At the age of 50 one of the world’s most recognized figures, and most famous women, may finally be embarking on a career as an architect. Barbara Millicent Roberts, who is better know as Barbie, is currently in the process of choosing what her latest occupation will be, and architect is on the shortlist of five.
Mattel has launched a global campaign to decide Barbie’s 125th career – a job aimed to inspire girls. Fans of the world’s most famous doll have been invited to vote online to decide her next job.
Launched in 1959 Barbie has had an illustrious career selling over one billion dolls as one of the world’s leading toys for last 50 years. During this time Barbie has built up an impressive resume, working in over 120 different professions. Her hugely impressive portfolio contains a diverse range of jobs including astronaut, doctor, pilot and even the President of the United States.
Hopefully architect will soon be added to this list.
Barbie’s Next Possible Career Paths
- Architect
- Environmentalist
- Surgeon
- News Anchor
- Computer Engineer
Barbie’s "I Can Be..." an Architect Controversy
In 2002 when Mattel first launched the “I Can Be …” series it held a poll to see which occupation the public believed Barbie should take. In a show down with liberians and with backing from the architecture community the architect career received the most votes. However, Mattel chose not to create an Architect Barbie and instead opted to make Barbie into an art teacher.
Now eight years later there is a chance for the architecture community to right this wrong and turn one of the world’s most famous women into an architect. Despina Stratigakos, an architecture Professor at Buffalo University, is leading the charge to turn this powerful modern icon into an architect, as she believes this will encourage more women into the profession.
Barbie’s Knowledge of Architecture
Unlike all other trained architects Barbie will not need to spend years at University or in practice, her status as an architect will merely be an honorary one bestowed by the addition of a costume and some accessories. Judging by Barbie’s new flagship store in Shanghai and her insightful summary of the role of an architect, we may be in safe hands with Barbie in the profession.
“An architect designs buildings and makes sure they’re safe sturdy and cool looking” - www.barbie.com
The words safe, sturdy and cool looking are undoubtedly Barbie’s modern take on Vitruvius’ demand that a building must have the three qualities firmitas, utilitas, venustas.
Just as in 2002 it seems that architects, as well as young girls and their parents, will be voting in the poll to discover the world’s most famous doll’s next career. Hopefully the whole architecture community will be celebrating on February 12th when the winning profession is announced at the New York Toy fair.
Tom Ravenscroft - Tom Ravenscroft is a freelance journalist and academic who currently resides in the UK. Though he feels particularly educated in ...
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