About

Habiter Autrement is an architectural practice directed by Swedish architect Mia Hägg, with office in Locarno. The firm’s work is characterized by its attention to the site of a project, in the largest sense. Rather than working from a predeterminated design concept, the firm aims to reveal and direct the forces that are already present when they begin their research. This can include design moves that reference to an area’s history, reveal a geographical context, or expose specific qualities of light.
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Since 2007, Habiter Autrement has undertaken work of all scales including housing, stadiums, offices, and masterplans. The process also has an improvisational quality; emphasizing collaborations with other architects, as well as professionals from other disciplines. As a Swedish architect working in Paris and Switzerland, who has completed projects in Europe and Asia, Mia Hägg’s extensive international experience has enabled her to build a broad and diverse network of colleagues whom she often invites to collaborate with her.
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In the challenging field of public housing, characterized by legislative constraints and limited budgets, frequently leading to compromised designs, Habiter Autrement has concentrated on rethinking the common assumptions of housing, looking for ways to go beyond the standard solutions often imposed by clients and construction companies. The office gained early recognition when it was awarded the first prize in a competition for five innovative public housing projects in Bordeaux, in partnership with Atelier Jean Nouvel (AJN) and developer ING Real Estate. Three of the five Bordeaux projects were completed with Habiter Autrement as lead architect and, after completion, the Lormont housing project was awarded the Agora Architecture Prize. The jury, headed by Winy Maas of MVRDV, recognized the beauty of the project as well as the complexity of building on a site under the Aquitane bridge. Two of the firm's other housing projects, Armagnac and Cenon, both received special mention in the competition.

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