Santiago Espitia Berndt

Santiago Espitia Berndt is a Partner at Herzog & de Meuron. His work is primarily focused on urban design, large-scale development and strategic planning, alongside architectural projects across diverse typologies. In complex urban contexts, his work addresses the relationship between architecture, public space, infrastructure and the transformation of existing urban conditions.

Santiago’s experience includes the Grasbrook District masterplan in Hamburg, the Paketposthalle Masterplan in Munich, and the Berggruen Institute Campus in Los Angeles. His urban design expertise is complemented by extensive experience in the renovation, transformation and development of complex city blocks and large-scale buildings. Architectural projects include the Jade residential tower in Miami, the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem, Alba-Haus in Allschwil, Herzog & de Meuron’s new office at Mailand-Strasse in Basel, The Verse, a large-scale refurbishment project in Munich, and the renovation and extension of the UBS building at Paradeplatz in Zurich.

Before joining Herzog & de Meuron in 2011, Santiago conducted research at ETH Studio Basel – Contemporary City Institute, focusing on urban conditions in the Middle East, particularly Damascus, as well as large-scale landscape and infrastructural interventions. He became an Associate in 2017 and a Partner in 2020.

Santiago completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in architecture at ETH Zurich in 2011, receiving the ETH Medal and the ETH Hatt-Bucher Prize. He also holds a degree in General Management from INSEAD. Santiago has been a guest critic at ETH Zurich and the Architectural Association in London. He has also lectured at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, the Università della Svizzera italiana in Mendrisio, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Rome program at the Pantheon Institute.