Septembre

The architecture collective SEPTEMBRE was founded by Sami Aloulou, Memia Belkaid, Emilia Jansson, Dounia Hamdouch and Lina Lagerström.

Converging paths
From the beginning of our collaboration, the equation was: How to assimilate within the same practice our different personalities, cultures and backgrounds and how to ensure a consistent posture in a production that covers a wide variation of scales?

Septembre is a collective built around five members. Through this configuration we want to translate the enthusiasm that characterizes our collaborative practice. The group brings together architects from varied origins (France, Sweden, Morocco and Tunisia) each one with a different background, sensitivity and with complementary skills in the fields of architecture, urban planning and interior design). With five permanent members and at least as many ideas confronted with each new project. The internal organization of Septembre makes it concretely horizontal, democratic and assures an abundant production.

Asserting a coherent design approach
We like the idea of ​​being constantly in a process of research both in the design of projects in the working method. We never start from a preconceived idea in response to a given problem, but operate as a think-tank in which everyone expresses his/hers ideas. All answers are then discussed and criticized in order to draw guidelines that will fuel our collective vision and hence the project.
We gradually developed a working method that is similar to research conducted by the project, where the project is not the answer to achieve, but an instrument of investigation and refinement of the final answer. Our intention is to affirm the consistency of our work through a process and not through an image.

Varying contexts and scales of intervention
We pay the same attention and strive to develop the same critical attitude whatever the scale of the project, from the drawing of a door handle to the design of a public square. We also seek to vary the contexts of intervention, the type of program.. The diversity of our projects is the urge to question new places, to blend into a given context, and we approach each condition imposed on a project as an opportunity rather than a constraint.


Biography:

Dounia Hamdouch (1976, Casablanca, Morocco)

2006 - Architects degree DPLG at Ecole d'Architecture de Paris La Villette
2001 - Interior architect at Ecole Camondo in Paris

Experience in various architectural offices in Paris since 2002, mainly in collective housing projects, from design phase to construction site supervision.

Emilia Jansson (1980, Växjö, Sweden)

2007 - Master degree of architecture at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg
2004 - Erasmus exchange year at Ecole d'Architecture de Paris La Villette

Two years' professional experience in Shanghai, China in various projects ranging from private residences, residential towers and offices. Experience in Paris in collective housing projects, from design to construction site supervision.


Lina Lagerstrom (1979, Kalmar, Sweden)

2007 - Master degree of architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm
2004 - Erasmus exchange year at Ecole d'Architecture de Paris La Villette

Professional experience in Japan. Experience in projects of various scales in many different countries such as France, Sweden, Japan, and Cuba.


Memia Belkaid (1982, Hammamet, Tunisia)

2009 - Degree in Urban planning at the University Paris 1 Panthéon - Sorbonne in Paris
2007 - Master degree of architecture (HMO architect) at Ecole d'Architecture de Paris La Villette

Three years of experience in urban programming, forecasting and urban strategies for various local authorities in France.
Experience in assistance and advice to public projects in the early phases of development projects.


Sami Aloulou (1982, Tunis, Tunisia)

2009 - Degree in Urban planning at Planning Institute of Paris
2007 - Master degree of architecture (HMO architect) at the Ecole d'Architecture de Paris La Villette

Experience in the design and monitoring of development projects as well as large-scale studies of territorial strategies.
Experience in the field of architecture and urban planning cultural facilities