Born in 1949, Philippe Chaix became an architectural graduate in Paris in 1972. After studying in Finland for a year, and five years of special projects, Chaix founded his own practice in 1976. Thereafter, he won a design competition for the renovation of the City of Rennes' central food market. Founded in 1983, the studio currently has a team of nine members, eight architects and an executive assistant: Philippe Chaix, Jean-Paul Morel, Remy Van Nieuwenhove, Walter Grasmug, Anabel Sergent, Denis Germond, Benoit Sigros, Rémi Lichnerowicz and Henriette Martenot.  In 1984, Philippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel created the Zénith in Paris for the Ministry of Culture, followed by Zéniths of Montpellier in 1986, Orleans in 1996, Dijon in 2005 and Nantes in 2006. In 1996, Chaix & Morel ventured into museum design with projects such as the Saint-Romain-en-Gal archaeological museum, consultation for the Musée des Arts Premiers Quai Branly, the renovation of the Petit Palais Museum, and construction of the Petit Palais. In 2011, Chaix & Morel obtained further awards for the design of Thyssen Krups headquarters in Essen (Germany) and for the renovation and extension of the La Banque Postale's headquarters in Paris.