Christopher Hawthorne

Christopher Hawthorne is a Senior Critic & Lecturer in English at the Yale School of Architecture. Previously, he served as the first Chief Design Officer for Los Angeles (2018–2022), overseeing major infrastructure projects and initiatives in housing, urban design, and public art. A renowned architecture critic, he authored The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and contributed to volumes like Maynard L. Parker: Modern Photography and the American Dream and A Companion to Los Angeles.

• Former architecture critic for the Los Angeles Times (2004–2018)
• Documentary filmmaker with Emmy Awards for KCET productions
• Adjunct faculty at USC, Occidental College, and UC Berkeley

His research focuses on urban transformation, architectural sustainability, and the intersection of design with social equity. He led the Third Los Angeles Project, exploring demographic and infrastructural shifts in Southern California. Hawthorne’s work bridges critical writing, public policy, and civic engagement.

• 2022 Bernadette Ma Distinguished Visiting Fellow (UC Berkeley)
• Mid-Career Fellow, Columbia University (National Arts Journalism Program)

He advises on interdisciplinary projects at Yale and maintains a public-facing platform through writing and documentary work.