Djao-Rakitine is a landscape architecture practice based in Paris and London, working on high profile cultural, educational, commercial and residential projects worldwide.

The studio’s portfolio includes Selfridges public realm in London, Paris 2024 Arena, Khokhlovskaya Square, Moscow, iXcampus (Innovation and Education Campus in the historic city of Saint-Germain en Laye) and various projects worldwide.

For each project, the geographical, biological, cultural, and economic aspects are studied and integrated. The studio's creative approach aims at developing the potential of each site by revealing its best geographical, spatial, ecological, and cultural characteristics to create a friendly, rich and sustainable environment. Climate change mitigation, runoff management and biodiversity improvement are at the heart of our work.

The studio conducts research projects on the evolution of urban landscape and the adaptation to climate change of metropolises such as Paris and London. This work allows us to better meet our operational missions of diagnosis, design, and project management.

Our collaborative work with ecologists, engineers and architects creates a transversal and multidisciplinary approach that allows us to respond accurately to the growing environmental, social and ecological challenges in our cities.

Scope of work:

Streetscape, Plaza, Square, Roof Garden, Garden, Park, Landscape Garden, Campus Park, Master Plan & Landscape Strategy, Planting Strategy, Biodiversity Improvement, Suds, Water Feature, Outdoor Furniture and Maintenance Plan.

Irène Djao-Rakitine

Director at Djao-Rakitine Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architect DPLG

Chartered member of the Landscape Institute

Design Advocate for the Mayor of London

Irene Djao-Rakitine graduated from the National School of Applied Arts (ENSAAMA) in Paris in 2001 and from the National School of Landscape Architecture (ENSP) in Versailles in 2005. She is also a chartered member of the Landscape Institute in the United Kingdom.

Between 2006 and 2009 she was Head of Landscape Department at Ateliers Jean Nouvel in Paris, and between 2009 and 2015, Head of Vogt London.

As a landscape architect, her collaboration with Jean Nouvel gave her a wide range of international experience developing landscape designs for projects such as the Paris Philharmonic Hall and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

At Vogt London, Irene oversaw the design development of the London 2012 Athletes Village public realm project. She was also part of the team in charge of developing the Olympic Legacy Framework for the London Legacy Development Corporation. Amongst other projects, she led the Tate Modern public realm development.  

In February 2015, she founded her own practice, Djao-Rakitine Landscape Architecture. Djao-Rakitine is a landscape architecture practice based in London and Paris, working on high profile public and private cultural, commercial and residential projects worldwide. 

Irene was visiting critic to the London Mayor’s Project Review Panel in 2013–16 and a researcher at the ETH Zurich in 2015–16.

She's been one of the Mayor's Design Advocates to support the Mayor of London's Good Growth by Design plan since 2017 and a member of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Quality Panel since 2020.

Current and former team members

Collaborations

Clients

Support

We strongly support the Francis Hallé project to create a primary forest in Western Europe.

Publications

Awards

Awarded Best Urban Design by the Moscow Urban Forum

Best Cultural Heritage site restoration project in Russia

ISOCARP Grand Award 2018

Qatar Sustainability Award 2018

RIBA London Award 2019

Lectures & Round tables

Débat Paris en Commun, Végétaliser la ville : quelle stratégie ? Thursday, June 18, 2020

Good Growth by Design Recovery Roundtable: Ecological Urbanism, Greater London Authority, June 25, 2020

Design Resonance in an Age of Crisis | ENVIRONMENT Steering Group, June 2020

Le jardin comme exposition, l'exposition comme jardin, Pavillion Bosio, Monaco, December 9, 2019

Back to Basics, Vilnius, November 21, 2019

Jury Panel for Tuchkov Buyan Park Design Competition, Saint Petersburg, November 6, 2019

Landscape as a fantasy, Brno, June 30, 2016.

Europan Jury, Vienne, November 8, 2015

Publications