Fernando Romero born 1971, is a Latin American architect. He has produced five books that have had worldwide distribution and has received more than 21 international awards including “Architect of the Year 2010” from Fashion Group. He is the son-in-law of Carlos Slim.

Life and career

Graduated in 1995 from Universidad Iberoamericana. He was president of the student society in 1994. Worked with Rem Koolhaas

Rem Koolhaas

Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...

 at OMA in Rotterdam, The Netherlands from 1997-2000. In 1999, as head project leader, he designed the winning proposal for the concert Casa da Musica

Casa da Música

Casa da Música is a major concert hall space in Porto, Portugal which houses the cultural institution of the same name with its three orchestras Orquestra Nacional do Porto, Orquestra Barroca and Remix Ensemble...

 competition in Porto, Portugal (considered one of the icons in contemporary architecture).

In 1999 started his professional practice independently with FREE, an architectural firm established with the ambition to address contemporary society and generate architecture through a process of translation.

Fernando Romero has been invited to present his work in Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, USA, Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

, Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

, Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

, Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....

, and Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. His approach to architecture has been influenced by a strong focus on research and innovation, giving him insight into related topics such as urbanization, climate change, social housing and visual arts. Fernando Romero was invited professor at Columbia University (New York), and published several books that reflect his vision of architecture: Translation, Hyperborder and most recently Simplexity, collaboration with German publisher Hatje Cantz.

Fernando Romero has been distinguished with international awards such as: “Architect of the Year 2010” by Fashion Group, in 2009 he received from the Mexico City’s Architects’ College and the Mexican Society of Architects, the first time winner of the category “Young Architecture 2009”. Global Leader of Tomorrow in 2002 in the World Economic Forum; Red Dot Award: Best of the Best for Bridging Tea House 2006; Bauhaus Award 2005 for Villa S. March 2006; Pamphlet Architecture Prize to Fernando Romero for Translations; SARA Prize Society of American Registered Architects 2005, for Ixtapa House; International Bauhaus Award 2004, Dessau, Germany; Semifinalist, 2004 Vanceva Design Award, U.S. Winners (Palmas Corporative Building); “If… Then” The Architectural League; Young Architects, New York, U.S., 2004; Winner 1st Prize FX International Interior Design Awards 2003 (Ixtapa House); Dedalo Minosse (Honorific Mention 2005) for Inbursa Headquarters; Miami Biennale 2003 e-Competition: “Possible Futures”; “Metropolis Next Generation” with Hyperborder Semifinalist.

In 2008, TIME magazine published an article of the Jinhua Architecture Park

Jinhua Architecture Park

- History :The park contains 17 specially designed pavilions by Chinese and international architects. The chief organizer and curator is Chinese designer and architect Ai Weiwei. The project began in 2002....

, featuring Bridging Teahouse as one of the main projects of the new upcoming China.

In 2010 Fernando Romero opened his New York City office for international operations and founded a web-based platform that showcases all scales of innovative designs. The aim of this initiative is to foster collaborations and partnerships among individuals and organizations, thus materializing ideas into groundbreaking projects that will enhance people’s living conditions and environment.

Selected works

ON GOING

• Plaza Mariana
• Plaza Carso 2nd. phase
• New housing tower
• Hotel
• Historic buildings rehabilitation
• Soccer stadium
• Private commission Brazil
• Tower in NY
• Low-cost housing

PORTFOLIO

• Master Plan Polanco, 725 apartments (89,742 m2), Mexico City 2008–2010
• Zurich Building, 105 apartments (13,700 m2) Mexico City 2008–2010
• Cervantes Complex, 167 apartments (24,200 m2) Mexico City 2008–2010
• Banco del Bajío Headquarters, Monterrey, Mexico 2007–2008. 1st Prize Competition
• Private Art Museum, (28,000m2) Mexico City 2006–2010
• Extension of El ECO Experimental Museum by Mathias Goeritz Competition 1st Prize 2006–2007
• Carso Corporative Building Offices of 75,000m2 Mexico City 2006–2007
• 150 apartments in Irrigacion District, Mexico City, Mexico 2006–2007
• Masterplan Chapultepec Park with 2,207 hectares, Mexico 2006
• Masterplan Dolores, La Paz Baja California 2000
• International Competition Warsaw Modern Art Museum, Poland 2006–2007
• Jin Dong Tea House, Jinhua City, China 2004–2006
• Santa Fe Apartment Building (34 stories), Mexico City, 2002–2005
• Public Structure in Kanazawa, Japan 2004
• Corporate Building in Palmas for Inbursa Bank, (225 m2 new office building) Mexico City, 2001–2003
• Inbursa Bank Branch in Reforma Avenue, Mexico City, 2000–2001
• Mixed use project building; Palmas 781, (offices and commercial area) 21,000 m2, Mexico City 2005–2007
• House for the Elderly Lebanese Club, Mexico City, Mexico, 2002–2003 1st prize Competition by invitation
• Lomas Studio, Mexico City, Mexico 2003
• Ixtapa House, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico 2000–2001
• Cinna Bar, Mexico City 2001
• Children’s Room, Mexico City 1999–2001
• Flats for artists in la Roma, Mexico City 1998–2000
• Buried House, Mexico City 1997-1998
• Apartments in Alameda Plaza Juarez, Mexico City 2005
• Villa S, house in Chapultepec, Mexico City, 2002–2006
• Tabasco Convention Center 2005–2006
• Air Terminal in Toluca, 2006
• Border Museum in Matamoros, Mexico, 2005–2006
• 2 Houses in Silves, Portugal 2005–2008
• Immigration Museum-Bridge between Mexico-USA, El Paso, Texas 2001–2006
• Hotel on Reforma Avenue, Mexico 2005–2006
• School and Commercial Center in Veracruz (34,000 h) Mexico 2004
• International Holocaust Museum, El Paso, Texas 2003–2007, 1st prize competition by invitation
• Immigration Museum of New Americans, San Diego, California, 2003–2009 (selected proposal)
• Office building in Montes Urales, Mexico City 2002–2005, 1st prize competition by invitation)
• Auditorio Jalisco, concert hall for 10,000 people, Mexico, 2003–2008 1st prize competition by invitation
• Housing at the Historic Center, Mexico City, 2004–20069
• School in Tlalpan, Mexico City 2003 (1st. prize competition by invitation)

Selected competitions

• Maribor Pedestrian Bridge International Competition, 2010
• Lisbon Cruise Terminal, Lisbon, Portugal, 2010
• Mercedes Benz Business Center Yerevan, Armenia, 2010
• Bicentennial Moebius Ring (Competition by invitation, third prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2009
• Mexican Pavilion for the Shangahi World Expo 2010, China 2009
• Santander Headquarters, Monterrey (Competition by invitation) 2009
• Oslo Public Library, Norway (Competition by invitation) 2008-2009
• House of Arts and Culture, Beirut, Lebanon 2008-2009
• Pabellón de la Cultura y Biodiversidad, Los Cabos Baja California, (Competition by invitation) 2008.
• Plaza Bicentenario, Mexico City, Mexico, 2007.
• Bajio Bank, Monterrey, Mexico. 2007.
• MOCAPE Museum, Shenzhen, China 2007.
• Warsaw Modern Art Museum, Poland 2007.
• Services Building for the El ECO Experimental Museum by Mathias Goeritz, 1st. Prize 2006.
• Concert Hall at the center of Seoul 2005.
• Tsunami memorial design competition 2005.
• International competition for concept design of Beijing City Landmark 2008.
• Tittot Glass Museum, Taiwan 2004. Shortlisted.
• Holocaust Human Rights Center of Maine, U.S.A., in progress, 2004.
• “400,000 Housing in Barcelona”, Quadrens competition, Spain, March, 2004.
• International Architecture Competition Machu Picchu, Peru, February, 2004.
• Reforma 222, Mexico City, Mexico 2001 (2nd. Prize, competition by invitation).
• Cultural Center of Spain, Mexico 2004.
• Palisades Glacier Mountain Hut Competition, Berkeley, U.S.A. 2003.
• DBEW (Design Beyond East and West) Competition, Korea 2003.
• Nam June Paik Museum, Korea 2003.
• Montreal Cultural and Office Complex, Canada 2002.
• 200 Japan Housing in Aomori, Japan 2001.
• Museum for Contemporary Art, Mexico City, Mexico 1999.
• Corporative Office Building (53 stories), Mexico City, Mexico 2000.
• House for artist Gabriel Orozco, Tepoztlán, Estado de Mexico, Mexico 1999.
• Chapel in Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico 2000.
• House for Art Collector Jose Suro, Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico 2000.

Books produced by FREE

• "Simplexity" (presented in Frankfort book fair 2010) published by Hatje Cantz and worldwide distributed over more than 30 countries.
• Hyperborder (published by Princeton Architectural Press, New York) is a research of one of the most active borders in the world Mexico/USA.
• Translation LAR/Fernando Romero published by ACTAR Barcelona, 2005.
• The Air Is Blue homage to Luis Barragán, exposition curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Pedro Reyes with the presence of 30 contemporary artists. (Artists: Yona Friedman, Anri Sala, Cerith Wyn Evans, Dan Graham, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Dorit Margreiter, Douglas Gordon, Gilbert & George, Liam Gilick, Koo Jeong-a, Lygia Pape, Niele Toroni, Olafur Eliasson, Peter Fischli / Davis Weiss, Philippe Parreno, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Roni Horn, Markus Schinwald).
• ZMVM (analysis of Mexico City’s transformation), Mexico, 2000.

Selected publications

• Time, (USA) January 2008
• “Lo Mejor del Siglo XXI: Arquine” (“Best of XXIst. Century: Arquine”) 2009
• 10x10_3 Book, Phaidon 2009
• Projects D’Habitat Pluriel (France) 2009
• GA Houses Project 2009, (Japan) Private Villa, 2009
• “Arte en Espacios Públicos” (Kanazawa), Linksbook (Spain) 2009
• Real Estate Market and Lifestyle No 53, (Mexico) 2008
• AV Monografías 128 “Twenty Emerging Teams” (Spain) 2008
• Inside Mexico June 2008 (Mexico) Hyperborder
• Mark 15 (Netherlands), May 2008
• Arquine 44 (Mexico), Summer 2008
• The Guide (Mexico) June 2008
• Casa Viva No. 35 (Mexico) 2008
• Key Contemporary Buildings (United Kingdom) 2008
• Diseño Interior, No. 189 (Spain) 2008
• ArchIdea No. 37 (Netherlands) 2008
• 30-60 Cuaderno de Arquitectura “For Export” No. 15 (Argentina) 2008
• Obras No. 425 (Mexico) 2008
• GA / Houses 103 Project 2008 (Japan)
• Casa Viva No. 35 (Mexico) 2008
• Wa Ing Vol. 01, 02 & 03 (China-Hong Kong), 2007
• A+U, Special Issue “Next 100 Projects” (Japan) 2007
• PolOxygen 24 (Australia) 2007
• IW 58, November 2007 (Japan)
• Metropolis, December 2007 (USA)
• Abstract, September 2007 (Belgium)
• Diario El Clarín (Argentina) 2007
• Pasajes de Arquitectura (Madrid Spain) 2007
• Architese (Germany) April 2007
• America Magazine (Spain) 2007
• Surface Magazine No. 67 (USA) September 2007
• Architectural Digest, No. 16 (Spain) July–August 2007
• Domus No. 899 (Italy) January 2007
• GA / Houses 98 (Japan) Project 2007
• Poder y Negocios (Mexico) 2007
• Celeste (Mexico) 2007
• Domus No.894 (Italy) 2006
• A+U No.435 SMALL, (Japan) 2006
• Naujas Namas No.47 (Lituania) 2006
• Mais Arquitectura 03 (Portugal) 2006
• El Arqa MX No 51 (Mexico) 2006
• Baumeister 11 (Germany) 2006
• L’Optimum (France) 2006
• GA/Houses 2006 (Japan)
• The Plan No.10 (Italy) 2006
• B-guided (Spain) 2006
• Winners Book, Red Dot Award, 2006
• Arquitectura e Vida (Portugal) 2006
• Case Latino Americane, Mercedes Daguerre, 2006
• Architecture Beijing Biennale Catalogue (China) 2006
• Casamica - Ixtapa House June 2005
• The Plan LCM/Fernando Romero article written by Raymund Ryan “A letter to America”
• Villa S GA House (Japan) 2005
• If then.. Architectural Expectations by P.A.P. New York (U.S.A.) 2004
• Casabella Federica Zanco 2004
• Biennial of Beijing Catalogue (China) 2004
• Art Basel Book Conversations Museums (U.S.A.)
• L’Architecture d’Aujourd’Hui (France,) 2004
• “International Beach Houses”, Atrium Books (Spain) 2004 / Ixtapa House
• Loft Magazine (U.S.A.) July 2004 / Ixtapa House
• Articles in national newspapers such as Reforma, La Jornada, El Universal, Uno mas Uno and many others.

Selected exhibitions

• Pittsburgh Carnegie Museum of Art, U.S.A. February 2009
• Alameda Museum, San Antonio Tx, U.S.A, June 25, 2008 – January 6, 2009
• Architectural Shenzhen Biennale, China December 2007. (Hyperborder)
• Escultura Social, Chicago, U.S.A. August 2007. Soumaya Museum
• Architecture Lisbon Triennale 2007
• Architecture Beijing Biennale 2006 (curator “Emerging Talent, Emerging Technologies” and designer of a pavilion)
• Architectural London Biennale 2006 “A Sketch for the City”
• Met.room de Barcelona “Generación DF” Barcelona, Spain LCM/Fernando Romero
• First Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism-Architecture 2004/Bridging Tea House-LAR/FR
• Seoul Performing Arts Center Competition Exhibition
• RAS Gallery Barcelona Spain, LAR/Fernando Romero July to October 2005
• Iberoamerican University “50 years: 50 architects” Mexico 2005
• DeSingel International Kunstcentrum, Antwerpen, Belgium April–June 2005
• Lorca in the Official School of Architects in Granada, Spain January 2005
• 21st Century Museum for Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan, “Encounters 21st Century”
• Iberoamerican Biennale 2004, Lima, Peru, “Panorama Emergente Iberoamericano”, Oct. 2004
• Biennale of Beijing, China, “Hot Spot Mexico!” September 2004
• The Urban Center, “Young Architects Forum”, The Architectural League of NY, U.S.A., May 2004
• Architecture La Habana Biennale, May 2004
• GA Gallery, “GA Houses Project 2004”, Japan, March–May 2004
• Biennale Miami+Beach, Immigration Museum in San Diego, 2003
• The Utopia Station at La Biennale di Venezia 2003 and Naples 2004, Italy
• Mob_Lab 1st Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, Netherlands, LCM/FR ZMVM, 2003
• 8th Biennale of Architecture in Venice NEXT, Italy, LCM-FR, Museum Bridge Mexico-USA, 2002
• Egofugal, Biennale Istambul, Turkey, 2001
• Archilab 2001, Orleans, France
• Interpretations, Aedes Gallery, Berlin, Germany 2001 (just exhibition)
• LCM 016, Contemporary Art Museum Carrillo Gil, Mexico City, Mex, June–August 2000 (just exhibition)
• 7th Biennale of Architecture in Venice: Less Aesthetics More Ethics, Italy, LCM/FR, 2000
• Storefront for Art & Architecture: Urban Cities, ZMVM Mexico 2000
• La Ville, le Jardin et la Memoire, Villa Medici, Italy, 1998–2000

External links

• FREE Fernando Romero
• Laboratory of Architecture (LAR)
• Online Profile of Laboratory of Architecture (LAR)
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/larfernandoromero/