LAN

Profile

LAN (Local Architecture Network) was created by Benoît Jallon and Umberto Napolitano in 2002, with the idea of exploring architecture as an area of activity at the intersection of several disciplines. This attitude has developed into a methodology enabling LAN to explore new territories and forge a vision encompassing social, urban, functional and formal questions. LAN’s projects seek to find elegant, contemporary answers to creative and pragmatic concerns. The firm’s projects give shape to this universe at different scales and through very diverse programs.

LAN is in charge of the extension and renovation of the Grand Palais in Paris, the construction of the Maillon Theater in Strasbourg, and the development and coordination of new neighborhoods in Bordeaux and Nantes. With the belief that practice must be nurtured with research and theory, the firm is an active participant in contemporary debates around architecture, and regularly presents papers at conferences in Europe and the United States.

Umberto Napolitano was admitted to the French Academy of Architecture in 2016, and he currently teaches at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) in New York. LAN has received many prizes and awards. In 2004, the firm was included in the Nouveaux Albums de la Jeune Architecture (NAJA). In 2009, LAN received the International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Urban Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies, the Archi-Bau Award, the Special Prize at the 12th World Triennale of Architecture in Sofia, and in 2010, the AR Mipim Future Projects Award and the Europe 40 Under 40 Award.

In 2011 the firm was awarded at the LEAF Awards, the SAIE Selection Awards, and the Special Prize AMO Fondation d’Entreprise Excellence SMA. LAN won the silver medal at the Fassa Bortolo International Prize for Sustainable Architecture in 2012. In 2013, a Commendation for the Civic Trust Awards, the WAN Residential Award and first prize for BigMat France were conferred on LAN.

In 2014, the Euravenir Tower was nominated for the Prix de l’Équerre d’Argent and the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award. In 2015, the EDF Archives Centre was nominated for the Philippe Rotthier European Prize for Architecture, and the Neue Hamburger Terrassen received the International Architecture Awards (Chicago Athenaeum) and the Carl-Friedrich Fischer Preis 2014 – Humanes wohnen. That same year, the French Academy of Architecture gave LAN the Le Soufaché Award.


Awards

• Prix d’Architecture de Bretagne, 1st Prize, Living and working spaces, Saint-Jaques-de-la-Lande, 2016
• Commercial Building of the Year, Paris XVII, 2016
• Archimarathon Awards, Housing, Lormont, 2016
• AR Awards, 1st Prize, Housing, Bègles, 2016
• AZ Awards, Finalist, Housing, Bègles, 2016
• Copper in architecture awards, Honourable Mention, Lille, 2015
• Leaf Awards, Commercial Building of the year, Lille, 2015
• Trophées de la Construction Batiactu, Urban renovation, Paris XVII, 2015
• Prix Le Soufaché - Académie d’Architecture, Lille, 2015
• Holzbaupreis Bauen Mit Holz in Schleswig - Holstein Und Hamburg, Housing, Hamburg, 2015
• European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies Van der Rohe Award, Nomination, Lille, 2015
• Equerre d’argent, Nomination, Paris XVII, 2015
• Equerre d’argent, Nomination, Lille, 2014
• Carl - Friedrich Fischer Preis Humanes Wohnen, Hamburg, 2014
• International Architecture Awards, Housing, Hamburg, 2014
• Rethinking the Future Awards, Residential Concept, Bègles, 2014
• Prix Européen d’Architecture Philippe Rotthier, Architecture and Landscape, Bure, 2014
• Prix SMABTP, Pyramide d’Argent, Lille, 2014
• Bauwerk des Jahres AIV Hambourg, Nomination, Hamburg, 2013
• Bigmat France, Paris XVII, 2013
• Wan Residential Awards, Hamburg, 2013
• Civic Trust Awards, Paris XVIII, 2013
• Interarch 2012, Special prize of the american embassy of Sofia, 2012
• Europäische Architektur Preis, Bure, 2012
• Palmarès Archicontemporaine, Working spaces & Activities, Bure, 2012
• Les Grands Paris du Logement, Urbanism and Landscape, Laureate, Bègles, 2012
• International Prize for Sustainable Architecture Fassa Bortolo, Built projects, Silver Medal, Bure, 2012
• Prix AMO, Prix de la fondation d’entreprise excellence SMA, Paris XVIII, 2011
• Leaf Awards, Best Sustainable Development in keeping with its Environment, Bure, 2011
• SAIE Selection Award, Young Architects - 1st Prize - Section Brick, Paris XVIII, 2011
• Europe 40 Under 40 Awards, Europe’s Emerging Young Architects and Designers, 2010
• SAIE Selection Awards, 2nd Prize, Bure, 2010
• MIPIM AR Future, Project Awards, Residential Buildings Category, 1st Price, Mina El Hosn, 2010
• SAIE Selection Awards, Paris XX, 2009
• International Architecture Awards, 2nd Prize, Paris XX, 2009
• Interarch, Special price by the Architects Society of Sofia / 1st Price for the most original monography publication about young architects, You can Be Young and an Architect, 2009
• Interarch, Special prize of the society of Architects in Sofia, 2009
• World Architecture Community Awards, Honour Mention, 2008
• 10 Best Young Italian Architects - N.I.B, 1st Prize, 2008
• Architects under 36 - Experiencias 36, Awarded, 2008
• Rizoma Architectural Biennale Of New Generation, Awarded, 2008
• Première Oeuvre Cogedim, 2nd Prize, 2005
• Nouveaux Albums des jeunes Architectes - Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, Awarded, 2004
• Europan 7 - Riga, Latvia, Mention, 2003


Publications

• Traces, French edition, LAN Architecture,Actar - Archibooks, Barcelone, 2013
• Traces, English edition, LAN Architecture, Actar, Barcelone, 2013
• 27. A Journey through contemporary architecture in Europe, Archibooks, Paris, 2012 (in progress)
• HERE ARE n°1, EDF Archives Centre, English and French edition, LAN Architecture, texts by Manuel Orazi, translation by Nick, Hargreaves, Liliana Valli, Wordshop. AAM/Ante Prima, Brussels/Paris,December 2011
• Welcome to Saint Mesmes, English - French - Italian editions, LAN Architecture,texts by Manuel Orazi and Carine Merlino,translation Marianna Pavlova, Liliana Valli,Alessandra Asteriti.AAM/Ante Prima, Brussels/Paris, Silvana, Editoriale, Milan, 2009
• You can be young and an architect, English and French edition, LAN Architecture + Guests, texts by Hugues Jallon, translation Nick Hargreaves, AAM/Ante Prima, Brussels/Paris, 2008