Anne Lacaton

Anne Lacaton is this academic year's Visiting Professor at the faculty. As one of the founding partners at the office Lacaton & Vassal architects in Paris, she is known for her accurate and in-depth analysis and societal engagement. With her office specialised in adaptive re-use projects, she develops smart and integrated approaches that revitalise existing buildings. Holding true to her credo ‘Transform, add, re-use, never demolish!’ she puts the building’s user, use and re-use first, resulting in modest projects that make a difference for its dwellers and context. The office is known for Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the FRAC in Dunkerque and the transformation of the Tour Bois le Prêtre housing block in Paris amongst other projects.

The office Lacaton & Vassal and the hosting chair Heritage & Design share a strong basis in analysis of the existing and both advocate an integrated design approach. This Visiting Professors program therefore stimulates interdisciplinary, linking heritage and re-use to other fields in architecture in order to share knowledge and exchange visions. Anne Lacaton will be co-leading master studio’s, workshops, on-going research projects on museums and housing upgrading, amongst other public activities.

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Missed Anne Lacaton’s public lecture? Watch it online now

Transformation of modernist blocks, 530 dwellings, Bordeaux, France, completion in 2016
Photo : ©Philippe Ruault