PROT/USRBL/SE08



“THE UNPLANNED DOMESTIC PROTOTYPE”
(SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN)








Ismael Medina Manzano operates at the intersection of architecture, design, and research, constructing narratives that challenge the conventional boundaries of urban infrastructures, new domesticities and global governance. A graduate with honors from the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Madrid (ETSAM1, UPM) in 2019, Ismael was recognized as the second-best architecture graduate in Spain by SEDEA2 in 2020, cementing his role as a critical thinker and innovator.

Based between New York City and Madrid, Ismael synthesizes practice and theory. Collaborating as a Project Designer with different international offices and pursuing a Ph.D. candidate at ETSAM, he investigates the socio-political infrastructures embedded within domestic and urban spaces. His research and projects reflect a transscalar approach, where new domesticities, ecology, urban governance, and technology coalesce to question and redefine contemporary living conditions.

Ismael’s practice extends to collaborations with transformative studios, including OFFPOLINN/Andrés Jaque3, O.F. Architects4, and HFE Architects5. His interdisciplinary education includes a Master’s in Theory and Criticism of Advanced Architectural Design (MPAA) from ETSAM and a fellowship at MIT’s6 Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism, where he explored innovative urban systems.

Notable among his works is the project “‘Toronto Tomorrow’: Case Study or Model?” which examines the intersections of technology, society, and governance within urban landscapes. This research informs his ongoing exploration of architecture’s capacity to mediate collective intelligence and social inclusion.

Ismael’s contributions have been showcased in leading exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, and featured in publications such as AD Magazine, ArchDaily, and TC Cuadernos. His acclaimed Master’s Thesis, “PROT/MAD[VN+CL+N-NN]_XX.X: An Urban-Logistic Experiment for the Center of Madrid,” exemplifies his commitment to blending urban innovation with logistical precision.

With a background spanning Civil Engineering and Architecture studies in Spain and Italy, Ismael’s multidisciplinary approach bridges technical rigor with speculative imagination. His studio practice embraces the avant-garde, utilizing local and experimental materials to craft spaces that resonate socially, politically, and environmentally.

Ismael Medina Manzano’s trajectory is one of continuous reinvention, where every project serves as a platform for rethinking the architectural discipline and its role in shaping equitable and intelligent futures.


        1. Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid.
        2. Spanish Society of Academic Excellence. 
        3. Office for Political Innovation.
        4. Ozaeta-Fidalgo Architects.
        5. Hector Fernandez Elorza Architects.
        6. Massachussets Institute of Technology.











CONTACT

4545 Centr Blvd, Long Island City, NY. 11109. (EEUU)
imedinamanzano@gmail.com
+1 617 230 9903
@medinamanz
     











OFFICE /
NEWYORK+MADRID