A shift from the past

MS: The architecture profession has undergone a radical transformation. Around 10 or 15 years ago, when I was a student, we were focused on star architects like Jean Nouvel, Winy Maas, Zaha Hadid, and Rem Koolhaas. There were iconic competitions, and we almost deified this kind of architecture and practice. Then, about 15 years ago in France, the ‘French Touch’ emerged—a bit controversial in both form and content, but we learned from it. At the same time, many competitions emerged globally, bringing new methods and ways to build. Today, we have a generation of young architects who have learned from past mistakes. The field is now dotted with small practices, leading to diverse approaches and pushing architecture forward. France has an abundance of talented architects, with almost 50% concentrated in Paris due to historical and cultural factors. However, a new generation is also emerging from suburban and rural areas, which is an exciting development. Now, small practices are developing new projects and exploring different construction materials and methods, such as rammed earth, timber, and even massive stone. Opportunities exist across all project scales, offering architects the chance to experiment with new ideas through both public and private commissions. On one hand, there are private, small-scale projects like flat refurbishments and conversions. At the other, French architectural culture is deeply rooted in competitions—the renowned concours. Many young agencies struggle to participate in these competitions despite low pay, using them as a way to gain recognition and secure projects.

Building experience with established partners

MS: In France, you must be selected to compete in competitions, submitting documentation before being chosen to compete against three to five other firms. This is one of the trickiest parts of the job. However, some competitions, like “Réinventer”, are open—similar to the Swiss model. Our practice won a Réinventer Paris 2 with a project proposal for an abandoned metro station (Métro Croix-Rouge)—which gave our studio a bit of visibility. At the same time, we participated in another competition in the suburbs of Paris with my former firm, Baumschlager Eberle Architekten, who brought me in as a young partner. This experience helped us build references, which are essential for securing new projects and upscaling. When you are a small practice, you need to join forces with a larger office to be able to work on projects that you couldn't access on your own or on fields where you don't have reference.

At our studio, we believe in balancing competition-based and direct commissions. Some projects come from clients who provide a site and ask us to explore possibilities. These more stable, recurring projects help sustain the studio, while competitions offer the potential for breakthroughs. Young architects like us face a vicious cycle: to enter competitions, they need references, but without prior projects, they can’t qualify. That’s why partnerships with larger firms are crucial when you begin. Many competitions even require collaborations between established firms and younger offices, which helps emerging architects gain visibility. We continue to develop consortia with firms like Kuehn Malvezzi, OFFICE KGDVS and Mesura and many others as well as international offices needing local partners. This approach allows us to participate in major competitions and gain experience.

Turning obstacles into strengths

MS: When I left my former firm, I started working independently with Edouard first and then with Anaïs, my partner at Studio SAME, focusing on small projects—retail spaces, flats, and so on. However, having worked on large-scale projects for years, we wanted to transition to building-scale architecture. We pursued consortiums and partnerships, leading to two key projects. One was a 25,000-square-meter laboratory and office project in Villejuif, near Paris, which we won with Baumschlager Eberle Architekten. This massive project helped structure our firm. The second was the open competition Réinventer Paris, where we won the refurbishment of a metro station near Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Unfortunately, COVID-19 halted that project, but it was an exciting concept—transforming the station into a gastronomic market and unique public space. These early projects gave us visibility, media coverage, and financial stability, allowing us to establish our practice. Since then, we've continued to pursue competitions and projects.

Difficult moments in life and career often present opportunities to rethink and evolve. We experienced two major setbacks—one in Paris and one in Villejuif. The Villejuif project, initially planned as an office development, was disrupted by COVID-19, as remote work made traditional office spaces less relevant. However, we found a new client who repurposed it into a laboratory, ultimately improving its quality and innovation. The second project, a coworking space in Paris near République, also collapsed due to COVID-19, as demand for shared office spaces declined. Instead of abandoning the project, we worked with the client to explore alternative uses, conducting feasibility studies to assess possibilities like residential units, a fitness centre, or an educational facility. Ultimately, we transformed it into a training centre for adults, which turned out to be the best fit.

Architecture is cyclical—moving between crises and high demand. When the market peaks, a downturn often follows, forcing reinvention. Over the past five to ten years, as Studio SAME has grown, we’ve seen a shift toward a new architectural mindset—one more focused on materials, functionality, and aesthetics. The younger generation of architects is working collaboratively, sharing experiences and research across countries. Unlike in the past, when architecture revolved around a few star architects, today’s approach is more about collective knowledge and networking across small firms. This, for me, is the most valuable way to advance architecture.

‘Slow tech’, lasting impact

MS: The architecture field is highly competitive, especially in Paris, France, and across Europe. High standards push firms to innovate and stand out. At Studio SAME, we focus on new construction methods and materials. For instance, we’re currently researching brick blocks as an affordable, sustainable, and aesthetically appealing building material. We aim to challenge perceptions—demonstrating that materials often considered unattractive can be used to create beautiful and high-quality architecture.

We won an international competition in Saint-Germain-en-Laye called iXcampus. It is a design school close to Paris, not far from the quarries that supplied the stone for Haussmann’s Paris. The stone, called pierre de taille, comes from about 60 kilometres away, so we decided to experiment with this material for the project. While responding to the program, site, and client needs, we first committed to using this material, building the project around it. This decision allowed us to source materials locally, reducing carbon impact and offering an alternative to concrete construction. At the same time, it tied the project to the historic architectural language of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where massive stone was traditionally used. The approach combines cultural continuity with sustainability.

We refer to this approach as ‘slow tech’. It’s not about reinventing construction but about reinterpreting traditional materials and techniques in a contemporary way. We are using the same construction methods as before but shaping the building in a modern way. This approach helps reduce our carbon footprint while reinforcing cultural identity. It creates a strong narrative—context and materiality inform the project, making architecture meaningful.

The Storyboard

MS: The studio currently has fewer than a dozen people, mainly architects, but we are also investing in expertise beyond architecture. We have one person handling communication and business development, and another dedicated to research. Even as a small studio, we prioritise research to maintain an intellectual approach to architecture rather than repeating solutions from project to project. We also invest in methodological tools. For the past year, we’ve been developing a system called Storyboard. It structures the entire project, from the conceptual phase to execution, creating a clear narrative. This helps us maintain rigour in our architectural process while effectively communicating with clients.

Storyboard consists of five main steps: Anchoring, which means analysing the site, regulations, and program. Conceptualising, which means developing iconography, models, and initial design intentions. Shaping, which implies defining volume, structure, envelope, and spatial organisation. Building, which is the process of detailing, prototyping, and refining execution. And finally, there is conveying, which means communicating the project and its innovations. We developed Storyboard through internal workshops, refining how we think about and present architecture. This methodological tool is both a project memory, a design and presentation guide for the Studio. It provides a foundation for the conceptual genesis of each project, clarifies the choices made throughout the design process, and is also an excellent means of archiving iterative exchanges with the client. To summarise, it is a chronological and narrative guideline of all our projects, available to everyone involved in SAME projects.

Future challenges

MS: Right now we have several ongoing projects in Paris and the suburbs, both on our own and as part of a team with other architects. Even if our priority at the moment is to deliver our first major projects, including the school in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the laboratory office in Villejuif, we are also focused on several competitions recently won or in progress. One example is in the city centre of Paris close to St Augustin, in collaboration with Tolila+Gilliland Atelier d’Architecture. The project involves the refurbishment and conversion of a Haussmann-style block of flats from offices to residential accommodation, where the notion of heritage combined with a contemporary approach is studied. At a similar scale, we are also developing a social housing project and a suburban hotel. It's a radically different project in terms of its approach, since it involves new construction on a site where, for the moment, nothing has been designated yet, neither the roadways nor the green spaces. Everything has to be created from scratch. 

Finally, we are developing projects outside our borders, in Quebec (CA) and England (UK), where we are due to complete our first project in 2026. There is currently a shift in France in the industry, and we see it as an opportunity to explore new ways of expressing architecture. The situation is evolving, and we are deeply optimistic! Looking ahead, we hope to have greater control over project selection, focusing on cultural and international work. Collaboration with leading partners in the field of bio and geo-sourced architecture in Europe and around the world is a key objective.