Biography

Manal Rachdi (1978) studied architecture and urban planning at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture in Nantes, France, from 1999 to 2005. After graduating, he founded the architecture firm Off architecture in Paris together with Tanguy Vermet in 2006, and in 2013 he founded his own firm, OXO Architectes, in Montreuil. In 2007, he was an assistant professor at the Versailles School of Architecture. Manal Rachdi's grandfather worked in the agricultural and forestry sector and greatly influenced his career. After initial studies in biology and geology, he was able to combine his childhood dream of living in the forest with his passion for drawing in architecture. His projects integrate large green spaces to bring nature and the city (back) together a bit. His work combines strategic analysis, witty experimentation, social responsibility and humour. His powerful and sensitive architectures are explorations of tomorrow's living space. He uses nature and plants as materials and designs extraordinary projects such as the "Arbre Blanc" residential tower in Montpellier with Sou Fujimoto and NLA Paris or the "Ecotone Antibes" project with Atelier Jean Nouvel and Foussat Bapt. www.oxoarch.com Portraitfoto Manal Rachdi ©OXO Architectes | ©Cyrille Weiner