Roohollah (Rumi) Merrikhpour

Roohollah (Rumi) Merrikhpour is an accomplished industrial designer with a diverse academic background and over 15 years of experience in product design, furniture design, UX, sustainable design, and wood building design. He commenced his academic path in civil engineering, graduating in 2003, before embarking on his design journey at University of Tehran. There, he excelled, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design in 2008. Recognized for his academic excellence, Rumi secured a full scholarship for his Master of Fine Arts in Industrial Design, which he completed in 2011.

In 2013, Rumi moved to Detroit to obtain a second Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Design from College for Creative Studies in 2015. He co-founded Ritoon Design Studio with Rasoul Shokrani and has since been actively designing and producing innovative products showcased at prestigious international events such as the Toronto Interior Design Show, New York ICFF, Tokyo Designers Week, Stockholm Furniture Fair, and Seoul Design Market. Roohollah has won two A’ Design Awards in 2014 and 2016 and served as a jury member for the award since 2019. 

In 2021, Rumi moved to Canada to pursue his third Master’s degree in Integrated Wood Design from UNBC. Currently, he leverages his expertise as a designer and project manager. His teaching portfolio includes lecturing on diverse design topics at institutions such as the Art University of Isfahan, University of Tehran, and Sharif University of Technology. In 2024, he joined the Wilson School of Design, further enriching his academic contributions.