From the floods in NSW and Queensland to the war and destruction in Ukraine, there's a lot of building and rebuilding to do. 'Build back better' was a phrase bandied about during the initial phase of the pandemic but according to humanitarian architect Esther Charlesworth, it barely scratches the surface of what is required. With each disaster we often see a similar cycle: a surge of good intentions, an initial flurry of activity… but how often does what ends up being constructed actually suit what the people want and need?