Architect Natalie de Blois, who worked at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, died last week at the age of 92. She was a pioneer for women in the architecture world, playing a significant role in designing corporate landmarks like the Lever House, but her name was never attached to the projects. She worked in the "Mad Men era" of architecture, and her partner, Gordon Bunshaft, got all of the recognition. SOM founding partner Nathaniel A. Owings admitted in his autobiography that she was rarely given credit. "Her mind and hands worked marvels in design?and only she and God would ever know just how many great solutions, with the imprimatur of one of the male heroes of SOM, owed much more to her than was attributed by SOM or the client." [NYT]
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