Lan paris architectes

LAN (Local Architecture Network) was created by Benoit 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, which has now become a methodology, allows the agency to explore new territories in search of a vision integrating solutions for social, urban, ecological and functional issues. 

The firm’s projects reflect this spirit of openness and cover a wide range of scales and programs: the extension of the MAXXI Museum in Rome, the Maillon theater (2020 Equerre d'argent), the Euravenir tower (nominated for the 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award and Prix Soufaché of the Academy  of Architecture), the experimental housing in Bègles (2016 Venice Biennale), the student residence  on Rue Pajol in Paris (first national BigMat prize), the EDF Archive Center (2011 Leaf Awards), the Neue Hamburger Terrassen (International Architecture  Awards in 2014) are some of the iconic operations that the office has produced over the last two decades. 

LAN is currently working on projects in Europe (France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Slovenia) and is expanding internationally through projects in the Middle East and Asia. 

In addition to architectural and urban design, the office is actively involved in disciplinary debate and is developing significant theoretical concepts through exhibitions (Venice Biennale in 2016, Haussmann - A model's relevance at the Pavillon de l'Arsenal in 2017), publications (Traces in 2012, Napoli Super Modern in 2020) and conferences.

Since 2019 two new projects have emerged in the LAN ecosystem: the Research Laboratory dedicated to Architecture and Reality (RAAR) and the Pianoterra gallery restaurant.  

Teaching and transmission are also part of the transversal and transdisciplinary vision. 

Umberto Napolitano has been professor at Columbia University GSAPP in New York (USA) and at the AA School of Architecture in London (UK), and currently teaches at the TU in Vienna. 

He has been a member of the French Academy of Architecture since 2016.

The two partners of the office were named Chevaliers de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2018.