What Moreau Kusunoki does

Moreau Kusunoki is a privately held architecture firm founded in Paris in 2011–2012 by co-directors Hiroko Kusunoki (Japanese) and Nicolas Moreau (French), operating from headquarters at 5 rue de Nemours in Paris and a second office in Sydney. The firm designs cultural, civic, educational, residential, and public-space projects, with a portfolio spanning museums and cultural institutions (Centre Pompidou 2030, Powerhouse Parramatta, Guggenheim Helsinki competition entry, National Lighthouse Museum, House of Cultures and Memories in Cayenne), educational facilities (Sciences Po campus, high schools in Champigny-sur-Marne), civic and judicial buildings (Toulon Courthouse, European Parliament Paul-Henri Spaak competition), public spaces (Paris High Court Plaza, Noisy-le-Grand Esplanade), residential (Timber Tower B1B2, House in an Oasis in AlUla), and specialist industrial/craft facilities (Hermès Leatherworks in Bordeaux).

The firm's design philosophy is anchored in the Japanese concept of 'Ma' (間) — interstitial or 'in-between' space — and is delivered through a combination of conventional architectural practice and a small set of proprietary technical contributions, most notably the 'Lattice3' structural exoskeleton concept co-developed with Jun Sato Structural Engineers for Powerhouse Parramatta, and expertise in sustainable timber construction achieving NF Habitat HQE Excellent 8*, BBCA, and E+C- environmental certifications on the B1B2 Timber Tower.

Revenue is generated through professional service fees on architectural design commissions, sourced almost exclusively through international design competitions and direct commissions from public-sector and institutional clients (French government agencies, museums, universities, regional councils) with occasional private-sector clients (notably Hermès). Project teams are typically built around Moreau Kusunoki as lead designer in collaboration with specialist engineering partners (ARUP, Jun Sato, EDEIS, DEP), local architecture firms (Genton in Sydney, Wilmotte & Associates in Paris), and co-designers (Frida Escobedo Studio on Centre Pompidou 2030). The firm does not disclose revenue, has no external investment, and is estimated to operate with a core team of roughly 20–30 architects and support staff.

Name

Moreau Kusunoki

Legal name

Moreau Kusunoki

Website

https://moreaukusunoki.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Moreau Kusunoki is a Paris-based, French-Japanese architecture firm co-directed by Hiroko Kusunoki and Nicolas Moreau that designs cultural, civic, educational, and residential buildings for public-sector and institutional clients across Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional fees generated from architectural design services on public, cultural, educational, and residential projects. Revenue comes from winning competitions and direct commissions from institutional clients including museums, universities, governments, and public agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Moreau Kusunoki is an architecture firm providing comprehensive architectural design services for cultural, public, educational, residential, and civic projects. The firm offers services from masterplanning and building design down to material and detail specification, delivered through design competition wins, direct institutional commissions, and collaborative partnerships with local architects and engineering firms.

Product overview

Moreau Kusunoki is a French-Japanese architecture firm offering comprehensive architectural services across cultural, civic, educational, residential, and public space projects. The portfolio includes major museum projects (Centre Pompidou 2030, Powerhouse Parramatta, Guggenheim Helsinki), civic buildings (European Parliament, Toulon Courthouse), educational facilities (Sciences Po, High Schools in Champigny), public spaces (Paris High Court Plaza, Noisy-le-Grand Esplanade), and specialized facilities (National Lighthouse Museum, Hermès Leatherworks). The firm also produces publications documenting its architectural philosophy. Projects span France, Australia, Finland, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, characterized by the Japanese concept of 'ma' (in-between spaces) and cultural duality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Institution Architecture Architectural design services for museums, cultural centers, and biennale pavilions. Includes project types such as Guggenheim Helsinki, Centre Pompidou 2030, Powerhouse Parramatta, National Lighthouse Museum, and House of Cultures and Memories in Cayenne. Targets museum foundations, cultural ministries, and government cultural agencies.
• Civic and Judicial Building Architecture Architectural design services for courthouses, parliamentary buildings, and public plazas. Includes Toulon Courthouse renovation (€53.85M, 2022-2027) and the European Parliament Paul-Henri Spaak Building renewal (3rd prize, 2022). Targets government agencies, judicial institutions, and legislative bodies.
• Educational Facility Architecture Architectural design services for university campuses, central pavilions, and high school renovations. Includes the Sciences Po 'Coeur 2022' central pavilion (€42M, completed 2021) and High Schools in Champigny-sur-Marne (€40M, 2016-2025). Targets universities, foundations, and regional educational authorities.
• Sustainable Residential Architecture Architectural design services for sustainable residential towers and private residences. Includes the 50m Timber Tower B1B2 in Paris (77 housing units, NF habitat HQE excellent 8*, BBCA, E+C- certifications) and House in an Oasis private residence in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Targets real estate developers and private clients seeking innovative sustainable housing.
• Public Space and Landscape Architecture Architectural design services for public plazas, urban esplanades, and landscape projects. Includes Paris High Court Plaza (€6M, completed 2020) and Noisy-le-Grand Esplanade (phase 1 completed 2021, phase 2 ongoing). Targets municipal governments and urban regeneration authorities.
• Craft Workshop and Industrial Architecture Architectural design services for artisan craft workshops and specialized industrial facilities. Includes Hermès Leatherworks in Bordeaux region featuring north-facing light optimization for artisans and Limousin Douglas fir structure with charred wood cladding. Targets luxury brands and artisanal manufacturers.
• Architectural Publications Published book 'Fragments' by Moreau Kusunoki, documenting the studio's architectural discourse through conversations exploring ideas, memories, and imagery. Published by Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guggenheim Helsinki competition win among 1,717 submitted schemes (2015)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Frida Escobedo StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Mexican architecture studio selected as co-designer for Centre Pompidou 2030 renovation project, working alongside Moreau Kusunoki as lead architect.
• izéminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Design collaboration for door knobs, bell push, signage, and keyhole cover designs for the B1B2 project.
• GentoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Sydney-based local architecture firm serving as local architect for Powerhouse Parramatta project. Collaboration enables Moreau Kusunoki to work on Australian projects with local expertise and regulatory knowledge.
• ARUPcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019International engineering consultancy providing structural, MEP, facade, acoustics, venues, civil & flood, fire, security, maintenance, and sustainability engineering for Powerhouse Parramatta.
• Jun Sato Structural EngineerscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Structural engineering firm that collaborated with Moreau Kusunoki to develop the 'Lattice3' structural exoskeleton concept for Powerhouse Parramatta.
• McGregor CoxallmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Landscape architecture firm providing landscaping services for Powerhouse Parramatta project.
• L'Observatoire InternationalmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Architectural lighting design firm providing lighting design services for Powerhouse Parramatta.
• DEPmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Engineering firm providing kinetic structure design for Powerhouse Parramatta.
• Wilmotte & AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018French architecture firm that served as coordination architect for Sciences Po project alongside Moreau Kusunoki. Pierre Bortolussi handled heritage aspects.
• EDEISmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Engineering firm providing structure and MEP services for the B1B2 Timber Tower project in Paris.
• ARUPcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Engineering consultancy providing structure, MEP, and environmental services for Guggenheim Helsinki competition entry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Snøhetta: Norwegian architecture and design firm working internationally on cultural, civic, and public-realm projects. Closely comparable in multi-disciplinary studio model, public-sector client base, and competition-led growth.
• Studio Gang: Chicago-based architecture practice of similar scale (~100 staff) with comparable focus on cultural, civic, and ecological projects and a strong singular design philosophy. Directly comparable in project type, client base, and reputation trajectory.
• David Chipperfield Architects: London-based practice with deep museum and institutional portfolio (Neues Museum Berlin, Royal Academy renovation). Comparable in cultural-institution focus and European public-sector client base, though operating at larger scale.
• SANAA: Japan-based architecture practice of Sejima and Nishizawa, renowned for museums and cultural buildings (e.g., Louvre-Lens, New Museum). Directly comparable cultural-institution focus and Japanese design lineage connected to Moreau Kusunoki's 'Ma' philosophy.
• Lacaton & Vassal: Paris-based architecture practice of comparable small size, focused on cultural, civic, and social-housing projects with a distinctive philosophy of preservation and addition. Strongest French peer in scale, geography, and project typology.

Emerging players

• Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): Copenhagen/New York practice with strong international cultural and civic portfolio and competition-winning model. Comparable in international competition success and brand-led positioning, though operating at much larger scale.
• Frida Escobedo Studio: Mexico City-based studio co-designing Centre Pompidou 2030 with Moreau Kusunoki. Highly relevant as a direct collaborator and as a peer firm of similar scale pursuing cultural and institutional commissions internationally.
• Studio Mumbai: India-based practice combining craft, material innovation, and cultural/civic projects. Comparable in studio-driven design philosophy and emphasis on materials (timber, stone, rammed earth) and partnership-based delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Henning Larsen: Danish architecture firm (now part of Rambøll) with deep cultural and civic portfolio and strong Nordic design identity. Comparable cultural and public-sector project focus, though at significantly larger scale and as part of a broader engineering group.
• Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Italian practice with deep museum portfolio (Centre Pompidou original, Whitney Museum, The Shard). Directly comparable cultural-typology focus, with the additional connection of designing the original Centre Pompidou that Moreau Kusunoki is now renovating.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moreaukusunoki

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moreau Kusunoki