ABOUT
LASSA is an architecture practice based in London, co-founded in 2009 by Theo Sarantoglou Lalis and Dora Sweijd. We operate at the intersection between the fields of art, technology and social science. As a practice we have two main concerns. On one hand, the behavioural attributes of architectural form for its capacity to stimulate the corporal experience of space, to enhance socialization and the collective. On the other hand, are the politics of construction and a complete rethinking of building procedures.
LASSA is strongly engaged with technology for its pivotal role in the way we collaborate, design and fabricate architecture. Current work includes commissions from both the public and private sectors in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. With experience working in 18 countries, our team has developed expertise in the delivery of projects of great sophistication with a particular control over the manufacturing process and cost.
LASSA is concurrently engaged in academic research through the work of their studio, Diploma 17, at the Architecture Association and through workshops and lectures worldwide. Besides teaching at the AA, our team has held teaching positions at universities such as Harvard, Columbia, the Bartlett, Westminster University, Lund University and Gothenborg University.
In 2010, LASSA was awarded a REA European research grant for COELUX, an advanced lighting system, in partnership with world leading specialists as well as research institutions throughout Europe and Switzerland. LASSA was a finalist for a number of international awards, including the 2012 Chernikov award and the 2013 Lisbon Biennale award. LASSA (Sarantoglou Lalis & Sweijd Architects ltd) has been a chartered architecture company with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) in London since 2004.
HOW WE WORK
Our expertise lies in bespoke design combined with innovative constructive strategies that make use of state of the art digital design and manufacturing processes. Our team believes that demanding constraints of scale, budget and location can inspire innovative
solutions. We are interested in the use of unconventional geometry as a means of integrating multiple design objectives into one form. These design parameters can include programmatic organisation, environmental performance, structural optimisation and acoustics, to name a few.
Our experience in managing and delivering international projects of great complexity is supported by our network of consultants. This allows us to develop efficient working methods that benefit from both local and global expertise. We manage risk through methods such as 1 to 1 prototyping, material testing and consulting with specialists. This additional service reduces the overall cost of the project while guaranteeing sophistication