Consulting Collaborator

Michael Etzel is a thoughtful architect whose work reflects decades of exploration, collaboration, and innovation. Over the past 30 years, his design journey has been shaped by formative experiences, from the wild landscapes of the Pacific Northwest to the cultural intensity of New York City.

He began his career in the office of Bill Fletcher, immersed in a vision of Northwest modernism rooted in the rugged terrain and clarity of light unique to eastern Oregon. That early grounding carried forward as Michael spent two decades designing cultural and hospitality spaces around the world from a New York base, including time with the visionary studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, first architectural firm to receive the MacArthur “Genius” Grant.

Along the way, Michael served as Creative Director at the Rockwell Group and helped define the early design identity of Equinox Fitness Clubs as their founding Design Director.

Michael has also played a meaningful role in our own story.  First as a graduate school classmate of Howard Chu, then as an early and trusted advisor and mentor, he helped shape the early vision of ATELIER X DESIGN, encouraging us to embrace the idea of a Constellation Team - one that values collaboration, shared authorship, and a deep commitment to craft.