OFICINAA

Climate Design: Landscape + Architecture + Urban Design

Dr. Silvia Benedito MAUD

Master of Architecture & Urban Design (Harvard GSD)
PhD Coimbra University / ETH Zürich

Silvia Benedito brings extensive international experience in leading private and public landscape projects across various scales of design. She taught in the Department of Landcape Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) for nearly 15 years, where she played a key role in advancing curriculum and design development centered on climate adaptation and community well-being. She was a Senior Associate at James Corner Field Operations, NYC, developing landcape and urban design projects, including the High Line Park. Benedito is the author of the award-winning book Atmosphere Anatomies: On Design, Weather, and Sensation, featuring photographs by Iwan Baan (Lars Müller, 2022).

More recently, she co-founded OficinaAcademy, a design-based nonprofit dedicated to rural entrepreneurship, promoting projects in environmental education and co-creation initiatives.

Vita

2024

PhD University of Coimbra/ ETH Zürich

2024

Co-Founder OficinaAcademy NGO

2022

Book Award Architectural Innovation and Sustainability, Lisbon Portugal

2020

Climate Consultant Uniola GmbH, Munich Germany

2018

Finalist MoMA Young Architect Program, NYC USA

2005-2010

Senior Associate at James Corner Field Operations, NYC USA

2008

Fernando Távora Prize, Oporto Portugal

2004

Master Architecture and Urban Design, Graduate School of Design, Harvard GSD

2000

Architecture Degree, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Since 2011

Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), Cambridge USA