SEINE DESIGN

What SEINE DESIGN does

SEINE DESIGN, formally operating as Agence d'Architecture Flottante - Seine Design, is a Paris-based architecture atelier founded in 1992 by Gérard Ronzatti that specializes exclusively in floating architecture. The firm delivers complete architectural missions — encompassing design, naval engineering, interior architecture, and furniture — for habitable structures on water, including floating hotels, restaurants, cultural venues, healthcare facilities, cruise vessels, and residential concepts. Its portfolio of over 30 documented projects spans five continents (France, UK, USA, China, UAE, Mali, Libya, Brazil, and Switzerland), with named clients including Alain Ducasse, Louis Vuitton, Hôpital Esquirol, Citysurfing/Novaxia/Eleganzia, Boursin/Laugero et Philippon, Rosa Bonheur/Why Not Productions, Javel Entertainment, and Bateaux Parisiens.

Technically, SEINE DESIGN applies naval and maritime engineering principles to permanent and semi-permanent water-based structures, employing steel construction, modular design systems organized on functional grids, panoramic glass verrières, double-envelope ballastable hulls, and — as demonstrated on Ducasse Sur Seine — 100% battery-powered electric propulsion for vessels. Proprietary technical features include a fully modular floating architecture system enabling adaptation across programs, a deliberate hull opening in Fluctuart that allows the Seine to flow through the structure, and the twin-building OFF Paris Seine concept physically representing Paris's left and right banks. The firm has accumulated industry recognition including Steel.inConstruirAcier Trophées Eiffel awards (2017, 2023), ArchiDesign Club selection, and features in Architectural Digest, Vogue, and Condé Nast Traveler.

The firm operates as a private, founder-led atelier of approximately 5 employees with no disclosed external investors or funding rounds. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a project basis, acquired via direct commissions from enterprise and government clients, government-backed architectural competitions (notably the multiple Réinventer la Seine wins in 2017), and international referrals within the hospitality and cultural sectors. Pricing is bespoke per project and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging the firm's position as the self-described French leader in floating architecture and its 30-year track record to secure high-profile public and private commissions.

Name

SEINE DESIGN

Legal name

Agence d'Architecture Flottante - Seine Design

Website

https://ronzatti.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SEINE DESIGN is a Paris-based architecture atelier founded in 1992, specializing exclusively in floating architecture for hotels, restaurants, cultural venues, healthcare facilities, and cruise vessels. The 5-person firm delivers complete design and naval engineering services to enterprise and government clients across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Floating Architecture Services

NAICS

Ship and Boat Building (33661), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Yacht Building & One-Off Projects (IMAJAEAL), Interior, HVAC & Accommodation Refurbishment (IMAJAFAI)

Keywords

• Floating architecture services
• Naval architecture design
• Maritime engineering
• Water-based structures
• Aquatic building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris, Île-de-France

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. Architectural Design Services: Complete architectural missions including design, engineering, and interior furnishings for floating buildings and vessels. Revenue generated through project-based fees for competition entries, concept development, and full project delivery.
2. Vessel Rehabilitation and Renovation: Renovation and refurbishment of existing boats and barges, including structural modifications, interior redesign, and modernization of cruise vessels and floating establishments.
3. Competition-Based Projects: Winning public and private architectural competitions such as 'Réinventer la Seine' generates both design fees and significant visibility for future commissions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SEINE DESIGN is a French architectural firm specializing in floating architecture. The firm delivers complete architectural and engineering missions for habitable water-based structures, including floating hotels, restaurants, cultural venues, hospitals, cruise vessels, and residential concepts. Projects integrate naval engineering principles with architectural vision and are delivered end-to-end, from competition entry through engineering, interior design, and turnkey execution.

Product overview

SEINE DESIGN is a French floating architecture firm with 30 years of international experience in naval and floating architecture. The company operates as an atelier led by Gérard Ronzatti, offering comprehensive architectural design services rather than a software product. Their portfolio consists of diverse floating architecture projects including hotels (Hotel Off Paris Seine, Hotel Costes), restaurants (Ducasse Sur Seine, Rosa Bonheur Sur Seine, Pertinence), cultural venues (Fluctuart urban art center, Hôpital Adamant psychiatric hospital), cruise boats (Cristal II, Celestial, Al Minsaf, Ningbo III), residential concepts (Maison Iles), and infrastructure (Charing Cross pier, Les Bassines aquatic complex). The firm provides complete architectural and engineering missions, interior design, and furniture design services for each project, with a focus on innovative floating structures that respect aquatic environments and promote sustainable urban development through river-based mobility and soft transportation solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annette K. Architectural design and engineering of a 4,500m2 floating sports center and aquatic complex featuring an Olympic-length swimming pool, wellness facilities, solarium, and panoramic restaurant with terrace on the Seine. Commissioned by Javel Entertainment.
• Hotel Off Paris Seine Architectural design of France's first floating hotel featuring 60 rooms, bar-lounge, restaurant, marina, and panoramic pool, with twin buildings symbolizing Paris's left and right banks. Commissioned by Citysurfing, Novaxia, and Eleganzia.
• Fluctuart Architectural design of a 820m2 floating urban art center featuring permanent and temporary galleries, administrative spaces, bookshop, and panoramic restaurant bar, with a deliberate hull aperture allowing the Seine to flow through the structure. Commissioned by Boursin and Laugero et Philippon.
• Rosa Bonheur Sur Seine Architectural design of an 850m2 floating guinguette under a glass canopy featuring two terraces, dance floor, bars, and panoramic views of Parisian landmarks. Commissioned by Rosa Bonheur and Why Not Productions.
• Ducasse Sur Seine Architectural design of a 550m2 gastronomic restaurant cruise boat with 100% electric propulsion for silent cruising, panoramic terrace, and fine dining experience. Commissioned by Alain Ducasse.
• Hôpital Adamant Architectural design of a floating psychiatric day hospital featuring therapeutic workshops with warm wood interiors designed to feel like artist studios. Commissioned by Hôpital Esquirol.
• Cristal II Complete architectural redesign of a 500-passenger cruise restaurant boat for Bateaux Parisiens, featuring delimited loges with complex porthole shapes, metallic patina, and improved acoustics.
• Celestial Architectural design of a panoramic floating restaurant boat in Manhattan featuring a steel and glass beetle-like structure with theater-like interior and vertiginous vertical views.
• Al Minsaf Architectural design of a trimaran cruise restaurant boat for Dubai featuring a glass canopy for 40°C shade, panoramic terrace, futuristic wheelhouse, and interior with glass, leather, and wood tressing.
• Maison Iles Architectural concept design for floating houses on protected waters featuring rotation, insularity, and nomadic lifestyle options with modern automation and communications technology.
• Ningbo III Architectural design of multi-purpose tourism boats for Ningbo's three rivers in China, serving 136 passengers for cruising and 80 for dining.
• Louis Vuitton Showroom Architectural design of a floating three-part structure at Pont Neuf featuring an aquarium garden with carbon wheels, serving as showroom/restaurant for 450 guests with mobile bleachers for fashion shows. Commissioned by Louis Vuitton.
• Les Bassines Architectural design of a three-level floating structure at Bassin de la Villette featuring family aquatic facilities, swimming pool, hammam, sports areas, 27-room hotel, and panoramic solarium.
• Rosa Bonheur Sur Seine - Asnières Architectural design of a floating guinguette with elliptical design featuring two rotundas, transparent inflatable roof lens, steel structure with Fineline profile, 600m2 usable area plus 350m2 public space.
• Charing Cross Architectural design of a pier and embarkation facility for Bateaux London on Victoria Embankment featuring boarding halls, logistics areas, offices, kitchen, and technical spaces across 2,100m2.
• Saut Du Doubs Architectural design of a crystal-like floating cruise boat for 240 passengers on the Doubs river between France and Switzerland, featuring light wooden terrace and transparent interior spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed 30+ floating architecture projects across 5 continents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vincent Callebaut Architectures: French architect known for visionary sustainable and floating/marine projects; comparable in being a French signature architect pursuing amphibious and water-based conceptual work.
• Waterstudio: Dutch floating-architecture firm specializing in water-based buildings and urban development; directly comparable to SEINE DESIGN as another boutique specialist building practice portfolios on water.
• Blue21: Rotterdam-based developer and designer of floating neighborhoods and buildings; comparable as a specialist competitor in the same floating-architecture niche SEINE DESIGN occupies.
• Baca Architects: UK-based architects specializing in amphibious and flood-resilient buildings; directly comparable as a specialist in floating/water-adaptive architecture with a similar project scale.

Broad incumbents

• MVRDV: Dutch architecture firm known for experimental, urban and water-related projects; overlaps with SEINE DESIGN's waterfront and floating typologies but as a much larger practice.
• dMFK Architects: UK architecture practice with maritime and heritage project experience; overlaps with SEINE DESIGN's vessel-renovation and waterfront-building work but operates as a broader generalist practice.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Internationally prominent architecture firm with notable floating and amphibious concepts; comparable as a high-profile design brand pursuing water-based building typologies, though at much larger scale.
• Olson Kundig: US architecture firm with signature waterfront and bespoke vessel-related projects; overlaps with SEINE DESIGN's hospitality/luxury floating typologies but on a larger generalist platform.
• Arup: Global engineering firm with substantial marine, floating-structure and waterfront-project expertise; comparable as a provider of naval/marine engineering services embedded in floating-architecture projects.

Others

• Bateaux Parisiens: Parisian cruise and floating-hospitality operator that is both a SEINE DESIGN customer (Cristal II, Charing Cross) and operates in the same Seine floating-hospitality market, making it a relevant adjacent peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seine-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 SEINE DESIGN