architecture + aménagement

13/05/2026

bürgermitte l baesweiler (de)

This building is more than the renovation and extension of an existing town hall — it is the creation of a new civic heart for Baesweiler.

The project transforms the former 1970s administrative building into a contemporary and welcoming public destination, combining existing and new structures into one coherent architectural ensemble. Two compact and sustainable volumes are connected through a fully glazed central space that brings together circulation, reception areas, and meeting spaces, creating a clear and open identity for the new administrative center.

Transparency, accessibility, and urban integration were key elements of the design approach. The central glazed volume expresses openness towards citizens, while the perforated brick façade creates a subtle play of light towards the public square and brings generous daylight into the interior spaces.

Beyond the building itself, the project contributes to the emergence of a new urban center. The public square, organized around the preserved existing oak tree, becomes a lively meeting place animated by organic pathways, integrated seating, and discreet water features.

Together with HDK Dutt & Kist GmbH and the City of Baesweiler, this project was developed as a place for exchange, community, and civic life.

Photos: Jörg Hempel

13/05/2026

POLIS AWARD 2026 | WINNING PROJECT 🏆

Together with HDK Dutt & Kist GmbH and the City of Baesweiler, we are proud and honored to receive the 1st Prize at the 2026 POLIS Award in the category “Soziale Quartiersentwicklung” for our project “BürgerMitte Baesweiler”.

This recognition means a lot to us all, as the POLIS Award is one of the leading distinctions in the field of urban and project development.

Since winning the competition in 2018, the project has continuously evolved through close collaboration between all partners into a vibrant place that encourages social interaction and strengthens community life within the neighborhood.

We sincerely thank everyone involved for their trust, collaboration, and commitment throughout the entire process.

Receiving this award together in Düsseldorf was a very special moment for all of us.

More info about our project here : https://a-a.lu/fra/projet/mairie-baesweiler

30/04/2026

What if the most forward-thinking move in architecture was to stop building from scratch?

During the Paperjam 10x6 event on April 28, Antoine Iung and Gianni Bartolomeo shared a+a’s insights into what defines the next generation of architecture.

As architecture + aménagement approaches its 30th anniversary, their conviction is clear, "Next Gen" isn't about inventing what doesn't exist yet. It's about something quieter, and harder: the intelligence of transformation.

Through our current project Wooden Eye, they showed what that looks like in practice. Faced with an obsolete office building, the obvious move would have been to demolish and start over. Instead, they dissected it by identifying what was still structurally and technically sound and rebuilt only what genuinely needed to change. This created a building that meets today's standards without erasing everything what was already there.

But the talk didn't stop at buildings. Because how can you design agile, future-ready architecture if the firm producing it isn't? For a+a, being "Next Gen" also means applying the same logic to the office itself: flatter structures, more horizontal decision-making, and working rhythms that leave room for what matters most in this profession, prioritizing time to think rather than more time at a desk.

Next Gen Architecture, in the end, isn't a style or a technology race. It's a mindset: the ability to look at what exists, such as a deteriorating building, a 30-year-old firm, or a way of working, and consciously decide what to keep, what to transform, and what to reinvent.

An incredible evening of exchange at Paperjam. Thank you for the opportunity to contribute alongside such inspiring speakers.

Paperjam report: https://en.paperjam.lu/article/a-new-architectural-scene-balancing-commitment-and-experimentation
Photos: Julian Pierrot / Paperjam

23/04/2026

À l’occasion du 10x6 Next Gen Architecture, organisé par Paperjam, nos collaborateurs Antoine Iung et Gianni Bartolomeo interviendront sur scène le 28 avril prochain pour partager leur vision de l’architecture contemporaine.

En amont de cet événement, ils reviennent dans une interview sur les enjeux actuels de la profession, entre transformation des pratiques, responsabilité environnementale et évolution des modes de conception.

À quoi ressemblera l’architecture de demain? Le 28 avril 2026, le Paperjam 10x6 – Architecture NextGen réunira à Luxexpo The Box, dans le cadre du salon international Architect@Work, dix talents émergents autour du thème «Thoughtful Tomorrow». Antoine Iung et Gianni Bartolomeo, de a+a, no...