Identity — Vincent Lavergne

The agency Vincent Lavergne Architecture Urbanisme works on adapting metropolises to the new imperatives of social, economic, ecological, and climate development.

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A LABORATORY FOR MIXED-USE & DIVERSITY

Based in Paris, Marseille, and Barcelona, VLAU deploys a transversal reflection on the resilient city. Our approach is rooted in the conviction that diversity—whether programmatic, structural, or social—is the cornerstone of tomorrow's urban balances. By intersecting the history of places with human dynamics, we craft a narrative

BUILDING UPON HERITAGE

Our identity is founded on a dual expertise: regenerative urbanism ("the city upon the city") and low-carbon construction engineering. We transform the constraints of dense environments—heavy refurbishments, industrial conversions, complex sites—into opportunities for innovation, moving beyond the "all-concrete" era.

OPERATIONAL INNOVATION

Innovation is not an abstraction; it is viable, concrete, and sustainable. We advocate for an architecture of frugality, where every construction system is designed for longevity and reversibility. Our goal: to generate territorial expertise that endures over the long term.

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The research department at VLAU explores five major themes that structure our projects and fuel our on-site experiments.

CONSTRUCTIVE MIXITY & POST-CARBON

RESEARCH ON HYBRID SYSTEMS AND BIO-BASED/GEO-SOURCED MATERIALS.

We explore structural alternatives to minimize the carbon footprint while ensuring the project's structural integrity and aesthetics.

HERITAGE VALORIZATION

HISTORICAL DEPTH AS A RESOURCE.

This research axis views the existing built environment, and industrial heritage in particular, not as a constraint but as the foundation for a new urban narrative. By reactivating these generous structures, we transform productive memory into a lever for contemporary regeneration, combining respect for collective memory with the imperatives of frugality.

EMERGING TERRITORIES & URBANITIES

PROSPECTIVE VISION FOR TOMORROW'S METROPOLISES.

How can we adapt our cities to climate shocks while maintaining economic growth dynamics and social cohesion?

BETTER LIVING

TOWARDS NEW STANDARDS.

A reflection on housing quality, evolving lifestyles, and functional comfort. We are redefining standards to create dignified, adaptable, and fulfilling living environments.

WORKSPACES & PRODUCTIVE PLACES

STUDY OF NEW MOBILITIES AND THE FRAGMENTATION OF ACTIVITIES.

We design hybrid spaces capable of hosting production and creation at the very heart of the urban fabric.

Vincent Lavergne

Founding partner of the agency, Vincent Lavergne is an architect and urban planner. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette, he co-founded the Nadau Lavergne agency in 2008. In 2017, he launched Vincent Lavergne Architecture Urbanisme (VLAU), based in Paris and Marseille, where he now leads a team of around twenty professionals. Winner of both the Albums des Jeunes Architectes and the Palmarès des Jeunes Urbanistes in 2012, he directs numerous projects in France and abroad, bridging his expertise between architecture and urban planning.

Alongside his practice, he is actively engaged in theoretical research, teaching, exhibition curation, and publishing, and frequently lectures worldwide. (See ‘Contributions’)

He was notably a member of the editorial board of Tous Urbains, an urban planning journal directed by Philippe Panerai and Olivier Mongin (Presses Universitaires de France), and belongs to the French Institutes international network.

Board Member of the Maison de l’Architecture en Île-de-France
Editorial Board Member of Tous Urbains journal (Presses Universitaires de France)
Lauréat AJAP (Albums des Jeunes Architectes et Paysagistes), French Ministry of Culture / 2012
Winner of the Palmarès des Jeunes Urbanistes / 2012
Winner of the Agora Architecture Biennale in Bordeaux / 2008
Winner of the Pyramide d’Argent d’Aquitaine / 2011 (Note: Corrected from 2001, which predates the 2008 agency co-founding)
Named among the “100 Figures Shaping the City” (100 qui font la ville) by Trait Urbain magazine / 2022 edition