It may not be surprising that Nada Breitman-Jakov became an architect, but the style she champions is unexpected. Born in Brussels to an architect father, she followed his career path but not his philosophy. While her father embraced modernist, geometric designs and admired the United States for its shopping malls and car-centric development, Nada took a different stance. She became a traditionalist, advocating for historic preservation and walkable cities.

As Brussels transformed into the administrative center of the European Union and NATO, many historic buildings and neighborhoods were demolished to make way for modernist structures housing these institutions. While studying urban planning at the La Cambre School of Art and Architecture—having already earned a degree in architecture—Nada and her fellow students protested the destruction of historic neighborhoods, though their efforts were largely unsuccessful.

Determined to specialize in preservation, Nada moved to Paris to study the knowledge and history of ancient monuments at the École de Chaillot, earning the title of Historic Building Architect. She continued advocating for preservation while working with France’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing, helping to protect roads, bridges, canals, and other historic infrastructure. It was in Paris that she met her future husband and collaborator, Marc Breitman, while working on a project to save Goutte d’Or, one of the city’s historic neighborhoods.

In 1989, Nada and Marc founded their architecture and urban planning studio, securing their first major commission to revitalize Bruay-la-Buissière, a former coal mining town in northern France. The town, once lined with rows of miners’ housing blocks, had fallen into economic decline after the mines closed. With government support, the Breitmans reimagined the urban landscape, integrating new buildings to create more inviting, accessible spaces—blending public and private housing seamlessly.

The success in Bruay led to similar projects across northern France and other mixed-housing developments throughout the country, including the high-profile transformation of Le Plessis-Robinson, a Paris suburb, and the redesign of a city center along the road to Versailles. Expanding their work internationally, they designed the Westermoskee in Amsterdam, a mosque that incorporates Muslim and Dutch architectural influences, alongside social housing and a hotel, blending harmoniously into the cityscape.

In 2018, Nada and Marc Breitman received the Richard H. Driehaus Prize from the University of Notre Dame for their outstanding contributions to classical architecture in large-scale public housing developments in France and the Netherlands. The award recognized their work in restoring human scale, proportion, and a sense of place to urban spaces, enhancing both community well-being and urban security.

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