About
DONIS is an international studio of architecture, urbanism, research, industrial design, and art. The studio has won several international prizes, including the Dubai Frame, selected as the first-prize winner from 926 proposals in an international competition regulated by UNESCO-UIA; the first prize for the National Palace of Justice in Paris; and the winning design for a new landmark for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the City of London. DONIS designs, develops, and builds projects across a wide range of scales and programs, consistently pursuing innovative, sustainable, and socially engaged architecture. DONIS was founded by Fernando Donis, Mexican Dutch architect who received his Master’s degree from the Architectural Association in London through the Design Research Laboratory (DRL), where he studied under Patrik Schumacher and Brett Steele. He also received a PhD in Architecture from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), through the doctoral research program The City as a Project, led by with Pier Vittorio Aureli. His doctoral research, FRAME, is a five-chapter study of the archetype of the frame and its role in the architectural and urban history and culture of Mexico. Following his studies at the Architectural Association, Fernando Donis worked closely with Rem Koolhaas as an Associate at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) for nine years, from 2001 to 2009. During this period, he was the main designer of the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, among numerous other architectural projects and masterplans. He also collaborated with AMO, OMA’s research and design branch, contributing to research projects concerning the European Union. Fernando Donis has taught at the Berlage Institute and the Academy of Architecture in Rotterdam, as well as at Universidad Iberoamericana and Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico, integrating architectural research, design, and urbanism across multiple scales. His work and career have received international recognition. In 2011, CNN Expansión selected him as one of the 30 most promising and influential people in Mexico. In 2015, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs selected him as one of the country’s most creative Mexicans living abroad.
Natuur Polanco
Mexico City · 2026–Ongoing
Located in Polanco, one of Mexico City's most prestigious neighbourhoods, NATUUR is another exploration of nature through fractal architecture. The name NATUUR—the Dutch word for nature—reflects the connection between our offices in Mexico and the Netherlands, while expressing the project's central design philosophy.
The building is an evolution of our office project Castelar 75, located on the same street. Here, however, the concept is reinterpreted for residential living, with larger, more inhabitable terraces that extend each apartment into the foliage of a large tree outside. The development comprises 42 one-bedroom small apartments, the most sought-after and rentable residential typology in both Polanco and Mexico City.
Despite their compact size, the apartments are designed to provide a complete living experience. Each unit includes an open-plan living and dining area extending onto a landscaped terrace with modular wooden planters. The bedroom also opens onto a private terrace and incorporates generous wardrobe and a dedicated workspace for remote working. A full bathroom connects efficiently to both the bedroom and the social area, providing flexibility for residents and guests while optimizing the building's infrastructure and spatial organization.
