Richard Moreta Castillo

Biography

The young Richard Moreta was a gifted child. His skills and passion for drawing showed early in his life. At the age of five, he won a painting competition, and was discovered by the Dominican Artist Nidia Serra, who was part of the jury of the event. She noticed Richard's early dominion of perspective theory and advanced notion of color composition and took him as her protégé. Whilst receiving formal artistic training in figure drawing and oil painting, he became increasingly preoccupied about the arts and thus pursued studies at the École des Beaux-Arts of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture and urban planning from UNPHU (Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña), -UCE (Universidad Central del Este), 1986. His work has then exhibited in several galleries in the US, the Caribbean and Europe. Up until now, his exploration scope ranges from abstract painting techniques to the aesthetics of the industrial design. The universe of visual arts paved solid foundations for his practice in architecture —another of his early passions— and had been ever since his main vehicle of communication.

He continued his studies overseas at the Miami Dade Community College, Corps of Engineers, Rollins College, University of South Florida, Futurarium (Affiliates School of the Politecnico di Milano in 2002, actually part of the Master program of the NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano) under Alessandro Guirreiro and received his Master Dottorato in Design in 2002. Master and PhD courses at Institute for European Urban Studies, Bauhaus University Weimar (IfEU, Germany).

As a member of the "Studio Radiosity" (ex members of the "Menphis" design movement with Guirreiro, Mendini & Ettore Sottsass), he participated in a movement that was at the avant-garde of design in the 1990s. This was followed by work with the firm, Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK) in 2001, Arquitectonica in 2004 – where he specialized in large projects, from airport design to high-end luxury towers in the five continents.

In 1996, three Civilian Medals (Department of Defense, Corps of Engineers and United Nations) were presented to Richard Moreta for the responsibilities in the design and processing of high-visibility projects during the Balkans war. His service reflected these great credits placed upon him and had direct contribution to the successful support to the program by providing significant amount of new construction in all building types in the post-war region.

From beginning of 2010 Moreta is member of the faculty of Architecture and Urban Design at the Bauhaus University, Weimar, Germany as well as visiting professor at Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Universidad Central del Este, Universidad O&M, Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Technische Universität Wien, Technische Universität Berlin, South Florida University, University of Miami, NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona and others academics institutions.

Also from 2010 Moreta is President of Green Container International Aid, an organization whose goal is to respond to humanitarian needs worldwide through usage of recycled containers.

Design Development, Concepts, Emphasis

Richard Moreta specializes in cutting edge, futuristic architecture. At the avant-garde of international architects, he combines the formal possibilities of structure with the available advances by using Digital Architecture, of which he is a pioneer. His buildings are dramatic, and are often characterized by the combination of spaciousness and the utilization of exposed structuring – thus mixing volumes and empty space to create unconventional patterns intriguing and appealing to the eye. He has been both praised and criticized as a "sculptor of monuments" and for being a great artist and one of the greatest architects of his generation. His many design awards give testimony of this evaluation.

Moreta's work emphasizes as well the creative and innovative development of spatial solutions for the public sector. He has designed solutions for governments, international societies and communities. His design regarding ecological requirements and his work include public buildings designed for the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the Odeum, in Shenyang, China.

In 2004, Richard joined the firm "Arquitectonica" led by Bernardo Fort-Brescia, and was also the Design Director for various firms in South Florida. He was responsible for the design as project designer for a dozens of building that reshaped together with others, the landscape of the new Miami and Miami Beach during the construction boom of the 2004–2006 in Florida as well as a number of other high-end towers, commercial building and hospitality designs in other latitudes.

In 2002, Moreta cofounded along with Victor Gane, the firm GMZ-Design, in Miami, Florida. GMZ-Design achieved notoriety implementing its signature style – dramatic and, daring and innovative, expressive in its usage of 'high tech modernism', and application of digital possibilities in the design process. "Marquis" received international acclaim.

Moreta is the principal and founder of Richard's Architecture + Design, Inc. (RA+D), in 2006. This firm's work runs the spectrum from design of large-scale, high-rise condominiums to hospitality projects, as well as intimate, small-scale low-rise residential and commercial units. Moreta is the Architect Designer and Team Leader for projects involved in hospitality, high-end residential development, aviation, public, residential and commercial complex facilities. RA+D has worked with international the international community from the beginning, including commissions for upscale clients in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, São Paulo, Brazil, Romania, Bosnia, Russia, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Dominican Republic and Asia. Richard – give me details on where in Bosnia, Russia, Italy Germany Mexico Dominican Republic and Asia.

Lecturer

Richard Moreta is a widely-sought lecturer on Architecture, and the future of ecologically-compatible architecture, having given conferences in the United States, Europe and Latin America. He has taught in several institutions in the United States, Europe, and Latin America as at Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Universidad Central del Este, Universidad O&M, Universidad Pedro Henriquez Urena, Universidad pontificia Madre y Maestra, Technische Universität Wien, Technische Universität Berlin, South Florida University, University of Miami, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti a Milano, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona and others academics institutions. His participation in Internal Congress of Architecture as speaker or panelist is well remarkable and he had been sharing podium together with the masters of the international architectural as Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Peter Eisenman, Renzo Piano and others from the podium of "Las Vegas" to the International Congress of Architecture.

Author

Moreta has published articles in various publications including DDN Design Diffusion News, Italy; Hospitality Design, USA; Aeroflot's magazine, Russia; PM Perspectiv, Germany; Abitare, Italy; Kenchi Bunka, Japan; HOME, Miami, Florida.

Awards and achievements

Achievement Medal for Civilian, Architect and Project Manager for the Reconstruction of Bosnia, Department of Defense, United States of America, 1996

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Civilian Medal for the Reconstruction of Bosnia, Architect and Project Manager, 1996

Operation Joint Endeavor Civilian Award, Architect and Project Manager for the Reconstruction of Bosnia, by the United Nations, 1996

Most Distinguished International Architect from the Dominican Republic, CODIA (Dominican College of Engineers), 2011

Overseas Director of Liaisons of Encounter of Faculties of Architecture, Encuentro Nacional de Escuelas y Facultades de Arquitectura, DR, 2011

Design Award from the Friedberg Fire Department, Friedberg, Germany

Professor Emeritus Diploma from the Universidad Central de Este, 2012

Minister Adviser from the Dominican Embassy in Berlin, 2011

Project Awards by Richard's Architecture+Design and as Design Director in ARQUITECTONICA, HO+K and GMZ-Design (Gane-Moreta) portfolio with the project awards:

Finalist Award for the “Radical Innovation”, Hospitality Design Magazine, Green Global Competition. (2009)

“Most Distinguished International Architect International from the Dominican Republic”, an award given by the Dominican College of Architects and Engineers on November 3, 2011.

International Architects Award from the Architecture Schools and Faculties of the Dominican Republic, 2011.

Finalist Award for the “Radical Innovation”, for the Wind Tower, Hospitality Design Magazine, Green Global Competition, 2009.

Finalist Award for “Radical Innovation,” by Hospitality Design Magazine in the Green Global Competition, 2009.

American Institute of Architects, AIA, Design Excellence Award, “Sarasota Herald Tribune Headquarters”, Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A., Design Team Arquitectonica 2006

Marquis Tower, Miami, Florida (Portfolio ARQUITECTIONICA)

Infinity Tower, Dubai (Portfolio GMZ_Design)

Rolex Tower, Dubai, UEA (Portfolio GMZ_Design)