« Ligne 7 » is an architectural agency that brings together three architects whose personalities are very different and yet complementary. Let’s consider first Serge Constantinoff, the oldest and yet the fieriest of the three colleagues, who thinks with great ease about mathematics and music; then let’s turn our attention to Bernard Ritaly: a few years younger, he is very moderate, having learnt his combative skills during his years as a high-level competitive sportsman. Last but not least, let us introduce Dominique Lardeau, the youngest of the three, who has a very methodical and  Cartesian temper; it is by working with several Japanese colleagues that he has developed his sense for moderation. These three fellows, whose tempers are so different, and who are, for each of them, inhabited, deeply, by the same and powerful passion, a passion for architecture, have managed to create an incredible synergy. They indeed show a great sense of unity when they think, plan and bid together. Their plans are getting for ever and ever richer, thanks to their endeavour to listen to each other, thanks to their effort to always develop further their creative dialogues. This quality of interaction is a distinctive characteristic of not only their tripartite relationship, but also of all their professional  partnerships, be them study bureau, sound engineer, landscape planner, etc, or on the other side, contractors and the various craftsmen and workmen. When they bid successfully, they divide the work to be done, according to their respective personalities, so that it works the best with the personality of their counterpart: the dialogue therefore is never interrupted all along the study phase as well as the completion  phase. Just to have an idea of the way they split their responsibilities, one needs only to attend one of their (building) site meeting, whoever chairs it. All speakers speak the same language, irrespective of their professionnal background: whether coming from the world of craft, or the world of building, all have pleasure in getting together for a meeting, all strive to reach the same objective : deliver a building of very high quality !

Bernard Ritaly & Serge Constantinoff, in 1987 (photo : C. Schmitt).

Dominique Lardeau, in 2003

From these human relations characterised by a rare intensity, relations that our three fellows keep, with an unrelenting attention, very much alive, flows an architecture that always fulfils the expectations of the contractors and of the final users. However their architecture is always free from any compromises: the expected architectural quality, that has been agreed upon at the very beginning, will be guaranteed throughout the whole process, without any default.Their architecture doesn’t follow any specific precepts that would have been proclaimed by such and such architectural school: it is, first and foremost, contextual; the priority is given to the use people will make of it; it shows great respect for its environment, in its urban, cultural, geopolitical and economical dimensions etc. it doesn’t limit itself though to a specific « neo regionalist » imagery nor does it attempt to build a « pastiche » or, when the building is set in the Ile-de-France region, to obey the rules of the « self proclaimed Parisian biased » clique.This is probably where their conceptual talents lie, and this is also why they are so much praised by the contractors of each of their projects in Cognac, in Aven d’orgnac, in Orléans, in Publier, in Albertville, or also in Paris, Montreuil, Argenteuil, …One has also to underline their ability to work in several directions: they have worked for complex and arduous programmes such as social housing and hospitals; but they have also worked for more playful programmes such as sports centres and cultural infrastructures…Ligne 7 has therefore, buildings after buildings, asserted itself as a polyvalent team which has always considered personal differences with great respect but which has shown itself to be undeniably united by qualities of listening and sharing.