{{Short description|Mexican architect}} [[File:Fernando Donis.jpg|thumb]]

'''Fernando Donis''' is a Mexican architect established in the Netherlands, Mexico, and Dubai.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goodman |first=Peter S. |date=2017-03-08 |title=As Dubai’s Skyline Adds a Trophy, the Architect Calls It Stolen |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/business/dubai-frame-building-stolen-design.html |access-date=2022-11-19 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He is the founder of DONIS, an international office of architecture 'framing' cities – theorizing and projecting them. Through research and projects DONIS participates in the unprecedented development of the cities of this century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Donis |url=https://www.donis.org/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=www.donis.org}}</ref> Between 2000 and 2008, Donis was a close Associate of [[Rem Koolhaas]] at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture [[Office for Metropolitan Architecture|(OMA).]] Fernando Donis is the designer of the OMA 2002 [[CCTV Headquarters|CCTV]] Headquarters in Beijing. Founded in 2009, DONIS is currently developing and building several projects, and has also won international prizes such as the first prize for the ThyssenKrupp Architecture Award in 2009 among 926 proposals, with the [[Dubai Frame]], under construction; the first prize for a competition for the National Palace of Justice in Paris; and the first prize for the design of an Olympic emblem for London 2012.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Donis |first=Fernando |title=Fernando Donis |url=https://nl.linkedin.com/in/fernando-donis-4b7aba110 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref>

The new Jeddah International Airport in Saudi Arabia, the Porsche Design towers in Dubai, and the Dubai Renaissance tower are a few other projects that he was in charge of.<ref name=":1" /> Fernando has 2 kids Alexandra Donis (14) and Sofia Donis (12) and a wife called Daphne Schuit (42).{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

== Architecture == Donis is the designer of the CCTV Headquarters Tower in Beijing, the new Jeddah International Airport in Saudi Arabia, the Porsche Design towers in Dubai, and the Dubai Renaissance tower. There many other projects and master plans for which he was in charge.

The London Gate (2012) is the winning entry by Rotterdam studio Donis in a competition to design a temporary landmark for Aldgate, east London. The structure was commissioned to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-07-26 |title=London Gate by Donis |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2010/07/26/london-gate-by-donis/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}</ref>

One of Donis's most notable works is the Dubai Frame. The Dubai Frame featured two parallel towers linked by an observation deck, a similar shape to the temporary landmark that had previously been designed for London.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-15 |title=Dubai Frame nears completion despite architect's claims copyright breach |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2017/03/15/dubai-frame-fernando-donis-intellecual-property-lawsuit/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}</ref> Donis has filed suit in US federal court against the Dubai Municipality and ThyssenKrupp Elevator, claiming he never received either a contract or compensation for his design.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=About Fernando Donis: Mexican architect {{!}} Biography, Facts, Information, Career, Wiki, Life |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/business/dubai-frame-building-stolen-design.html |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=New York Times}}</ref>

In 2021, Donis was selected as the winner of a proposal project to create a new habitable topographies in which humans and nature can coexist. This project was called [[Dezeen]]'s Redesign the World Competition powered by Twinmotion<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Fernando Donis – Tags {{!}} AmazingArchitecture |url=https://amazingarchitecture.com/tags/fernando-donis |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=amazingarchitecture.com}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Hunter |date=2021-12-01 |title=Meet the Winner of the Redesign the World Contest |url=https://www.optima.inc/meet-the-winner-of-the-redesign-the-world-contest/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Optima |language=en}}</ref> Donis' Frame City concept aims to undo the damage to nature and people's wellbeing that was caused by a century of rapid urbanization.

Each high-density city is designed to house a million people. It is formed of mountain-like terraced structures made from cross-laminated timber, which would be built to frame the natural landscapes. Roads and private vehicles would be abandoned in favor of pedestrian and [[cycling infrastructure]]. There has also been careful city planning to ensure that necessary services and amenities are within a 15-minute walk or cycle of people's homes.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-19 |title=Fernando Donis' Frame City proposal to "combine city and countryside" wins Redesign the World contest |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2021/11/19/frame-city-fernando-donis-redesign-the-world-winner/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}</ref>

== Achievements == Donis received his master's degree from the Architectural Association in London. He holds a PhD in architecture from the TU Delft in the Netherlands, with his thesis to be published in the upcoming book FRAME.<ref name=":2" /> He is a principal designer at OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), exploring projects in the Middle East, Europe, and Mexico.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |date=2006 |title=Contributors |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/29544827 |journal=AA Files |issue=53 |pages=88–88 |issn=0261-6823}}</ref>

Donis was selected as one of the thirty most promising and influential people in Mexico in 2011 by [[CNN]] Expansion. In 2015 he was selected by the Foreign Relations Department of Mexico as one of the most creative Mexicans abroad.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> In 2021, Donis was selected as the winner of a proposal project to create a new habitable topographies in which humans and nature can coexist. This project was called Dezeen's Redesign the World Competition powered by Twinmotion<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

==References== {{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Donis, Fernando}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Mexican architects]] [[Category:Alumni of the Architectural Association School of Architecture]]