Coldefy is an international architecture and urbanism practice that has offices settled in Lille, Paris and Shanghai. With completed and ongoing projects around the world, the practice engages in private and public projects at all scales.
Thomas Coldefy and Isabel Van Haute created the studio Coldefy in 2006, and in that same year, were selected as winners of the international competition to build the Hong Kong Design
Institute’s, surpassing 162 competing teams. This project embodied the core design philosophy of the office. It envisioned a new pragmatism that integrates social and sensory experiences, individual and community dynamics, as well as circulation and program influences. Through this holistic approach, Coldefy established a living manifesto for sensitive architecture, encapsulating its values and propelling the studio to the forefront of international design firms in France.
Presently, the studio maintains permanent offices in Lille, Paris, and Shanghai, with a team of around 50 collaborators engaged in projects across the globe. Led by an experienced and diverse leadership team, representing and working closely at the local, national, and international levels, the firm engages in public and private projects of all scales, spanning various domains including education, culture, sports, housing, commerce, and urban planning.
Finesse, monumentality, urbanity, and meticulous attention to detail characterize the firm, distinguishing it for its dynamism and creativity, rooted in sustainable and innovative practices
aligned with today’s and tomorrow’s environmental challenges.
Coldefy has won several major international competitions, including the Hong Kong Design Institute, the renovation of the European Parliament in Brussels, the Pulse National Museum &
Memorial in Orlando, and most recently, the French Pavilion at the 2025 Osaka World Expo.In 2023, Coldefy was the winner of the “Architectural Follies” competition in Montpellier with their
Oasis project. That same year, they also completed the China Foundation on the campus of the International University City of Paris, and the new Marianne Administrative City in Lille, one of the largest passive tertiary buildings in Europe.
Coldefy’s contributions have been acknowledged through numerous architectural awards. In 2022, recognizing their dedication and impact on the architectural landscape in France and globally, the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, bestowed upon Thomas Coldefy the title of Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
