Juan Miro and Miguel Rivera, Miró Rivera Architects, United States
Miró Rivera Architects is an award-winning firm operating in Austin, Texas since 1997. It currently consists of fifteen employees, including the two design principals, Juan Miró, AIA, and Miguel Rivera, AIA. The firm has become one of the most prominent architectural firms in Texas. Our work has been widely praised and recognized with numerous awards not only in Texas but also nationally and internationally.
In 2006, Miró Rivera Architects won the Firm Achievement Award given by the AIA- Austin Chapter and the AR Emerging Architecture Award, considered the largest and most important award world wide for architects less than 45 years of age. In 2005, Miguel Rivera won the AIA Young American Architect Award, a prestigious national award bestowed by the American Institute of Architects.
Miró Rivera was one of three winners from a pool of more than 462 entries from 53 countries. The work of the firm was on display at the Royal Institute of British Architects where Juan Miró lectured this February. Miró Rivera Architects offers a diverse array of projects, including: urban design, interior design, institutional, commercial and residential architecture. Its design signature entails diversity to fit the individual client’s vision, while stringing a common thread of innovation throughout each project. The work of the firm has been published in the most significant publications in the U.S. like Architectural Record, Architectural Digest and The New York Times, as well as numerous books and magazines from Britain, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Portugal, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Miró Rivera Architects views each project as a unique undertaking. Each work results from careful consideration of the particular requirements of the client, site, and program. The firm’s comprehensive approach incorporates design at all scales of the project, resulting in a final product that is thoroughly composed and complete.
MRA’s work is characterized by the innovative use of structural systems, materials, and finishes. Its designs are dramatic, elegant, and highly original.
Design Philosophy
Our design philosophy is based in what we call “responsible architecture”, something we try to apply in every project we do. An architecture that responds to the three basic areas of responsibility, that we believe, architects need to address in every project.
First, we need to take care of the needs of our clients, their program, their desires, with a real understanding of their budget. This area of responsibility is the main reason a project exists; the main reason people hire architects. If we don’t take care of it we have failed. For this area the architect acts as a “listener”, sometimes even a “psychologist” to try to understand the specific circumstances of every project.
Second, we have to design buildings that are sound, durable, and with low energy consumption. For this area of responsibility the architect plays the role of the expert in building codes, in materials and construction, the architect as the engineer, the professional, the “builder”.
Third, we have to design buildings that are beautiful, attractive, pleasant to be in and pleasant to look at. This is the toughest area of responsibility, it is harder to have a recipe for it and it is where a building transcends from mere construction to architecture. For this area of responsibility, the architect plays the role of a visionary, an “artist”.
We believe a responsible architect must address all this three areas of responsibility at once, if not, the project will not succeed.
Juan Miró, AIA, Design Principal
Juan Miró was born in Barcelona and obtained his professional
degree at the Escuela de Arquitectura of the Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid. In 1989 he earned a Fulbright Scholarship
to complete a post-professional Master’s degree at Yale
University, where he was awarded the William Edward Parsons
Memorial Medal. He has been a licensed architect in Spain since
1988 and is a registered architect in the states of Texas and New
York.
Prior to forming Miró Rivera Architects in 2000, Juan founded
Juan Miró Architects in Austin in 1997. From 1991 to 1996, Juan
worked at Gwathmey Siegel and Associates in New York City,
where he was Project Architect for the Dell Residence in Austin,
Texas and the Sony Plaza at the former AT&T building in New
York City.
Before coming to the United States, Juan worked in Spain with his
father Antonio Miró on a wide range of projects including several
residences, a 500-room Hotel in Cancún, Mexico and the Institute
of Restoration of Works of Art in Madrid.
Juan has lectured widely in the U.S., Spain, Mexico, Great Britain
and Puerto Rico. He is also a tenured professor at the School
of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. He was a
recipient of the 1999 Texas Excellence in Teaching Award and
the 2000 New Faculty Teaching Award given by the Association
of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.
Juan is an active member of the American Institute of Architects
and has served as a juror for several AIA design award
competitions at the national, state, and local levels. In 2004,
Juan was awarded an Austin Under 40 award in recognition of
his professional achievements and contributions to the Austin
community.Miguel Rivera was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and obtained
his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of
Architecture. He earned his Master of Architecture from Columbia
University. Miguel formed Miró Rivera Architects with Juan Miró in 2000 after
more than twelve years working independently and at several New
York firms. He was an associate at Mitchell/Giurgola Architects
in New York City (1991-2000), where he was involved in many
award-winning large-scale, institutional projects.
Miguel A. Rivera, AIA, Design Principal
Miguel Rivera was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and obtained
his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of
Architecture. He earned his Master of Architecture from Columbia
University. Miguel is a registered architect in Texas, New York and
Puerto Rico.
Miguel formed Miró Rivera Architects with Juan Miró in 2000 after
more than twelve years working independently and at several New
York fi rms. He was an associate at Mitchell/Giurgola Architects
in New York City (1991-2000), where he was involved in many
award-winning large-scale, institutional projects.
In 2005, Miguel was awarded the AIA National Young Architects
Award, one of only fi ve recipients of this prestigious national
honor. Miguel has lectured at The Universities of Texas, Puerto
Rico, Veracruz and Tennessee. His work has been published in
several books and numerous publications including Architectural
Record and the New York Times and has been exhibited at the
Hostos Art Gallery in New York City and the Venice Architectural
Biennale.
Miguel is an active member of the American Institute of Architects
(AIA) and the Texas Society of Architects (TSA). He has served
as chair for the AIA New York City design awards committee, a
juror for the AIA design awards in Chicago, Alabama and for the
Bi-Annual design awards for the Colegio de Arquitectos of Puerto
Rico. Miguel has also served as a representative for the School
of Architecture to the Columbia University Board of Trustees
Nominating Committee. In 2005, he served as co-chair for the
Industrial Fabric Association International Conference.