Valeria Bardi Cohen Redefines Architecture Through Storytelling

Valeria Bardi Cohen, an architectural designer with the acclaimed S9 Studio, approaches architecture as a dynamic dialogue rather than a static discipline. She believes that the essence of design lies in the interplay between craft and technology, and the evolution of materials amidst the complexities of human experience. “Each building tells a story,” she states, “but that story is never static.” Her work is deeply imbued with history, culture, and environmental consciousness, reflecting a commitment to embracing the imperfections that time introduces.

Transformative Design Through Observation

Bardi Cohen’s design process initiates long before any drawings are made. She meticulously observes how individuals navigate spaces, how light interacts with various surfaces, and how materials transition over time. This method combines analytical and emotional perspectives, allowing her to appreciate how architecture serves as a mediator between the physical environment and human perception. For her, sketching and model-making are exploratory tools, revealing insights that the mind might not yet articulate.

As concepts take shape, she transitions into a digital framework, utilizing technology to refine and test the ideas developed during her physical explorations. This blend of analog and digital practices is integral to her work; while technology enhances precision and efficiency, the ultimate meaning of her designs emerges from human experience—encompassing elements such as texture and temperature.

Repair as a Creative Philosophy

The concept of repair plays a pivotal role in Bardi Cohen’s methodology. This principle emerged from her award-winning thesis, Architecture After Extraction: Nada Muere en México, which examined how post-industrial and environmentally damaged sites can be revitalized into frameworks for regeneration. To Bardi Cohen, repair signifies recognizing the latent potential in existing structures, allowing cultural continuity while redefining utility.

Her recent projects exemplify this philosophy, focusing on adaptive reuse and large-scale urban planning. By transforming underutilized industrial areas into vibrant mixed-use districts and converting old manufacturing facilities into research and learning centers, she demonstrates how architecture can connect memory with innovation, facilitating urban evolution without erasing historical context.

Bardi Cohen emphasizes that storytelling is vital in how spaces are experienced. She articulates that circulation, light, and proportion are instrumental in shaping emotions within a built environment. “Each person reads space differently,” she observes. “That diversity of interpretation is what keeps architecture alive.” This narrative approach provides agency to both the designer and the occupant, ensuring that spaces communicate meaning across various scales and contexts.

Bardi Cohen’s commitment to mentoring future architects reinforces her belief in the evolving nature of design. Through her teaching roles at institutions such as Pratt Institute, she nurtures a culture of curiosity and reinterpretation among students. “Mentoring keeps me connected to the essence of why we design,” she remarks. “It’s about inquiry, experimentation, and generosity.” This philosophy informs her professional practice, where each project serves as an ecosystem where history, context, and imagination coexist.

Living between Latin America and the United States has enriched Bardi Cohen’s understanding of how place and culture shape architectural design. She recognizes the adaptability of Latin American cities juxtaposed with the vertical density of New York, leading her to advocate for an architecture that remains flexible while maintaining its identity. Her perspective seeks balance—between spontaneity and structure, craftsmanship and computation, history and speculation.

Through this multifaceted approach, Valeria Bardi Cohen continues to create architecture that remembers, respecting existing narratives while envisioning what lies ahead. Her work stands as a testament to the power of design as a living process that listens, learns, and transforms.