Azka Eshita is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at Bangladesh University. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Urban Planning and Design from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka. Her academic and professional interests are supported by experience in architectural education, urban design, participatory planning, and professional architectural practice.

Academic Experience

Azka Eshita has been serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at Bangladesh University since October 2024. Prior to joining Bangladesh University, she served as an Assistant Professor and Lecturer in the Department of Architecture at State University of Bangladesh from September 2015 to September 2024. She also served as an Assistant Proctor at State University of Bangladesh from February 2021 to September 2024, contributing to academic and institutional activities alongside her teaching responsibilities.

Her academic background includes postgraduate study in Sustainable Urban Planning and Design at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, where her design thesis, “The Perk of Collective Acts: Public Realm Reimagined as Commons,” explored the public realm through the concept of collective action and commons. Her undergraduate architectural education at BUET included the design thesis “Fashion Institute of Technology at Purbachal, Dhaka.”

Professional Practice

Alongside her academic career, Azka Eshita has gained professional experience in architectural design, urbanism, and consultancy. She worked as an In-house Architect at Headoffice Communications, Dhaka, from 2014 to 2015, and previously served as an Assistant/Junior Architect at Saif Ul Haque Sthapati, Dhaka, from 2012 to 2014. She also worked as a Freelance Consultant on a participatory urban design project in Dhaka for Superwien Urbanism ZT GmbH, Vienna, from May 2021 to January 2022. These experiences have contributed to her professional engagement with architectural practice, participatory urban design, and the development of urban environments.

Professional Development

Azka Eshita has received recognition through architectural competitions, international academic opportunities, and professional development programs. She was a member of the design team for the Open Architectural Design Competition on the Re-envisioning of Andark-illa Shahi Jame Mosque at Chattogram, organized by the Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB), where the team received a 3rd Commendation Award. She was also a member of the Design Development team of the winning Arcadia Education Project at South Kanarchar, Dhaka, by Saif Ul Haque Sthapati, which received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

She was awarded the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship, currently known as SIGP, for the 2017–2018 cycle to pursue her Master’s degree at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. Her professional development also includes the Fundamentals for Tertiary Educators (Teacher Training Basics) organized by IAB in September 2023; the 4th Grammo X Revival Workshop on strategic physical development for the Jamdani Weavers’ Village, jointly organized by Daffodil International University and the REVIVAL project in June 2022; and the workshop Exploring Strategies for Future Physical Development in Nilphamari, organized by Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscape & Settlements in February 2020.

Her international academic and professional development includes the Oaxen Climavore On-site Workshop with Cooking Section, organized by KTH School of Architecture and Built Environment and Cooking Section in Oaxen, Stockholm, in April 2018. She also participated in the faculty development program Unlocking Potential; Embracing Change at State University of Bangladesh in May 2016; the academic programs Architecture & the City and Cities & Settlements, organized by Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscape & Settlements, in October and August 2015 respectively; and the Summer School Towards Green Habitat: Based on Laurie Baker’s Philosophy and Approach, organized by Laurie Baker Centre for Habitat Studies, Kerala, India, in May 2015. Earlier, in 2009, she participated in the workshop Integrating Urban Water Bodies in Dhaka’s Fabric – An Imperative Issue of Sustainable City, jointly organized by BUET, Bangladesh, and KU Leuven, Belgium.

Professional Affiliation

Azka Eshita has participated in professional and academic activities associated with the Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB), including architectural design competitions and professional development programs. Her involvement in national and international architectural initiatives, urban design programs, and professional networks reflects her continued engagement with contemporary architectural practice, sustainable urban development, and architectural education.