resumé
Dominique Coulon was born in the Jura region of eastern France in 1961 and studied architecture in Strasbourg and Paris-Belleville. After graduating in 1989, he set up his office in Strasbourg, in eastern France. In 1991, he won the Villa Medici Hors les Murs award and travelled in the United States, Latin America and Europe.
Refusing to be limited by a pre-established method, Dominique Coulon seeks to explore different ways of approaching projects in order to rethink spaces and uses.
He is spurred on by his reflexive and philosophical approach to design buildings that reflect spatial complexity. Considering this complexity is an approach that gives the architect the freedom to deal with the heterogeneity of the project’s data, to construct unity. In this way, using an intuitive process that greatly depends on the nature of the place, his architecture is always composed of dynamically imbricated elements.
Contexts and respect for historical background are also among his concerns.
In parallel with his production, Dominique Coulon has also taught at the School of Architecture in Strasbourg since 2007. He founded the master’s degree in ‘Architecture and Complexity’, where his teaching method consists of crossing different disciplines in order to find a new dynamic in the approach to the architectural project.
With the desire to train people and make them capable of formulating an architectural thought both in theory and in practice, he has developed, within this master’s degree, a teaching method that is based on the propensity of the student to cultivate a personal vision.
While there is not really any method for inventing architecture, he does feel there is the possibility of guiding the student’s spirit towards discovery through various tools: architecture is not organized, it is discovered. Students must use their intuition and synthesise the data inherent in the project to overcome the passive posture of being taught, and instead develop an emergency strategy to assume the unpredictability of architecture as potential to create a project: complexity then becomes the driving force of the architectural project.
In 2008 the agency adopted the name of Dominique Coulon & associés. It mainly develops projects in the public sector, but also works on a range of programmes: libraries, hospital buildings, theatres, swimming pools, music schools, exhibition halls, school assembly halls, sports facilities, homes, university buildings, etc.
In 2022 he was awarded the Golden Medal by the French Academy of Architecture.
Awards
Runner-up, Rethinking The Future Awards, for the Swimming Pool Complex in Fondettes, category Sports and Recreation
RTF Awards
Special mention, Architizer A+ Awards, category cultural and expo center for the conservatoire of music, theatre and dance in Montigny-le-Bretonneux
Architizer A+ Awards
Honorable mention, FRAME awards, for the conservatoire of music, theatre and dance in Montigny-le-Bretonneux
FRAME Awards
No. 25 best architecture firm worldwide according to Archello
Archello
No. 1 best french architecure firm according to Archello
Archello
Number 1 leading architecture french firm in the top 30 from Architizer
Architizer
Nominated, Best on Archilovers 2023, for Antipode: Youth and cultural center and library in Rennes
Archilovers
Nominated, Architectural Design Award from the Architecture Masterprize, for Antipode: Youth and cultural center and library in Rennes
Architecture Masterprize
Nominated, Best on Archilovers 2022, for the ‘Simone Veil’ group of schools in Villejuif
Archilovers
Nominated, Best on Archilovers 2022, for the ‘Moulon’ school group at the saclay plateau in Gif-sur-Yvette
Archilovers
Laureate, The Plan Awards 2022, for the Housing for the elderly in Huningue, Health category
The Plan Awards 2022
Laureate, The Plan Awards 2022, for the Animu media library in Porto-Vecchio, Culture category
The Plan Awards 2022
Finalist, The Plan Awards 2022, for the ‘Moulon’ school group at the saclay plateau in Gif-sur-Yvette, Education category
The plan Awards 2022
Laureate, "Interior Space Prize" of the Grand Prix des bibliothèques organized by Livres Hebdo, for the Antipode media library in Rennes
Laureate, S.Arch Awards 2021, Best completed project for the ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne in the small project category
S.ARCH 2021 Winners
Longlist, Dezeen Awards 2021, ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne in the cultural building category
Dezeen awards 2021
Finalist, Architizer A+Awards, for the Housing for the elderly in Huningue, int he "Hospital & Healthcare Centers " category
Architizer A + Awards
Finalist, Architizer A+Awards, for the ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne, in the "Libraries " category
Architizer A + Awards
Nominated, Archdaily Building of the Year 2021, for the ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne.
Archdaily 2021
Nominated, Archdaily Building of the Year 2021, for the School group Olympe de Gouges in Gidy.
Archdaily 2021
Laureate, Architizer A+Firm Awards 2021, in the "Best in Europe" category
Architizer 2021
Finalist, Architizer A+Firm Awards 2021, in the "Best Medium Firm" category
Architizer 2021
Laureate, Les Rubans du Patrimoine 2020, for the ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne, in the departmental category
Les prix des Rubans du Patrimoine
Laureate, Architecture Masterprize 2020, for the ‘Pierre Bottero’ media library and park in Pélissanne, in the Cultural Architecture category
Architecture Masterprize 2020
Honorable Mention, Architecture Masterprize 2020, for the school group Olympe de Gouges in Gidy, in the Educational Buildings category
Architecture Masterprize 2020
Laureate, Architecture Masterprize 2020, for the School group René Beauverie in Vaulx-en-Velin, in the Educational Buildings category
Architecture Masterprize 2020
Nominated, EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award 2019, for the Théodore Gouvy theatre in Freyming-Merlebach
EU Mies Award 2019
Laureate, Le Geste d'Or prize, Covered market and exhibition hall in Schiltigheim, France - Bronze
Le Geste d'Or 2019
Laureate, Trophée Béton Pro prize, Salvador Allende performing arts centre and music studios in Mons-en-Baroeul, France.
Trophée Béton Pro 2019
Laureate, ADC Awards 2019, ‘Human Rights’ sports centre in Strasbourg, in the sports category
ADC Awards
Nominated, Equerre d'Argent 2018, for the Théodore Gouvy theatre in Freyming-Merlebach, in the culture, youth and sport category
Equerre d'Argent 2018
Laureate, Architecture MasterPrize 2018, for the ‘Théodore Gouvy’ Theatre in Freyming-Merlebach, in the ‘Cultural Architecture' category
Architecture MasterPrize 2018
Laureate, Architecture MasterPrize 2018, for the ‘Human Rights’ sports centre in Strasbourg, in the ‘Recreational Architecture’ category
Architecture MasterPrize 2018
Laureate, Architecture MasterPrize 2018, for the offices and housing in Strasbourg, in the ‘Mixed use Architecture’ category
Architecture MasterPrize 2018
Laureate, Architecture MasterPrize 2018, for the covered market and exhibition area in Schiltigheim, in the ‘Restoration & Renovation’ category
Architecture MasterPrize 2018
Nominated, Blueprint Awards 2018,for the Théodore Gouvy theatre in Freyming-Merlebach, in the 'Best Public-Use Project With Public Funding' category
Shortlist Blueprint Awards 2018
Laureate - 1st prize, AIT Award 2018, for the Simone Veil group of schools in Colombes, category education
Nominated, Frame Awards, for the Media library [Third place] in Thionville, category governmental interior of the year
Frame Awards
Special Mention of the jury, "Les défis urbains", for the Media Library [third place] in Thionville in the Creation of centrality category
Les défis urbains - Winners 2017
Special Mention of the jury, Architizer A+ Awards 2017, for the Sports Hall Les Closiaux in Clamart in the Recreation Centers Category
Link Special Mention category
Nominated, ADC Awards 2016, for the Art and Conference Centre, Inter-Generation Centre, and Tourist Office in Venarey-Les Laumes
Book ADC Awards 2016 Selection
Laureate, Iconic Awards 2016, German Design Council, 'Henri Dutilleux' Conservatoire of Music, Dance and Dramatic Arts in Belfort
Iconic Awards 2016
Laureate, "Palmarès 2015-2016" DRAC Alsace and the CAUE67 St.Jean group of schools in Strasbourg
CAUE67
Laureate and special mention of the jury, of the Sustainable Building Award given by the CAUE 95 for the Regional court and Industrial Tribunal in Montmorency
CAUE95
Laureate of the ‘24 heures d'Architecture’, for the ‘Joséphine Baker’ group of schools at La Courneuve
Archicontemporaine Award
Nominated, ECOLA Award 2012, for the ‘Joséphine Baker’ group of schools at La Courneuve
ECOLA Award
Laureate for the "most beautiful interior space" awarded by the french magazine Livres Hebdo for its Library in Anzin
Nominated, LEAF Awards 2011 for the ‘Joséphine Baker’ group of schools at La Courneuve
LEAF Awards Shortlist
Nominated for EU prize awarded by Mies Van der Rohe Foundation for the national drama centre in Montreuil
E.U. Prize - Mies Award
Special mention of the jury, Butagaz competition
Special mention of the jury, Japanese Centre in Paris
Second prize of the BMW competition
