My name is Michael Piderit and I’m a recent graduate of the MA Architecture Program at the Royal College of Art. As a native New Yorker, I have extensive experience working across New York City’s architecture and design industries.
Before moving to London to attend the RCA, I gained invaluable experience working for different firms across New York City. Through working on projects such as a temporary pavilion, single-family home and residential development, I have gained the ability to effectively consider the relationship between space and its context. Having become accustomed to taking on new challenges and working in environments with demanding deadlines, I have learned to use out-of-the-box thinking and design skills to develop meaningful work at a fast pace. In all my work, I attempt to combine rigorous research and practicality with an element of art and design to find the proper balance needed to create compelling work.
Now, as an MA graduate and a designer with five years of experience across these disciplines, I'm returning to New York City. I’m interested in joining a diverse team of designers and thinkers that want to develop rigor in their architectural practice while simultaneously embracing its ability to be playful and provide meaningful spatial experiences. With a conceptual and research-based approach centered on the importance of material language, I’m looking to create a diverse body of work that invites people to engage with and understand their surroundings in new and unexpected ways.
Universal Design Studio, London, GB, Designer
Universal Design Studio is an award winning architecture and interiors practice specializing in hotels, restaurants, retail environments and cultural institutions.
During my MA Architecture Program at the Royal College of Art, I worked as a designer on projects including Framework For Exchange, a two story temporary pavilion for London Design Festival as well as a series of design competitions.
I was instrumental in the design development and implementation of Framework For Exchange, which included prototyping, material testing and the creation of a series of models to refine the design. For a hotel competition for the Shiva hotel, I iterated a series of schematic designs, as well as executed renders and visuals for client presentations.
Fort Standard, New York, NY, US, Designer/Production Manager
Fort Standard is an industrial design firm specializing in high-end contemporary product, furniture and interiors.
As a Designer and Production Manager, my role entailed both the design and fabrication of new lines of furniture and interiors, as well as the management of a team of assistants who were charged with the production of Fort Standard's existing line of products.
I worked extensively on the development of Qualities of Material, a furniture line that was exhibited widely internationally. This included the material testing, design development and fabrication of each piece.
In addition, I was the lead designer for Warm Up, a summer concert series hosted by MOMA PS1. I designed and installed a series of scenography for the event that was the backdrop for three weekends of live music events.
My role entailed both the design and fabrication of new work, along with the management of three assistants, who worked to fabricate, stock and ship Fort Standard's line of objects, homewares and furniture to over 200 retailers worldwide.
SZ Projects, New York, NY, US, Junior Designer
SZ Projects is a mid-size architecture and interiors firm run by Silvia Zofio, specializing in hospitality and residential projects across the East Coast of the United States.
As a Junior Designer, I worked extensively on design development from concept through construction on a series of projects, including the Wythe Townhouses, Bar Bolonat, Baker & Co, Hotel Edison and the Mountainside Treatment Center.
My role included but was not limited to close collaboration with Silvia to develop designs, drawing sets, select FF&E and design custom furniture for select projects. In addition, I spent a substantial portion of my time undertaking project management, which included weekly construction walkthroughs, client consultation as well as project budgeting, sourcing and material purchasing.
Friends & Family, New York, NY, US, Junior Designer
Friends & Family is a design-build architecture firm run by Taavo Somer, previously of Steven Holl Architects, that specializes in hospitality projects of the highest craftsmanship.
As a Junior Designer, I worked on a series of restaurants and hospitality projects in and around New York City, including The White Hotel, Hotel Eventi, Pagani, Bar Primi, among others.
I was the Lead Designer for Pagani, a casual Italian restaurant in the West Village, where I was instrumental in all elements of the project from initial design through to finished construction. As part of my role, I managed FF&E selection along with building material selection, budgeting and installation.
Throughout each project, I worked closely with sub-contractors and artisans and managed client relations throughout the construction process and learned key skills in terms of managing projects successfully.
McBride Architects, New York, NY, US, Architectural Intern
McBride Architects is a mid-size architectural firm specializing in residential and cultural projects across the United States.
As an intern, I worked on two main projects during my time at the firm, the design of a single-family home in Westerly, RI and the renovation of an apartment in New York City.
I executed a variety of materials for client meetings, including but not limited to physical models, axonometric drawings, project sketches and renderings. In addition I assisted on multiple project surveys, material research, ff&e sourcing and site visits.
Snarkitecture, New York, NY, US, Design Intern
Snarkitecture is a versatile design and architecture studio run by Daniel Arsham and Alex Mustonen. It investigates the boundaries between the disciplines of art and architecture through the creation of projects that range from furniture to full-scale architecture.
As a design intern, I contributed to the project development, design prototyping and installation of projects including the Drift Pavilion at Design Miami 2012 and Reach Ruin Exhibition at the Fabric Workshop.
My role included both the physical fabrication of models and sculptures, as well as the digital design development for these projects.
Royal College of Art, London, GB, Masters, MA Architecture
The two-year MA Architecture Program at The Royal College of Art conceives of architecture as a diverse and complex set of practices that move beyond traditional distinctions and limits in the field. A radical and innovative approach to pedagogy and research, as well as a commitment to an open-minded, experimental studio-culture, sets the RCA apart.
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, US, Bachelors, Studio Art (Architecture)/Art History
The art studio program enables students to become fluent in visual language—its analytical and critical vocabulary and the rigors of its technique and method—as a means to explore intellectual issues and human experience. To this end, students learn technique while searching for a personal vision, beginning with basic studies in drawing and introductory art history, proceeding through study of various media, and working toward the successful completion of the major’s comprehensive requirement—the presentation of a one-person exhibition in the spring of their senior year.
The program seeks to reflect the diversity of technical and intellectual approaches practiced in the field of visual art and is open to interdisciplinary experimentation as well as traditionally focused studies. The Architecture concentration is fully hands-on and educates students about the complexities of designing, budgeting and building live projects successfully.
The Dalton School, New York, NY, US, High School, Diplome
Winner, London Design Festival '18 Student Competition, 1st Place
Lobby For Change was a student competition, initiated by British Land, one of the largest developer in the U.K. We were challenged to question the future of lobby spaces in corporate environments.
With Foam Folly, my approach was to design a meeting space that would explore an alternative material culture in the harsh environment of these corporate spaces. My design research was developed by introducing digital tools to established modes of craft and prioritising in-depth understanding of materiality to inform emerging fabrication technologies.
As the winner of the competition, a 1:1 prototype and supporting installation was exhibited at the 2018 London Design Festival in as a solo show.
RIBA West Prize (Shortlist), Award
My first year project at the Royal College of Art, entitled Un/Covered, was shortlisted for the RIBA West Prize, distinguishing it as one of the best projects not only in the school but in the region.
