L'ATELIER BELENFANT ET DAUBAS ARCHITECTES

What L'ATELIER BELENFANT ET DAUBAS ARCHITECTES does

L'ATELIER BELENFANT ET DAUBAS ARCHITECTES is a French architecture firm founded in 1998 in Nozay (Loire-Atlantique) by Bruno Belenfant and Loïc Daubas, both holders of the DPLG architect diploma. The firm specializes in sustainable architecture using bio-sourced materials — raw earth, hemp, and wood — and is recognized as a pioneer of raw earth construction in contemporary French public buildings (Établissements Recevant du Public, ERP), including the first ERP in France using projected hemp-earth mixture for wall insulation (Crèche à Tout-Petits Pas, Saint-Étienne-de-Montluc, 2016). The firm employs a participatory design methodology (co-construction) involving users, communities, and stakeholders at every project stage.

The firm's portfolio spans public buildings (schools, nurseries, cultural centers, libraries, sports facilities, technical centers), social and participatory housing, private residences, office and tertiary buildings, and heritage rehabilitation of historic structures. Project construction budgets range from €84,000 to €5.4 million. Revenue is generated primarily through fees on French public procurement commissions (concours publics) awarded by municipalities, intercommunalities, social housing operators, and public institutions across the Pays de la Loire and Brittany regions, supplemented by private residential commissions and teaching income from founders' positions at ENSA Nantes and ENSA Bretagne. Distribution relies on competition wins, professional network memberships (Novabuild, Construire en Chanvre Bretagne, ARDEPA), and referral-based private commissions, with no e-commerce or external investment.

The firm is structured as a SARL (Société à Responsabilité Limitée) under French law, privately held by its two co-founders, with a core team of approximately 9 professionals. It has received national recognition including the Prix national de construction bois (2016), Prix national terre crue (2022), Venice Biennale Pavillon français selection (2016), and Prix national du projet citoyen (2010). Recent flagship deliveries include the Fabrique Terre in Guérande (2025) anchoring the Loire-Atlantique earth construction sector, the Médiathèque de Trignac (2025), and the École Charlie Chaplin in Redon (2025).

Name

L'ATELIER BELENFANT ET DAUBAS ARCHITECTES

Legal name

SARL L'Atelier Belenfant et Daubas architectes

Website

https://atelierbelenfantdaubas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Atelier Belenfant Daubas is a French architecture firm founded in 1998 in Nozay, specializing in sustainable public, residential, and heritage buildings using bio-sourced materials (raw earth, hemp, wood) and participatory design, serving municipalities, social housing organizations, cooperatives, and private clients across Pays de la Loire and Brittany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nozay

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services (Public Tenders): The firm generates revenue primarily through architecture and design services commissioned via public procurement competitions (concours publics) for municipalities, intercommunalities, and public institutions. Projects span cultural facilities, schools, nurseries, technical buildings, social housing, and tertiary buildings. Budgets range from approximately €84,000 (small pavilion) to €5.4 million (large school complex). Revenue is project-based and one-time per engagement.
2. Private Residential Architecture Services: The firm also serves private residential clients, as evidenced by projects such as Maison B (€320,000 T.T.C., 276m²) and the HACOO-PA inclusive housing project. These are fee-for-service architecture engagements for individual homeowners or housing cooperatives.
3. Teaching and Knowledge Transmission: Bruno Belenfant and Loïc Daubas generate supplementary income through teaching positions at ENSA Nantes (as visiting lecturers since 2004) and ENSA Bretagne (Loïc Daubas as associate professor since 2014), as well as involvement in professional training programs and school workshops.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

L'Atelier Belenfant Daubas is an architecture firm that designs and delivers public buildings (schools, cultural centers, libraries, sports facilities, nurseries), social and participatory housing, private residences, office/tertiary buildings, and historic building rehabilitations using bio-sourced materials (raw earth, hemp, wood) and a participatory co-construction methodology. Projects range from €84,000 to €5.4 million, delivered primarily through public procurement competitions and private commissions across western France.

Product overview

L'Atelier Belenfant Daubas is an architecture firm founded in 1998 by Bruno Belenfant and Loïc Daubas, based in Nozay, France. The firm specializes in sustainable architecture using bio-sourced materials (earth, hemp, wood) and participatory design approaches. Their portfolio encompasses public buildings (schools, cultural centers, sports facilities), social and participatory housing, residential projects, office buildings, and heritage rehabilitation. The firm is recognized as a pioneer in raw earth construction in France, with multiple awards including the National Raw Earth Construction Prize (2022) and National Wood Construction Prize (2016). Their design philosophy emphasizes environmental responsibility, social involvement, and integration with local territories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Buildings Architecture (Cultural, Educational, Sports Facilities)

Quantifiable outcome

• First ERP in France using projected hemp-earth mixture for wall insulation (Nozay childcare center, 2015)
• +4 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NovabuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovabuild is a regional organization promoting sustainable construction in the Pays de la Loire region. Bruno Belenfant and Loïc Daubas are members and active contributors, speaking at Novabuild events on bio-sourced materials. The partnership provides access to industry networks, knowledge sharing, and collaborative project opportunities.
• Construire en Chanvre BretagnecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn association promoting hemp construction in Brittany. Loïc Daubas is a member, contributing expertise in bio-sourced materials and participating in knowledge development and dissemination on hemp-based construction techniques.
• ARDEPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation pour la Recherche et le Développement en Architecture. The firm participates in ARDEPA activities including the annual National Architecture Day in Schools (Journée nationale de l'architecture dans les classes) program.
• Association des terreux armoricainsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of earth construction practitioners in Brittany. The firm is a member, contributing to the development and promotion of earth construction techniques in the region.
• ENSA Nantes (École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Bretagne)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBruno Belenfant and Loïc Daubas teach as visiting lecturers at ENSA Nantes since 2004. They contribute to architecture education, supervise student projects, and maintain research connections that inform and enhance the firm's practice.
• ENSA Bretagne (École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Bretagne)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLoïc Daubas serves as associate professor (maître de conférence) at ENSA Bretagne since 2014, combining academic work with professional practice.
• La Terre Ferme (Landscape Designers)coreTechnology or IntegrationLandscape design firm that collaborates with Atelier Belenfant Daubas on most major projects, providing landscape architecture services. Recurring cotraitant (co-contractor) on projects including Biolait, Igloo, Urscop, Les P'tits Ensemble(s), Ecole Ecol'eau, and others.
• Airéo Énergies (Engineering)coreTechnology or IntegrationFluids and thermal engineering firm that collaborates with the atelier on most projects, providing HVAC, thermal, and energy performance expertise. Recurring partner across public and private commissions.
• ITAC AcoustiquecoreTechnology or IntegrationAcoustic engineering firm working with the atelier on projects including Crèche à Tout-Petits Pas, Hacoopa, Igloo housing, Ecol'eau school, and others, ensuring acoustic comfort in bio-sourced material buildings.
• Ingéligno (Wood Structure Engineering)coreTechnology or IntegrationTimber/wood structure engineering firm. Recurring cotraitant on projects involving wood construction, including Biolait extension, Igloo housing, Ecol'eau school, and the Hacoopa inclusive housing project.
• Teissier Portal ArchitectesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm acting as lead contractor (mandataire) on the Clisson school and gymnasium competition project, with Atelier Belenfant Daubas participating as a contributing architectural team member.
• Hélène Houpert ArchitecteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating architect on the Trignac Médiathèque project, working alongside Atelier Belenfant Daubas on this public cultural facility.
• De La Matière à l'OuvrageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation that organized an educational construction workshop (chantier école) at the Biolait extension site, involving earth extraction from surrounding sites and experimenting with various earth filling techniques for timber frame infill walls.
• Croapl (Conseil Régional de l'Ordre des Architectes des Pays de la Loire)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional architects' council that organized the ICEBERG 3 exhibition showcasing architecture competition entries. Atelier Belenfant Daubas participated with their entry for the Technical Center for Direction Nature et Jardin of Nantes Métropole.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Architecture-Studio: Large French architecture firm with international presence, working on cultural, educational, and public buildings. Less specialized in earth/hemp materials but competes for similar concours publics and serves overlapping public-sector clients.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture leader with strong sustainability portfolio and extensive public building expertise. Operates at much larger scale and broader geographic reach but shares the emphasis on environmental performance and cultural/educational commissions.
• Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Global architecture firm with deep public building portfolio (cultural centers, libraries, schools) and emphasis on environmental performance. Comparable client segments and design ethos but at global scale.
• Snøhetta: Norwegian architecture and design firm known for sustainable public buildings, libraries, and cultural centers. Comparable in focus on public buildings and sustainability ethos, though at much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture firm with a strong sustainability and innovation focus, working on cultural, civic, and educational buildings. Comparable in thought leadership and emphasis on sustainability-driven design, though at much larger scale.
• Studio Gang: US-based architecture firm with strong emphasis on sustainability, ecology, and public buildings (libraries, cultural centers). Comparable in thought leadership around ecology-driven design and civic architecture.

Direct peers

• Lacaton & Vassal: Pritzker Prize-winning French architecture firm focused on sustainable design, social housing, and low-energy buildings. Highly comparable in approach to social/participatory housing and public architecture, though at significantly larger scale.
• Atelier Roland Schweitzer: Paris-based architecture firm specializing in bio-sourced materials, low-tech construction, and heritage rehabilitation in France. Highly comparable in technique focus, project philosophy, and target client base of public cultural and educational buildings.
• Philippe Madec: French architect renowned for sustainable urbanism, eco-quarters, and ecological architecture. Comparable in French sustainable architecture leadership and similar public-sector client base across cultural and municipal projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=jzlDwltf9-E
• Facebookfacebook.com/Belenfant.Daubas
• Instagraminstagram.com/atelier_belenfant_daubas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/l'atelier-belenfant-et-daubas-architectes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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