About
Studio MBJ is the design platform through which Dan Mihai Muntean advances his work in collaboration with Darshan Amrit and a select network of consultants and project partners. Structured as a focused and agile practice, the studio enables high-level strategic engagement across urban design and architecture while maintaining rigor, precision, and continuity of design intent.
In parallel with large-scale urban and institutional work, Studio MBJ has expanded its portfolio to include residential and hospitality projects in the Idaho plains. Working closely with Darshan and local collaborators, the studio engages directly in research-driven, site-responsive design and hands-on project delivery — grounding strategic thinking in built work at an intimate scale, with particular attention to landscape, material craft, and the realities of construction. Depending on project scope and complexity, Studio MBJ scales through long-standing professional relationships, drawing upon trusted collaborators while preserving leadership clarity and accountability.
Expertise
Studio MBJ approaches architecture and urbanism as interconnected disciplines that shape human experience, social life, and the future built environment.
Urbanism
We design and advise private developers, cities, architects, and institutions in the creation of urban environments that strengthen quality of life and contribute positively to the social, economic, and environmental health of their communities. Our work integrates spatial strategy, public realm design, and development logic to produce grounded, implementable urban frameworks.
Core Areas of Work:
- Master Planning & Urban Frameworks (Mixed-Use Districts, Innovation Clusters, Waterfronts, Transit-Oriented Development)
- Campus Planning & Institutional Environments (Education, Health + Science, Arts + Culture)
- Urban & Architectural Design Guidelines
- Public Realm Strategy & Design
- Visioning, Programming & Strategic Positioning
- Visualization, 3D Modeling & Design Diagramming
Architecture
Studio MBJ designs architecture that is purposeful, context-responsive, and grounded in long-term performance. The studio is particularly engaged in the early phases of projects — feasibility, concept development, and schematic design — where strategic clarity and architectural direction are established. These early decisions shape spatial coherence, material logic, and long-term viability.
Across scales, the studio’s architectural work is attentive to landscape, craft, and construction realities — balancing formal clarity with human experience.
Complementary capabilities include design research, computational exploration, visualization, branding, and wayfinding — reinforcing the conceptual foundations established at project inception.
Project Types:
- Adaptive Reuse
- Commercial & Real Estate
- Arts & Culture
- Transit Structures
- Open Space & Leisure Structures
Dan Mihai Muntean
Founding Partner, Architecture + Urban Design
Education
- “Beyond Smart Cities: Emerging Design and Technology”, Certificate MIT Media Lab
- Master of Science in Architecture & Urbanism Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Bachelor of Architecture with Honors, The University of Nottingham
- Bachelor of Arts (Architecture and Planning), Ion Mincu University, Bucharest
Dan Mihai Muntean
Founding Partner, Architecture + Urban Design
Dan Mihai Muntean is a Registered Architect (UK) and urban designer with over twenty-seven years of international experience leading complex urban and architectural projects across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He is a Chartered Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
He has held senior roles within internationally recognized design firms including Foster + Partners, AECOM, IBI Group, and PTW Architects, directing multidisciplinary teams and shaping projects that span master planning, campus development, mixed-use districts, transit-oriented environments, and civic architecture. His work focuses on the integration of architecture, urban systems, landscape, and infrastructure — aligning design ambition with feasibility and long-term performance.
Notable contributions include Apple Park and the vision master plan for the California High-Speed Rail. Over the course of his career, he has overseen design deliverables for public and private clients across six countries and more than twenty-five cities.
Dan operates primarily at the front end of projects, establishing strategic clarity, spatial frameworks, and architectural direction. He frequently serves as both design lead and trusted advisor, guiding projects from early feasibility and visioning through sustained design integrity in delivery.
He holds a Master of Science in Architectural Studies (Urban Design) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has completed advanced studies at the MIT Media Lab in “Beyond Smart Cities,” exploring the intersection of design, technology, and urban innovation.
In parallel with professional practice, Dan teaches graduate-level urban design studios and professional practice courses at UC Berkeley.
His work has received international recognition, including the Asian Habitat Society’s Green Habitat Award for Planning and Design Practice and the Society for College and University Planning Excellence in Architecture Award.
Darshan Amrit
Partner, Architecture + Project Management
Education
- Bachelor of Architecture, Rice University
Darshan Amrit
Partner, Architecture + Project Management
Darshan Amrit is an architectural designer and project leader with over eighteen years of professional experience across residential, commercial, adaptive reuse, and mixed-use projects throughout the Western United States.
He brings deep expertise in construction documentation, permitting, and construction administration, paired with a strong foundation in design development and project management. His work spans multi-family housing, single-family residences, retail environments, fitness facilities, and interior architecture.
Darshan’s background bridges design and making. His experience as a fabricator and carpenter — including custom residential projects in the Sun Valley region — informs a materially grounded approach to architecture and an acute understanding of craft, detailing, and construction realities.
Prior to joining Studio MBJ as Partner, Darshan served as Associate Partner at Studio KDA in Berkeley, where he led project teams and contributed to the development of management systems, graphic presentation standards, and early-stage development strategies. His focus on multi-family yield studies and concept design strengthened front-end feasibility and project advancement processes.
His work has received recognition from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association and Berkeley Design Advocates. Darshan holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University, is a licensed architect in Idaho, and holds NCARB certification.
Studio Affiliates
Studio MBJ’s early formation was shaped by the contributions of several founding partners whose expertise helped define the studio’s design direction and international reach. While they have since transitioned to new geographic and professional contexts, they remain trusted collaborators and continue to contribute to select projects on a consultancy basis.
Jie Cong — Founding Partner, Landscape + Urban Design
Jie Cong is a registered landscape architect and urban designer whose work integrates ecological systems, public life, and cultural context. Her experience spans mixed-use districts, campus environments, hospitality, and public realm strategies, primarily within the China market. Jie played a central role in shaping the studio’s landscape-led approach to urban design. Now based in Sydney, Australia, she remains engaged in project collaboration and business development initiatives.
Bowen Li — Founding Partner, Architecture Design
Bowen Li is an experienced architectural designer with a background spanning education, cultural, commercial, and hospitality projects across China and the United States. His work has ranged from conceptual development through construction documentation, with particular strength in schematic design and competition work. His expertise in computational design informed the studio’s early adoption of data-driven and parametric methodologies. Now based in Sydney, Australia, he continues to collaborate with Studio MBJ on select architectural initiatives.
Ali Abdullateef — Partner, Design Technology + Project Management
Ali Abdullateef contributed to Studio MBJ’s advancement of design technology, BIM coordination, and project delivery systems. His experience spans adaptive reuse, institutional, educational, healthcare, and commercial projects, with a focus on technical rigor and construction coordination. Currently based in Sacramento, Ali balances academic engagement and industry practice, teaching architecture and design technology while working with PG&E. He remains available to support Studio MBJ on project-specific technical initiatives.
Extended Design Network
Studio MBJ has collaborated with designers, architects, researchers, and technical specialists from a broad range of cultural and professional backgrounds. This diversity is foundational to the studio’s approach.
The studio values multiple perspectives, interdisciplinary exchange, and cross-cultural dialogue as drivers of stronger design outcomes. By working with collaborators across North America, Europe, and Asia, Studio MBJ engaged varied spatial traditions, environmental conditions, and social contexts — enriching both process and result.
Many members of this extended design network contributed to the studio during key projects phases and would continue to engage on select initiatives as independent consultants or project-based collaborators.
Recent Design Collaborators:
• María Páez González — Workplace Specialist, Architect, ARB, RIBA, PhD (Venezuela, UK)
María is a practicing architect and workplace design specialist with experience in corporate and research-focused environments. She has contributed to large-scale workplace projects and brings expertise in spatial strategy and the architecture of work, blending professional practice with academic inquiry.
• Dasha Morkovkina — Senior Landscape Architect (China, Russia)
• Tan Kean Tiong — Senior Transit Designer (Malaysia)
• Konstantinos Moustakas — Senior Architect (USA, Greece)
• David Chen — Senior Designer (China)
• Yu Feng Tu — Senior Designer (Japan, USA)
• Feiran Zou — Architect (China, Hong Kong)
• Jeanne Alnot — Architect & Graphics Designer (USA)
• Parker Li — Interior Designer (USA, China)
• Stefan Munteanu — Web Designer (Romania)
• Jasmine Zhu — Urban Research & Designer (USA, China)
• Dahan Xiong — Designer (USA, China)
• Maple Lin — Designer (USA, China)
• Wenqi Yang — Designer (China)
• Sihan Zhao — Junior Designer (USA)