Today we’d like to introduce you to Benita Cooper.
Hi Benita, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Seattle and spent part of my childhood in Hong Kong. My world shifted when my mom brought my sister and me back to Seattle when I was twelve. It shifted again when I started college early at fifteen. On paper, I was ready. In reality, life always felt like it was moving faster than I could process.
Looking back, those moments shaped me more than I realized at the time. I didn’t think of myself as brave. I just didn’t have the option to stand still. I learned how to walk into new environments and find my place. I learned that life can shift at any moment, and the one thing that keeps me grounded is staying true to who I am.I’ve always been curious about people. I notice how they move through spaces, how a room can change your mood and even your relationships.
Studying art and architecture gave me a way to hold onto that curiosity and turn it into something useful. A sense of purpose. My drive comes from knowing there is a real opportunity to help people live better in their everyday lives.I worked all through school, both in architecture offices and on construction sites, because I wanted to feel grounded in something real. I didn’t just want to study ideas. I wanted to contribute, even in small ways. And I wanted to see new perspectives, so I studied abroad in Italy, Mexico, and Chile.
After graduate school at Harvard University, a job opportunity brought me to Philadelphia. My fiancé and I got married that same summer. He has always been my rock through every high and low. Having a husband believe in you like that changes what you think is possible, and motivates you to learn how to make it possible.I started my own practice in 2008. A contractor told me I had what it takes, and something in me decided to give entrepreneurship a try. I knew how to design buildings on paper, but running a business I had to learn by doing.
I started with rowhomes, restaurants, entire condo buildings and then was tasked to give new life to iconic historic Philly landmarks. Over time, I began to understand the full value and power I could bring. Design was never the end, but the means.
Around that same time, I started talking regularly with my grandmother, and she began sharing stories she had never told anyone before. Those conversations stayed with me. They led me to start volunteering at a senior center during my lunch breaks, and eventually to founding the now 17 year old nonprofit, The Best Day of My Life So Far. That work reminds me that beyond buildings, people are really just trying to feel seen, heard, and connected.
In 2016, my husband and I moved to the small historic town of Haddonfield with a baby and a toddler. That was a major turning point, both personally and professionally. I expanded my practice into New Jersey without a clear roadmap, and had to find my place once more in a completely new environment.
One project led to another. People shared my name. The work grew, the scale grew, and over time I found myself not just designing homes, but becoming part of the social fabric of a town and its physical evolution, while continuing to build in Philadelphia. When people ask what project I am most proud of, I often say revitalizing Haddonfield’s main street. Much of it was quiet when I first arrived. Now it is vibrant and full of life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My answer would have to be, No.
When I think about how I got here, it is not one big leap. It is a lot of turning, pivoting, and recentering. But something deep in me, a drive, a fire, has always wanted to keep going.
Early on, before I had built a body of work, there were many moments where I could feel people making assumptions about me. Not always said out loud, but felt. Being underestimated. Being questioned in subtle ways. At the time, I tried to brush it off. Now, as a mom and a mentor, I think it is important to acknowledge that reality so the next generation understands what they may face and how to move through it.
There were also moments where I was told to be more normal, more basic. It felt like those people were more comfortable seeing me shrink back down than step forward. I did not always know how to respond in those moments. But I remember how upset it made me.
But over time, I made a clear decision that I was not going to shrink to fit what other people were comfortable with. I focused on doing the best work I know how to do and let that speak for itself. Slowly, the right collaborators and supporters came into view. I am now very intentional about who I surround myself with. People who care about the work, who respect each other, and who want to push for something better instead of settling.
The industry itself can be intense. Long hours, high expectations, and not always a lot of guidance early on. I have worked to build a different kind of environment. One where architecture, design, and construction are treated as one continuous process, and where people lead, communicate, and collaborate with respect.
As an architect-designer-furniture maker-STEM educator-entrepreneur-plus-nonprofit founder, I have chosen a high-speed multi-lane path that does not fit neatly into traditional roles. And I understand that it can take time for people to fully see and understand that approach. Part of my role is not just doing the work, but helping others see the value of a more integrated way of working.
I do not pretend it is easy. I am still learning. I still want to do better on every project. I have set a high bar for myself, not just to create beautiful spaces, but to improve how people create those spaces, and live in them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What do you do and what sets you apart?
I do not see architecture as just drawings or aesthetics. I see it as an entire ecosystem.
It is how space is planned, how details come together, how budgets are managed, how decisions are made, how something is actually built, and how it feels to live in it every day.
At Benita Cooper Design, we take a full service, highly coordinated approach. We stay involved from the first sketch all the way through construction and final installation. Not just to make something look good, but to make sure it truly works and reflects each client in a real way.
Over time, I have also built related ventures that support that approach. This Modern Old House focuses on high performance historic restoration. Coop Forge allows us to design and fabricate custom pieces tied directly to each project. NJ Cabinetry supports highly tailored cabinetry solutions.
Together, it all reflects one core belief. Design is not just about how something looks. It is about how everything comes together.
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of my body of work and all the physical transformations. But what stays with me most are the people. Seeing how someone lives differently in a space. Watching a business open its doors. Seeing a town evolve over time.
I am proud that I am able to be all the different parts of myself. An architect, an entrepreneur, a mom, a wife, and someone deeply committed to improving social connection for older adults through my nonprofit work.
I am proud that mentorship is a core part of my life. I founded BCD Build Club to introduce younger students to architecture and design, and I spend time talking with high school students who are considering this path. I want to be the example I did not always have.
Over the past few years, I have found myself in a constant state of gratitude. There has been growth, recognition, and opportunities in many different arenas. I did not set out expecting that. I was simply focused on doing good work. If anything, it has made me want to do even better, as a way of honoring the people who trust me and support what I do.
If I had to sum it up, I am proud that I have built a life and career that reflects who I am, so that I can fully contribute back to the industries and communities that I live and work in.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The most meaningful resource for me is the living, breathing collection of life stories through The Best Day of My Life So Far. I read or watch every story that gets shared. Even a few minutes can quiet the noise of my busy days, and completely shift my perspective. I also visit the original storytelling group I started in 2009 whenever I can. It is now run beautifully by volunteers and I just get to enjoy participating. It brings me back to my grandmother, and the way she could take even heartwrenching experiences and turn them into something positive through the way she told me her stories. Running the nonprofit at a high level is one thing. But sitting in those rooms, listening, being present, that is what recenters me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.benitacooperdesign.com | www.bestdayofmylifesofar.org
- Instagram: @benitacooperdesign | @thismodernoldhouse | @coopforgemobile | @njcabinetry | @bestdayofmylifesofar
