Rubén Valdez (n. Guadalajara, Mexico, 1986) is an architect, artist, educator, and editor based between Switzerland and Mexico. He holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio and a master’s degree in fine arts from the École Cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL). His practice spans architecture, contemporary art, teaching, and publishing.
His work is both independent and collaborative, operating across a variety of scales from the object to the built environment. With strong expertise in hospitality and contemporary art, Rubén has designed and realised projects of diverse types and scales, including the Paradero Hotel in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur; the Xokol restaurant in Jalisco, Mexico; and the Forde contemporary art space in Geneva, Switzerland. He collaborates regularly with artists on scenography and sculptural installations.
Educating and publishing are also central to Rubén’s practice. In 2016, he joined the Atelier de la Conception de l’Espace (ALICE) at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) as first-year studio director. From 2017 to 2024, he served as Head of Design Research within the department. In this role, he led the conception and implementation of experimental built projects ranging from object scale to urban interventions. He is currently a guest professor at ECAL and a member of the editorial board of CARTHA, a nonprofit architecture platform.
Recent recognitions include first prize in the idea competition for a new contemporary art hall in the Plateforme 10 museum cluster in Lausanne; first prize in the architecture competition for a school center in Jongny, both in Switzerland; or a nomination for the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize 2022 for the Paradero Todos Santos hotel in Mexico.
