Juan Miró, Miguel Rivera and Rosa Rivera formed Miró Rivera Architects in Austin.
Independent editorial profile
Miró Rivera Architects
Austin
Established 2000
Custom residential
Institutional + cultural
Sports + recreation
International perspective
An Austin practice combining an international design perspective with close attention to Texas landscape, climate, structure and craft—from award-winning houses to civic, educational and sports projects.
Best suited for: design-led custom residences, culturally specific institutional work, public-facing projects and technically expressive structures where the client values a strong architectural idea, close integration with landscape and a carefully developed material language.
At a glance
The firm lists its office at 505 Powell Street in central Austin.
Residential, institutional, educational, office, mixed-use, sports and custom design.
Juan Miró, Miguel Rivera, Ken Jones and Rosa Rivera.
Two Texas Society of Architects awards and two AIA Austin awards within the edition cutoff.
Juan Miró has taught at the School of Architecture since 1997.
Editorial overview
International in outlook, grounded in the Texas landscape
Miró Rivera’s work often begins with a clear structural or spatial idea and then tests it against trees, slopes, water, heat, views and cultural context. The practice moves between restrained houses and expressive public structures without relying on one fixed visual formula, while consistently emphasizing landscape, material precision and the relationship between local conditions and broader architectural traditions.
Recent residential recognition supports a long-established reputation
Casa Lotus and Diffuse Dock received statewide Texas Society of Architects Design Awards in 2026. River Hills Residence and La Finca were recognized by AIA Austin the same year, following recent state and local awards for River Hills Residence and Five Yard House. This current record is considered separately from legacy honors such as the 2016 Architecture Firm Award.
Recognition is well documented; commercial fit requires direct discussion
The firm publishes a broad project and awards archive, but fees, typical construction budgets, current staffing, availability and project-delivery scope are not presented in a standardized public format. Counts such as “40+ AIA awards” remain firm-reported and are not used as a substitute for project-specific evidence.
Ranking placements — 2026
#3
Texas Architecture Index
High placement for a distinctive Texas body of work spanning residences, cultural institutions and technically expressive public structures.
#3Texas Residential Architects
Supported by recent state and local awards for River Hills Residence, Five Yard House, Casa Lotus and La Finca.
#4Best Residential Architects in Austin
Austin-specific placement for custom homes that connect landscape, structure, material and domestic life.
#10Research & Innovation
Knowledge export through teaching, lectures, the 2020 monograph and international exhibitions, alongside structurally ambitious built work.
Selected projects
These projects illustrate the range of the practice; they are not presented as a complete portfolio. Project imagery will be added only after rights clearance.
River Hills Residence
A Lake Austin residence organized around a central courtyard, mature pecan and bald cypress trees, sloping terrain and a restrained palette led by weathering steel. Why it matters: it combines a simple organizing concept with sophisticated landscape, material and structural resolution.
View official project page →Casa Lotus
A new house shaped by a limestone bluff, a private lagoon, Roman brick modules, deep cantilevers and a dramatic central atrium. Why it matters: it demonstrates the firm’s ability to coordinate landscape, light, geometry and a highly specific material system at residential scale.
View official project page →Five Yard House
A restored century-old bungalow connected to a contemporary U-shaped addition and five distinct outdoor spaces. Why it matters: the project treats preservation and increased residential capacity as a single design problem rather than opposing goals.
View official project page →Observation Tower at Circuit of The Americas
A 251-foot observation structure whose diagrid, helical stairs and red steel-tube canopy translate the performance and visual energy of racing into an Austin landmark. Why it matters: it remains the clearest large-scale expression of the practice’s interest in structure as architecture.
View official project page →Evidence ledger
Evidence grades describe the independence of the source, not the architectural quality of the practice. Grade B records are independent professional, institutional or cultural sources; Grade C records are published by the firm and have not been independently reconstructed in full.
| Claim | Grade | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Society of Architects Architecture Firm Award, 2016 | B | Texas Society of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Texas Medal of Arts Award for Architecture, 2023 | B | Texas Cultural Trust | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Texas Society of Architects Design Award, 2026 — Casa Lotus | B | Texas Society of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Texas Society of Architects Design Award, 2026 — Diffuse Dock | B | Texas Society of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| AIA Austin Design Award of Merit, 2026 — River Hills Residence | B | AIA Austin | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| AIA Austin Design Award of Merit, 2026 — La Finca | B | AIA Austin | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Texas Society of Architects Design Award, 2023 — River Hills Residence | B | Texas Society of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| AIA Austin Design Award of Merit, 2023 — Five Yard House | B | AIA Austin | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Texas Society of Architects Design Award, 2022 — Five Yard House | B | Texas Society of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Founded in 2000; current principals and Austin office address | C | Firm history · Studio · Contact | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| 40+ AIA awards and a broad multi-sector portfolio | C | Firm website | Jul. 26, 2026 |
Read the full evidence-grade definitions
Grade A means a claim is supported by an independent national record or official registry. Grade B means it is supported by a professional jury, public institution or recognized cultural organization. Grade C means it was reported by the firm and has not yet been independently verified in full. View the evidence standards.
Practice information
Leadership
The firm lists four principals: co-founders Juan Miró, FAIA; Miguel Rivera, FAIA; and Rosa Rivera, business principal; together with Ken Jones, AIA, who joined the practice in 2001. Juan Miró also serves as the Dick Clark III Endowed Chair in Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin.
Licensure and registration
Registration review in progress. Texas business-registration information is being checked against the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners registry. Registration confirms legal standing to practice and is not an editorial endorsement.
Services and specialties
Custom HomesLuxury ResidentialCivic & Cultural ArchitectureEducational ArchitectureOffice & Mixed UseInterior Architecture
Considering Miró Rivera Architects for a project?
Review the practice’s official portfolio or submit a project brief to compare firms with documented experience relevant to your site, project type, desired level of architectural expression and construction priorities.
Introductions and referral inquiries do not affect ranking positions or evidence grades.
Related research and rankings
Profile changelog
- Profile structure, current leadership, selected projects, evidence ledger and client guidance revised. Sources rechecked; edition evidence cutoff remains July 13, 2026.
- Initial editorial profile and statewide ranking placements recorded.