Designing Living Spaces:
Integrating Climate, Beauty and Multispecies Life
OFICINAA is a multi-disciplinary design practice creating spaces that breath and are alive.
OFICINAA is a multi-disciplinary design practice creating spaces that breathe and are alive. It was co-founded by Silvia Benedito and Alexander Häusler (now StudioHausler) in 2010. Based in Ingolstadt (Germany) and Lisbon (Portugal), the practice develops living spaces that combine bioclimatic design principles with multispecies protection—guided by aesthetic experience, local knowledge and innovation.
Operating at the intersection of landscape architecture, architecture, and urban design, OFICINAA offers expertise in climatic design, biodiversity measures, and participatory processes. Using technical simulations aligned with regulatory frameworks and sustainability certifications such as DGNB, SNBS, and LEED, the practice applies the “4-Color Model”—an evaluation method combining Blue (water), Green (vegetation), Pink (weather), and Brown (soil) design measures for climate-friendly cities. The practice combines academic rigor, design innovation, and construction experience, working closely with local authorities and communities committed to advancing nature-based solutions. Key projects include Stadt-Park Donau in Ingolstadt, Germany, published internationally, as well as ecological restoration initiatives integrated with rural communities in Portugal.
OFICINAA has received numerous recognitions, including at the Biennial of Architecture and Landscape of Île-de-France/ BAP Versailles, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) 2025, MoMA Young Architect Program NYC 2018, American Architecture Prize 2016, Architizer A+ Awards 2016, and multiple awards at the EUROPAN International Young Architects Prize (2008, 2011 and 2013).
Dr. Silvia Benedito (Co-Founder and Director) is a landscape architect, architect, and urban designer whose work foregrounds spatial experience through the integration of climate adaptation strategies and nature-based solutions. She earned her PhD from the University of Coimbra and ETH Zürich, researching thermodynamically driven spatial strategies for thermal protection across different climatic regions and scales. Benedito has taught for nearly 15 years at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), where she advances curricula and strategies focused on climate and biodiversity resilience, nutrient circularity and community-based practices. She has served as a visiting professor at TU München, TU Graz, University of Algarve, and the University of Pennsylvania.
A registered practitioner in Portugal, Germany, and the United States, Benedito was a Senior Associate at James Corner Field Operations in New York City between 2004 and 2010, where she contributed to landmark projects including the High Line Park. She is the author of the award-winning books Atmosphere Anatomies: On Design, Weather, and Sensation (Lars Müller, 2022), with photos by Iwan Baan, and a co-author of Thermodynamic Interactions: An Exploration into Physiological, Material, and Territorial Atmospheres (ACTAR, 2016).
More recently, she launched OficinaAcademy, a design-based nonprofit advancing rural entrepreneurship through co-creation initiatives rooted in environmental education, local stewardship practices, and biodiversity conservation.
Lectures
Harvard Graduate School of Design Cambridge USA / ETH Zürich / Faculdade de Arquitetura Universidade Porto / New European Bauhaus Festival / Accademia di Architettura Mendrisio / TU München / TU Graz / TU Eindhoven / Universidade Algarve / TU Dresden / ICONIC for Low-Carbon Development / BOKU Wien / TU Wien / ISCTE Lisboa / Departamento Arquitetura Universidade Autónoma Lisboa / Departmamento Arquitetura Universidade de Coimbra / Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture / EUROPAN / TU Darmstadt / Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura Madrid / THN Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm / CER Congresso Estudos Rurais Faro / Department of Architecture Karlsruhe / Universidade Waterloo Canada / Texas Tech University Lubbock / Politécnico di Milano/ Mantova / Universität Stuttgart / TU Berlin / University Virgínia / University Oregon / University Arizona / Williams College / Ordem Arquitetos Lisboa / Ordem Arquitetos Porto / SAH Saint Paul / HEAD Genève+ Columbia University / University Manitoba
Publications
2026
Canary in the Mine V: Restoring the Paradise in California’s Flammable Landscapes
In collaboration with the Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Point Conception Institute at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve Option Studio Report, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Canary in the Mine IV: De-Carbonize, De-Climatize, De-Colonize Rural Communities
In collaboration with the New European Bauhaus, Option Studio Report, Harvard Graduate School of Design
2025
Mais do Que Casas
Ordem dos Arquitetos / Universidade do Porto
Eds. Teresa Novais e Luís Tavares Pereira
“Ensino como ativismo (apontamentos para uma integração territorial),” p. 40-41
JoLA- Journal of Landscape Architecture, Issue 1/2-2025: Wildfires
Eds. Francisca Lima, Alia Fadel et al. "From Climatic Disintegration to Shared Reciprocities in Fire-Prone Landscapes: Design measures for community resiliency," p.123-133
STRESSTEST Deutscher Pavillon Katalog
19th Biennale di Venezia Architettura.
Eds. Nicola Borgmann, Elisabeth Endres, Gabriele G. Kiefer, Daniele Santucci
Commissioned by the Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen
"The 4-Colour Model: Designing for Hotter Cities," p.152-157
2004
Habitar Lisboa: uma Perspetiva Arquitetónica Sobre uma Crise Contemporânea
Ed. Marta Sequeira, Monade Books, “Habitat and Habitar,” p. 139
(BOOK PRIZE: BIAU - XIII Bienal Ibero-americana de Arquitetura e Urbanismo)
Arquitectura magazine No. 388, # CLIMA
100 yrs- anniversary
Eds. Javier García-Germán and Alejandro Valdivieso, Colégio Oficial de Arquitetos de Madrid
"The Cistern-City: Designing for the new Climatic Regime in Arid(er) Latitudes," p.18-27
After Comfort: A User’s Guide - e-flux Architecture
Eds. Daniel A. Barber, Jeannetter Kuo, Thomas Auer, et al.) with the University of Technology Sydney, the Technical University of Munich, "Spaces of Convergence"
https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/after-comfort/601586/spaces-of-convergence
2023
The Art of Urban Design: A critical catalogue of post-industrial regeneration in the work of Marcel Smets
Ed. Cristina Purcar, Universitatea Tehnica din Cluj Napoca, "The Materiality of the ‘Empty’, ” p. 108-122
AD Magazine: In Praise of Penumbra 04, Vol. 93
Eds. Agostino De Rosa, Alessio Bortot and Francesco Bergamo
"Atmosphere Anatomies: Charged Space," p. 54-61
2022
Atmosphere Anatomies: On Desing, Weather, and Sensation
With photos by Iwan Baan, Lars Müller Publishers Zürich
(PRIZE: Inaugural Sustainability and Innovation Award, presented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action (MAAC) and the Portuguese Architects League)
1st edition Sold-Out
Canary in the Mine I: Wildfires and Rural Communities in the Mediterranean Hinterland
In collaboration with the Câmara Municipal de Arganil
Option Studio Report, Harvard Graduate School of Design
https://issuu.com/gsdharvard/docs/canary-in-the-mine
2021
Nodium #13
Zeitschrift des Alumni-Clubs Landschaft der TU München
„Regine Keller spricht mit Silvia Benedito,“ p.4-9
TOPSCAPE Rivista internazionale di Architettura del Paesaggio
“Un Nuovo Paradigma: Atmosfera Come Paesaggio,” p.51-53
Harvard Design Magazine n. 49: Publics
“What is the most important public space worth preserving now?" p. 149
2020
Quadrícula Emocional: Um Urbanismo Híbrido entre Natureza e Arquitectura nas Cidades Atlânticas Portuguesas do séc. XVI
Portuguese Architects League
2018
Harvard Design Magazine n. 45: Into the Woods
“Listening to Darkness: Silvia Benedito talks with Janet Cardiff,” p.160-163
De Volta à Viagem
Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, AMAG Editora "Ensinar a Conceber Espaço," p. 81-87
Público Jornal: Abrir portas onde se erguem muros
"A ecologia do fogo: uma proposta de ação"
2017
Thermodynamic Interactions—An Exploration into Physiological, Material, and Territorial Atmosphere
New York: ACTAR, Eds. Javier Garcia-German, Silvia Benedito, Philippe Rahm, Iñaki Ábalos
(PRIZE: FAD Prize for Thought and Criticism, Spain 2018)
(PRIZE: Research Category at the III Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism Prize, Spain 2018)
Landscape Tunings: An Urban Park at the Danube/ Landschaft Stimmung: Ein Stadtpark an der Donau,
New York: ACTAR
With Alexander Häusler and contributions from Prof. Günther Vogt, Dr. Prof. Andreas Lepik and Dr. Simone Schimpf (MKKD Director)
What Ever Happened to New Institutionalism?
Ed. James Voorhies, Sternberg Press Berlin, "On Space," p.170-171
2016
Harvard Design Magazine n. 40: Well, Well, Well
“On Atmosphere and Landscape,” p.32-39
Urban Landscape: Critical Concepts in Built Environment
Vol. III, London: Routledge, Ed. Anita Berrizbeitia
“Landscape and Atmospheres: Micro-environments for Well-Being and Delight.
The case of Paley Park in New York City.” p. 233-241
2015
A+T 45: Design Techniques
Solid Series, A+T ediciones
"Téchne and modus operandi," p. 140
LAF Landscape Architecture Frontiers Magazine - Urban Environment and Public Health
Ed. Kongjian Yu, n. 013. Volume 3 Issue 1
“Aeolian Fields- A new Park to Cool, Produce and Play,” p. 104-113
2014
LAF Landscape Architecture Frontiers Magazine - The Layers of Time
Ed. Kongjian Yu, 007. Volume 2 Issue 1
“Lichtung/Clearing: An Ephemeral Installation in the Floodplain Forest of Ingolstadt,” p. 90-94
Exhibitions
2025
Secção Regional do Norte da Ordem dos Arquitectos
Porto, Portugal
BAP Biennale d'Architecture et de paysage d'Île de France
Versailles
STRESSTEST, Der Deutsche Pavillon
19th Biennale Architettura di Venezia, Italy
[Wild]fires: Eruptions of Over Exploitation Exhibition
University of Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Scotland
Forest Futures
Druker Design Gallery, Harvard GSD, Cambridge, MA
2024
Mais do que Casas: Como vamos habitar em Abril de 2074?
Museu do Design, Lisboa, Portugal
Habitar Lisboa
Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisboa, Portugal
New European Bauhaus (NEB) with "CANARY IN THE MINE”
Satellite Event, Cepos, Arganil, Portugal
2023
Saponária, Lavadouros as Biodiversity Hot-Spots
Exhibition and Community Engagement,, Cepos, Arganil, Portugal
2022
CANARY IN THE MINE: Wildfires and rural communities in the Mediterranean hinterland
Arganil Cultural Center, Arganil, Portugal
2021
New Atmospheres with author’s Talk
Architekturgalerie, München, Deutschland
2020
A Pavillion on the Plaza de la Constitucion in Mexico City
Institute of Architecture and Landscape, Technische Universität Graz, Österreich
2019
CANALETTO Project Studio Exhibition
Technische Universität München, Deutschland
CANALETTO Project Studio Exhibition
Referat für Stadtplanung und Bauordnung, München, Deutschland
2018
MoMa Museum of Modern Art
PS1 MoMA Young Architects Program, New York City, NY
O que Leva a Levada Community Fellowship Mentorship Harvard GSD
Benfeita, Arganil, Portugal
Lebenshilfe Workshop and Courtyards
Bayerische Architekturenkammer, München, Deutschland
2017
STADT-PARK DONAU
Architekturgalerie, München, Deutschland
2016
New Civic Center Dörndorf
Rathaus Denkendorf, Deutschland
Pneumatic Bodies, CCVA Harvard University, Cambridge MA
Artwork by Alexander Häusler, performance by Jill Johnson and Hans Tutschku
Design Miami/ 2015 : The Unbuilt pavilion
Miami, Florida
360+ Weathers: The Atmospheres of the Danube
Harvard GSD, Cambridge, MA
2015
Schanzer Park, Landesgartenschau Project Exhibition
Herschelschule Ingolstadt, Deutschland
Aeolian Fields, Landesgartenschau Project Exhibition
Rathaus Mannheim, Deutschland
DONAU-LOOP at the Danube
LuitpoldPark, Ingolstadt, Deutschland
2014
OPEN STUDIO
MacDowell Colony for the Arts, Peterborough, NH
STADT PARK DONAU | DONAU LOOP
Museum für Konkrete Kunst und Design (MKKD), Ingolstadt, Deutschland
2013
DONAU-TERRACES River Waterfront
Volkshochschule, Ingolstadt, Deutschland
2012
GWG- An der Donau
Ingolstadt, Deutschland
[Re]Naturalized Histories: A new Quarter in the City
Europan 11- Young Architects International Competition
BayernOil, Ingolstadt, Deutschland
2011
La-Lela-Le Kita
Rathaus Landshut, Deutschland
BAMBI-STADT Olympic Village Masterplan
Munich’s 2018 Olympic Winter Games Bid
Olympic Stadium VIP Area Olympic Park, München, Deutschland
2010
Tirana Urban’s Transect, Albanian Pavilion
12th Biennale Architettura di Venezia, Italy
Campo Mineral: A Ventilated Corridor
Europan 10- Young Architects International Competition
Centro de Informação Urbana de Lisboa, Portugal
Campo Mineral: A Ventilated Corridor
Architecture and Urban Design Prize Exhibition
International Forum, Neuchatel, Switzerland
2009
Odi-Vilas: a Social-Housing Relocation Project
Europan 9- Young Architects International Competition
Santiago de Compostela, Spain