particularly like to dwell on this as specific to being female as any good design is very empathetic to the user. We focus on how spaces feel and this care for the emotive response to space is very impactful. ‘It’s [also] super important to me that the


functionality of a space is good ergonomically and psychologically for everybody. We want to design an inclusive experience. We are invested in researching the impact space has on people and culture and are up for the debate to constantly improve the experience. We also get out and experience space for ourselves. Travel, variety and exploration is so important for us to bring this back to our work. That curiosity is essential. Basha acknowledges that being a woman in


the industry has, at times, been particularly challenging. She recalls moments of being quickly dismissed or overlooked – frustrations that stemmed from long-standing industry biases. For years, many of the values she championed – creativity, design quality, sustainability and inclusivity – were dismissed as mere nice-to- haves. Driving high-quality, thoughtful solutions often felt like an unnecessary battle. In the early stages of her career, the


male-dominated nature of the industry made it dificult to offer a distinctly female perspective. There were times, she reflects, when being the only woman in a project team left her feeling like an outsider. Not being able to mirror the backgrounds or behaviours of decision-makers was a clear disadvantage, and at times, she had to contend with ‘quite aggressive’ behaviour. However, she is quick to point out that


while the industry, and society more broadly, is still evolving, there has been significant progress. Working environments have improved thanks to greater awareness, more gender-balanced teams, women equipping themselves to handle dificult situations, and a growing willingness to challenge poor attitudes. On a personal level, she says she has developed greater resilience too. ‘I absolutely want to see more women


occupying spaces that have traditionally been male-dominated,’ she says. ‘Diversity leads to better outcomes, and that benefits everyone. Ideally, one day we’ll stop talking about gender divides altogether, and simply focus on the best people for the job.’ To the future Rachel Bashas, those hoping to


follow in her successful footsteps, she offers this advice: stay positive, make great industry friends, work smart, and build resilience, even though it can be deeply uncomfortable at times. Success, she adds, doesn’t come easily:


‘You have to expect that, even if you’re very talented, there’s a whole other world of selling your talent. Being talented alone isn’t enough. ‘You need to embrace a wide range of skills


to put yourself in a strong position. Every day is a school day, it’s a real journey. ‘And it’s the challenges you take on during


that journey that ultimately build the foundation for continued success.’


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