The winning project

Following the selection process organized by the Institut français, Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Catherine Pégard, Minister of Culture, announced on April 23, 2026, that The “Res Publica: What Is This Space Between You and Me?” project, led by the firm Particules—which serves as the lead firm for a consortium of architects and urban planners—has been selected to represent France at the^20th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia 2027.

The year 2027 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Architecture Act of January 3, 1977, a seminal piece of legislation that recognizes architecture as an expression of culture and a matter of public interest, and affirms architecture’s role in shaping the quality of our living environment. The curatorial team selected to lead the French Pavilion in Venice intends to explore the political, cultural, and social dimensions of architecture, viewed as a “public matter.”

"The jury selected the project res publica: What is this space between you and me? from the Particules team for its proposal, which is at once powerful, sensitive, immersive, and embodied. The Pavilion it proposes challenges the 1977 law by revealing three unconsidered aspects that today crystallize the tensions within it: the issue of rehabilitation and heritage; the emergence of new alliances in the architect’s exercise of responsibility; and the expansion—both before and after the building permit is issued—of the conditions for ensuring architectural quality¹". »

The Grand Tour—An Investigation by Young People

The ENSA schools in Brittany, Grenoble— Université Grenoble Alpes —and Paris-Est—Université Gustave Eiffel—play an important role in the curatorial project for the French Pavilion by exploring three neighborhoods built in the 1970s, located near their campuses, where they have already had the opportunity to conduct educational projects.

The three host sites identified in France (the Blosne neighborhood in Rennes, the Mont d’Est neighborhood in Noisy-le-Grand, and the Villeneuve neighborhood in Grenoble) commit the ENSA schools to producing, together with their students and local partners, a visible educational, cultural, and professional contribution that is rooted in their local communities and can be presented in Venice.

Inspired by the European Educational Grand Tour, the initiative will bring together young adults aged 18 to 25 who live in these neighborhoods and who, through their studies, apprenticeships, and community involvement, share a common interest in “public affairs.” Together, they will form a community of investigators—known as a cohort—that will explore and debate public affairs in these three neighborhoods before gathering at the Cita Marghera in Venice.

This adventure, intended as a hands-on learning experience, will result in the production of a film showcasing architecture’s commitment to the creation of public spaces, both in France and in Italy.

For architecture students, participating in this Grand Tour is a practical professional development opportunity that fosters real-world experience, the acquisition of transferable skills, and access to professional networks. The work produced will be recognized in both academic and professional settings.

In terms of training, the project is part of an innovative educational approach that integrates research, practice, and outreach. It strengthens the links between teaching and real-world experience by experimenting with new learning methods based on inquiry and collaborative development with local stakeholders.

As true partners in the project, the ENSA schools in Brittany, Grenoble— Université Grenoble Alpes , and Paris-Est—Université Gustave Eiffel are actively engaged in contemporary discussions and national and international debates on the 1977 law and the future of architectural education.

Project Members

Particles

Particules is an urban planning and architecture firm founded in 2016 by Lou Bellegarde and Fabienne Boudon that combines practical projects with research initiatives. The firm has made a name for itself through its ability to examine the conditions shaping the contemporary city and to work in complex contexts—whether related to heritage, social issues, or economics.

Cuesta

Cuesta is a cultural urban planning cooperative co-founded in 2015 by Agathe Ottavi, based in Brittany and Seine-Saint-Denis. It uses artistic approaches to engage citizens and stakeholders, reinterpret territories, and experiment with new forms of public space and local collaboration.

Villeneuve's Films

Les films de la Villeneuve is an audiovisual production company that has been based in the Villeneuve neighborhood since 2010. It produces and distributes films that involve residents of working-class neighborhoods.

Nicolas TIXIER

Nicolas Tixier is an architect and professor at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes (ENSAG-UGA). As a researcher at Cresson, he also works on projects with the BazarUrbain collective.

TRIBU

TRIBU is a consulting firm specializing in the environmental quality of projects on various scales; it has been a pioneer in the eco-responsible design of buildings and regions since 1990.
  Article originally published on the ENSAG–UGA website