By Farra Zoumboulakis & Associes Architectes Urbanistes

For several years, Farra Zoumboulakis & Associes Architectes Urbanistes of Lausanne, Switzerland, have deliberately based their work on three key French terms: milieu (environment), lien (connection) and lieu (location). Taking three signature designs as examples-an ensemble of five apartment buildings in Lausanne-Provence for environment, the Renens train station for connection, and an eco-neighbourhood in Nyon for site-they now reflect on their work as architects and urban designers and situate it in a larger context. For the first-ever book on their work, the architects have also invited experts from other fields such as philosophy, biology, or art, to address the concepts of milieu, lien and lieu from different perspectives than their own.