What Celnikier & Grabli Architectes does

Celnikier & Grabli Architectes (trading as CGA) is a Paris-based architecture and urban-planning firm founded in 2005, employing an estimated 11-50 people from a single headquarters at 1 Boulevard de Ménilmontant in the 11th arrondissement. The firm delivers full-service architectural design, urban planning, interior design, and construction coordination for institutional clients, with deep specialization in technically complex building types: research laboratories, clean rooms, biosafety level 3 facilities, nanoscience centers, animal-housing and biotechnology labs, hospitals, universities and engineering-school campuses, fire and rescue centers, student housing, and public sports venues.

The company operates as a private partnership co-founded and managed by the Celnikier and Grabli partners, with no external private equity or venture ownership evidenced. Its go-to-market is sales-led through public procurement competitions and invited architecture competitions, winning contracts from government agencies, universities, and public research bodies such as CNRS, AgroParisTech, EPFL, CHU Amiens Picardie, AP-HP (Hôpital Sainte-Périne), EDF, and regional authorities. Revenue is generated on a project-fee basis, typically calculated as a percentage of construction cost or via negotiated lump-sum agreements under public procurement scales; pricing is not publicly disclosed.

CGA works through a recurring ecosystem of engineering and construction partners — including TPF Ingénierie, Igrec Ing, BETOM, Gopura, Setec, OTE, and major contractors such as Vinci, Eiffage, Rabot Dutilleul, Demathieu Bard, and ETCHART — that act as mandataires or technical BET collaborators on individual projects. Its portfolio spans France and international markets including Switzerland (EPFL Advanced Science Building), the UAE (French Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020), Vietnam (a 90,000 m² University Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City budgeted at €200 million), Algeria, and China, alongside large domestic developments such as the €190 million AgroParisTech campus and the €61 million C2N nanotechnology center on the Saclay plateau.

Name

Celnikier & Grabli Architectes

Legal name

Celnikier et Grabli Architectes

Website

https://celnikier-grabli.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Celnikier & Grabli Architectes is a Paris-based architecture and urban-planning firm specializing in technically complex institutional buildings — research laboratories, hospitals, university campuses, and public infrastructure — for government, higher-education, and public research clients across France and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Institutional architecture
• Research facility design
• Public infrastructure architecture
• Urban planning services
• Laboratory 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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture services for institutional, research, and public infrastructure projects. Revenue is generated through design fees on competitive public procurement contracts and private commissions. Project fees are typically calculated as a percentage of construction costs or through negotiated lump-sum agreements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Celnikier & Grabli Architectes provides comprehensive architectural design services for institutional, educational, healthcare, research, sports, and public infrastructure projects. The firm operates as an integrated architectural practice delivering full design services from concept through construction administration, with particular specialization in complex technical facilities including research laboratories, clean rooms, biosafety level 3 laboratories, nanoscience centers, and animal housing facilities. Revenue is generated through design fees on competitive public procurement contracts and private commissions, with fees typically calculated as a percentage of construction costs or through negotiated lump-sum agreements.

Product overview

Celnikier & Grabli Architectes is a French architecture firm specializing in institutional building design. Their portfolio encompasses research laboratories, higher education campuses, healthcare facilities, sports venues, fire stations, student housing, and public buildings. The firm operates as a single integrated architectural practice rather than a platform with separate products or modules. Services include architectural design, project management, and collaboration with engineering partners for BET (technical building engineering), structural, and landscape design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully delivered multiple large-scale research campuses exceeding 60,000 m²
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• ETCHART ConstructionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerETCHART Construction serves as mandataire (lead contractor) for the ISALAB engineering school project in Anglet, collaborating with Celnikier & Grabli as associated architects. ETCHART handles the construction aspects while CGA provides architectural design services.
• Rabot Dutilleul ConstructionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRabot Dutilleul Construction is mandataire for the CHU Amiens Picardie rehabilitation project. The partnership combines construction expertise with architectural design for hospital renovation.
• Vinci ConstructionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVinci Construction serves as mandataire for the ESTP campus revitalization project in Cachan. This is a major public infrastructure project involving multiple partners including landscape architect Muriel Consigny and engineering firms.
• TPF IngénieriecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTPF Ingénierie is a recurring engineering partner providing BET TCE (all technical building engineering) and economy services on multiple projects including the Toulon IUT building, Bugey Training Center, and Centre de Biologie Intégrative.
• Igrec IngcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIgrec Ing provides BET TCE and HQE (high environmental quality) engineering services, recurring collaborator on projects such as the Toulon IUT building and Alexandre Denis boarding school.
• BETOM IngénieriecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBETOM Ingénierie provides engineering services on various projects including fire and rescue centers (Anzin, Melun, Audincourt) and the Halle de Microtechnologies.
• GopuracoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGopura serves as laboratory expert and BET fluides (fluid systems engineering) on multiple research facility projects including C2N Nanotechnologies Center, Bio Innovation Besançon, and various laboratory projects.
• Setec IngcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSetec Ing is a major engineering firm providing mandataire, BET TCE, and laboratory expertise services on significant projects including the Hospital in Bechar, Algeria and the Aimé Cotton Laboratory extension.
• OTE IngcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOTE Ing provides BET TCE, structure, fluides, VRD, economy, and laboratory expert services on projects including the IRSET research institute, ENVA veterinary school laboratory, and ESPE Meinau extension.
• KCAPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCAP Architects&Planners is associated architect on the Agro ParisTech campus project on the Saclay plateau, a major 190 million euro development where KCAP and CGA collaborated on the campus master plan and building design.
• Eiffage ConstructionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEiffage Construction is mandataire for the Agro ParisTech campus project, working alongside associated architects KCAP and engineering partners including SNC Lavalin.
• Demathieu Bard ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDemathieu Bard Construction serves as mandataire for the EDF Training and Simulation Building at the Bugey Nuclear Power Plant, collaborating with TPF Ingénierie for engineering services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Valode & Pistre: Paris-based architecture firm of comparable size and focus on large-scale institutional, research, and corporate projects in France and internationally. Highly comparable in client mix, project scale, and competitive bidding approach.
• Studios Architecture: Paris- and London-rooted architecture practice with significant institutional and workplace portfolios. Comparable in size, design-led positioning, and focus on institutional clients across Europe.
• Atelier Christian de Portzamparc: Paris-based Pritzker Prize-winning practice known for major institutional, cultural, and urban projects in France and abroad. Comparable in typology (research, cultural, public buildings) and competitive positioning.
• Dominique Perrault Architecture: Paris-headquartered practice known for major institutional and cultural projects (e.g., French National Library). Competes with CGA in French and European institutional competitions and shares a similar public-procurement-heavy business model.
• Wilmotte & Associés: Parisian architecture firm with a strong portfolio in cultural, museum, and institutional buildings. Directly comparable to CGA in scale, French public-client base, and reputation for complex institutional design.
• Ateliers Jean Nouvel: Paris-based architecture practice with global reach, working across cultural, institutional, and public building typologies directly comparable to CGA's portfolio. Competes in the same pool of French public architecture competitions.
• KCAP Architects&Planners: Rotterdam-based architecture and urban planning firm collaborating with CGA on the AgroParisTech Saclay campus. Comparable in research campus, healthcare, and large mixed-use typologies and is a peer competitor in European institutional competitions.

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architecture practice with a major track record in research, education, and public buildings (e.g., Bloomberg Center, Stanford, Apple Park). Overlaps with CGA in research facility design but competes as a much larger incumbent.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): International architecture practice active in cultural, educational, and research typologies. Increasingly competes with CGA in European institutional competitions but operates at much larger scale and global profile.
• Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Globally renowned architecture practice with deep experience in research, science, and cultural institutions (e.g., Centre Pompidou, California Academy of Sciences). Competes with CGA for major institutional commissions but operates at significantly larger scale and global reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/celnikier-&-grabli-architectes
• Instagraminstagram.com/celnikiergrabliarchitectes/?hl=fr

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 Celnikier & Grabli Architectes