Dr. Shelly Cohen explores the Israeli space. She is an Israeli architect, curator, researcher, and writer known for her focus on the social and ethical dimensions of architecture. She is the founder and Curator of the Architect’s House Gallery, Jaffa (2001–2025). Cohen’s research is regularly published across various platforms: in over 20 themed architecture exhibitions, in edited books that became basic readers, in academic articles, and in books.

Based on the “ethics of care,” a feminist moral concept that places a person’s relationship to another at the heart of ethical debate, Cohen’s book “Architecture and Care” examines the ethical motives of social initiatives in architecture. Because we do not tend to describe the field of architecture in terms of concern, the book asks about the characteristics of the concept of care developed by the theorist Joan Tronto in the fields of gender and political science, and its application to architecture.

The edited catalog “Safe Haven: Urban Civil Defense” and the exhibition at the Genia Schreiber University gallery have explored how security considerations shape planning procedures and how requirements for secure residential space (Mamad) affect the everyday lives of Israeli residents.

The Local series of exhibitions was curated by Cohen and various associates, and was displayed there for over a decade. It was one of the main instigators of a new Israeli discourse that critiqued the often neglected social and political aspects of Israeli architecture. 

Cohen’s book “Living Forms: Architecture and Society in Israel”, co-edited with Arch. Tula Amir combines social and architectural theory with everyday living reality. It has become a popular source for citations and a primary reader in many schools of architecture and design.   

Cohen’s PhD dissertation explores the connection between ethical, social, and aesthetic theories. It focuses on a relatively new trend in architecture: a growing number of architects are becoming increasingly involved in social issues and projects for marginalized groups. Her postdoctoral research (Technion IIT) explores the shared residential architecture of seniors living with their caregivers.

As a board member of the non-profit organization “Bimkom,” Cohen has contributed to promoting planning rights and social justice. In 2025, she is co-curating an exhibition with the organization to mark its 25th anniversary.

 Design: Megama/Rebecca Sternberg Programming: Sotiris Valogiannis