bobi: The Art of Inhabiting the Infinite
PRODUCTION: Ademán
product photography:
Bobi
text: Sofia Arredondo
In the work of Roberto Michelsen, also known as 'Bobi', there emerges a vision that transcends the boundaries between design, architecture, and the intervention of habitable space. A multidisciplinary creator with both Scandinavian and Mexican roots, Roberto has devoted his life to exploring the profound dialogue between nature, aesthetics, and the practical function of objects and spaces. From his education at the Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM) and his international experience, including an exchange in Paris, his work reflects a tireless quest for creative freedom and harmonious interaction between the human and the environment.
Michelsen does not limit himself to a single formal language. He skillfully weaves together industrial design, architecture, and landscape into an aesthetic and functional discourse that always considers the human dimension. This search for synthesis, also unfolding between the artisanal and the industrial, is evident in his approach to furniture design, where each piece comes to life as a "being" that interacts with its surroundings. His work, far from being a collection of soulless forms, leans toward the sculptural and the poetic, with objects that possess their own personality while never losing sight of their functional purpose.
His vision is nourished by the concept of design as an extension of space and the people who inhabit it. Every project he undertakes is conceived as a stage where the material and immaterial — texture, light, and arrangement — engage in dialogue with the essence of what transpires there: be it the gastronomic experience in a restaurant, the functionality and aesthetics of an object, or the symbiosis between the human and the natural in a bee sanctuary.
His project, The Metropolitan Program for Bee and Pollinator Sanctuaries, is a clear example of his profound sensitivity to nature and contemporary ecological crises. This landscape and architectural intervention goes beyond mere space creation; it proposes a reconnection with vital processes and a reflection on the role of design in restoring balance between humanity and its environment.
Furniture, particularly in spaces like La Laguna or Bar Mini, which he co-founded, takes on a living dimension. The chairs, for instance, are not mere inert objects, but "small beings" that interact with those who occupy them and with the space that holds them. Michelsen approaches furniture as an extension of the interior landscape: practical, comfortable, and aesthetically committed. These pieces are not commercial in the usual sense, as their aesthetic weight turns them into small collectible works of art that are not compromised by market demands, preserving their artisanal essence.
INTERVIEWER
Your favorite land artwork that made the biggest impression on you?
bobi
I have not visited these works, so it’s only the photos I have seen of them. But I would have to say the Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. Ugo Rondinone’s radiantly colored stones piled in the desert called Magical Mountains,
and El Peine Del Viento by Eduardo Chillida.
INTERVIEWER
Favorite spice?
bobi
Is cheese a spice? Haha if not I would say salt.
INTERVIEWER
Do you play any instrument?
bobi
I play the drums since I was 14 years old. I have a music project called Pes Zol.
Your favorite land artwork that made the biggest impression on you?
bobi
I have not visited these works, so it’s only the photos I have seen of them. But I would have to say the Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. Ugo Rondinone’s radiantly colored stones piled in the desert called Magical Mountains,
and El Peine Del Viento by Eduardo Chillida.
INTERVIEWER
Favorite spice?
bobi
Is cheese a spice? Haha if not I would say salt.
INTERVIEWER
Do you play any instrument?
bobi
I play the drums since I was 14 years old. I have a music project called Pes Zol.
His creative process, both analog and manual, reveals the importance of drawing as a primary means of communication, both with his team and with the space itself. In each stroke, in each sketch, Michelsen seeks to capture the fluidity of ideas, the poetics of the space that will later be materialized in the object or the building. His method thus reflects the convergence between physics and craftsmanship, creating a dialogue between materials like metal, wood, and textiles, always with an eye toward sustainability and respect for the environment.
Roberto Michelsen is a creator in constant evolution, understanding design as a living, mutable process always in dialogue with its surroundings. In his practice, traditional categories blur, and his work becomes fertile ground where art, design, and architecture intertwine to generate spaces and objects that invite us to inhabit them and feel them. In this sense, Michelsen is not merely a designer of forms, but an architect of experiences — of moments inscribed in the body and memory — showing that the art of inhabiting is, ultimately, a creative and profoundly philosophical act.
Roberto Michelsen is a creator in constant evolution, understanding design as a living, mutable process always in dialogue with its surroundings. In his practice, traditional categories blur, and his work becomes fertile ground where art, design, and architecture intertwine to generate spaces and objects that invite us to inhabit them and feel them. In this sense, Michelsen is not merely a designer of forms, but an architect of experiences — of moments inscribed in the body and memory — showing that the art of inhabiting is, ultimately, a creative and profoundly philosophical act.