In 2022, Magill led the design team to win prestigious projects such as the Armani Hotel & Branded Residences in Diriyah Gate, a competition in which the winner was chosen by Giorgio Armani himself, the Nobu Hotel & Branded Residences in Saadiyat Island, a mountainside high-end retail development in Sentul Indonesia, and several other large-scale residential and wellness resort projects across the UAE that are still in the planning stages.

Michael Magill is RSP’s Middle East and North Africa Managing Director and Creative Director. Magill believes that architecture revolves around people and their interactions with their surroundings. He hopes to create design projects that will last for generations by combining Innovative Design and cutting-edge technology.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic over the last two years, which resulted in on-going projects being put on hold/delayed and the pipeline of new projects slowing down, Michael determined that it would be more beneficial to divide business development efforts 50% in the MENA region and 50% in completely new markets such as Indonesia and Cambodia.

Tilal Al Ghaf luxury villa community

This approach proved to be a success as RSP was able to win projects for both architecture and interior design teams for several mixed-use and hospitality developments. As a result, the Dubai studio has since grown almost double in size since 2020 and the office space has expanded to a second unit in Marina Plaza to accommodate everyone. Despite a difficult business environment, the studio was able to win exciting new projects in the region under Magill’s guardianship and design leadership, including Huawei, Aldar, Al Futtaim, Majid Al Futtaim, Ellington Properties, and Diriyah Gate Development Authority.

Magill has also been instrumental in the business’s expansion by opening two additional studios abroad. In 2023, the company will concentrate on expanding its presence in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

Five-star Hotel in Manado

In 2022 alone, Magill led the design team to win prestigious projects like the Armani Hotel & Branded Residences in Diriyah Gate which was a competition where the winner was selected by Giorgio Armani himself, more recently another international world-renowned hotel brand located Saadiyat Island, Majid Al Futtaim’s luxury villas Tilal Al Ghaf in Dubai, the newest luxury residences on the Palm Ellington Beach House, a mountainside high-end retail development in Sentul Indonesia and several other largescale residential & wellness resort projects across the UAE which are in the early stages of design.

Magill was part of the team who decided it was time for RSP to take a different route and delve into an alternate reality. He spearheaded our very first project in the metaverse which was an NFT Gallery in Decentraland. It was a floating NFT gallery nexus with an infinity helix platform cycling through the viewing platforms. The building features a unique kinetic skin facade, emulating nature as the building breathes and shifts.

Magill was named RSP’s Global Head of Design in 2021 and has since actively worked with other RSP design studios to develop the group’s profile and design skills across a variety of building typologies. He leads the monthly RSP Global Design Forum, which allows key designers to share their experiences and design ideas through panel discussions on a virtual platform. He is currently developing a strategy to improve and integrate RSP’s 12 design studios through consistent virtual sharing of live projects around the world.

His efforts and contribution to the industry were recognised in 2020 and 2021 as he won Architect of the Year at the Middle East Design Awards.

Magill’s peers and juniors have consistently praised him for his constant positivity, calm demeanour, and ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and clients alike. Magill has demonstrated that intelligence, imagination, and knowledge are valuable resources that must be shared with the rest of the world—a true example for all to follow.