Fernando Romero

José Fernando Romero Havaux (born 11 October 1971) is a Mexican architect, urban designer, educator, theorist, author, and philanthopist. A young, contemporary architect, he is most identified with the Soumaya Museum.

Career
Graduated in 1995 from the Universidad Iberoamericana; where he was president of the Alumni Society. He worked with Rem Koolhaas at Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from 1997-2000. In 1999, as the project leader, Fernando designed the winning entry for the Casa da Música competition in Porto, Portugal (considered iconic in contemporary architecture by UNESCO. In 1999, he began his independent professional practice, FREE, an architectural firm established with the ambition to focus on contemporary society and architecture generated through a translation process.

Fernando Romero has been invited to present his work in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, England, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, Japan, China, USA, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Canada and Mexico. Romero has lectured at Columbia University, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects and CAMSAM [] (Mexican Chamber of Architects).

In 2010, Fernando Romero opened his office FREE Fernando Romero EnterprisE in New York City for international operations and founded an internet based platform that displays all kinds of innovative designs. The purpose of this initiative is welcome collaborations and partnerships between individuals and organizations, thus materializing ideas into revolutionary projects that provide improvements to the lives of people.

Architectural style
Fernando Romero´s approach to architecture has been influenced by a deep focus on research and innovation, giving the perception of related topics such as urbanization, climate change, social housing and visual arts.

Personal life
In 2000, Romero married Soumaya Slim, a daughter of Carlos Slim.

Built projects and commissions

 * Austin MexicArte Museum, Austin Texas, 2012
 * Miami Cathedral, Miami Florida, 2012
 * G20 57,977m², Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, 2012
 * Jumex Apartments 24,178m², Mexico City, 2012
 * Plaza Mariana (67,941m²), La Villa Mexico City, 2010-2011
 * Polanco Hotel (24,178 m²), Mexico City, 2012-ongoing
 * Soccer Villa (622.08m²), Salazar, Mexico, 2010
 * Museo Soumaya (16,000 m²), Mexico City, Mexico, 2005–10
 * ModuLAR, Mexico City, Mexico, 2009–ongoing
 * Polanco Masterplan (500,000 m²) 725 apartments (89,742 m²)
 * Zurich Building (105 apartments, 13,700 m2)
 * Cervantes Complex (167 apartments, 24,200 m2), Mexico City, Mexico, 2008–10
 * Expansion of the El Eco Experimental Museum by Mathias Goeritz, Mexico City, Mexico, 2006–07
 * Carso Corporate Office Building (75,000 m2), Mexico City, Mexico, 2006–07
 * 150 Apartments in Irrigacion District, Mexico City, Mexico, 2006–07
 * Air Terminal, Toluca, Mexico, 2006
 * Chapultepec Park Masterplan (2,207 hectares), Mexico City, Mexico, 2006
 * Two Houses, Silves, Portugal, 2005–08
 * Mixed-use Building: Palmas 781 (Offices and commercial area, 21,000 m2), Mexico City, Mexico, 2005–07
 * Border Museum, Matamoros, Mexico, 2005–06
 * Convention Center, Tabasco, Mexico, 2005–06
 * Hotel on Reforma Avenue, Mexico City, Mexico, 2005–06
 * Apartments in Alameda Plaza Juarez, Mexico City, Mexico, 2005
 * Housing at the Historic Center, Mexico City, Mexico, 2004–09
 * Bridging Teahouse, Jinhua City, China, 2004–06
 * Public Artwork, Kanazawa, Japan, 2004
 * School and Commercial Center, Veracruz, Mexico, 2004
 * New Americans Museum, San Diego, USA, 2003–09
 * Lomas Studio, Mexico City, Mexico, 2003
 * Villa S, Mexico City, Mexico, 2005–ongoing
 * Office Building in Montes Urales, Mexico City, Mexico, 2002–05
 * Santa Fe Apartment Building (34 floors), Mexico City, Mexico, 2002–05
 * Retirement Residence/Lebanese Club, Mexico City, Mexico, 2002–03
 * Inbursa Bank Corporate Office Building in Palmas, Mexico City, Mexico, 2001–03
 * Cinna Bar, Mexico City, Mexico, 2001
 * Inbursa Bank Branch (Reforma Avenue), Mexico City, Mexico, 2000–01
 * Ixtapa House, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Mexico, 2000–01
 * Dolores Masterplan, La Paz, Mexico, 2000
 * Children’s Room, Mexico City, Mexico, 2000–01
 * Semi-Sunken House, Mexico City, Mexico, 1997–99
 * School in Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico, 2003

Competitions and projects

 * Jobsphere, Woodside California, USA, 2012
 * Austin Museum Mexic-Arte, Austin, USA, 2012
 * School of Justice, Mexico City, Mexico, 2011
 * S Tower, Mexico City, Mexico, 2011
 * Master Plan Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, 2011
 * Tulum Museum, Quintana Roo, Mexico, 2011
 * MAP, Latinamerica, 2011
 * Hotel Brasil, Brazil, 2011
 * Tequila Centenario Pavillion, Mexico City, Mexico, 2011
 * Mirador Brasil, Brazil, 2011
 * MADU, Mexico City, Mexico, 2010
 * Toluca Stadium, Toluca Edo. De Mexico, Mexico, 2010
 * Torre Bicentenario (70 floors), Mexico City, Mexico, 2007–10
 * Maribor Pedestrian Bridge International Competition, 2010
 * Lisbon Cruise Terminal (Competition), Lisbon, Portugal, 2010
 * Mercedes Benz Business Center (Competition), Yerevan, Armenia, 2010
 * Bicentennial Moebius Ring (Competition by invitation, third prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2009
 * House of Arts and Culture, Beirut, Lebanon, 2008–09
 * Santander Headquarters (Competition by invitation), Monterrey, Mexico, 2008–09
 * Mexican Pavilion for the Shanghai World Expo 2010, Shanghai, China, 2009
 * Oslo Public Library (Competition by invitation), Oslo, Norway, 2008–09
 * Biodiversity and Culture Pavilion (Competition by invitation), Los Cabos, Mexico, 2008
 * Plaza Bicentenario, Mexico City, Mexico, 2007
 * Banco del Bajío Headquarters (Competition, first prize), Monterrey, Mexico, 2007–08
 * Museum of Contemporary Art & Exhibition Planning (MOCAPE), Shenzhen, China, 2007
 * Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, Poland, 2006–07
 * Expansion of the El Eco Experimental Museum (Competition by invitation, first prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2006
 * Seoul Performing Arts Center (Competition), Seoul, South Korea, 2005
 * Tsunami Memorial Design (Competition), Khao-lak, Thailand, 2005
 * Beijing Hyperbolic Landmark (Competition), Beijing, China, 2005
 * Tittot Glass Museum (Shortlisted), Taipei, Taiwan, 2004
 * Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, Augusta, USA, 2004
 * “400,000 Homes” (Quaderns Competition), Barcelona, Spain, 2004
 * International Architecture Competition, Machu Picchu, Peru, 2004
 * Spain Cultural Center, Mexico City, Mexico, 2004
 * Auditorio Jalisco (Competition by invita¬tion, first prize), Guadalajara, Mexico, 2003–08
 * El Paso Holocaust Museum (Competition by invitation, first prize), El Paso, USA, 2003–07
 * Palisades Glacier Mountain Hut (Competition), Berkeley, USA, 2003
 * Design Beyond East and West (Competition), Seoul, South Korea, 2003
 * School in Tlalpan (Competition by invitation, first prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2003
 * Nam June Paik Museum, Yong-in, Korea, 2003
 * Office Building in Montes Urales (Competition by invitation, first prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2002–05
 * Retirement Residence/Lebanese Club (Competition by invitation, first prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2002–03
 * Cultural and Office Complex, Montreal, Canada, 2002
 * Reforma 222 (Competition by invitation, second prize), Mexico City, Mexico, 2001
 * 200 Japan Housing, Aomori, Japan, 2001
 * Chapel in Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico, 2000
 * Suro House, Guadalajara, Mexico, 2000
 * Office Building with 53 Floors, Mexico City, Mexico, 2000
 * Orozco House, Tepoztlán, Mexico, 1999
 * Museum for Contemporary Art, Mexico City, Mexico, 1999

Exhibitions

 * Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, USA, 2009
 * Alameda Museum, San Antonio, USA, 2008
 * Hyperborder, Shenzhen Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, Shenzhen, China, 2007
 * Escultura Social, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, USA, 2007
 * Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Lisbon, Portugal, 2007
 * Architectural Biennial Beijing, Beijing, China, 2006
 * London Architecture Biennale, London, UK, 2006
 * Generación DF, Met.room, Barcelona, Spain, 2005
 * Competition Exhibition, Seoul Performing Arts Center, Seoul, South Korea, 2005
 * RAS Gallery, Barcelona, Spain, 2005
 * 50 Years: 50 Architects, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico, 2005
 * deSingel International Kunstcampus, Antwerp, Belgium, 2005
 * Lorca, Official School of Architecture, Granada, Spain, 2005
 * Encounters in the 21st Century, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan, 2005
 * Iberoamerican Biennale, Lima, Peru, 2004
 * Panorama Emergente Iberoamericano Lima, Peru, 2004
 * Hot Spot Mexico, Architectural Biennial Beijing, Beijing, China, 2004
 * If . . . Then, Young Architects Forum, Architectural League of New York, New York City, USA, 2004
 * Havana Biennial of Architecture, Havana, Cuba, 2004
 * GA Houses Project 2004, GA Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2004
 * Biennale Miami+Beach, Miami, USA, 2003
 * Utopia Station, La Biennale di Venezia, 2003
 * International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2003
 * La Biennale di Venezia Architecture Exhibition, Venice, Italy, 2002
 * Egofugal, Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, Turkey, 2001
 * Archilab, Orleans, France, 2001
 * Interpretations, Aedes Gallery, Berlin, Germany, 2001
 * Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City, Mexico, 2000
 * Less Aesthetics More Ethics, La Biennale di Venezia Architecture Exhibition, Ven¬ice, Italy, 2000
 * Researching Cities, Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York City, USA, 2000
 * La Ville, le Jardin et la Memoire, Villa Medici, Rome, Italy, 1998–2000

Publications

 * “Being Constructive”, Time (January 2008).
 * “Hyperborder: The Contemporary US-Mexico Border and Its Future”, Arquine 44 (2008).
 * “For Me, Architecture Is a Tool to Translate Society”, ArchIdea 37 (May 2008).
 * “Mexico Organico”, PolOxygen 24 (2008).
 * “Border Crossings”, Metropolis (December 2007).
 * “Musea in 3D”, Abstract (September 2007).
 * “El heredero mexicano de Rem Koolhaas”, Diario El Clarín (October 2007).
 * “Teahouse”, Pasajes de Arquitectura GML607 (2007).
 * “Warped Views”, Surface Magazine 67 (September 2007).
 * “Atávico y Global”, Architectural Digest Spain 16 (July/August 2007).
 * “Translating Tradition”, Domus 899 (January 2007).
 * “Jinhua Architecture Park”, Domus 894 (July/August 2006).
 * “Fernando Romero”, Mais Arquitectura 03 (June 2006).
 * “Anexo al Museo Experimental El Eco”, El Arqa MX 51 (2006).
 * “Skulpture, Beseelt”, Baumeister 11 (2006).
 * “Fernando Romero, Architecte”, L’Optimum 83 (March 2006).
 * “Bridges”, B-guided 29 (2006).
 * Federica Zanco, “Anexo D (padiglione dei bambini)”, Casabella 725 (Septem¬ber 2004).
 * “Pavillon des Enfants, San Angel, Mexico”, L’architecture d’aujourd’hui 353 (July/August 2004).
 * “Marine Curves”, Architectural Review 1277 (July 2003).
 * “LCM/Fernando Romero, Projects”, Zoo 9 (2000).
 * “Venice Biennale Featuring LCM”, Zoo 7 (2000).

Books
Books by LAR/Fernando Romero
 * Simplexity, Hatje Cantz editorial Germany 2010
 * Hyperborder; Princeton Architectural Press (New York, 2007):Our research into one of the most active borders in the world: Mexico-USA
 * The Air Is Blue (Mexico City, 2007):In homage to Luis Barragán, an exposition curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Pedro Reyes (Artist) with 30 contemporary artists
 * Translation, ACTAR Editorial (Barcelona, 2005)
 * ZMVM (Mexico City, 2000):An analysis of Mexico City’s urban transformation