About Michel Rojkind

Michel Rojkind was born on December 18, 1969, in Mexico City, Mexico. When he was 18, in 1987, he joined Aleks Syntek’s band “La Gente Normal”, as its drummer, with whom he continued playing untill 1999, when the band broke apart, after 12 years and 4 albums.

While playing with “La Gente Normal”, Michel studied architecture and urban planning at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and, after working on his own for several years, he teamed up with Isaac Broid and Miquel Adria to establish the architectural firm “Adria+Broid+Rojkind” (1998-2002). With the idea of exploring new challenges that address contemporary society, to design compelling experiences that go beyond mere functionality, and to connect at a deeper level with the intricacies of each project, he established, in 2002, an independent firm (rojkind arquitectos), recognized by Architectural Record in 2005 as “one of the best ten Design Vanguard firms”.

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Philosophy

By directly addressing the users’ needs and seeing them as potential sources of inspiration and strength, rojkind arquitectos seeks new directions in architectural practice – evoking common identities through the exploration of uncharted geometries that address questions of space, function, technology, materials, structure, and construction methods related directly to geography, climate, and local urban experiences. By pursuing all projects that represent a particular design challenge, rojkind arquitectos has been able to develop a wide, and ever-growing, spectrum of design initiatives; from the intimacies of small objects, to the intricacies of large buildings and master plans. In recognition to his innovative approach, the Vitra design museum, along with the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, will be exhibiting rojkind arquitectos’ works in Germany, later this year, as part of Entry 2006 “Open House: Intelligent Living by-design”.

With Arturo Ortiz, Derek Dellekamp and Tatiana Bilbao, Michel Rojkind co-founded the MXDF Urban Research Center in 2004. The main object of MXDF is to intervene in specific areas of the urban development, modifying the production of urban space in Mexico through the systematic study of social, political, environmental, global, and cultural conditions. In order to achieve this, MXDF has been collaborating with several universities in Mexico, Studio Basel, ETH Zürich, and MIT in Boston, Massachusetts. MXDF is a non-profit organization.

Recently Michel has been short-listed to participate in several large scale international projects, including Canada, Kuwait, and Spain. In addition to being a regular contributor in several architectural and design publications, Michel Rojkind has served as the editor of the technology section “FWD” in the architecture journal “Arquine International”, and has held several visiting professorships at several universities.

Academic Experience

• Invited Professor by the Nottingham University “School of the built Environment”, 2007.
• Invited Professor by the Universidad Iberoamericana UIA for the vertical workshop MXDF, Mexico City, Mexico, 2005 to the date.
• Invited Professor by the Universidad Anahuac Campus Norte for the workshop Simulaciones, Mexico City, Mexico, 2003-2004.
• Invited Professor by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM for the experimental workshop “MEXTROPOLIS”, Mexico City, Mexico, 2001-2002.

Main Lectures

• RIBA, Royal Institute of British Architects, Invited lecture, London, United Kingdom, January 2007.
• AUT, Architektur und Tirol, Invited lecture, Innsbruck, Austria, January 2007.
• University of Newcastle, Newcastle, United Kingdom, January 2007.
• Nottingham, School for the Built Environment, January 2007.
• “Resonance: ehcos along a personal journey”, Contemporary art museum, Prague, October, 2007.
• Guest Speaker at the AIA Awards, Colorado, October 2006.
• Guest Speaker at the Nottingham University, September 2006.
• University of Pennsylvania, Sypmosium, Philadelphia, USA, April 2006.
• Guest Speaker in the “X Bienal de Arquitectura de Buenos Aires”, Argentina, September 2005.

Main Exhibitions

• “The World in One City: A sketch of London”, London Architecture Biennale, United Kingdom, June 2006.
• “Generacion D.F.”, nova arquitectura mexicana, Barcelona, Spain, December 2005.
• “Guangzhou Second Trienale of Contemporary Art”, with MXDF, China, November 2005.
• “GA Houses Project 2005″, GA Gallery, Japan, March-May 2005.
• “ABSoluut Architectuur 02″, Sky Hall, Brussels National Airport, 22^nd of April 2005.
• “Mexico City Dialogues: New architectural Practices”, Center for Architecture, N.Y. AIA, January- May 2005.
• “50 Architects”, Universidad Iberoamaricana, Mexico City, México, 2005.
• “GA Houses Project 2004″, GA Gallery, Japan, March-May 2004.
• “III Bienal Iberoamericana”, in the mark of the V Bienal de Sao Paolo, Brasil.
• “GA Houses Project 2003″, GA Gallery, Japan, March-May 2003.
• “Bátisseurs de lumiere: Architectures Mexicanes Contemporaines”, Paris, France, 2003.
• “Panorama Emergente Iberoamericano”, III Bienal Iberoamericana, Santiago de Chile, 2003.
• “The Private House”, International Architecture Symposium V.4.0, ITESM, Campus Querétaro, 2000.

Honors & Awards

• November 2006, jury chair for the AIA Awards Colorado.
• December 2005, selected as one of the 10 international firms for “Architectural Record’s Design Vanguard, 2005″.
• 2005, Invitation by Vitra Design Museum, to participate in the exhibition “Open House: Intelligent living by design”, 2006, Germany, as part of the “World Forum of Architecture and Design”.
• 2002, Best Architectural Renderings, Graphisoft, Hungary.
• 2002, Rrcord Houses of the Year, Architectural Record.
• 2001, CEMEX Prize, Best House category for the “F2 House”.

Main Competitions

• “Liverpool – Contemporary City”, 60,000 square meters of commercial, cultural and residential areas; Mexico City, Mexico, January 2007 (private-invitation competition – decision not made yet).
• Middle East, 250,000 square meter masterplan, July 2006 (5-firm, private-invitation competition).
• “Your Absolute”, Condominium Tower in Mississauga, Toronto, Canada, February 2006 (finalist in a world-wide open competition).
• Hotel Fiesta Inn Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, October 2005 (private-invitation competition).
• Hotel Fiesta Inn Cancun, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, September 2005 (private-invitation competition).
• Hotel in Oaxaca, 98 rooms, Oaxaca, Mexico, August 2005 (1st place, private-invitation competition).
• Steel Museum (with Derek Dellekamp), Fundidora Park, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico 2005 (invited to competition).
• Villas Tacul, residential complex, 275 unit towers and 10 villas, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, 2005 (private-invitation competition).
• New Business School, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla, Mexico, 2005 (invited competition).
• Ephemeral Architecture Competition for the Mexican Pavillion in Madrid (Arco 2005), Conde Duque Cultural Centre, 2004 (invited to competition).
• Spanish Cultural Centre, Mexico City, Mexico, 2004 (invited competiton).
• Design Centre School (in collaboration with Derek Dellekamp), Mexico City, Mexico, 2004 (invited to competiton).
• Mexico City Public Library, (in collaboration with Dominique Perrault, Miquel Adriá & Derek Dellekamp), Mexico City, Mexico, 2003 (honorable mention, international competition).
• Casa de Francia, New Headquarters, (in collaboration with Dominique Perrault), Mexico City, Mexico, 2002 (private-invitation, international competition).
• New Stadium for the “Abierto Mexicano de Tenis” (Mexican Tennis Open), Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, 2001 (1st place, international competition).
• TELCEL headquarters, Guadalajara, México, 1999 (1st place, competition).
• TELCEL Headquarters, Querétaro, México, 1999 (1st place, competition).
• Stand design for Zanetti at the Pitty Image Luomo, Florence, Italy, 1998 (1st place, competition).

Work in Progress

• Residential

  • House in Barcelona, single family residence, 1 hectare plot in Maskefa, Barcelona, Spain, starting in 2007.
  • Vaca Prieta Ranch, house with barn, greenhouse and organic fields, sustainable, 6 hectare plot, Atlangatepec, Tlaxcala, Mexico, August 2006.
  • Michelet 43, apartment building renovation, Mexico City, Mexico, 2006.
  • Vitra exhibition “Open House: Intelligent living by design”, Germany, as part of the “World Forum of Architecture and Design”, Essen, Germany, 2006.
  • City Santa Fe, apartment building with 180 units, Santa Fe, México City, Mexico, 2005-2007.
  • Qi Building Miami (with Derek Dellekamp), Miami, Florida, 2004-2006.
  • MD House, Ensenada, Baja California, México, 2004 – 2006.

• Commercial

  • Hotel in Oaxaca, 98 rooms, Oaxaca, México, August 2005-2007.
  • Myto Art Gallery, renovation, Colonia Roma, Mexico City, Mexico, July 2007.
  • Hotel del Angel, image renovation, 100 rooms, Mexico City, Mexico, June 2007.
  • Hotel San Francisco, image renovation, 100 rooms, Mexico City, June 2007.

• Public

  • Toronto Island Airport, Masterplan, Toronto, Canada, April 2006.
  • Masterplan Lincoln Park, “Recovering the Public Space”, 106,000 square meters, Polanco, México City, Mexico, 2004 – 2005.
  • Masterplan Masarik as an Urban Plaza, underground parking for 2,500 cars, 75,000 square meters, Polanco, México City, Mexico. 2004 – 2006.
  • Masterplan Irapuato for a Cultural Expo (with MXDF) 48 ha, 2005 to date.
  • Biomedical Research Center, Morelia, Michoacán IMSS, 2004-2006.

Selected Built Work

• Residential

  • PR34 House, Tecamachalco, Mexico City, México, 2004.
  • MP3 Apartment, Colonia Condesa, México City, México, 2003.
  • Tlaxcala 190, apartment building in Colonia Condesa, México City, México, 2002.
  • F2 House, México City, México, 2001.

• Commercial

  • Falcon Headquarters, San Ángel, México City, México, 2004.
  • Boska Bar, México City, México, 2004.

• Public

  • Mexico City National Videotheque, Mexico City, Mexico, 2002 (1st place, invited competition).

Publications

• Books

  • Open House: Architecture and Technology for intelligent living, Vitra Design Museum, Essen, Germany, 2006.
  • Casa Latino Aamericane, Electa, Italy, 2006.
  • DD / Design Documents, Monográfico, rojkind arquitectos, Korea, in Process 2008.
  • Teoría + Praxis, México, June 2006.
  • Ampliaciones de viviendas, Spain, February 2006.
  • Art Invention House, Rizzolli, USA, November 2005.
  • Ideas interiors, México, October 2005.
  • Ideas houses, México, October 2005.
  • Arquitectura de interiores, Spain, July 2005.
  • Absoluut Architectuur, Belgium, April 2005.
  • Lo mejor del siglo XXI volume 2, México, December 2004.
  • Baths & Kitchens 2, inside glance, Mexico, 2004.
  • México en España, Feria de Arte Contemporáneo, Spain, 2004.
  • World houses now, Thames & Hudson, United Kingdom, 2004.
  • Atlas of Contemporary Architecture, Phaidon, United Kingdom, May 2004.
  • 20 Architetti per venti case, Electa, Italy, 2003.
  • New Home, Conran Octopus, USA, 2003.

• Magazines

  • Weekly Paper, China, January 2007
  • Space 467, Korea, September 2006.
  • Innovative Home, USA, October 2006.
  • L’arca, Italy (in process).
  • Arquine 37, Mexico, September 2006.
  • Pasajes 79, Spain, September 2006.
  • Summa +81, Argentina, September 2006.
  • D La Republicca, Italy, September 2006.
  • Plaza Magazine, Switzerland, August 2006.
  • Metropolis, USA, August 2006.
  • Volkswagen Magazine, Poland, August 2006.
  • Poder y Negocios, Mexico, August 2006.
  • ArchiMAD Magazine, Finland, August 2006.
  • Egg Magazine, Taiwan, August 2006.
  • Future, Spain, June 2006.
  • File Magazine, Mexico, June 2006.
  • Civil Engeneer Magazine, USA, May 2006.
  • Domus, Italy, April 2006.
  • Frame, The Netherlands, April 2006.
  • Tatlin, Russia, March 2006.
  • IW Magazine # 48, Taiwán, March 2006.
  • Arquine 48, Mexico, March 2006.
  • Diseño Interior, Spain, March 2006.
  • Entre Muros (Reforma Newspaper), Mexico, February 2006.
  • Monitor, Russia, January 2006.
  • Obras, México, January 2006.
  • Nueva Arquitectura de interiores, Spain, January 2006.
  • Architectural Record Design Vanguard 2005, USA, December 2005.
  • Casabella, Italy, December 2005.
  • Spaces Magazine, United Kingdom, December 2005.
  • Naujas Namas, Lithuania, November 2005.
  • Dwell, USA, December 2005.
  • Wallpaper*, United Kingdom, November 2005.
  • Naujas Namas, Lithuania, October 2005.
  • Häuser Magazine, Germany, October 2005.
  • Detail’06, Taiwán, October 2005.
  • Casas & Gente, Mexico, September 2005.
  • Vivienda y decoración, Chile, September 2005.
  • Casamica, Italy, September 2005.
  • Häuser magazine, Germany, August 2005.
  • Monitor Magazine, Russia, August 2005.
  • IW Magazine # 44, Taiwán, July 2005.
  • Obras Magazine, México, July 2005.
  • Metrópolis Magazine, U.S.A., July 2005.
  • AMC Magazine, France, June 2005.
  • File Magazine, México, June 2005.
  • Pol Oxygen, Australia, June 2005.
  • Entre Muros (Periódico Reforma) México, June 2005.
  • A+U, Houses, Japan, April 2005.
  • IW Magazine # 43, Taiwan, April 2005.
  • L’architecture d’aujourd’hui, France, April 2005.
  • Metrópolis Magazine, U.S.A., June 2005.
  • Azure Magazine, Canada, May 2005.
  • AIT Magazine, Germany, April 2005.
  • Summa + 71, Argentina, March 2005.
  • Metalocus # 15, Spain, May 2004.
  • Premium, México, March 2005.
  • A+D, Turkey, February 2005.
  • Obras Magazine, México, December 2005.
  • Arquine 30, México, December 2004.
  • Arquine 29, México, September 2004.
  • Wallpaper* United Kingdom, December 2004.
  • Arquitectura & Constrcao, Portugal, November 2004.
  • Quien Magazine, Mexico, September 2004.
  • Spot Magazine, Mexico, June 2004.
  • Ambientes, Chile, November 2004.
  • Neo 2, España, December 2004.
  • DF Magazine, México, September 2004.
  • GA Houses 86 , Japan, May 2004.
  • GA Houses 82, Japan, May 2004.
  • GA Houses 80, Project 2004, Japan, 2004.
  • Caras Magazine, Mexico, December, 2003.
  • Deep Magazine, Mexico, November 2003.
  • C3 corea No.249, Korea, 2003.
  • Architectural Review, United Kingdom, February 2003.
  • Axxis # 109, Colombia, 2003.
  • C3 corea 0202 No.210, Korea, 2002.
  • Quien Magazine, México, June 2002.
  • Arquine # 19, México, March 2002.
  • Architectural Record,”Record Houses” U.S.A., April 2002.
  • AIT Magazine, Germany, 2003.
  • Celeste No. 5, México, 2002.
  • 06140 codigo postal, México, February 2002.
  • Summa + 56, Argentina, October 2002.
  • El Arqa, Uruguay, 2002.
  • Arquitectura Viva, Spain, 2002.
  • Diseño Interior, Spain, 2002.
  • Casabella # 703, Italy, September 2002.
  • Summa + 53, Argentina, 2002.
  • A+U, 03:02 389, Ejemplar de Arquitectura Mexicana. Japan, 2003.
  • GA Houses 74 ,Projects 2003, Japan, 2003.
  • Arquitectos 164, 02/4 Consejo Superior de los colegios de arquitectos de España, 2002.

• Articles in different national newspapers such as Reforma, La jornada, El uniersal, Uno mas Uno, El economista, etc.

• Internet Publications

  • www.noticiasarquitectura.info (no longer available.)
  • arcspace.com.
  • europaconcorsi.
  • World Architecture News.com.
  • arqa.com.
  • Hauz29.
  • Apple.com.
  • Graphisoft’s “Great Architects” page. or see the QuickTime video, or the Windows Media video if you prefer.

From Michel Rojkind’s curriculum vitae. Published with the consent of Rojkind Arquitectos. Copyright © 2007 Rojkind Arquitectos. All Rights Reserved.

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