140 million women are 50.9% of the total U.S. population. 56% of all bachelor’s degrees and 57% of all master’s degrees are earned by women, yet 77% of all architecture students are men. Women, responsible for 85% of Americans’ annual $7 trillion in total personal expenditures, represent the world’s largest economy.

But men and women are fundamentally different. Countless studies have attempted to uncover core distinctions. Each gender has its own collection of capacities, attitudes, inclinations, and priorities. Brain connectivity and operation, attention and focus, and emotional access are some of the areas where dissimilarities are real and measurable.

These differentiating factors have meaningful implications for our profession with respect to the creation of physical space in places where women dominate – retail. If women view, comprehend, and operate differently within the material world, and if they experience retail differently than do men, then a better understanding of these differences is vital. However, the retail world is largely run by, designed by, and designed for men. The best retail spaces are those that tap into uniquely female characteristics. This session outlines a process to help architects understand how gender impacts how we experience space.