Dr. Piper Bernbaum

Biography

Piper Bernbaum is an Associate Professor at the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism at Carleton University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate architecture programs. Her research focuses on the intersections of law and architecture, exploring how social, spatial, and legal considerations shape urban environments. Bernbaum's interests include the traces, erasures, and edges found in both manufactured and natural environments. A graduate of the University of Waterloo, she received her Bachelor of Architectural Studies in 2013 and her Master of Architecture in 2016, during which she was awarded the Smale Fellowship and the Marg Schafer Award for community service. Her thesis on spatial practices related to the Jewish Eruv received the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Student Medal. Before joining Carleton in 2018, she taught at the Cambridge and Rome campuses of the University of Waterloo. Bernbaum's work examines themes of empathy in design, memory, identity, and the inclusivity of spatial conditions. She has collaborated on numerous research projects, authored papers, and participated in exhibitions exploring the relationship between architecture and law. Her notable roles include logistics manager for the Evidence Room at the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale. Bernbaum's ongoing research in Jewish Eruv has been widely published and is critical to her academic practice, as she investigates the implications of architectural expressions in post-national contexts and cultural practices in diaspora communities.

Research Interests