NICOLAS DORVAL-BORY ARCHITECTES

What NICOLAS DORVAL-BORY ARCHITECTES does

Nicolas Dorval-Bory Architectes is a Paris-based boutique architecture practice founded in 2007 by Nicolas Dorval-Bory, operating with a small team of approximately nine to ten architects and one intern out of offices in Paris (13 rue Lacharrière, 75011) and Martel, France. The firm offers full-service architectural design spanning residential housing, apartments, offices, cultural buildings, and public institutions, with a differentiated specialization in atmospheric and thermodynamic architecture — design approaches that manipulate natural light, artificial spectral lighting (using Color Rendering Index criteria), acoustic conditions, temperature, and humidity to shape spatial experience. Signature projects include large social-housing developments (Logements Saint-Vincent de Paul, 13,900 m² in Paris; Avenue Victoria, 25,000 m² ongoing), a media library in Onet-le-Château, and cultural/educational commissions such as Ecole Verdeaux in Renens (16,100 m², competition 2022) and cultural residences in Al-'Ula, Saudi Arabia.

The firm generates revenue through professional architectural design fees, typically calculated as a percentage of construction cost or as fixed project fees, earned through direct commissions and competitive tenders with public institutions and private developers. Key client relationships include French social-housing and real-estate developers such as Nacarat, Citynove/Groupe Galeries Lafayette, SEMAPA, RIVP, and SOGELYM, alongside cultural clients including Galerie Ciaccia Levi, Galleria P420 in Bologna, and Boutique Kitsuné in Paris. The practice has completed over 100 projects across more than 15 countries, frequently collaborating with peer firms (Plan Común, Jean-Christophe Quinton, Guillaume Ramillien, Philippe Rahm) on larger commissions. The founder combines practice with academic leadership — most recently as Director of ENSA Versailles from January 2025 to March 2026 — and received the national AJAP prize from the French Ministry of Culture in 2016. In 2026, long-time collaborator Hugo Taillardat became a partner, formalizing a transition from solo-founder practice toward a multi-partner structure.

Name

NICOLAS DORVAL-BORY ARCHITECTES

Legal name

Nicolas Dorval-Bory Architectes

Website

https://nicolasdorvalbory.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nicolas Dorval-Bory Architectes is a Paris-based boutique architecture practice founded in 2007, specializing in atmospheric and thermodynamic design across housing, cultural, and institutional projects for French developers and public clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Climate-responsive architecture
• Social housing design
• Cultural building design
• Atmospheric architecture

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. Architectural Design Services: Professional architecture services including design, project management, and construction supervision for residential, commercial, cultural, and public buildings. Revenue generated through professional fees calculated as percentage of construction cost or fixed project fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paris-based architecture practice delivering full-service architectural design for residential, social housing, cultural, institutional, commercial, and public buildings. Services span concept design, technical development, project management, and construction supervision, with particular expertise in atmospheric and climate-responsive architecture manipulating natural light, sound, temperature, and humidity.

Product overview

Nicolas Dorval-Bory Architectes is a Paris-based architectural practice offering comprehensive architectural design services across residential, commercial, institutional, and cultural building types. The firm's portfolio spans completed projects, competitions, and ongoing works totaling over 100 architectural projects across France and internationally. The practice operates across diverse scales—from small residential interventions (apartments, houses under 100 m²) to large-scale housing developments (up to 33,900 m²), cultural institutions, and public buildings. The firm is particularly recognized for its expertise in climate-responsive design, light studies, acoustic architecture, and thermodynamic approaches to architecture. The practice also maintains an active academic teaching program at ENSA Versailles, contributing to architectural education through studios, workshops, and published works.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Logements Saint-Vincent de Paul Large-scale social housing development in Paris featuring 13,900 m² of residential units, commissioned as an ongoing housing project.
• Logements Corbeville Housing project in Orsay comprising 8,001 m², under construction as of 2025.
• Ecole Verdeaux School project in Renens, Switzerland of 16,100 m², submitted as a competition entry in 2022.
• Maison Al-'Ula Cultural residence project in Al-'Ula, Medina, Saudi Arabia of 361 m², ongoing since 2022.
• Basic Office Office renovation in Paris of 54 m² featuring innovative acoustic ceiling treatment with pyramidal acoustic foam and sound diffusion system, completed in 2011.
• Médiathèque OLC Media library renovation in Onet-le-Château, Aveyron of 1,150 m² featuring stainless steel clad volumes, varied interior climates, and artistic integration through 1% scheme, completed in 2014.
• Galleria P420 Art gallery conversion in Bologna, Italy of 460 m² from a former garage into exhibition and office spaces with differentiated lighting systems, completed in 2015.
• Les Conciliabules Exhibition stand design for Architecture By France at MIPIM 2018 Cannes international real estate fair, completed in 2018.
• Radio France, un dégradé sonore Unbuilt acoustic project collaboration with Philippe Rahm exploring sound gradients within Radio France building of 1,700 m², competition entry in 2017.
• NDB Office Office project in Paris of 125 m², completed in 2025.
• Paysages en exil Experimental landscape project along La Grave hospital in Toulouse of 2,000 m², completed in 2010, exploring condensation of climates and wandering plants phenomenon.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ architectural projects completed across 15+ countries

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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, major and minor.

• Hugo TaillardatcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Long-time collaborator became partner in the office in 2026, indicating transition to multi-founder practice
• Plan ComúnmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on Logements Chapelle International project with Nacarat developer
• OglominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Logements avenue Foch housing project in Houilles
• Jean-Christophe Quinton ArchitectemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaborative relationship on multiple housing projects including Logements YLC Versailles and Rue de Tolbiac
• Guillaume Ramillien ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Versailles YLC project involving office-to-housing conversion
• VORBOTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Villa Bloch artist residency project in Poitiers
• Label architectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project on Bureaux DDS Verko office and public reception center in Belgium
• Philippe RahmmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Radio France project and teaching 'Urbanisme thermodynamique' at ENSA Normandie

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Sou Fujimoto Architects: Tokyo-based (Chiba region) practice with parallel experimental approach to atmospheric and light-driven architecture. Comparable in typology (residential, cultural) and academic positioning, though Sou Fujimoto operates at a larger scale. Direct geographic overlap via Roof House Chiba competition project.

Direct peers

• Lacaton & Vassal Architectes: Paris-based architecture practice with comparable focus on social housing, climate-responsive design, and large-scale residential commissions in France. Shares the same French social housing competition circuit and similar client base (developers, SEMAPA-style public entities). Strongly comparable in project typology and scale.
• LAN Architecture (Local Architecture Network): Paris-based architecture firm working on residential, housing, and cultural projects across France. Comparable in scale (~50+ architects), design-driven approach, and participation in French public competitions. Both firms engaged on social/social-housing typologies in the Paris region.
• Anne Lacaton (Lacaton & Vassal successor work) / Jean-Philippe Vassal: See Lacaton & Vassal entry; both founders continue to operate independently and represent the benchmark for the French social housing competition circuit that NDB participates in.
• ECDM Architectes: Paris-based architecture firm with strong portfolio in French social housing, housing developments, and public architecture. Comparable in client base (Nacarat, SOGELYM-type developers), typology (multi-family housing), and approach to FR public competitions.
• Philippe Rahm Architectes: Paris-based practice specializing in thermodynamic and atmospheric architecture; explicit collaborator with Nicolas Dorval-Bory on 'Urbanisme thermodynamique' teaching and Radio France project. Directly comparable in research-driven design methodology and academic positioning.
• Chartier-Corbasson Architectes: Paris-based architecture firm with parallel focus on housing, cultural institutions, and atmospheric/light-driven design. Comparable in scale (small studio), typology (housing, museums, public buildings), and frequent participation in French and international competitions.
• Muoto Architects: Paris-based experimental architecture studio with similar focus on atmospheric, material-driven, and research-led design. Comparable in academic engagement (ENS Paris-Belleville, ENSA teaching) and small-to-medium scale residential and cultural projects.

Broad incumbents

• Dominique Perrault Architecture: Established Paris-based architecture practice with a much broader portfolio across cultural, commercial, and urban-scale projects. Comparable in academic engagement and French cultural/institutional client base, but operates at a significantly larger scale and broader typology mix.
• Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Major international architecture firm with activity in French and international cultural and public projects. Comparable in cultural/institutional client base and academic engagement, but operates at vastly larger scale and scope. Less direct competitor on housing projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nicolas-dorval-bory-architecte

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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