Laura Harper is a practicing architect and lecturer in Architecture. Laura's research is both architectural and urban, studying material and construction through their systematic connection to wider processes, structures and histories of the both the built and natural worlds. Laura completed her PhD, The Urbanism of Material, at Monash Univeristy in 2018. 

Laura is part of the Monash Urban Lab where she is part of the Atlas of the Underground research group as well as the Regional and Rural group. Laura's current research focuses on understanding the influence of geology and extraction on the urban environment and notable publications on this subject include Goldrush Urbanism (2016), Urban Fringe Quarries (2018) and the Afterlife of Mines (2019). Laura has worked on funded projects for DEWLP, City of Melbourne and Resilient Melbourne.  

Laura has over 10 years' experience in practice including at DTA Architects (Dublin), Lyons Architects, and NMBW Architecture Studio. Notable projects working in these offices include the Santry Demense Social Housing, Dublin (RIAI Silver Medal for Housing 2009/2010), Box Hill Gardens (AIA award for Urban Design 2014) and Point Lonsdale House (AIA Architecture Award for New Residential, 2016). Laura currently practices in collaboration with Roland Snooks.