Design x Technology Series: Juan Miró

This March Design x Technology Series event consists of a talk centered around an exhibition presented by ACSA and University of Texas Distinguished Professor, Dick Clark Chair in Architecture Juan Miró.

Cities are complex human creations that embody the values and aspirations of the societies that build them. As they adapt and evolve over time, cities develop specific models for growth in response to their historical circumstances and the physical characteristics of their locations. Although today many cities across the globe face similar challenges, the solutions to address those problems must respond to the particulars of each city: from their very specific nuances to the general understanding of the urban trajectory that has shaped them—their urban DNA.

This talk and exhibition presents the work of the architectural practice Miró Rivera Architects within the given context in Austin. Their architecture is developed in dialogue with nature. In their designs, buildings and nature complement each other and form a symbiosis that positively enhances both the exterior and interior spaces as well as the human beings within. In three thematic areas—trees, water, people—they present projects that demonstrate how the interactions between city, nature, and architecture influence spaces for living and working. For Miró Rivera, this is the primary goal: to create both private places and public spaces for people to spend time and come together.

Moderating this Design x Technology Series talk is Associate Professor of Architecture Ralph Nelson

CEU: This event equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements. ​​

Please note that LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit. A list of state-approved HSW subjects can be found on their licensing website by searching the page for ‘HSW subjects for continuing education’.

As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Series, this event is free and open to the public. Guests may watch the talk online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.

BIO:

Few architects embody the intersection of design, advocacy, and education as seamlessly as Juan Miró, FAIA LEED AP. His work is a testament to the belief that architecture is not merely about creating beautiful structures, but about shaping environments that enhance the human experience. Across his professional work, academic teachings, and personal activism, Juan has demonstrated how architecture can engage with nature, pushed the boundaries of urbanism, and advocated for a more humane built environment.

Juan was born in Barcelona and obtained his professional degree at the Escuela de Arquitectura of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. He worked in Spain with his father Antonio Miró as well as with Fernando Higueras, Felix Candela, and Santiago Calatrava on a wide range of projects. In 1989, Juan 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. After graduating, Juan worked at Gwathmey Siegel and Associates Architects in New York City.

In 2000, Juan co-founded Miró Rivera Architects alongside his wife Rosa Rivera and brother-in-law Miguel Rivera. The prestigious design firm has won over 100 design awards, including the AR Award for Emerging Architecture, Texas Architecture Firm Award, the Architectural Digest AD100, and ArchDaily’s list of the World’s Best Architects.

What sets Juan apart is his ability to see Austin not as a place to be molded in the image of our European counterparts, but as a uniquely American “landscape city,” as he calls it, that thrives in its relationship with nature. This perspective is embedded in the work of Miró Rivera Architects, which has shaped some of the most remarkable architectural designs in Austin and beyond. The firm’s projects create dialogue between land, light, and the people who inhabit them.

Juan has lectured and published extensively on the work of Miró Rivera Architects, the role of the architectural profession in civic life, the relationship between the manmade and Nature, Mexican architecture, and the relevance of history for designers. He 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 2011, Juan was elevated to the organization’s College of Fellows in recognition of his contributions to the profession and to society.

Beyond his professional practice, Juan is the Dick Clark Chair in Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, where he founded Studio Mexico and teaches design and Mexican architectural history. His influence on young architects extends far beyond the classroom; he instills in them a sense of responsibility, curiosity, and advocacy. He urges his students to engage with their surroundings, to question norms, and to recognize their power to shape not just buildings, but communities. Juan’s grassroots action against windowless student dormitories in Austin resulted in a citywide ban on the construction of bedrooms without operable windows.

Juan was named a Distinguished Professor by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and is a member of UT’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Juan has received both the Texas Society of Architects’ Award for Outstanding Educational Contributions and the University of Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award.

Juan’s legacy is not just in the structures he has designed, but in the ideas he has championed. He has helped redefine Texas architecture, not through imitation of others, but by embracing its own identity. He has empowered students to use their voices and reminded architects that their responsibility extends far beyond aesthetics. His work serves as a reminder that architecture, at its core, is about humanity.