Professor Esther Charlesworth

Esther is a Professor in the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University, where she founded the Master of Disaster, Design and Development degree [MoDDD] and the Humanitarian Architecture Research Bureau [HARB].

Esther Charlesworth is also the founding Director of Architects without Frontiers [AWF] and also one of the founders of Architectes Sans Frontieres [ASF] International. Since 2002, AWF has undertaken over 62 health, education and social infrastructure projects in 12 countries for vulnerable communities and has been described by ABC radio broadcaster Phillip Adams as 'destined to develop into one of the greater forces of good on this battered planet'. 

Charlesworth has worked in the public and private sectors of architecture and urban design in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Boston and Beirut since graduating with a Masters in Architecture and Urban Design [MAUD] from Harvard University in 1995. In 2004 she was awarded her PhD from the University of York (UK) in 2002. She has published eight books on the theme of social justice and architecture, including:  'Divided Cities' (2011), 'Humanitarian Architecture' (2014) 'Sustainable Housing Reconstruction' (2015) and 'Design for Fragility' (2022).

Charlesworth has worked in the public and private sectors of architecture and urban design in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Boston and Beirut since graduating with a Masters in Architecture and Urban Design [MAUD] from Harvard University in 1995. In 2004 she was awarded her PhD from the University of York (UK).

• Research and projects on humanitarian architecture, urban design, remote Indigenous housing and design for disaster.

via email as required

• B.Arch (Hons) RMIT
• Masters of Urban Design (Harvard)
• Ph.D (York)

Charlesworth has worked in the public and private sectors of architecture and urban design in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Boston and Beirut, including organisations such as the Government Architects Office in Victoria, Daryl Jackson and Williams & Boag Architects, the New York LandMarks Commission and the City of Melbourne. Since setting up the Humanitarian Architecture Research Bureau [HARB] she has undertaken projects with agencies including World Vision, Habitat for Humanity &  ARUP. In 2023 she worked with Prof. John Fien for all Australian State and Territory Disaster Agencies on looking at the design and delivery of temporary housing after disasters.