About Dr. Bross
Biography
Benjamin’s research lens combines architecture, urbanism, material culture (the anthropological discipline that studies objects, their use, and properties), phenomenology (the study of human experience) and essentialism philosophy to examine spatial qualities that produce a sense of place—unique spaces born from their location, sociocultural practices, collective memory, and economic activities. His recent honors include the Levenick iSEE Teaching Sustainability Fellowship (UIUC, 2022-23), the Scott Opler Emergent Scholar Award (Society of Architectural Historians, 2021), the Common Ground Network Emergent Scholar Award (2021), and the Illinois Distinguished Postdoctoral Research Associate appointment (UIUC, 2017-18). He is a licensed architect in the State of California.
Education
- Ph.D., History, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico D.F. (2016)
- Master of Urban Design, University of California, Berkeley (2006)
- Master of Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design (2001)
- Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, University of California, Berkeley (1996)
Research and publications
Selected publications
BOOKS
Bross, Benjamin A. Mexico City’s Zócalo: A History of a Constructed Spatial Identity. London, UK: Routledge, December 2021. 255pp.
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Bross, Benjamin A. “Essentialism and Spatial (Re)production,” Architecture Philosophy, Tom Spector, Editor. International Society for the Philosophy of Architecture, Volume 5, Issue 2. Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma. (November 2021), pp.9-32. ISSN 2372-0883.
Bross, Benjamin A. “Energy Investment, Burden Distance and Phenomenology of Place,” Environment, Space and Place. Troy R.E. Paddock, Editor. Volume 13, Issue 2, 2021 University of Minnesota Press (March, 2022), pp.93.
Bross, Benjamin A. “Urban Synecdoche and the Disappearing City,” Online Journal of Art and Design. Fahme Dabaj, Editor. Volume 10, Issue 4 (Forthcoming, October 2022), online. ISSN: 2301-2501.
Bross, Benjamin A. “Defining Urban and Rural,” The International Journal of Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design, Fabian Neuhaus, Editor. (Forthcoming, 2022). ISSN: 2325-1662 (Print) ISSN: 2325-1670.
CONFERENCE ARTICLES
Bross, Benjamin A. “Museo de Medicina Laboral: Curated Conflux of Modern Identities,” SAH 2022 Annual International Conference, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (Forthcoming, April 27-May 1, 2022).
Bross, Benjamin A.. “Spatial History and Identity in Tripartite Sustainable Development: The Mining Town of El Triunfo, Baja California Sur,” The Twelfth International Conference on The Constructed Environment: Constructing New Environments for Living, Work and Play. Universidad de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico (Forthcoming, April 28-29, 2022).
Bross, Benjamin A. “The Taxonomy of Spatial Typologies: A proposal for an Analytical Language” Reinvented Annual Meeting. 108th ACSA Conference. San Diego, California 2020.
Bross, Benjamin A. “Theseus’ Paradox: History, Authenticity, and Identity” International Conf. Future Praxis: Applied Research as a Bridge Between Theory and Practice, ARCC. In: C. Jarrett, P. Plowright, H. Rashed-Ali (ed.s),University, Toronto, ON, Canada. May 29-June 1 (2019). pp. 128-137
Bross, Benjamin A. “Mediatic Surfaces: Shaping Urban Environments.” Critical Practice in an Age of Complexity. AMPS Proceedings Series 12. In: J. Bean, S. Dickinson, A. Ida (ed.s), University of Arizona, Arizona, USA. 22 – 23 February (2018). pp. 96-103.
Bross, Benjamin A. “The Good Governance of Mexico City’s Zócalo: A Recent History of Spatial Use and Morphological Transformations.” Happiness. The Built Environment: Shaping the Quality of Life. ARCC-EAAE International Conf. Proceedings. In: K. Wingert-Playdon, H. Rashed-Ali (ed.s), Volume 1. Temple University, Philadelphia, PA (2018). pp. 379-387.