Dr Gill Matthewson

Dr Gill Matthewson

Dr Gill Matthewson

Senior Lecturer

Department of Design


Monash University Research Portal

Gill practised full-time architecture in Britain and New Zealand for over 12 years and continues to design.

Throughout Gill’s career she has returned again and again to the issue of women and architecture. These issues precipitated her MA research which explored the issue of gender in architecture by investigating the professional and intellectual presence of three women involved the conception, realisation and interpretation of the Barcelona Pavilion. Gender was also the subject of her PhD thesis 'Dimensions of Gender: women's careers in the Australian architecture profession' at the University of Queensland, awarded in 2015. This received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Theses.

Gill is a member of the Faculty’s XYX Lab which investigates gender and space through collaborative research projects aimed at mitigating gender inequity in Australia’s urban environments. She is also a founding member of Parlour: women, equity, architecture, the advocacy and support website for increasing equity and diversity in the architecture profession and writes regularly for them. Through her work for Parlour and XYX, Gill has become skilled in working with both qualitative and quantitative data mining for patterns.

News & events

Recent news

Upcoming events

Best in Category wins for Monash Design at the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards and a new Chair appointment

Monash Design researchers have taken out two "Best in Category" wins and Associate Professor Leah Heiss has been announced as the incoming Chair of the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards.

Research


Safer Cities

Highlighting alarming levels of harassment and abuse of girls and young women in cities.

Sydney After Dark

Creating a city for women living and working in Sydney.

HyperSext City

Drawing attention to the experiences of women, girls and LGBTQI+ communities by presenting data and intersectional narratives of gender.

TramLab Toolkits

Improving the safety of women and girls on public transport.

Merri Creek, Coburg Safety Audit

Women’s Safety Audits: A transformative approach to safety in the city.

YourGround

Making recreational areas safe for women, girls and gender-diverse people.

Greater Cities Commission: Women’s Safety Charter Workshop

The Commission engaged the Monash University XYX Lab to deliver an impact workshop as part of the June 2022 Community of Practice.

HyperSext City 2

Re-designed to amplify the experiences of women*, girls and LGBTQI+ communities through new mediums revealing existing data sources globally and locally to spectacular effect both inside the gallery and on the streets of Fremantle.

Free to Be: Design Thinking Workshop

Prioritising thinking through concepts that could have real world impacts for women and girls.

Preventing Sexual Harassment in Australian Public Transport Spaces

Uncovering how the safety of women and girls is challenged in public transport spaces.

The numbers in a nutshell: Women in Architecture, Australia

A data analysis of the shape of the profession and the participation of women within it.

The Victorian Pride Centre

Celebrating, bolstering and protecting equality, diversity and inclusion.

Safe Access to Reproductive Health Care in Australia

Formulating proposals for changes in law and policy at both the federal level and State level to remove barriers to access.

Gender Equity in Landscape Architecture

The participation of women in Australian landscape architecture, mapping and strategies.

Moreland City Council Workshop

Using gender-sensitive design thinking to support of Moreland City’s future growth.

Perceptions of Safety – pilot project

Another approach for improving safety for women and girls.

Girl Walk: Identity, Crowd-mapping and Safety in the City for Women and Girls

Creating a culturally vibrant city that is inclusive for women and girls.