Juhi Bafna is an architect who believes in building as little as possible- an ethos that led her to pursue conservation studies at CEPT University, where she earned an M.Arch. in Conservation and Regeneration. Her final semester thesis, focused on Planning in Conservation Areas, was completed at the University of York, where she simultaneously audited the Spring semester of the M.A. in Conservation of Historic Buildings course at the Department of Archaeology.
Since 2015, Juhi has developed a focused career in architecture and conservation, steadily growing into roles of increasing responsibility. She has worked as an architect, research assistant, teaching associate, conservation architect, and conservation projects execution manager. Her experience across a range of organizations has shaped a conscientious, yet flexible approach to projects, guided by an understanding of institutional priorities and working methods.
Notable heritage projects she has contributed to include the Condition Assessment and Monitoring of At-Turaif WHS in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia; restoration of the Kodak House façade (Cathedral and John Connon School) in Mumbai; development of guidelines for documenting gold plating and underlying lime plaster at Shri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar; tourism feasibility studies for lesser-known stepwells of Gujarat; the CEPT Conservation Site School initiatives in Ahmedabad; retrofitting the stone arcade of Pathergatti in the Charminar Precinct, Hyderabad; and the periodic maintenance of the Luxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara.
Juhi co-authored a research paper titled "Role of Cultural Institutions in Urban Resilience: The Case of Ahmedabad" with Dr. Jigna Desai at the Center for Heritage Conservation (CEPT Research and Development Foundation). Funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the ENGAGE Network, the paper was presented at the 3rd International Research Network Conference, "Towards a Global Agenda for Humanitarian Heritage: A community-centered vision towards the future of global heritage."
A proponent of lifelong learning, she has participated in Continuing Professional Development programs such as the Getty Conservation Institute`s International Course on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture in the UAE and Oman, and a summer school on Historic Masonry Structures in Italy.