Jeannette Sordi is an educator, architect, and planner, serving as a visiting associate professor at the School of Architecture and Design. Sordi earned her Ph.D. (2013) and Master's in Architecture degree (2009) from the University of Genoa Polytechnic School and has been a visiting doctoral student at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design Department of Landscape Architecture (2011–2012). Until 2018, she was an associate professor of landscape and urbanism at Adolfo Ibañez University in Santiago de Chile and has been a part-time faculty at the Syracuse University Fisher Center, visiting professor and researcher at the University of Trento (Italy), and Leibniz Universitaet Hannover (Germany). She is a licensed architect, landscape architect, and planner in Italy.
Her doctoral dissertation traced the genealogy of the theories of landscape urbanism and was published as Beyond Urbanism (Listlab, 2014). Her work focuses on the potential of adopting landscape design and ecological principles to develop urban design solutions and planning instruments. She recently co-authored the book Ecological Design: Strategies for the Vulnerable City (IaDB, 2021 and 2022) and co-edited the monographic issue Ness.Docs.2. Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas (2020). Other publications include the book Beyond Urbanism (Listlab, 2014; 2017) by Andrea Branzi; From Radical Design to Post-Environmentalism (ARQ, 2015); Ecologias Emergentes (Sacabana, 2016); The Camp and The City. Territories of Extraction (Listlab, 2017); and Part-time Cities. A Survey of the Chilean Central Coast (ARQ, 2018). In 2017 she co-curated the XX Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism of Chile, in Valparaiso. In 2014, she curated the exhibition Andrea Branzi and Elisa Cattaneo. A Glossary for the New Millennium, at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Santiago (MAC).
Sordi's research and publications have been recognized with awards and grants by institutions such as the Chilean Council for Culture and the Art, the Production Development Corporation, Harvard University David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, ARTS@DRCLAS, the Italian Ministry for Education and Research (MIUR), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), among others. She has worked with several international institutions including the Inter-American Development Bank in Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina, the Subdivision for Regional Development in Chile, and the Museum for Art and Architecture of the XXI Century in Italy.
Recent Research and Projects
- Ongoing: Ecological Design. Strategies for the Vulnerable City.
- 2019: Inter-American Development Bank
- 2019–2021: David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. Collaborative Research Grant and ARTS@DRCLAS Exhibition Grant with Charles Waldheim (P.I.), et al. Project: Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas. Symposium and Exhibition.
- 2017–2018: Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts (CNCA), Fund for Research in Architecture, Role: Principal Investigator. Project: Part-time Cities / Ciudades a Medio Tiempo.
- 2017: Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts (CNCA), Fund for Dissemination in Architecture. Role: Principal Investigator. Project: Landscape as Urbanism dissemination in Mexico City and at Harvard University.
- 2016–2018: David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. Harvard - UAI Collaborative Research Grant (phase I field work + phase II dissemination), with Charles Waldheim (P.I.), Felipe Vera, and Pedro Aparicio. Project: Airport Landscapes, Landscape as Urbanism.
- 2016 - 2017: Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts (CNCA), Fund for Research in Architecture. Role: Principal Investigator. Project: Design Latin America. Landscape as Urbanism
- 2016–2017: Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts (CNCA), Fund for organizing Competitions in Architecture. Role: co-organizer with Felipe Vera. Project: Santiago Emergent Ecologies. Ideas Competition.
- 2016: Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts (CNCA), Fund for Translation of International Authors for the translation of Beyond Urbanism by Jeannette Sordi, to be published by SaCabana (Santiago de Chile).
- 2016: Chilean Production Development Corporation (CORFO), Fund for Technological Transfer. Role: team member, with JJ Ltda company (co-sponsor and project leader), Alexandros Tsamis (P.I.)
- 2015–2016: David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. Collaborative Research Grant. With Charles Waldheim (P.I.), Luis Callejas, Felipe Vera. Project: Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas.
- 2015: Chilean National Council for Culture and the Arts (CNCA), Fund for Dissemination in Architecture. Role: Principal Investigator. Species of Spaces: International Symposium in Mexico City.
- 2014–2016: CODELCO (Chilean mining company), Private Fund awarded to Adolfo Ibañez University Center for Territorial Intelligence. Role: co-director with Luis Valenzuela, Felipe Vera. Project: Territories of Extraction. Calama 2050.
Selected Publications and Presentations
Books
- 2022
J. Sordi, F. Vera, Ecological Design. Strategies for the Vulnerable City. Green Urban Infrastructure and Public Space. Inter-American Development Bank, 2022. English and Spanish editions. - 2021
J. Sordi, F. Vera, Ecological Design. Strategies for the Vulnerable City. Adapting Precarious Areas in Latin America and the Caribbean to Climate Change. Inter-American Development Bank, 2021. English and Spanish editions. - 2021
J. Sordi, M. Peralta, F. Rodriguez (eds.), Paisaje como Urbanismo en las Americas. PLOT Special Edition, 2021. - 2020
J. Sordi, M. Peralta, F. Rodriguez (eds.), Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas. –Ness Docs n.2, 2020. Link. - 2019
J. Sordi, S. Dambrosio. Part-Time Cities. A Survey of the Chilean Central Coast. Santiago: ARQ, 2019. (English and Spanish edition). Link. - 2017
J. Sordi. Mas Allá del Urbanismo. De Paisaje a Ecologia: Genealogía de una Teoría. Trento-Santiago: Listlab-Sacaba. ISBN 9789569082122. - 2017
J. Sordi, L. Valenzuela, F. Vera (eds.). The Camp & the City. Territories of Extraction. Trento; Barcelona: Listlab, 2016. ISBN 9788898774753 - 2016
J. Sordi (ed.). Ecologías Emergentes. Santiago de Chile: SaCabana (in Spanish). ISBN: 9789569082108 - 2015
J. Sordi, F. Vera (eds.). Andrea Branzi Diez Modestas Recomendaciones para una Nueva Carta de Atenas. Santiago: Arq, 2015 (Spanish and English). - 2014
J. Sordi. Beyond Urbanism. Trento: ListLab (in English).
Articles and Book Chapters (*invited **peer review)
- 2021
"Landscape Design in the Americas: Towards a Dynamic Understanding of Nature" In The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize Book 2, edited by Florencia Rodriguez. * - 2021
"Landscape as Urban Nexus". In Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas Ness.Docs.2. - 2020
Rizzo, A., Sordi, J. Resources and urbanization in the global periphery: Perspectives from urban and landscape studies. In Cities 100. ** - 2019
"Framing the Open (Urban) Project. Insights from Landscape and Ecology" In Materia Arquitectura 18, 2018. ** - 2019
Sordi, J., Tsamis, A. "The Recombinant City. Legacy in extreme mining territories." In Abitare la Terra 3, 2019. ** - 2018
Sordi, J., Aparicio P. "Paisaje como urbanismo en las Americas" In Revista PLOT n.9 Especial Paisaje: 186-192. ISSN 2250–8554. * - 2017
"Landscape rules. The Calama Re-creation Game" In The Camp & the City. Territories of Extraction, edited by Jeannette Sordi, Luis Valenzuela, Felipe Vera. Trento; Barcelona: Listlab, 2017. ISBN 9788898774753. - 2017
"Nuove ecologie urbane: riciclare la città, pianificare paesaggi – infrastruttura." In Pratiche, progetti e politiche per la città dismessa, edited by Chiara Lucchini, pp. 235-263. Torino: Politecnico di Torino, 2017. ISBN: 978-88-8202-059-0. ** - 2017
Sordi, J., Mayoral, J. "Reflexionar. Anticipar y especular," in Dialogos Impostergables edited by C. Larach and F. Vera, p. 106–112 Santiago de Chile: Metales Pesados, 2017. ISBN: 9789569843471 - 2017
Ricci M, Favargiotti S, Rizzi C, Sordi J. "Re-Cycle Footprint. Genova" in Atlante d'Italia. L'Italia dei vuoti / L'Italia delle opportunità, edited by L Fabian, S Munarin, 348–375, ROMA: Aracne, 2017. ISBN: 978-88-6242-200-0. - 2016
"Beyond Urbanism. The Landscape Generation." In Studio Magazine of Architecture and Urbanism, vol 9 # Beyond, jan. 2016. * - 2016
"Dispositivi, processi, visioni: strategie operative di riciclo urbano." In Infrastrutture minori nei territori dell'abbandono. Le reti ferroviarie, edited by Raffaella Massacesi and Emilia Corradi, pp. 110–117. Roma: Aracne, 2014. ISBN: 978-88-548-9187-6. * - 2016
Sordi, J. , Aros, D., Tsamis, A., "Performing Landscapes. Landscape design project for the UPCH Addiction Treatment Center." In Monograph Research 02. Architecture, City and Urban Cultures Monomagazine, ISSN 2279–6886 02. ** - 2015
Sordi, J., Favargiotti, S. "SUPERELEVATA FOOT[PRINTS] Recycle, reuse, urban happy mood." Published in Urbanistica Informazioni. Urban Happiness and Public Space, 3rd Biennale of Public Space Special Issue edited by Marichela Sepe, May-June 2015. ISSN n. 0392–5005. * - 2015
"Ordinary voids. Special openings." In Recycle Towards a proactive manifesto. Edited by Mosè Ricci y Joerg Schroeder. Roma: Aracne, 2015. * - 2015
"Beyond Urbanism. From landscape to Ecology." In Monograph Research 02. Architecture, City and Urban Cultures Monomagazine, ISSN 2279-6886 02. ** - 2014
"From Landscape to Ecological Urbanism: origins, theories and objectives of one school." In: Monograph.Research.01 - Architecture, City and Urban Cultures Monomagazine. Issue n. 5: 317-319. ISSN 2279-6886 02, ISBN 9788895623924. ** - 2013
"Liquid Limit. The River Plata System." In Writing Cities 3, edited by J. Cressica Brazier, Nikos Katsikis and Lily Baum Pollans. Harvard Graduate School of Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, London School of Economics Publication. London: Working Papers. Series ISSN: 2042-4361. ** - 2012
J. Sordi e E. Sommariva. "Productive Landscapes. Common Grounds." In L'architettura degli spazi del lavoro. Nuovi compiti e nuovi luoghi del progetto, edited by Sara Marini, Alberto Bertagna, Francesco Gastaldi, 100–103. Macerata: Quodlibet, 2012. ISBN: 978-88-7462-498-0. **
Conferences, Lectures, Exhibitions
- 2023
Cornell University. Invited Speaker: Landscape as urbanism in Latin America: a framework for equitable adaptation? Latin American and Caribbean studies program and Department of Landscape Architecture. March 23. - 2022
C40 World Mayors Summit 2022. Exhibition Ecological Design. Strategies for the Vulnerable Cities, October 19–21, Buenos Aires. Co-curator. Exhibition sponsored by the Inter-american Development Bank. - 2022
Center for Contemporary Art Luigi Pecci, Prato. Seeds. International Symposium Landscape Urbanism. December 16, 2022. Invited speaker. - 2022
Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia. Master in Cities, Future Urbanism. Keynote speaker: Beyond Urbanism. Strategies for the vulnerable city in the climate crisis. November 9, 2022. - 2022
Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID). Professional Seminar Creating inclusive, safe, and healthy cities. Invited Speaker: Strategies for the Vulnerable City in the Climate Crisis. February 28, 2022. - 2021
Cooper Union. Student Lecture Series. Invited Speaker: "Land-cycles: on Landscape, Resources, and Infrastructure." September 30, 2021. - 2021
New York Institute of Technology – Consulate General of Denmark in New York. Future Cities: Designing Circularity. April 21, 2021. Moderator. - 2020
Architectural Association (UK) – Tecnólogico de Monterrey (MX). Transitional Landscapes lecture series. 05.12.2020. Invited speaker. - 2020
-Ness Magazine. Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas monograph presentation and round table. 19.07.2020. Moderator. - 2019
REDS Matera European Cultural Capital 2019. Resilient Ecological Design Symposium – Legacy. 18-19.11.2019. Scientific Advisor and Speaker. - 2019
Fray Bentos UNESCO World Heritage Site (UY) – Inter-american Development Bank. Simposium Fray Bentos Patrimonio Vivo. 12.07.2019. Keynote Speaker. - 2018
University of Lulea. RES-LINK: Workshop on Resources and Urbanization in the Arctic, Lulea, Sweden, 08-09.10.2018. Keynote Speaker. - 2018
Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires. Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas, Symposium organized by Design Lab UAI, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard DRCLAS, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Universidad del Paraguay, etc. Buenos Aires, Argentina, 28-05-2018. Moderator, Organizer. - 2018
Harvard Graduate School of Design. The Camp and the City. Territories of Extraction. Book Presentation with Luis Valenzuela, 27.03.2017. Invited Speaker. - 2017
Harvard Graduate School of Design. Landscape Architecture in Latin America International Symposium, Organized by the Department of Landscape Architecture and Women in Design. Cambridge MA, United States, 14.04.2017. Invited Speaker. - 2016
Universidad Torcuato di Tella. Keynote Lecture: "Landscape Reclamation Rules" Buenos Aires, Argentina, 28.10.2016. Invited. - 2016
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Beyond-Isms. The Landscape of Landscape Urbanism Symposium. Malmö and Alnarp, Sweden, October 19–21, 2016. Advisory Board Member, Discussant and Session Chair. - 2016
Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile. Presentation: "Diálogos Impostergables, Chile Architecture Biennale 2017". Santiago, Chile. - 2016
Santiago Ecologias Emergentes. Exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Santiago Quinta Normal. November 2015–January 2016, Exhibition curated by Jeannette Sordi and Felipe Vera; Kick-off conference: November 12, 2016. - 2016
XV Biennale of Architecture of Venice: Reporting from the Front. Exhibition of the project The Camp and the City: Calama within the Pavillion "Does Permanence Matter?" curated by Rahul Mehrotra and Felipe Vera. Venice, May–November, 2016. - 2016
Universidad Adolfo Ibañez. Symposium: "Not just a side event" Conference on the role of exhibitions and competitions for design. Launching of the Santiago Emergent Ecologies Competition. With the participation of Rahul Mehrotra, Pola Mora (ArchDaily), Francisco Diaz (ARQ Universidad Catolica de Chile), et al. 14.04.2016. - 2016
University of Brasilia. Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas. Brasilia, March 21, 2016. Symposium organized by Design Lab UAI, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard DRCLAS, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Universidad Diego Portales, urbam Eafit Medellin, Museum of Modern Art of Medellin, University of Brasilia. Co-organizer. - 2016
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas. Santiago, March 18, 2016. Symposium organized by Design Lab UAI, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard DRCLAS, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Universidad Diego Portales, urbam Eafit Medellin, Museum of Modern Art of Medellin, University of Brasilia. Co-organizer and speaker. - 2016
Museum of Modern Art of Medellin. Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas. Medellin, 15 de Marzo 2016. Symposium organized by Design Lab UAI, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard DRCLAS, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Universidad Diego Portales, urbam Eafit Medellin, Museum of Modern Art of Medellin, University of Brasilia. Co-organizer. - 2015
Facultad de Arquitectura Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Andrea Branzi. Del Radical Design al Post-Ambientalismo Exhibition, March–April 2015, Santiago. Exhibition curator, with Felipe Vera. - 2015
London Architectural Association Visiting School in Mexico City. Atlas of Mexico City: species of species International Symposium, organized at the Centro Cultural de España by Alfredo Ramirez, 22.07.2015. Lecture: Design Latin America: Landscape Urbanism. Selected Speaker (Peer-review). - 2015
Bolzano Klimahouse, REDS Symposium, 31.01.2015. Beyond Urbanism book launch. Invited Speaker. - 2015
Architectural Association London, 26.01.2015. Beyond Urbanism book launch. Invited Speaker. - 2014
Museum of Contemporary Art of Santiago. Andrea Branzi and Elisa Cattaneo. Glosario para el nuevo Milenio. Exhibition curated by Jeannette Sordi and Felipe Vera.
View a complete list of articles and exhibitions
Professional Honors and Awards
- XX Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism of Chile, Valparaiso. Exhibition co-curator with Felipe Vera, Rodrigo Tisi, et al. Curator: Dialogues on Vulnerability. Co-curator: Academia.
Courses Taught at New York Tech
- ARCH 801 M Arch Studio 6: Environmental Urbanism
- ARCH 721 History and Theory of Cities
- ARCH 701 Urban Design Studio I
- ARCH 802 M Arch Studio 7
- ARCH 824 Cities, Ecologies and Infrastructure
- ARCH 362 City Planning
- ARCH 361 History and Theory of Landscape Urbanism (elective)
- AAID 160 Introduction to History, Theory, and Criticism in Architecture