EPA - EQUATOR PARIS ARCHITECTURE

What EPA - EQUATOR PARIS ARCHITECTURE does

Equator Paris Architecture (EPA) is a privately held Paris-based architecture and urban planning firm founded in 1979, operating as the second-oldest continuously active architecture SARL in France. The firm is led since 2009-2010 by architect-urbanists Marco Tortorici and Ilaria Zippilli and employs approximately 30 professionals across architectural design, BIM, project management, communication, and finance functions. Its work is centered on bioclimatic architecture, biophilic design, circular economy construction methods, urban renaturation, and adaptive rehabilitation of existing buildings, with a rooftop terrace functioning as a working laboratory for urban renaturation research validated by independent ecological diagnostics.

EPA's core offerings fall into two integrated service lines: architectural design (residential, social housing, intergenerational, student and senior housing, mixed-use, educational, and commercial rehabilitation projects) and urban planning studies (district-scale masterplans and regeneration studies commissioned by municipalities and public development agencies). Construction project values typically range from €5.3M to €18.8M HT. The firm's portfolio spans more than 20 French communes across Île-de-France, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, with named clients including Nexity, Vinci Immobilier, BNP REIM, Delta REIM, OGIC, Edouard Denis Promotion, Constructa Promotion, In'li Aura, and Séquano Aménagement.

The business model is professional services based on project fees, generated through a sales-led go-to-market combining competitive public tenders (Appels d'Offres), architecture competitions, and direct relationships with private developers, social housing operators, and institutional investors. Distribution is direct-only with no reseller or marketplace channels. Marketing relies on the firm's project portfolio website, industry trade press (D'Architectures TOP 200, Construction Moderne, ESTP magazine), trade show presence (MIPIM, SIMI, Salon AMIF, HLM Congress), and annual Journées Nationales de l'Architecture open-door events. The firm is privately owned by its two named partners with no identified venture capital, private equity, or parent company involvement.

Name

EPA - EQUATOR PARIS ARCHITECTURE

Legal name

Equator Paris Architecture

Website

https://equator-fr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Equator Paris Architecture is a privately held Paris-based architecture and urban planning firm founded in 1979, employing around 30 professionals. It serves private developers, social housing operators, institutional investors, and French municipalities with bioclimatic, biophilic, and circular-economy building and district-scale urban regeneration projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design and Urban Planning Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Urban planning studies
• Bioclimatic architecture
• Building rehabilitation
• Circular economy construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Fees: Project-based professional service fees for architectural and urban design commissions, ranging from feasibility studies through construction delivery. Revenue derived from both private developers and public-sector clients. Typical project construction values range from €5.8M to €18.8M HT.
2. Urban Planning Studies: Fees for large-scale urban studies and masterplan commissions, such as the Étude Urbaine de la Fosse à la Barbière (18 ha), the Triangle Métropolitain masterplan (13.8 ha), and strategic urban revitalisation studies for municipalities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EPA provides professional architectural design and urban planning services for residential, mixed-use, social housing, and educational projects across France. The firm leads commissions from feasibility and competition stages through construction delivery, with a methodological focus on bioclimatic design, biophilic urbanism, circular-economy material reuse, and adaptive rehabilitation of existing buildings. It also operates large-scale urban studies and masterplans for municipalities and public development agencies.

Product overview

Equator Paris Architecture (EPA) is a Paris-based architecture and urban planning firm founded in 1979, providing comprehensive architectural design services and urban planning studies. The firm operates as a single unified service offering encompassing architectural design, urban planning studies, rehabilitation projects, and landscape integration. The company's portfolio spans residential complexes, office buildings, educational facilities, mixed-use developments, and urban regeneration projects throughout France, with a focus on sustainable design, biophilic architecture, and circular economy principles. EPA+ represents the firm's philosophical approach emphasizing culture, forms, wood, metal, landscape, nature, philosophy, urbanism, colors, and details in design methodology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Design Services
• Urban Planning Studies and Masterplans
• Urban Renaturation Laboratory (Terrasse EPA)

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of plants on agency rooftop terrace salvaged from destruction on other projects
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arte CharpentiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPA collaborates with Arte Charpentier as part of the urban study consortium for the Fosse à la Barbière (Aulnay-sous-Bois). Arte Charpentier provides urban planning, landscape design, and citizen participation support. This is a multi-firm consortium led by EPA as mandataire architect-urbanist.
• IngeropcoreTechnology or IntegrationIngerop serves as VRD engineering (roads, water, energy networks) and development economics partner within the Fosse à la Barbière study consortium. Provides technical infrastructure and economic feasibility assessment for the 18-hectare urban regeneration zone.
• Attitudes UrbainescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAttitudes Urbaines is the public facilities programming and costing specialist within the Fosse à la Barbière consortium, responsible for programming public equipment and cost estimation for the urban regeneration study.
• NAUTA architecture & researchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPA and NAUTA architecture & research form a joint design team for the Triangle Métropolitain masterplan in Drancy (13.8 ha). Both firms collaborate as co-architects/urbanists on this large-scale urban development plan guide.
• NATURAE (Biodiversity Consultancy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNATURAE is the ecology consultancy conducting biodiversity impact assessment for EPA's rooftop renaturation laboratory. Their diagnostic confirmed protected species presence and reproduction on the urban bocage hedge installation.
• CBA (Architecture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBA designed the secondary building (1,400 m²) at the rear of the Istituto Marangoni campus in Paris 16e, complementing EPA's rehabilitation of the main 19th-century building. CBA's building accommodates ateliers and library without diverting attention from the historic garden and orangery.
• TREC (Technical Real Estate Consultancy)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTREC acts as AMO (Assistance à Maîtrise d'Ouvrage) for the Rue Lauriston office rehabilitation project in Paris, supporting the client SCI MPB through the project delivery process.
• JLLminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJLL serves as AMO (Assistance à Maîtrise d'Ouvrage) for the Paris 12e restructuring project for BNP REIM SCPI Accès Valeur Pierre, providing project management support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): International architecture firm with strong sustainability and mixed-use housing credentials. Not a direct geographic competitor but represents the type of incumbent that EPA's biophilic, ecological-transition positioning aspires to compete with at scale.
• Wilmotte & Associés: Established French architecture practice with broad portfolio in housing, mixed-use, and cultural projects. Larger and more diversified than EPA, but competes for the same developer and institutional commissions in Île-de-France.
• Valode & Pistre: Large French architecture firm active in urban masterplanning, mixed-use developments, and sustainable construction — adjacent to EPA's positioning on ecological transition and biophilic design but at significantly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Studio Gang: International practice with strong emphasis on biophilic design and ecological urbanism — overlapping with EPA's methodology positioning around nature-integrated architecture, though at larger scale and with North American focus.

Direct peers

• Arte Charpentier: Paris-based architecture and urban planning firm of comparable scale and project typology. Cited in EPA's data as a consortium partner on the Fosse à la Barbière study, indicating overlapping client base and similar public-tender positioning in Île-de-France.
• Tolila+Gilliland: Paris architecture studio with focus on housing, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse — directly overlapping with EPA's rehabilitation and mixed-use residential portfolio across Île-de-France.
• NAUTA architecture & research: Architecture and urbanism practice referenced in EPA's data as co-architect on the Triangle Métropolitain masterplan in Drancy. Comparable in scale, with similar focus on urban regeneration and masterplanning commissions.
• Atelier Roland Schweitzer: Paris architecture practice specializing in sustainable development, urban planning, and landscape-integrated housing — closely aligned with EPA's biophilic/renaturation positioning and Greater Paris focus.
• Architecture-Studio: Major French architecture firm headquartered in Paris with comparable mix of urban planning, mixed-use housing, and public-sector commissions across France and internationally. Operates at a larger scale than EPA but addresses the same client base and tender pipeline.
• tvk: Paris-based architecture and urbanism practice working on masterplans, housing, and public space projects in France. Comparable in scale and project typology, often competing for the same public-sector and ZAC-scale commissions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equator-paris

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 EPA - EQUATOR PARIS ARCHITECTURE