Obsolescence as anthropology: Valeria Bardi Cohen on reuse, memory, and design
At di-conexiones, we are interested in giving space to voices that, although coming from fields adjacent to industrial design, enrich the discipline by bringing diverse perspectives. Just as we have dialogued with engineering, science, music, or history, architecture also opens routes of exploration that expand the way we think about objects and their systems. We are particularly drawn to works that navigate the boundaries of disciplines, capable of looking at objects from other scales and proposing different readings of their function, materiality, and meaning.
Valeria Bardi Cohen is a Venezuelan architectural designer trained at Pratt Institute in New York, where she graduated with Highest Honors and received awards such as the Best Degree Project Award for her design thesis, and the Michael Hollander Drawing Excellence Award. Valeria was also nominated for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Dissertation Medal. Her academic and professional trajectory connects her to renowned architecture firms in New York and Los Angeles, where she has worked on projects ranging from urban master planning and mixed-use residential buildings to the adaptive reuse of industrial structures.
Her thesis, Architecture After Extraction: Nothing Ever Dies in Mexico, proposes a critical approach to technological obsolescence and the reuse of decommissioned oil infrastructures, weaving together a language of objects, the anthropology of obsolescence, and participatory urbanism. Valeria’s research draws on strategies such as kitbashing, bricolage, and the re-reading of analog technologies in contrast with digital culture, envisioning scenarios where design becomes an act of re-enchantment.
Today, from New York, Valeria combines her work as an Architectural Designer at S9 Architecture—an award-winning design firm—with her independent projects and collaborations, where she explores the intersections between architecture, object design, and cultural narratives.
To learn more about her work and reflect on these connections between architecture, object design, and cultural narratives, we spoke with Valeria about the ideas that inform both her research and her professional practice.
How has your experience of growing up in Venezuela and later studying in New York shaped your perspective on architecture and design?
Growing up in Venezuela gave me a holistic perspective on how the urban fabric of a city directly shapes its architecture. In most of Latin America, informality plays a central role in defining the ground plane—shaping everything from street-level commerce to how public transit is experienced. This dynamic, often improvised urbanism, gives cities their identity and energy.
Fortunately, New York City shares some of that same vibrancy. Its streets are alive with activity, businesses, and a level of informality that challenges how we read and interpret architecture. These observations have deeply influenced the way I approach design today.
In your thesis you propose that architecture can also be understood as an object. How did object design help you think about your project, and how do you navigate the intersection between architectural scale and industrial/product scale in your practice?
Obsolete objects and technologies served as a key inspiration for this project. In particular, oil rigs—those that are currently out in the ocean and are no longer in use—became a focal point of study. Despite their massive scale, these structures engage with the human dimension, as they are inhabited by workers for extended periods of time while active. The project’s vision involved developing a new architectural language and aesthetic, using Ciudad del Carmen in Mexico as a prototype of a petro-town. To achieve this, the study of unusual forms—ranging from industrial remnants to archaeological artifacts—was a way to explore relationships between repurposed components from oil rigs and existing architectural contexts.
These interventions were applied to various structures found on site, including residential dwellings and abandoned industrial buildings, that would become vocational schools and community markets, creating a layered dialogue between past utility and new spatial narratives.
Stop Motion animation for decommissioning of oil rigs at an urban scale approach.
A central theme of your research is the reuse of obsolete technologies and media. What attracts you to obsolescence, and how can it become a driver for innovation in design?
Obsolescence is deeply tied to nostalgia, reflecting how different eras of human history have been shaped by design and, inevitably, by architecture. I’m drawn to obsolescence because it captures the essence of a time period through its construction methods, materials, textures, functional objects, and technologies. The compass, for example: once essential, has been reinterpreted through successive waves of innovation until it eventually disappeared into digital devices. I see obsolescence not as an end, but as a starting point—a rich source of inspiration. By studying the geometric and functional qualities of outdated technologies, we can reimagine them in ways that are more adaptable, portable, and relevant to contemporary needs.
You have worked with techniques such as kitbashing and bricolage, often associated with model-making or art. How do you incorporate these techniques into your design process, and what do they bring compared to more traditional architectural methodologies?
Incorporating techniques such as kitbashing and bricolage opens up new paths for exploring form and materiality in architecture. From a geometric standpoint, kitbashing—defined as the art of taking existing pieces from different sets and combining them to create a new model—generates compelling possibilities for ornamentation and surface detailing. This principle can be meaningfully applied to the design of building facades, where the assembly of a combination of elements produces innovative results.
Similarly, bricolage engages with the reconfiguration of textures and materials, patterns and scales, evoking and reinterpreting an existing form or creating a new one. Together, these techniques offer significant potential under the architectural lens, expanding the ways in which we conceive, manipulate, and design surfaces.
Your work resonates with the logic of industrial design—ergonomics, human scale, reuse of parts and materials. How do you see the dialogue between architecture and industrial design in your trajectory?
For me, a deep understanding of both architecture and industrial design is essential to excel in the design process. While architecture operates at a broader, more holistic scale, resolving details often requires knowledge of the industrial scale. Today, much of what we design relies on customized prefabricated components—which, at its core, is industrial design.
As architects, we must account for structural performance at the micro level as well as ergonomics in relation to the human body. In my trajectory, I aim to integrate both architectural and industrial design perspectives, exploring opportunities through the customization of furniture, partitions, and façade systems. Ultimately, the two disciplines coexist seamlessly, often without us even noticing.
You are currently working at an architecture firm in New York while also developing your own independent projects. What kind of projects would you like to pursue in the future, and which disciplines would you like to collaborate with?
As an architectural designer at S9 Architecture, I have had the opportunity to work on a diverse range of project typologies, including mixed-use residential, urban master planning, and interior renovations—all of which engage with the discipline of adaptive reuse. Looking forward, I aspire to integrate adaptive reuse into performance and cultural building typologies. I am interested in reimagining abandoned structures and repurposing them with new programs such as theaters, museums, or libraries.
As a trained ballet dancer, I am especially drawn to exploring the intersection between the performing arts and architecture. Addressing the challenges of existing building structures in this context would not only be an incredible design opportunity, but also a meaningful way to give back to the community.
In your thesis you speak of re-enchanting the obsolete. If you had to summarize, what do you think is the role of design in a world marked both by technological acceleration and by environmental and social crises?
For me, the role of design—past, present, and future—lies in its ability to continuously improve and adapt across many eras. Design responds to nature, economy, and social and political contexts. Design is everywhere: from the smallest elements, like a bolt, to the most expressive details that shape our surroundings. We wear design every day, and we navigate cities through designed systems of wayfinding, such as in the subway. At every scale, design has the power to make our lives easier, more intuitive, and more meaningful.
You have already had experience teaching and mentoring at Pratt and other programs. What role do you see academia playing in your future career?
I see academia as an essential component of the professional growth of an architect and designer. It is a space where knowledge can be exchanged—sharing insights while learning from peers—and where ideas, concepts, and technologies can be tested and advanced. Because design is in constant evolution, we hold the responsibility of shaping the next generation of leaders in our discipline. My experience as an invited jury member for design critiques at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture reaffirmed the value of fresh perspectives, which are vital to staying engaged with emerging trends and technologies. Looking ahead, I aspire to see the integration of Latin American culture into an academic architecture studio rooted in the city, using a meaningful local site and project location as a platform to explore cultural contrasts and generate innovative design solutions across formal, social, and economic dimensions.
You have also been active in promoting Latin American voices during your time in New York. How do you see your work contributing to building or strengthening Latin identity and connections in the United States?
As an emerging architect and designer from Venezuela practicing in New York, my work emphasizes textures, materials, and patterns in the three-dimensional realm while engaging with the public and urban scale. Coming from Latin America, where cities operate at different densities than New York, I approach architecture as an extension of public space—one that is generous to the culture of its context and deeply responsive to its community. I aim to express this throughout my journey as an architect in the US.
Information
Valeria Bardi Cohen
www.vbardico-design.squarespace.com
www.linkedin.com/in/valeria-bardi-cohen
Thesis project was developed in collaboration with Antonio Velasco Gonzalez.
The project was featured in the exhibition Reflecting on the Past, Designing the Future in March 2025, and published in In Process Pratt SoA Book.
