Berlin 10625
Germany
Experimental Foundation is pleased to announce Paris based architects Thibaut Barrault and Cyril Pressacco of Barrault Pressacco as the recipients of the first Experimental Fellowship in partnership with revalu, the European platform for smart material decisions.
Barrault Pressacco’s Fellowship project, Inhabited Thermal Delights, explores the transformation of 176 social housing units in Paris’s 19th arrondissement for Paris Habitat, the largest social housing provider in Paris. The project investigates how thermal design can become a driver of architectural transformation, placing residents’ comfort, material innovation, and the architectural quality of existing buildings at the centre of the renovation process.
At a time when the transformation of the existing building stock has become one of architecture’s most urgent challenges, the project starts from a clear premise: existing buildings should no longer be understood as constraints to be corrected, but as resources to be interpreted. Rather than treating thermal performance solely as a technical requirement, the research explores its potential to shape space, use, atmosphere, and architectural identity.
Working through the study of bio-based insulation systems, the Fellowship will examine how contemporary environmental requirements can generate new spatial qualities and open up new aesthetic possibilities for the renovation of existing buildings. Particular attention will be given to hempcrete insulation and its application within an occupied social housing context, where residents remain in place throughout the construction process. Through revalu’s digital material library and manufacturer network, the Fellows will also gain access to alternative material options and industry expertise, supporting the evaluation and implementation of low-carbon construction solutions.
The research combines architectural reflection with technical investigation, testing, and performance analysis. Through a practice-based methodology, the Fellowship seeks to develop approaches that can support broader adoption of bio-based materials within thermal renovation projects.
The Fellowship will run until summer 2027, with its research outcomes published through Experimental Foundation’s open-source publication programme.
Jury statements
“Inhabited Thermal Delights presents a compelling opportunity for practice-based research into the implementation of bio-based materials. At the scale of 176 social housing units, the project has the potential to demonstrate how sustainable materials can contribute to innovative and environmentally conscious housing solutions.” —Kika Brockstedt, Co-Founder, revalu
“The proposal stood out for treating the necessary ‘thickness’ of thermal renovation as a source of architectural quality. By making the material visible, Barrault Pressacco demonstrate how environmental performance can generate new spatial qualities and enhance residents’ comfort.” —Prof. Dr. Elli Mosayebi, Founder and Partner, Edelaar Mosayebi Inderbitzin; Professor of Architecture and Design, ETH Zurich
“Barrault Pressacco’s proposal explores how bio-based hemp-lime insulation can strengthen both well-being and architectural quality in renovation projects. By testing this highly sustainable yet rarely applied material at a large housing scale, the project has the potential to advance its broader acceptance in architecture and construction.” —Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Christiane Sauer, Professor of Material Design, Weißensee School of Art and Design Berlin
About the Fellows
Thibaut Barrault graduated from the Paris-Est School of Architecture in 2005 and 2006. He has worked in Paris, Rotterdam, and Buenos Aires, notably with OMA / Rem Koolhaas, and has taught at the Paris-Est School of Architecture since 2007. Since September 2025, he has served as Guest Professor at the Department of Architecture, ETH Zurich.
Cyril Pressacco studied civil engineering at the IUT of Lyon before graduating from the Department of Architecture at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) in 2005. He has worked in Paris and Brussels, notably with Brunet-Saunier. He taught at the Paris-Est School of Architecture from 2007 to 2021 and has been teaching at the Normandy School of Architecture since 2021. Since September 2025, he has served as Guest Professor at the Department of Architecture, ETH Zurich.
Barrault Pressacco was co-founded in 2009 by Thibaut Barrault and Cyril Pressacco. The practice operates across architecture, research, and teaching, working at multiple scales and contexts. Grounded in architectural theory while remaining attentive to the evolving challenges shaping the discipline, the office develops an engaged and contemporary approach to the transformation of the built environment. Its internationally recognised work reflects a commitment to architectural quality, environmental responsibility, and social relevance.
About the Fellowship
The Experimental Fellowship with revalu brings together Experimental Foundation’s expertise in practice-based, systemic architectural research with revalu’s digital infrastructure for material assessment and decision-making. The Fellowship programme supports architects working on real-world projects who seek to advance regenerative, circular, and climate-conscious approaches to the built environment.
Jury: Prof. Jan de Vylder (ETH Zurich, A JDVIV, Ghent/Brussels), Prof. Florian Nagler (TU Munich, Nagler Architekten, Munich), Prof. Dr. Elli Mosayebi (Founder and Partner, Edelaar Mosayebi Inderbitzin; Professor of Architecture and Design, ETH Zurich), Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Christiane Sauer (Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin, Berlin), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Wurm (KU Leuven, Arup, Brussels), Prof. Regine Leibinger (Experimental Foundation, Barkow Leibinger, Berlin), Kika Brockstedt (Co-Founder, revalu, Copenhagen), and Chrissie Muhr (Experimental Foundation, Berlin/Basel).
Experimental Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by architect Prof. Regine Leibinger. Since 2022, the foundation has promoted sustainable architectural projects and practices that contribute to a transformative shift in the building sector. Based in Berlin and active internationally, its work supports architects in developing, testing, and implementing experimental approaches at the intersection of research, design, and building practice.
revalu is a digital platform that helps teams to select the right building materials with confidence and ease. It offers a database of 40.000+ up-to-date building materials and tools to create, share and use material intelligence.
