EP20: Paul Cournet on Cultivating Communities, Trusting the Process, and Creating Space for Others

Paul Cournet is an architect, researcher, and founder of CLOUD, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Rotterdam, next to being the Deputy Editor of CAPSULE. After over a decade at Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, Paul chose a different path: one defined by community, autonomy, and cultural impact over scale or legacy.In this episode, Paul shares the journey from the early days of graffiti to building his own studio rooted in radical transparency, values-driven work, and trust. He reflects on walking away from a high-profile corporate role, the risks of independence, and how becoming a father reshaped his understanding of productivity, leadership, and time.He also shares his Cloud Manifesto—ten principles that guide him, including building community, not buildings, no unpaid competitions, and staying radical. We also discuss the impact of research, the politics in architecture, and how CLOUD is carving out a space that resists easy categorisation.This is more than a story of architectural practice—it’s about how to design systems for people, build spaces for dialogue, and let go of control to create something that lasts.

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