Michael Marroquin

Michael Marroquin received a Bachelor’s of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University in 2021 and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University in 2024. His thesis proposed a new multifamily housing model to revitalize urban areas and create space for underrepresented populations, and was awarded the Suzanne Kolarik Underwood Prize. He also earned a Minor in Graphic Arts and diplomas from Les Écoles D’art Américaines De Fontainebleau – a music and architecture school in France – and the Barcelona Architecture Center. While he has yet to disclose any additional accolades or certifications, we would not be surprised to find out they exist.

A beloved professor and mentor once explained to Michael that a project concept must be simplified so that your own mother could readily understand it. “This level of clarity continues to follow me today,” he says. “I believe that my role as a designer is rooted in communication and understanding. A good designer should serve as a translator of needs and wants through multiple mediums like speech, writing, or drawing. The ability to speak through many ‘languages’ supports a social responsibility to serve our broader community and ensure legibility of our designs to everyone interacting with them.”

His philosophy on sustainable design is similarly focused on the end user. “Sustainability is not just about being conscious of our resources and environment, but about actively striving for a better quality of life and wellbeing.” He passionately feels the arch is the architectural element that best considers and balances efficiency, aesthetics, and social implications, and will be pleased to explain why – in great detail – if you would like to ask him.

Michael enjoys art, music, and animation almost as much as he enjoys arches. His favorite media is ink pen, though he loves to paint and is currently most excited by the works of Hieronymous Bosch. A former percussionist, he no longer plays an instrument but finds much common ground between musicians and architects, guaranteeing fruitful conversations when sharing a space together. He also serves on our firm’s Advanced Tech internal working group and will boldly explore new software the rest of us are perplexed by.