AWP, office for territorial reconfiguration (architecture, landscape, urbanism)
Founded as an architectural practice in 2003, AWP www.awp.fr had begun operating in 1998 as an interdisciplinary collective running exploration workshops of post industrial areas in Europe, that would later translate into exhibitions, films, soundscapes, performances, lectures and publications. The collective was also the nest for a post-jazz band (with brothers Armengaud playing drums and bass) that achieved exciting yet minor fame in the early 2000’s.
Once turned into a design oriented practice, AWP started by designing a water treatment unit, and several public spaces, while at the same time conducting an international research program on cities at night (the Troll Protocol). Theoretical and experimental works continued in the framework of exhibitions and festivals, such as Biennales (Rotterdam, Istanbul, Lisbon, Chicago), exhibitions at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal (Paris architecture centre), the Cité de l’Architecture, DAC, COAC BCN, Maxxxi, or the temporary occupation of the Palast der Republik in Berlin.
Since the late 2000’s, in addition to design projects like parks and public buildings, AWP has been conducting planning strategies of growing magnitude, such as Southern Geneva Mutation (PAV), The Paris-Orly airport public space redevelopment, Paris-La Défense CBD Key Plan, the IBA Parkstadt in the Netherlands, or urban developments in Lausanne, Nanterre, Newcastle, Frankfurt, Bordeaux.
AWP was granted several awards in France and Europe for Best architecture, landscape or planning firms under 45, in 2005, 2006 and 2010. Several of the wooden designs (Evry water Unit near Paris, and the Lantern in Sandnes, Norway) gained international reception and awards, including several nominations for the European Mies van der Rohe Award (2009, 2014, 2017). The Insect’s Museum near Paris was also awarded the best cultural building prize 2018 for France.
MATTHIAS ARMENGAUD
Born in 1975 (Paris), Matthias is an architect and urban designer, who studied at the ENSA Versailles, also attending a joint master program with the Versailles Landscape design school.
A founding member and co director of AWP office for territorial reconfiguration www.awp.fr : a multi scale practice experimenting made to measure tools and designs. Matthias is currently developing a variety of projects : a vision for the Greater Geneva, an Insects’ Museum, the mutation strategy for Paris la Defense CBD. Matthias is also active in AWP’s research and experiment, including exhibiting, lecturing and publishing.
Matthias is a visiting professor at ENSA Versailles at the Sustainable Planning Master Program. He also taught and lectured at the Berlage Institute-TU Delft, MIT, EPFL, NYU, Freiburg University, Cornell Architecture Faculty, TU Luxembourg, Graz Architecture School, the Stuttgart University, La Cambre-Brussels, Politecnico Milano, or the Oslo Architecture School. He is a guest of competition jurys in France, the Uk, Switzerland, or the Europan prize…
Matthias has earned awards such as « French Urban Planners Under 45 Award » (PJU, 2010), Best Young French Architects (NAJA, 2006), FJA (2000), or Tony Garnier prize by the French Academy of Architecture (2001). Projects by AWP have been nominated for the European Mies Van der Rohe Award in 2009, 2014, and 2017.
MARC ARMENGAUD
Born in 1971 (Paris), Marc studied philosophy at the Sorbonne, focussing on Maurice Merleau-Ponty and a transdisciplinary approach to Phenomenology. In parallel to researching and teaching, he was actively involved in writing hybrids of fiction and essays, and producing documentary-fictions for the french public radio « France Culture ».
Already a member of the interdisciplinary collective that would become AWP www.awp.fr, Marc is now co-directing the office with his brother Matthias. He develops research and experiment projects, directing publications, films and exhibitions. For instance, he curated the « Paris la Nuit » exhibition and authored its catalogue (2013, Pavillon de l’Arsenal – Paris). However, Marc is directly involved in design and planning projects.
Marc has been a tenure professor at Paris-Malaquais Architecture School since 2009. Teaching theory and studio, he has been actively involved in the Landscape and Territory department, with programs such as a ten year focus on Athens facing the crisis. He has published numerous books and articles. Marc also taught and lectured at the EPFL, Copenhagen Design School, University of Toronto, Helsinki Technical University, University of Winnipeg, or the American Planners’ Association annual conference…
