What Jakob + MacFarlane does

Jakob + MacFarlane is a Paris-headquartered architectural, urban planning, art, and design practice founded in 1998 by Dominique Jakob (French, École d'Architecture Paris-Villemin) and Brendan MacFarlane (New Zealand-born, SCI-Arc and Harvard GSD). The firm offers full-service architecture (public buildings, offices, housing, retail, adaptive reuse), urban planning, exhibition scenography, and a furniture and design-object product line. Its core technology is digital and parametric design, in which the practice claims more than 25 years of experience; no proprietary software, AI systems, or patented technology are disclosed. Project delivery relies on an international, multidisciplinary team of 11–50 current staff and a network of consulting partners spanning engineering (Artelia), landscape (Sperervirens), materials (Saint-Gobain), and furniture manufacturing (Sawaya & Moronii).

The business model is professional services: quote-based, project-specific fees earned from architecture competitions and direct institutional or corporate commissions. There are no published pricing tiers and no recurring or subscription revenue. Customer segments split between public and cultural institutions (Centre Pompidou, Frac Centre-Val de Loire, Musée du Quai Branly, Cité de la Musique, Renaud-Barrault Library, French University of Egypt in Cairo) and corporate and commercial clients (Euronews Lyon headquarters, Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Orange Cube). Geographic reach spans France, Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland, Egypt, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, with recent academic activity in Australia (RMIT, UTS) and Singapore (SUTD) in 2026.

The go-to-market is event-driven: visibility is generated through international museum exhibitions, Venice Architecture Biennale selections (French selection 2002; international 2004 and 2008; representing France in 2025 with 'Vivre Avec/Living With'), monographic exhibitions, publications (Flammarion monograph 2019, Aedes 2017, HYX 2013), and academic speaking. The firm is founder-owned with no external investment, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed acquisitions; both co-founders remain active partners. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Jakob + MacFarlane

Legal name

Jakob+MacFarlane Architecture

Website

https://jakobmacfarlane.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jakob + MacFarlane is a Paris-based architectural, urban planning, art, and design practice founded in 1998 by Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane. It serves public cultural institutions, corporate clients, and residential developers through innovative, digitally enabled architecture and exhibition design.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning services
• Cultural building design
• Exhibition scenography
• Adaptive reuse architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Full-service architectural and urban planning services including design, research, and production for public projects, offices, housing, retail, and adaptive reuse. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for design commissions, typically on a per-project basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jakob+MacFarlane is an architectural, urban planning, and design practice founded in 1998 in Paris, delivering full-service architecture commissions (public buildings, offices, housing, retail, adaptive reuse), urban planning, exhibition scenography for museums and cultural institutions, and a furniture/design-object product line. The firm operates with a multidisciplinary international team and a global network of technical expertise, generating revenue through professional design fees per project and product sales through manufacturing partners.

Product overview

Jakob + MacFarlane is an architectural, urban planning, and design practice founded in 1998, offering a comprehensive portfolio spanning architecture services (public buildings, offices, housing, retail, adaptive reuse), exhibition design, design objects, and art. The firm is centered on research into innovative, environmentally committed architecture addressing 21st-century emergencies. The core architecture services are complemented by a design objects product line featuring furniture editions, exhibition scenography services for major museums and institutions, and original art projects. All offerings are unified by the practice's commitment to digital technology innovation and sustainable design principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural practice offering design and production of public projects, office buildings, housing, retail spaces, and adaptive reuse projects for cultural institutions, public bodies, and corporate clients.
• Urban Planning Services Urban planning studies and integrated urban design work, addressing contemporary urban challenges and environmental emergencies alongside the architecture practice.
• Exhibition Design and Scenography Scenography and exhibition design services for museums and cultural institutions, including major touring exhibitions such as those at Musée du Quai Branly, Frac Centre, Art Paris, Milan Design Week, and the French Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
• Editions Jakob MacFarlane Design (Furniture and Design Objects) Branded line of furniture and design objects released under Editions Jakob MacFarlane Design, produced and distributed through manufacturer partners such as Sawaya & Moronii (T(h)ree 2002, IT Seat 2007, Tunnels 2010), Moaroom (Float), Marcel by (Pool and Rain 2012), and Ricard (Duo 2013), as well as the in-house "Wall, Floor, Edge" collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Selected to represent France at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale - one of architecture's most prestigious international events
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eric Daniel-LacombecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Co-curator of the Vivre Avec/Living With project representing France at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. Daniel-Lacombe worked alongside Jakob+MacFarlane as co-curator for this major international exhibition addressing climate and conflict challenges.
• Martin DuplantiercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Co-curator of the Vivre Avec/Living With project at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. Duplantier collaborated with Jakob+MacFarlane and Eric Daniel-Lacombe to develop the French Pavilion installation.
• Centre Georges PompidoucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor cultural institution in Paris for which Jakob+MacFarlane has completed multiple significant projects including Restaurant Georges and ongoing collaboration. Featured venue for exhibition of firm publications.
• Institut FrançaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench Institute for international cultural relations, partner in organizing the French Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2025. Supports international cultural programming and exhibition initiatives.
• Saint-GobainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaterials and construction partner for the Venice Biennale French Pavilion and other projects. Global leader in light and sustainable construction.
• Frac Centre-Val de LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor French contemporary art collection center for which Jakob+MacFarlane designed the iconic FRAC Centre building, now hosting the touring exhibition of Vivre Avec/Living With.
• Sawaya & MoroniiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian design furniture manufacturer for which Jakob+MacFarlane has designed multiple products including IT Seat (2007), T(h)ree (2002), Tunnels (2010), and Duo (2013).
• Ricard FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench cultural foundation for which Jakob+MacFarlane designed the headquarters building in Paris, supporting artistic and cultural activities.
• Musée du Quai BranlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis museum for which Jakob+MacFarlane has created multiple exhibition scenographies including 'Les Maîtres du Désordre' (2010-2012) and 'Teotihuacan' (2009-2010).
• Raafat Miller ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner for the French University of Egypt campus project, providing technical and advisory services for this major educational infrastructure development.
• Sempervirens LandscapersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture partner for the French University of Egypt campus project, collaborating on the environmental and outdoor space design.
• ArteliaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering consultancy partner for the French University of Egypt campus project, providing multidisciplinary engineering services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Larger, established global architecture firm with substantial cultural, public, and corporate portfolio. Overlaps in museum, library, and public-sector commissions but with broader scale and execution capacity.

Direct peers

• Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): Design-driven international architecture firm with comparable cultural and institutional commissions, digital innovation emphasis, and founder-led brand model. Both firms compete for high-profile cultural and public projects globally.
• OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture): Founder-led (Rem Koolhaas) international architecture practice with strong cultural, exhibition, and institutional portfolio. Competes directly for cultural institution commissions and exhibition scenography work.
• SANAA: Prestigious Japanese architecture studio renowned for cultural institution commissions (London Serpentine, Louvre-Lens) and minimal aesthetic. Comparable profile for major museum and public-building competitions.
• Snøhetta: Multidisciplinary firm combining architecture, landscape, and design with strong cultural institution and public library commissions. Comparable focus on environmental and social themes, plus branded design objects.
• Studio Gang: Design-led architecture studio with comparable sustainability narrative, cultural and public commissions, and founder-led academic presence. Targets similar institutional and museum clients.
• MVRDV: Design-forward international architecture firm with comparable cultural, residential, and adaptive reuse portfolio, plus strong digital design and European biennale presence. Similar competition positioning for cultural commissions.
• Zaha Hadid Architects: Iconic architecture studio with strong digital/parametric design practice, comparable cultural museum commissions, and similar academic-jury presence. Direct competitor for landmark cultural and educational projects.

Regional players

• Wilmotte & Associés: French architecture firm with similar cultural and luxury retail commissions (Fondation Louis Vuitton, cultural renovations). Direct competitor in the French institutional and cultural market.
• Architecture-Studio: Major French architecture firm with comparable public building, cultural, and international commissions (notably French University projects). Direct peer in the French public-sector architecture market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jakob-macfarlane
• Instagraminstagram.com/jakobmacfarlane

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Jakob + MacFarlane