ANGELICA DE BERNARDO

| ROOTED IN IDENTITY |

Portrait of Angelica De Bernardo, smiling, on a pale green circular background

Angelica Marie De Bernardo Marin · .architect.

I am an architect with a strong interest in exploring the sense of identity through architecture. With experiences in both architectural practice and teaching, I am particularly fascinated by the interplay between architecture and its environment, and motivated by how design can contribute to both community and environmental sustainability. I aspire to be an active participant in urban and identity regeneration practices, focusing on site-responsive design, adaptive reuse and urban interventions that reflect and enhance their particular contexts.

A vision of architecture

As an architect, I aim to explore the value architecture has as an instrument rather than an objective — a tool that is defined by, and helps to define, the context that surrounds it. I am deeply interested in the relationship architecture has with its context: how it is defined by the urban condition and the societies that have shaped it, and the environmental and historical impact it has had and will continue to have in our cities and global landscape. The way architecture interacts and consolidates, emphasizes or disrupts the character of a place, and how it can be used as an instrument for reinforcing urban identity, are questions that continually spark my curiosity.

Living in a city where most of its important built infrastructure is decaying, poorly managed, derelict or simply underutilized, I focus on strategies for the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. I want to take part in initiatives focused on urban and identity regeneration through architecture, and I believe that the study and exploration of the urban fabric and its conditions provide valuable insights into a city's identity and evolution.

Hand-drawn conceptual sketch of the façade as a box-like volume, surrounded by manuscript questions and arrows: what's on top?, contains?, borders?, limits?, delimits inner space?, defines the exterior?, relates?, defines the interior space — relates it to the exterior?, and is it a space, a plane, an element?
CONCEPT SKETCH — QUESTIONING THE FACADE · FROM THE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS ¿is it a space? ¿a plane? ¿an element?

OTHER WORKS & EXPERIENCES

  1. [2021]

    PERIPHERAL LANDSCAPES

    non-fictional cities workshop · Universidad de Los Andes

    Participation in the international workshop "Peripheral Landscapes; the inner life of suburbia", as part of the student group selected from Universidad Simón Bolívar.

  2. [2021]

    REFRAMING GREEN SPACES CARACAS

    volunteering · Fundación Espacio + British Council

    Community-based initiative focused on the rehabilitation of green urban spaces as well as the mapping, preservation and regeneration of urban vegetation.

  3. [2022-2023]

    TEACHING EXPERIENCES

    Universidad Simón Bolívar

    Adjunct professor of architectural design at initial and advanced studio workshops during four academic trimesters.

    • STUDIO V |apr-jul 2022|
    • STUDIO I |sep-dec 2022| · |jan-mar 2023|
    • JOINT VIII-IX STUDIO |apr-jul 2023|

  4. [2023]

    ARTS NYMPHAEUM

    re-use competition

  5. [2021-ongoing]

    PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

    VIIS Design

    Architectural design and project coordination of residential projects and urban developments.

    • VILLA GUACAMAYA — completed collaborator [model, project details]
    • RADIANT — construction phase collaborator [model, design, mep]
    • QUINTAS 16 — project phase collaborator [design, renders]
    • MONTECRISTI — preliminary proposal collaborator [master plan, project design]