GYNOCENTRIC SPACE: Matrifocal Architecture in Neolithic Europe and Anatolia (University of Waterloo, Masters in Architecture, finished April 2025). To read the full thesis visit this link: https://hdl.handle.net/10012/21636
Thesis Research: My research explored how gynocentric values shaped architecture from the Neolithic era, focusing on four regions across Europe and Anatolia: southern Türkiye, Malta, the British Isles, and the island of Crete. These cultures shared similarities in their religious beliefs, art, and architecture, and were connected through a shared history of migration. Each culture was characterized by matrifocal social structures: societies in which women held central and respected roles within both familial and social hierarchies, often emphasizing egalitarianism. Additionally, their spiritual practices revolved around the worship of a female divinity, akin to Mother Earth. Both of these attributes deeply influenced their architectural designs, resulting in the creation of gynocentric spaces.
This thesis analyzes the architectural features of the four selected regions to uncover the defining characteristics of matrifocal architecture. In the analysis, four recurring themes have been identified: the female body; the earth; cycles; and embodied rituals. Matrifocal architecture alternative approaches to architectural design by highlighting the interconnection between gender, nature, spirituality, and built form. By reconsidering the ways in which architecture once carried deep symbolic and societal significance, this thesis invites a dialogue on the role of meaning in design today.
Theme 1 - The Female Body: Neolithic architecture takes spatial inspiration from the female body. Many sites spatially resemble a womb, with an emphasis placed on interior spaces and voids. Several sites also mimic the rounded shapes of the belly, spine and full female body, often appearing curvilinear in shape.
Theme 2 - The Earth: The earth is interpreted as the body of their female deity, akin to Mother Earth. Neolithic sites have an intimate relationship with the surrounding landscape. Buildings were built upon sites deemed sacred, or were oriented towards important landscape features, such as mountains, rivers, cliffs and valleys.
Theme 3 - Cycles: The daily lives of Neolithic people were heavily influenced by the cycles of both the earth and the sky. Their architecture reflects this connection and their cyclical view of time. Many sites align to key astronomical events, embedding solar, lunar, and stellar rhythms into the built environment.
Theme 4 - Embodied Rituals: Neolithic sites were designed to support embodied rituals. Their architectural forms reflect spiritual practices involving processions, movement, dance, and sound; experiences which fully engage the human body.
Illustration: Each of the thematic chapters are accompanied by a set of illustrations done in the style of a tarot card. Tarot cards, which have historically been used for divination, consist of a card with illustrations rich in symbolism and visual metaphors. I chose this medium to visually depict the themes of matrifocal architecture. On one side of each card is a black and white orthogonal drawing of a Neolithic building. When the card is flipped, this same orthogonal drawing is overlaid on a coloured illustration that elucidates the design concept discussed in the associated chapter. The act of flipping the card reveals a new understanding of the architecture’s form and symbolism. Each chapter has four to five cards: one principal card encapsulates the design element discussed in the chapter, while the other cards explore a specific building and sub-theme. Each chapter’s cards are unified by a distinct colour scheme.
Theme 1: The Female Body
In the first theme, we see the similarity between matrifocal buildings and the form of the female body. Generally, Neolithic architecture is curvilinear in form, with Çatalhöyük and the Minoan palaces as exceptions. In matrifocal architecture, we see cave-like structures that emphasize the void within monuments, reminiscent of a womb. Burial mounds, which were made from earth, created physical forms in the landscape; circular mounds resembled a belly, while elongated mounds resembled a torso. Lastly, the five chambered temples resemble the seated position of the Goddess figurines. Of all these metaphors of the female body, the womb is the most ubiquitous symbol.
Theme 2: The Earth
In the second theme, we see is the careful placement and orientation of Neolithic sites towards landscape elements. These landscape forms often have an anthropomorphic shape, which they perceived to be the very body of their deity, akin to Mother Earth. Mountains were the principal form of focus, which buildings were constructed aligned with, or on top of. Clusters of sites, such as Avebury or Brú na Bóinne, were placed within river bends or at the junction of multiple rivers. In Malta, we see temples intentionally placed near valleys and cliffs. These placements showed a careful consideration for and reverence towards the Earth.
Theme 3: Cycles
The majority of Neolithic sites have astronomical alignments and were oriented towards sun, star, and moon cycles. Buildings with solar alignments were typically oriented towards the sunrise or sunset of the solstices and equinoxes, which created dramatic lighting effects. While moon cycles and star cycles created subtler effect, there is still evidence of sites that were oriented towards the rising and setting of the moon and stars. Matrifocal societies aligned their lives to the cycles of the cosmos, as nearly all sites have a celestial alignment.
Theme 4: Embodied Rituals
Matrifocal rituals emphasized embodied experiences that highlighted the central role of the body. These embodied rituals shaped architectural design, leaving archaeological traces of movement, sound, dancing and creation. Neolithic religion focused heavily on cycles of regeneration; thus, rituals were deeply intertwined with the human life cycle: birth, decay, death, and rebirth. This can be seen in extended funerary rites which involve many phases, and evident womb references in burials implying a belief in rebirth. Neolithic architecture functioned as an extension of the human body and a mediator between the living, the dead, and the cosmos.
Printed Thesis Defense Materials: Four copies of the cards were printed for the defense, and were displayed on a table at the front of the room. The cards were printed at 3 x 5”