Delphine Lam Lewandowski
Architect PhD, Researcher, Lecturer


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Delphine’s research explores the intersection of nature and architecture, whether theoretical [ethics of nature in architectural culture & alternative cosmologies] based on natural and technical sciences [urban ecology and bioreceptivity of materials] or applied [prototyping of biodiverse walls]. 

Her academic teaching  speciliazes in the integration of living organisms and non-humans into architectural design, while also offering an alternative and ecological perspective on the history of architecture.
She has collaborated with various architecture practices in Paris, including ChartierDalix, PCA-Stream, and BAU+. She currently teaches M.Arch courses at the Nantes and Paris Val-de-Seine Schools of Architecture and is regularly invited as a lecturer and guest critic at prestigious institutions including the Royal Danish Academy, KU Leuven, Université PSL – Paris Malaquais, École Spéciale d’Architecture, and the Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle.



Research


Biodiverse Walls, an Architecture that Supports Biodiversity

Ph.D. Dissertation, 2023. GSA – Paris-Malaquais School of Architecture–PSL, CESCO – Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, in collaboration with ChartierDalix, 367 pp.


 This research focuses on the design and analysis of biodiverse walls —living walls that incorporate an internal vertical layer of soil to support local biodiversity within dense urban environments. By adopting a multidisciplinary approach that combines architecture, materials science, urban ecology, and soil science, and through multiple experimentations, design parameters such as morphology, material bioreceptivity, water management, and substrate composition were defined and studied. Photo: Monitoring of 6 prototypes at the Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle, 2021.

2023 · Bioreceptivity of Living Walls. Interactions between Building Materials and Substrates. Effect on Plant Growth (w/ H. Robain, P. Clergeau, R. Le Roy) in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 83.

2022 · Hosting Biodiversity: Towards an Ecocentric Architecture in Paris Animal (dir. L. Mosconi et H. Bony) Pavillon de l’Arsenal publishing. [English Version]

2022 · Living Insects in Anthropized Space: Embodiments of the Nature/Culture Dichotomy in Architecture in Les Cahiers de la Recherche Architecturale Urbaine et Paysagère, N°14. [English Version]

2017 · Insect Living in Architecture. Uncontrolled/anticipated presence, 198pp. Awarded “Mention Recherche” with Highest Honours at ENSA Paris-Malaquais. Awarded for “Prix des meilleurs mémoires 2017” of the Maison de l’architecture en Ile-de-France.



Selected Works

Hoikuen Mono no aware* ほいくえん もののあはれ. School of Entomologie in Tokyo’s underground  

*Hoikuen refers to kindergarten in Japanese. Mono no aware is a Japanese spiritual concept that can be translated as « Empathy towards things ». Entomology is the scientific study of insects.
The living insects serve both as a lens to observe the phenomenon of "unwanted" nature in architecture and as a tool to view architecture as a biotope, referred to here as Sub-architecture. By embracing this non-theorized welcoming quality, living insects become the catalyst for a paradigm shift in the naturalist vision of sterilized architecture. The entomology school, designed for young children, fosters a less instrumental and non-phobic approach to cohabitation with insects. The Japanese concept of Mono no aware plays a central role in the educational program, manifesting through various observation devices. Insects, often seen as "phobic" objects, are connected to subterranean phobias. The school is located within Tokyo's underground, addressing the city's density challenges through the biotopes of both artificial and natural landscapes, particularly in the Shinjuku Underground West Plaza (Junzo Sakakura, 1967).


Design + Scenography


2015 · Sybaris
Curation of  exhibition at Helsinki Design Week Press: Disegno Daily, TL magazine, Arts Thread, Wallpaper*, New Nordic design


2015 · COG
3D puzzles, glazed ceramics



  

2015 · Causeuse
Public bench, heat-treated pineExhibited at Museum of Finnish Architecture

2013–2018 · Architemp’ – Scenography, Art, Curation with reused material
Previous collaborations: Le Consulat,  We Love Green Festival, Pete the Monkey Festival, Maison de l'Architecture en Ile de France, Les Jardins du Ruisseau.

Key concepts

Ecocentric Architecture

Ecocentric Architecture refers to architectural design approaches that are either "ecocentric" (centered on ecosystems) or "biocentric" (centered on a specific living form), as opposed to anthropocentric architecture (centered on humans). These approaches, rooted in environmental ethics, consider various forms of life in addition to human beings and aim to achieve a balance in the flows of energy and matter, as well as between species, which is characteristic of ecosystems.


Sub-architecture

Subarchitecture (sous-architecture) is a neologism referencing Subnature (Gissen, 2009), emerging from research that explores the interactions between architecture and living animals in the context of a more nature-inclusive architecture. Sous-architecture defines the often neglected theoretical and physical aspects of architecture that accommodate “unwanted” nature, such as technical shafts, underfloor, inside the walls, suspended ceiling or technical rooms.

Biodiverse Design

Biodiverse design refers to an approach to designing buildings and urban spaces that actively incorporate and support local ecosystems, contributing to biodiversity conservation in urban settings. This involves integrating elements like green roofs, living walls, water systems, and habitats that foster plant and animal species, emphasizing the interrelationship between the built and natural environments.


Bioreceptivity

 Bioreceptivity (Guillite, 1995) refers to the capacity of building materials to host living organisms. Previously, this field evolved with a different purpose: to prevent the colonization of life on historical monuments, under the terms biodegradation or biodeterioration. 


Prizes and Fellowships

2024 · Awarded First Special Prize for Ph.D. Dissertation on Urban Studies, by PUCA

Plan Urbanisme Construction Architecture – French Ministries of Ecology Transition, Higher Education, Culture and Research


2019 · CIFRE Ph.D. Fellowship, ANRT

National Association of Research and Technology


2017 · Awarded the Prize for Best Dissertation, by Maison de l’architecture en Ile-de-France

2015 · Winner of Toyota Home Student Competition at Aalto University

Presented at Toyota Home in Nagoya


2014 · Awarded the Special Prize by Isover International Contest 2014

Design of an Environmental and Low-energy School in Gaziantep


2014 · Winner of the Call for Projects of We Love Green Festival

Scenography with reused material