Larissa joined Social Life in August 2021 after having spent eight years in New York City where she co-founded Make Public, a research organisation focused on guiding and measuring the social impact of place-making initiatives. She uses applied research to support inclusion in participatory urban processes and in the design of places. Her work sits at the intersection of public space development and social infrastructure with issues such as health equity, climate justice and safety. Her approach includes co-defining values and social impact frameworks, using multi-method research, engagement, on-the-ground data collection, and applying these to design strategy and policies of places.
Larissa also worked as a researcher at Gehl Institute and the Healthy Materials Lab. Prior to moving to New York in 2013, she practised in London as an architect and led urban research projects in Cuba and Chile focused on community development and emergency housing, respectively. Larissa also taught undergraduates at Parsons School of Design at the New School and currently teaches a Diploma Unit at the Architectural Association. She received a bachelor of architecture from the Architectural Association and a master of arts in Theories of Urban Practice from Parsons School of Design.
