Benita Cooper sees architecture differently than most people.
“At the scale of everyday living – of somebody at a fridge and being able to turn around and have the perfect countertop next to them and the coffee pot happens to be in a little nook that just makes one moment of their every day better – that is making a difference,” she says, “At the most seemingly insignificant, tiny, everyday scale, good business is still about making a difference.”
Benita was only 28 when she started her own architecture, design and construction firm, Benita Cooper Design, at her dining table in Philly. And only 29 when she started her nonprofit connecting seniors with younger generations to tackle loneliness, called The Best Day of My Life So Far.
In the years since, she and her team have expanded operations to Haddonfield. She’s won several architecture awards, has spoken at industry conferences and started her own custom furniture business.
Read about honoree, Benita, in our “Women of Excellence 2025” story
