RESIDENTIAL:
HUGUES AZAMBRE
M.Arch - HMONP - On path to OAA licensure
Licenced Architect in France - Architectural designer - Bilingual French/English
I believe that every architect has the power to enhance individuals' quality of life through research, design, planning, attention to detail, and thoughtful dialogue. I am also convinced that architects play a pivotal role in driving the transition toward a more sustainable way of living. By making intentional choices, we have the continuous opportunity to think outside the box, challenge conventions, and ultimately make a meaningful impact.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Office Ou, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Senior Architectural Design Technologist
- Design documentation, renderings and permit drawings for "missing middle" building
January 2024 - Now
July 2020 - January 2023
- Produce and review drawings for all design phases for high-end single-family housing projects
- Concept design documentation and rendering for open architectural competition submissions
- Establishing partnerships with European architectural and engineering firms for RFP submissions
Groupe Arcane Architectes, Paris, France
Architect - junior project manager
- All design and documentation phases for renovation and extension of existing multi-storey buildings
- Revitalization and renewal concept design competitions for multifamily housing
- BIM production, management and coordination on various models for specific operational uses
Ateliers O-S architectes, Paris, France
January - March 2019
July - December 2018
July - September 2015
Intern Architect
- Concept design competition for multifamily housing
JKLN Architecte, Paris, France
Intern Architect
- Concept design competitions: multifamily housing, mixed-use buildings
- Design development and construction documents for multifamily housing
Brenac & Gonzalez & Associés, Paris, France
Architectural intership
- Urban design, furniture design, concept design competition: offices
ACCOMPLISHMENTS & COMPETITIONS
Spring 2019
Spring 2017
Spring 2016
SKILLS
Design competition for the "Institut de France"
- Redefining the spaces avalaible for the library inside a remarkable historical building (Paris, France)
Multi-Comfort House Student Contest Edition
2nd national place
- Regeneration and extension of two existing buildings in a changing neighborhood (Madrid, Spain)
Isover Multi-Comfort House Student Contest Edition
1rst national place
- Designing a sustainable community, mixing of townhouses and multifamily housing (Minsk, Belarus)
3D Modeling and rendering
Archicad
Revit
Lumion
Rhino 3D
Autocad
Twinmotion
Graphic design and analysis
Photoshop
InDesign
Illustrator
Microsoft Office
Dialux
Grasshopper
CERTIFICATIONS
January 2025
March 2021
October 2022
EDUCATION
Canadian Architectural Certification board
- Educational Credential Assement (ECA) completed
FCBA technological institute
- Urban densification and timber frame construciton: extension of existing buildings
Center of formation on Environment, City and Architecture: EVA & CERTIVEA
- Building in a ciruclar economy: Low carbon and sustainable design
Authorisation to practice : «Maîtrise d’Oeuvre en son Nom Propre»
École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris Malaquais, Paris, France
«Project management in one’s own name», equivalent of registerd architect
- Architect registration thesis: Stakes and limits of a specialized firm in a booming market
Master’s degree in Architecture, graduated with honours
École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris Malaquais, Paris, France
- Master’s thesis: Images in print media, a tool to shape the story of contemporary architecture
International exchange semester
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism: Fall term: Urbanity, Dwelling and community
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris Malaquais, Paris, France
- Bachelor’s thesis: France’s embassies, a manifesto for french architecture ?
OTHER ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES
University Pierre et Marie Curie
2009 - 2012
REFERENCES
Nicolas Koff
Estelle Hopsort
Jasmine Kenniche le Nouëne
Xavier Gonzalez
Marc Benard
CONTACT
- Biochemistry, bachelor program
Direct contact information available upon request
Founding Partner, Office Ou, 165 Lauder Av, Toronto, Canada
Managing Partner, Groupe Arcane Architecte, 6 rue Mercœur, 75011 Paris, France
Founding Partner, JKLN Architecte, 15 Rue René Boulanger, 75010 Paris, France
Founding Partner, Brenac&Gonzalez&Associés, 36 Rue des Jeûneurs, 75002 Paris, France
Professor Emeritus TPCAU, ENSAPM, Paris, France
Founding Partner, Equateur , 68 Boulevard de Sebastopol, 75003 Paris, France
Associate Professor TPCAU, ENSAPM, Paris, France
h.azambre@gmail.com +1 (647) 390-3974
Ontario
Linkedin Toronto,
Porfolio
HOUSING: FROM THE GROUND UP
Location: Paris, France
Type: Multifamily housing
Frim: JKLN
Role: Design development and Construction documents
Date: 2018
Budget: 3,9M€
Size: 1700 m2 Carpet Area
Located in an ever-changing neighborhood, this project is an integral part of a larger development featuring 135 residential units and a school. This particular building, consisting of 23 modern flats, serves as a muchneeded link between the existing nearby residences and the forthcoming structures. Rather than being a stand-alone building, it integrates with the street front, creating a harmonious urban continuum.
Simplicity in materials, movements, and shapes accentuates the details of the preassembled concrete facade, especially the openwork railings. They allow ample natural light to flow into the condos while preserving the privacy of its inhabitants. The regularity of the floor plan offers generous exterior spaces for residents, allowing a seamless connection between the indoor and outdoor through private loggias allocated to each family.
The palette of "sand" tones vary according to the degree of intimacy of the spaces
Interior atmospheres
The combination of a wooden bearing structure, and a self-supporting precast concrete facade, facilitates a clean and efficient building phase
CURVES OF TIME
Location: Paris, France
Type: Multifamily housing
Frim: JKLN
Role: Concept design
Date: 2017
Budget: 2M€
Size: 850 m2 Carpet Area
Various priorities in the previous periods have led to a shift in the street front. This building is located at the junction between these timelines. A blind sidewall with a geometrical stone layout, as an archeological relic, will be the witness of the evolution of the street. The rest of the building is all about letting light enter smoothly in the living spaces. A central concave composition allows to capture diverse orientations and animates the
plan. Organized by gradual slides, the facade creates a rhythm while reducing the depth of the blind gable.
The design proposed for the project aligns with criteria for urban integration, longevity, and the required maintenance for an undertaking of this nature. The objective is to provide a discreet and elegant architecture that can effectively mediate between the historic fabric and the modern context of the street
The thickness of the massive stone facade ensures that the facade is selfsupporting, waterproof, and with great thermal inertia for maximal comfort
Parti diagram
LANDSCAPED ISLAND
Location: Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Type: Multifamily housing
Frim: JKLN
Role: Concept design
Date: 2017
Budget: 4.5M€
Size: 2070 m2 Carpet Area
In a tranquil and linear street, the project introduces variations in depth to assert its presence in a subtle manner.
Along the front side, the mosaic gridlike façade serves as a protective filter, safeguarding the inner gardens from any disturbances at street level. The lower protective layer gradually recedes as the levels ascend, giving rise to a multitude of balconies. This attenuation of the building's mass not only enhances its
visual appeal but also affords diverse perspectives of the surroundings.
On the rear side of the structure, the emphasis shifts to seamlessly integrating nature into each apartment. Through expanses of generously glazed areas that extend beyond the primary façade plane, residents can disconnect from the urban mineralogy and relish a small semblance of wilderness.
The judicious juxtaposition of mass-colored and bush-hammered concrete results in a harmoniously unified warm stone-colored façade appearing smooth from afar
Parti diagram
Cross section, axonometric view
HOUSING: RENEWAL & RENOVATION
NANTERRE
Location: Nanterre, France
Type: Retrofit & Reclad
Frim: Groupe Arcane Architectes
Role: Concept design
Date: 2023
Budget: Undisclosed
Size: 540 condos
These iconic buildings designed by Bernard Zehrfuss are infused with the ideals of the mid-1950s. However, the evolution of public space usage combined with land pressure and security concerns, have depraved the building of its original qualities. The once generous and open ground floor has been occupied by shops and storage units, concealing the massive concrete pillars and obstructing the views to and from the gardens.
The goal is to reintroduce the building's original essence while adapting to contemporary constraints. Reinstating an open and traversable ground level is essential, as well as reviving the notion of a visible structure, only this time, it’s supporting the newly added balconies. To counterbalance the linear and imposing scale of these buildings, foldable aluminum cladding adorned with golden edges were randomly placed.
Transcending the linearity of a simple form with subtle angles at every scale
Parti diagram
Location: Paris, France
Type: Renovation & Landscaping
Frim: Groupe Arcane Architectes
Role: Design from concept to construction & BIM Managment
Date: 2022-2023
Budget: 5,8M€
Size: 7500 m2 Carpet Area
Situated directly adjacent to the stone wall of the Père Lachaise cemetery, this notable complex of three brick buildings erected in the late 1930s, faces the challenges of evolving times, both in terms of environmental factors and functional requirements.
Technical upgrades to the building are necessary to achieve better interior comfort. A comprehensive reimagining of outdoor spaces, complemented by the
incorporation of diverse amenities on the ground floor is proposed to rethink the residents' habits. Moreover, to respond to the local population requirements, certain apartments have undergone thorough reconfiguration, responding better to small family needs or adjustments to floor plans to enhance accessibility for individuals with reduced mobility.
Advanced BIM design facilitates more effective long-term building oversight
A technical, yet unobtrusive intervention, to modernize and enhance its internal comfort without compromising the external aesthetic
GARGES
Location: Garges-Lès-Gonesses, France
Type: Renovation & Reclad
This neighborhood is one of the numerous collective housing neighborhoods in Garges, it’s located south of the main road that divides the
buildings gravitate around it, while others face areas mostly designated for parking. These buildings were constructed in the mid-1960s, following the classic style typical of that era. The residence is mostly open to public access, promoting a permeable interaction with its surroundings. The spaces between the buildings are all accessible, allowing all facades to be visible to both residents
Establish a coherence among buildings that exhibit divergent architectural styles by accentuating the original graphic lines inherent to the buildings' structures
EUROPE SCHUMAN
Location: Colombes, France
Type: Housing, Renovation
Frim: Groupe Arcane Architectes
Role: Construction documents
Date: 2021
Budget: 10,3 M€
Size: 17 357 m2 Carpet Area
Although located on the outskirts of the city, the residence benefits from a strategic position, close to the city center, shops, amenities, and public transportation. Additionally, the site is at the intersection of two important axes, which will soon accommodate the extension of Tramway. This intersection is marked by the presence of an Olympic Stadium, the future venue for official Field Hockey competitions for the 2024
Olympics. The architectural design of the facades, combined with the natural aging of the building and the materials used at the time of construction, has resulted in various manifestation of decay and discomforts for tenants.
The project has simple objectives: to enhance the architectural heritage and bring it into the present time to equally coexist with the newer buildings and to improve its energy performance.
Be a beacon of sustainability by employing enduring, low-maintenance materials
COPING:
Lacquered aluminum
PARAPET:
Masonry height increased
Existing handrail removed
INSULATION: Rock wool 14cm
WATERPROOFING REVITALIZATION:
Insulation on parapet + flashing band
WATERPROOFING + INSULATION:
Existing preserved
INSULATION:
Former EMI removed, 22cm rock wool
CLADDING:
Fiber cement
Copanel Hydro series, smooth finish Dark gray, ventilated
CARPENTRY:
Insulating extension around windows Thickness > 4cm
HEAD: Lacquered aluminum
CARPENTRY:
Fixed window, integrated PVC shutter box Retrofit installation, existing frame preserved
FRAMING: Lacquered aluminum
SILL:
Lacquered aluminum drip
Natural shade
CLADDING:
Fiber cement
Copanel Hydro series, smooth finish Dark gray, ventilated
BASE:
Existing sill preserved and insulated
BASE: Siporex
INSULATION:
Former EMI removed, 22cm rock wool
FRAMING:
Fiber cement cladding
Copanel Hydro series, smooth finish
Dark gray, ventilated
Detail, section and axonometric representation
BAPTIST'S VINE
Location: Villiers-le-Bel, France
Type: Housing, Renovation
Frim: Groupe Arcane Architectes
Role: Design Development and Construction Documents
Date: 2020
Budget: 7,6M€
Size: 21 893 m2 Carpet Area
On the fringes of the city, where a former vineyard once grew, stands a once pleasant ensemble of structures enveloping landscaped gardens. The swift urban expansion, simmering social tensions, and escalating demand for social housing have compelled the city council to reassess this arrangement. To improve circulation and avert the creation of sprawling sectors devoid of vehicular access, a fresh thoroughfare will be
conceived, accompanied by its edifices, linking the primary parking area with the rear of the plot and its surroundings. Concurrent with the urban renewal, the entire ground level must adapt to embrace the influx of individuals stemming from these newfound entry points. Additionally, the enhancement of the water distribution network and interior finishes within each residence presents alternatives to the pre-existing installations.
Align building envelope with standard requisites, while contemporizing its aes- thetic to harmonize with the architectural development of the neighborhood
Multiple
scales
of intervention Projected transformations, rendring and photo
WHITE CLOAK
Location: Madrid, Espagne
Type: Renewal: city block
Collaboration: Charles Bugny, Thomas Magnaval
Role: Concept design
Date: 2017
Mentoring: Marc Benard
This project aims to requalify both existing buildings and the surrounding public space. The approach involves enveloping the entire site with a new skin, creating a visual and conceptual unity to the project.
This new envelope encompasses the structural and insulating needs for the buildings, as well as a circulation framework that serves for the placement of the new outdoors activities in the park.
The intervention creates a new micro social center in a neighborhood that has become a mere dormitory. The project's ambition is to recreate a dynamic social life throughout the year in an aging neighborhood and to promote a new way of living, using, and sharing public space for residents and passersby.
Parti diagram
Cross section
Unify the park and the newly extended building by a common aesthetic to better invite to share the new living spaces created
Detail, facade extension
MIXED USED: SYMBIOTISM
SOHO BACKYARD
Location: Les Courtillières, France
Type: Renewal & Flex spaces
Collaboration: Hugo Taillardat, Antoine Chauvin, Seongmoon Yoo
Role: Concept Design
Date: 2020
Since the Modernist era, zoning urbanism has sought to separate workplaces from "non-work life" spaces. This simplistic assumption about the nature of work, which considers offices, like industries, to be set apart from residential areas, assumes an obvious perspective. However, the evolution of work patterns tends towards a fragmentation of these monofunctional areas.
The very recent health crisis since
spring 2020 has also demonstrated that work can be integrated into a domestic living environment. This phenomenon is not new, and at various times, forms of integration have developed: the Haussmannian building, the Californian garage, and more recently, SoHo. We draw lessons from these examples to envision future workplaces on multiple scales, as it can take diverse forms and be integrated into residential fabrics.
Rethinking the workplace as a living situation, with various temporalities, as an appropriate, customizable and reversible space
Cross section, pavilions & site
Location: Bagnolet, France
Type: Community & sports center
Collaboration: Seongmoon Yoo
Role: Concept Design
Date: 2019
Mentoring: P. Garcia, M.Mercuriali
Size: 3420m2 Carpet Area
The sports project consists of three fundamental principles. The first is the reuse of existing levels to create a programmatic base, onto which a suspended volume is attached, serving as a landmark for the entire site. Numerous paths for users are created on the surfaces of these different volumes.
The suspended volume, like a lantern, is supported by the concrete shell, which also serves as a climbing
wall. The sports facility is situated at the center of the redevelopment intervention, aiming to connect the centrality created to the East by the two new cultural and logistical programs, the garden to the South, and the motel and train station complex to the West. The ground floor is organized around a central axis that serves the various activity areas. This layout optimizes the reuse of the existing concrete structure.
Parcours
The
Espaces sportifs principaux: 1035 m2
Espaces sportifs secondaires: 970 m2
Espaces sportifs principaux: 1035 m2
Espaces sportifs secondaires: 970 m2
Espaces detentes et bureaux: 365 m2
Espaces detentes et bureaux: 365 m2
Espaces techniques: 235m2
Espaces techniques: 235m2
Vestiaires: 260 m2
Vestiaires: 260 m2
Circulation et hall: 555 m2
Circulation et hall: 555 m2
V 0 1 0
reuse of existing levels to create a programmatic base, and a reconversion that makes possible to articulate all the circulations of the Peninsula intervention
Axonométrie de circulation
Plans de Rdc et R+3 avec toiture sportive
The glass volume floating like a lantern carried by the concrete shell serving as a climbing wall, a new signal for the neighborhood
WOLF'S LOWLAND
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Type: Urban expansion
Frim: JKLN
Role: Concept design
Date: 2017
Budget: Undisclosed
Size: 23 153 m2 Carpet Area
The runoff emanating from the mineral surfaces of the edifices is channelled into a network of interlinked swales. This expanse functions as a dynamic ecological corridor, bedecked with trees, shrubbery, and grasses, interspersed within the rich soil lining the swales. This arrangement amplifies the seasons' nuances while offering a flourishing habitat for indigenous fauna. Elevated wooden walkways traverse
this domain, facilitating unimpeded permeability and minimal disruption to the natural realms.
Three primary plazas are strategically positioned, serving as focal points in proximity to significant public entrances and commercial zones. The privacy of flats is safeguarded from this vibrant periphery by a vegetative buffer shielding views and mitigating noise.
Parti diagram
THE CITY OF TASTE
Location: Paris, France
Type: Logistical, Commercial, Educationnal, Hospitality, & Renovation
Date: 2019
Mentoring: Xavier Gonzalez, Emmanuel Person
The "Cité du Goût" is a showcase for responsible food practices at the heart of the Île de la Cité. It is first and foremost part of an extensive territory, that of the Seine Valley, and brings the best of these regions to the center of the capital by boat, aiming to promote an alternative to the environmentally detrimental and saturated road logistics. At the scale of Paris, it aspires to address the growing concern of Parisians and
some visitors about sustainable urban food. To achieve this, it gathers practices that aim to communicate, explain, and demonstrate the means to minimize the transportation and costs of food consumed in Paris. Products transported by boat and locally produced vegetables in underground or greenhouse cultures allow the smooth operation of all the facilities.
Educate through the culinary experience to alternatives of production and consumption in the city
Parti diagram
Flux issus du transport fluvial
Flux issus de la production locale
Flux issus des visiteurs
Cross section, Iceberg
Architectural designer Hugues Azambre
Licenced architect in France