Contact
Biography
I graduated from Seville University, including a one-year Erasmus scholarship in TU Wien. I completed my six-years Architecture degree with a two-years long Master Degree in Sustainable City and Architecture. Fifteen years ago I founded Baum Lab (www.baumarquitectura.com) and since then I have been equally combining practice, writing and research. I have been Visiting Professor at Tongji University Shanghai Fall Semester 2022-2023, visiting Professor History of Architecture department 2022-2023, Honorary Collaborator Professor at the Projects' Department of the School of Architecture of Seville (2021-2023) and permanent guest professors for the Summer School at Harbin Institute of Technology, China (2015-2020). I have been guest professor for diverse design-studio programs at Skopje's School of Architecture (2011), Tongji University Shanghai (2011), Nanjing University (2019-2020), Seville (2011-2020), among many others. I am also a fully registered architect in Spain (since 2006), where I have full competences for signing Architecture Projects, including structural and installations calculations, as well as Urban Planning and Landscape Design (all competences officially recognized by Bologna System). I have indeed directed significant works in all the mentioned fields: parks, rehabilitation of historic buildings, master plans and public facilities. Among the most relevant ones, I could mention the Guadaira Riverside Park, the Rehabilitation of a Chapter House from the 17th Century (together with F. Gomez), a New day-care Centre for the Elderly in Baena, 123 dwellings collective housing in Cordoba or the Master Plan for the City of Knowledge (800.000 inhabitants) in Dushan, China.
My work has been awarded several national and international recognitions, including Mies van der Rohe Prize 2022 nomination, selection for Venice Biennale (2022), Shenzhen, Spanish and Shanghai Biennales, 2nd Mediterranean Landscape Prize (awarded by The European Union), Felix Hernández Prize, Chamber of Architects of Seville Prize, Best Urban Planner under 40 (awarded by Andalusian Government), as well as many first prizes in national and international competitions.
Throughout my years of research, I have written numerous articles (in indexed magazines), chapters and several books, mainly focused on a sustainable approach to urbanization and heritage rehabilitation, with the constant aim of a social and cultural balance. I have curated several exhibitions and lecture series for Confucius Institute, Cervantes Library in Shanghai and Universities of Granada or Seville, presenting our research results on Chinese Urbanization processes. For years, mainly in China, I have been doing extensive research on the consequences of mass urbanization and on how to confront them from a sustainable approach. I have also developed a long-term line of research named "Heritage in progress", in which I developed the idea of the urban palimpsest and the notion of "past" as a construct composed by "overlapped present times".
Working with students, implementing new practice-related teaching techniques and the use of technology, always gave us good results, as it was an endless source of inspiration. I try to urge the students to use their hands: drawing, making models, building one-to-one prototypes and testing them on site. But I also introduce interferences from other fields: technology, literature, social sciences or art. I was always convinced of the idea of learning, teaching and researching through practice.
From my point of view, architectural and urban planning teaching is more about showing a way of looking at things, rather than it is about telling what to do or how to do it.
Expertise Summary
PRIZES AND AWARDS
2023_ First Prize. Open Competition. Rehabilitation of the Central Market of Úbeda, Jaén, Spain. Budget 3.300.000 Euros. Listed and protected building. Úbeda, World Heritage City.
2022_ Fourth Prize and Finalist. Open competition for the Curatorial project for the Spanish Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2023.
2022_ Mies van der Rohe Prize. 2022. Nominee.
2021_ Venice Biennale. Selected for Spanish Pavilion. Uncertainty. Exhibited Piece.
2021_ Prize as Best Building in Huelva Province 2021, Spain. Chamber of Architects of Huelva. Casa-Patio at the Beach.
2021_ First Prize. Open competition. Sustainable Park in Cártama, Málaga, Spain.
2021_ First Prize. Open competition. Old Market Rehabilitation as Art Exhibition Centre. Conil, Spain.
2019_ Special mention. Chamber of Architects of Seville Prize. Interior Design. Golden Dental Clinic.
2019_ First Prize. Chamber of Architects of Seville Prize. Under 40 Best Work 2017-2018. House for a family of musicians.
2018_ First Prize. International Matimex Prize.
2018_ Andalusian Prize for Urbanism (under 40). Best Urban Planner under 40. Awarded every 5 years by the Regional Government of Andalusia.
2018_ Selected. Shanghai SUSAS Biennale. Research and installation design.
2017_ Selected. Shenzhen Biennale. Research and installation design.
2015_ Selected. Shenzhen Biennale. Research and installation design.
2015_ 2nd Prize_ Restricted Competition. Agriculture Research Centre. Shanghai, China. Pudong Government.
2015_ Selected for Exhibition in a Public Space. Seville. Rehabilitation of a Public School in Seville. Organized by The Council House of Seville and the Chamber of Architect of Seville.
2014_ 4th Position_ Restricted competition. Beitang Riverside. Hangzhou, China. Hangzhou Government.
2013_ Special Mention Félix Hernández Prize. Built Works. Baena Day Care Centre. Córdoba Council House.
2013_ Selected. BEAU XII Spanish Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism. Social Integration Urban Furniture
2012_ First Prize. Unpleasant Design. International Competition. Social Integration Furniture.
2012_ First Prize. Masterplan for Dushan City of Knowledge. Guiyang, China. Guizhou Province Government.
2012_ Third Prize. Competition for a Public School in Konstanz, Germany. Council House of Konstanz.
2012_ Third Prize and Special Mention. International Competition for Juana Laínez Park. Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Government of Honduras.
2011_ Visual Innovation Prize. Local Government. Documentary: Chinese Contemporary City.
2011_ Second Prize_ Mediterranean Landscape Prize. European Union. Built works. Guadaira Riverside Park. Category: Built works. European Union.
2009_ First Prize_ Competition to curate an exhibition on Chinese Urbanism. Chamber of Architects of Cádiz.
2008_ First Prize. Competition for the Rehabilitation of a Public School in Seville. Andalusian Education Department.
2008_ First Prize. Competition for a Day-Care Centre in Baena, Córdoba. with F. Gómez. Social Welfare Department, Andalusian Government.
2006_ Third Prize_ Competition for a Central Park in Vinaroz, Valencia, Spain. Government of Alicante.
2006_ First Prize_ Competition. Guadaira Riverside Park with F. Gómez. Hydrographical Authority of the Guadalquivir River.
2005_ Selected_ Miguel Gentil. Exhibition of the best Final Projects in Seville Architecture School. Ischia. Italy. Mediterranean Architecture Institute (Rome)
BUILT WORKS (Accomplished and in progress)
2023_ Central Market Rehabilitation. Úbeda. Jaén, Spain. Budget: 3.300.00 Euros. Project in progress. Construction expected: 2024. Developer: Úbeda Council House with EU Funds.
2023_ Elderly People's Social Centre. Algeciras, Spain. Budget: 20.000.000 Euros. Under Construction. Author of the Feasibility document to obtain the EU Funds. Author of the preliminary project. Author of the Landscape Consultancy Document. Consultant for the Basic Project and Executive Project. Developer. Andalusian Government with EU Funds. Director of the construction of the first Phase (in progress): demolition and ground movements.
2023_ Sustainable, Star-shaped Villa. Seville. Budget: 500.000 Euros. Accomplished.
2023_ 70 Social Housing in Seville. Budget: 6.663.000 Euros. Project completed. Construction expected: 2024
2022_ 68 Social Housing in Seville. Budget: 6.680.000 Euros. Project completed. Construction expected: 2023. Developer: Metrovacesa.
2022_ 32 Semi-detached Houses in Seville. Budget: 5.000.000 Euros. Project completed. Construction expected: 2023
2022_ Sustainable Park in Cártama, Málaga. Budget: 2.200.000 Euros. Project completed. Construction expected: 2023. Developer: Cártama Council House.
2021_ 16 Dwellings. Social Housing. Seville Project completed. Construction expected in 2023. Developer: Private.
2021_ 123 Dwellings in Córdoba, Spain. Budget: 15.000.000 Euros. Accomplished. Developer: Metrovacesa.
2020_ Dental Clinic in Algeciras. Budget: 300.000 Euros. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2020_ 15 Semi-detached Houses in Seville. Budget: 2.500.000 Euros. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2016-2021_ Over 40 projects for interior design renovations for the bank: Caja Rural del Sur. Total budget over 1.000.000. Locations. Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba and Almería. Accomplished. Developer: Caja RURAL (BANK)
2019_ Penthouse and terrace, refurbishment and interior design. Málaga. Budget 500.000 Euros. Accomplished.
2019_ Patio-House at the Shore. Budget: 330.000 Euros. Best building in Huelva. Chamber of architects Prize. 2020-2021. Chamber of Architects Popular Prize. Accomplished.
2019_ Golden Dental Clinic. Seville. Budget: 340.000 Euros. Accomplished.
2019_ Rehabilitation of a House from the 18th Century. Seville. Budget: 350.000 Euros. Mies van der Rohe Award Nominee. Published on line by: Arquitectura Viva, Archdaily, Plaforma Arquitectura, Afasia, Metalocus, Divisare, El País. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2018_ Office Building Refurbishment. Developer: Local Government of Andalusia. Budget: 60.000 Euros. Developer: Andalusian Government. Accomplished.
2017_ Apartment's Refurbishment in Seville. Developer: Private. Published in UA Magazine (Harbin, China). Budget: 150.000 Euros. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2017_ Two apartment's Refurbishment in Seville. Developer: Private.Accomplished.
2017_ CROPS Headquarters. Office. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2016_ Apartment's Refurbishment in Seville. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2016_ Apartment's Refurbishment in Seville. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2015_ La casa Inquieta. Cafe in Conil. Developer: Private. Published in Architectural Digest Spain (online) and UA Magazine (Harbin, China). Accomplished.
2015_ Masterplan for the City of Dushan, China. Published by El País, La Razón, Archdaily, ABC, RTVE, La SER, etc. Accomplished.
2015_ Accademia del Piacere. Developer: Private. Published in UA Magazine (Harbin, China). Accomplished.
2014_ Duplex refurbishment in Seville. Developer: Private. Budget: 80.000 Euros. Accomplished.
2014_ Dental Clinic in Córdoba. Developer: Private. Published in World Dental Clinic and UA Magazine (Harbin, China). Budget: 400.000 Euros. Accomplished.
2013_ Cultural Centre: La Casa China. Developer: Private. Accomplished.
2013_ Social Integration Furniture. Prototype. Selected for Spanish Biennale and Published by El País. Selected for Spanish Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2020-21. Accomplished.
2013_ Shenzhen Biennale. Stand design. Accomplished.
2013_ Baena Day-Care Centre for Elderly People. (in collaboration with F. Gómez). Published in Archdaily, Plataforma Arquitectura, El País, AV monographs yearbook 2015, A+T (Tongji Shanghai, China), UA Magazine (Harbin, China). Budget 1.300.000 Euros. Developer: Andalusian Government. Accomplished.
2011_ Big Bang China! Exhibition design. CICUS University of Seville. Accomplished.
2010_ Rehabilitation an ancient school (1910), Sevilla. Developer: Department of Education. Government of Andalusia. Selected for the Public Exhibition Best Works in Seville 2006-2010. Budget: 1.200.000 Euros. Developer: Andalusian Government. Accomplished.
2010_ Rehabilitation of the Ancient Chapter House of Orive's Monastery, Córdoba. Collaboration with con F. Gómez. Budget: 1.200.000 Euros. Developer: Andalusian Government. Accomplished.
2009_ Big Bang China! Exhibition. Adaptation design for CICUS (University of Seville). Accomplished.
2009_ Big Bang China! Exhibition design. Confucius Institute Granada. Accomplished.
2009_ The Chinese Contemporary City. Exhibition design. Chamber of Architects of Cádiz.
2009_ Guadaira Riverside Park, in collaboration with F. Gómez. Budget: 17.000.000 Euros. Accomplished. Published in UA Magazine China. Included in the Book Good Practice in Landscape Design, published by EU. European Union Mediterranean Landscape Prize: 2nd Prize. Accomplished.
LECTURES
2021_ Venice Biennale 2021. Presentation of the exhibited piece. "Urban furniture for migrants". Venice, Italy.
2020_ Tongji Design Institute. (Online lecture because of Co-vid) Urban Speculations: Hinges, Staples, Needles, Ladders, Sieves and other Common Objects.
2020_ Politecnico di Milano. (Online lecture because of CO-VID) Strata World. A geological Approach to Verticality.
2019_ Nanjing School of Architecture, China. Recent Works.
2019-2015_ School of Architecture, HIT Harbin
2019_ Baum Recent Works
2018_ Artificial Natures
2017_ Sketching Concepts. Real-time Design Show
2016_ Heritage Tectonics
2015_ In-between Hybridizations
2018_ Amsterdam Academy of Architecture, The Netherlands_ Northtopia
2018_ Shenzhen Biennale, China_ Unpleasant design
2018_ School of Architecture of Seville, Spain._ El principio de incertidumbre urbano. (Urban Uncertainty Principle).
2017_ Nanjing School of Architecture, China. Tradition in progress
2017_ Seville Council House, Spain_ The City of our Dreams.
2017_ ETH Zurich. Tarifa, Cádiz. Fourteen Point four Kilometers. A European Dystopia
2017_ Sapienza. Universita di Roma. Narni, Italy._ Heritage Tectonics.
2016_ Univ. Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay_ Arquitectura interescalar. (Inter-scale Architecture)
2013_ Shenzhen biennale, China_ Urban Catalysts
2012_ Pechakucha Night Cádiz, Spain. El futuro se fabrica en China (Future is made in China)
2012_ ETSAS_ Fab-labbing the River, Seville, Spain._ Social Integration Furniture
2012_ Chongqing University, China. Limit Architecture. Baum Recent Works
2012_ CICUS Sevilla, Spain. China, arqueologías instantáneas. China: Instant Archaeologies.
2011_ Tongji University Shanghai, China. Working with Borders.
2011_ Cervantes Library Shanghai, China._ Heritage in Progress.
2010_ Confucius Institute Granada, Spain. Ciudad Contraste. 5 Visiones de la china contemporánea
2010_ Cyril and Methodius University Skopje. Macedonia From Urban Nature to Virtual Heritage
2010_ Asian Studies Seminar. University of Granada, Spain. Shanghai, el sueño instantáneo (Shanghai: An Instant Dream)
2010_ School of Architecture of Seville, Spain._ La ciudad china contemporánea. Chinese Contemporary City.
2010_ Casino de la Exposición, Sevilla, Spain. Las cinco en sombra de la tarde, luces y sombras en la arquitectura de los años 20. (Five in the Shade of the Afternoon. Lights and shadows in the Architecture of the 20's)
2010_ School of Architecture of Seville, Spain _ Formas de comunicación arquitectónica. (Forms of Architectural Communication)
2009_ Pechakucha Night Sevilla, Spain _La ciudad china contemporánea. Chinese Contemporary City.
2009_ Paper: Ground Attached Net. Towards a Diverse Virtual Universe in the Territory, paper at V International Congress on Virtual city and Territory. Barcelona, Spain.
2009_ Paper "Publicity Vs Simulacrum". International Seminar "Approximative Territories". Sevilla
2008_ Paper. University of El Vallés. Sustainability and Complexity. II Encounter on Research on Architecture and Urban Planning. Barcelona, Spain.
2007_ Public Architecture Encounter. Contemporary Architecture Foundation. Córdoba. Coordinator and Member of the Debate Table "Los Equipamientos Públicos como Articuladores de la Ciudad y el Territorio" (Public Facilities as Articulators of City and Territory).
2004_ Encounter. Historic Centre of Larache. Strategies. Public lecture to present the first prize in the competition. April 2004 Larache, Morocco.
Teaching Summary
Currently:
Associate Professor of Landscape and Urban Design. Department of Architecture and Built Environment. Faculty of Engineering University of Nottingham.
2022-2023_ Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai. Branch design-studio for postgraduate students. Fall Semester 2022-2023
2021-2023_ Member of the Final Project Jury (2021-2023) of the Degree and the Post-graduate Masters Degree. School of Architecture. University of Seville.
2022-2023_ Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Seville. Academic Year 2022-2023
2020_ Guest Professor and coordinator in Spain. International Joint Design Studio. Universities: Tongji University (China) - D&I and CAUP; Tecnológico de Monterrey, campus Chihuahua (Mexico) - School of Architecture, Art and Design; University of Nottingham Ningbo (China) - Department of Architecture and Built Environment; University of Seville (Spain) - School of Architecture; University of Pavia (Italy) - Master degree in Building Engineering and Architecture UE. TOPIC: Social Catalysts: Urban Strategies to Reactivate the Tongji University area in Shanghai.
2020_ Guest Professor for the Intermediate Presentation Jury at the School of Architecture of the University of West England (UWE) Bristol, UK.
2019_ Visiting Professor. School of Architecture. Nanjing University, China. International Design Studio.
2019_ Visiting Professor. International design Workshop. Harbin Institute of Technology and University of Seville.
2018_ Visiting Professor. Summer School. School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, China
2018_ Visiting Professor. School of Architecture. Nanjing University, China. International Design Studio.
2017_ Guest Professor. School of Architecture. Sapienza Roma. Summer School.
2017_ Visiting Professor. Summer School. School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, China
2016_ Visiting Professor. Summer School. School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, China
2015_ Visiting Professor. Summer School. School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, China
2014_ Teacher. International Workshop. SEK Quito-Univ. de Sevilla
2012_ Co-Director and Guest Professor. International Workshop. ETSAS University of Seville. Together with ETH Zurich and Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje.
2011_ Guest Professor. International Workshop. Tongji University Shanghai.
2011_ Co-Director and Visiting Professor. International Workshop. School of Architecture. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia. Together with ETH Zurich and University of Seville.
2007_ "Landscapes". Course on Landscape for High School Teachers. Official training program of the Government of Andalusia. CEP Luisa Revuelta, Córdoba.
Recent Publications
ROGGEVEEN, DAAN (ED.), HULSHOF, MICHIEL (ED.), ARNOLD, FRANCES (ED.) and GENTIL FERNANDEZ, MIGUEL, 2020. A Planning for Migration. In: ROGGEVEEN, DAAN, HULSHOF, MICHIEL and ARNOLD, FRANCES, eds., The Amsterdam Agenda.: 12 Good Ideas for the Future of Cities NAi010. Amsterdam.. 168 GENTIL FERNANDEZ, MIGUEL, CARO DOMINGUEZ, JAVIER, BARRERA ALTEMIR, MARTA and LI, XIANGNING, 2018. Limit architecture: A conversation with Baum Lab by Xiangning Li Architecture + Urbanism.
MIGUEL GENTIL and MARTA BARRERA, eds., 2018. SkopJe Urban Interventions Shenzhen Biennale.
GENTIL FERNANDEZ, MIGUEL, 2015. Arte y espacio público en la china contemporánea. (Art and Public Space in Contemporary China).. In: LOPEZ DE LA CRUZ, JUAN JOSE, GARCIA DE POSADAS, ANGEL and GONZALEZ, MARIA, eds., Acciones Comunes. (Common Actions)