What Sehw Architecture does

Sehw Architecture, operating as SEHW Architektur GmbH, is a German architecture firm founded in 1996 and headquartered in Berlin, with branch offices in Stuttgart, Tüßling (Munich partner), Duisburg, and Vienna. The firm employs approximately 50 staff drawn from 15 countries, and is led by Managing Director Prof. Xaver Egger, Architekt BDA. Sehw operates as a full-service architectural practice (Generalplanung) covering all HOAI service phases (LP1–LP8) and delivers projects ranging from requirements planning and strategic consulting through master planning, building design, general planning, and project development.

The firm's core technical capabilities center on sustainable, energy-efficient building design with an explicit 'Ästhetik der Nachhaltigkeit' (aesthetic of sustainability) framework, modular timber construction systems (Holzsystembau/Holzmodulbauweise), BIM-based digital project management, and certification expertise across LEED, BNB, and DGNB frameworks. Notable deliverables include the €56.8M Gustav-Heinemann-Gesamtschule in Essen (BNB Silver, energy performance 20% below EnEV 2016), the €58.6M Student Housing Nuremberg, the €41.769M Institute of Physics at TU Braunschweig, the €28M PPP-built 2 Ministries Potsdam, and the €21.7M Fraunhofer SIT research building in Darmstadt ('der Eisberg').

Revenue is generated through professional services fees tied to the German HOAI (Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure) fee schedule, supplemented by general planning contracts, project development fees, and markenstrategische Beratung (brand-strategic consulting). The go-to-market motion is sales-led, built on open and invited architectural competitions (where Sehw holds a strong first-prize record) and direct commissions from repeat public-sector and real estate developer clients. Customer segments are dominated by public institutions (schools, universities, research bodies), real estate developers, and government agencies. Project financing for proprietary developments is supported by partner Seedbomb Beteiligungen GmbH.

Name

Sehw Architecture

Legal name

SEHW Architektur GmbH

Website

https://sehw-architektur.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sehw Architecture is a Berlin-headquartered German architecture firm (~50 staff) that delivers full-service planning, sustainable design, and modular timber construction for public institutions, research bodies, and real estate developers across Germany, Austria, and selected international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• General planning
• Master planning
• Sustainable building design
• Modular timber construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural planning services (Honorare für Leistungen der Architekten): SEHW provides full architectural planning services across all HOAI service phases (LP1–LP8). Revenue is generated through architectural fees tied to the German Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure (HOAI) fee schedule for public and private commissions.
2. General planning (Generalplanung): As general planner, SEHW bundles interdisciplinary services including architecture, engineering, and specialist planning under one contract, providing process reliability and economic project delivery.
3. Project development (Projektentwicklung): SEHW is active in project development including own project initiations, supported by Seedbomb Beteiligungen GmbH for project financing. The firm develops unique architecture dedicated to people and cities with fundamental upgrading of locations.
4. Strategic and brand consulting: SEHW offers brand-strategic consulting (markenstrategische Beratung), leveraging the interface between architecture, businesses, and brands. This service includes socio-economic impact concepts, feasibility studies, and profitability analyses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SEHW Architektur GmbH is a German architecture firm that delivers full-scope architectural services including user-oriented requirements planning, strategic brand consulting, master planning, building architecture across all HOAI service phases (LP1–LP8), general planning (Generalplanung), and project development. The firm serves public institutions, real estate developers, research organisations, and government agencies with a focus on sustainable, energy-efficient design and modular timber construction for education, research, residential, and administration buildings.

Product overview

Sehw Architecture is an established German architecture firm founded in 1996 with approximately 50 employees at multiple locations. The firm offers a comprehensive portfolio of architectural services including user-oriented requirements planning, strategic consulting, master planning, building architecture, general planning, and project development. Their work spans educational buildings, research facilities, residential housing (including timber modular construction), and public administration buildings. Key project types include comprehensive schools (Gustav-Heinemann-Gesamtschule), research buildings (Fraunhofer Institut SIT), shared living concepts (Shared Living Berlin), student housing (Avenariusstraße Nuremberg), and government buildings (2 Ministries Potsdam). The firm specializes in sustainability certification (BNB, DGNB, LEED) and innovative construction methods including timber modular systems and prefabricated building systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• User-Oriented Requirements Planning Target group-oriented requirements planning service that analyses future user needs, formulates common project goals, examines and resolves conflicting objectives, and applies participatory stakeholder management for complex public and private building projects.
• Strategic and Brand Consulting Long-term strategic planning consulting for investors, companies, and municipalities, including socio-economic impact concepts, feasibility studies, profitability analyses, and markenstrategische Beratung (brand-strategic consulting) at the interface between architecture, businesses, and brands.
• Master Planning Needs-based and objective-oriented master planning for sustainable neighborhood development, covering urban planning, infrastructure, green spaces, and sustainability strategies at district and city scale.
• Building Planning – Architecture Full-service architectural planning from initial concept through utilisation, covering all HOAI service phases (LP1–LP8) with BIM management, sustainability certification (LEED, BNB, DGNB), and energy-efficient construction methods including Passivhaus standards and modular timber construction.
• General Planning (Generalplanung) General planning control with interdisciplinary coordination of architects, engineers, and specialist planners under one contract, offering process reliability and integral planning for complex building projects across all trades.
• Project Development (Projektentwicklung) Creative project development including demographic analysis, economic potential assessment, urban planning ideas, and project financing support through Seedbomb Beteiligungen GmbH for own and third-party project initiations.
• International Project Work Globally networked project work with an international team from 15 countries, delivering urban planning and architectural solutions outside Germany through partnerships with local architects, including projects in Brussels, India, and the Middle East.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shortened construction timeline to 4.5 months for Shared Living Berlin through prefabricated timber-massive element systems
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• delusearchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development Partnerdelusearchitects collaborated with SEHW as a cooperation partner on the 2 Ministries in Potsdam project (€28M PPP building for the State of Brandenburg).
• GKKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGKK (partner name fully referenced as 'GKK' on the project page) collaborated as a cooperation partner on the 2 Ministries in Potsdam project.
• Friendventure GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFriendventure GmbH (together with SEHW Architektur) was responsible for the concept and design of the SEHW website. This is a creative/design services partnership.
• THIRD (visualisation studio)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTHIRD (thirdimages.com) provided architectural visualisations for SEHW projects, including the 2 Ministries Potsdam project. Visualisation credits appear on multiple project pages.
• Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Egger (Munich partner)minorOthersDipl.-Ing. Andreas Egger operates SEHW's Munich partner office from Tüßling, representing the firm in Bavaria.
• Dipl.-Ing. Bernhard Stülp (Duisburg partner)minorOthersDipl.-Ing. Bernhard Stülp operates SEHW's Duisburg/Rhein-Ruhr branch office, representing the firm in the Rhine-Ruhr region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heinle, Wischer und Partner: Berlin-based architecture practice with comparable education, research, and public-sector focus; operates at similar scale with a competition-led acquisition model.
• Barkow Leibinger: Berlin-based architectural practice known for innovative public and research buildings using prefabricated and sustainable construction methods, directly comparable to SEHW in scale and approach.
• Sauerbruch Hutton: Berlin-based architecture firm with strong sustainability credentials and public-sector portfolio (museums, offices, education), competing in similar competition-driven public work as SEHW.
• Bez + Kock Architekten: Stuttgart-based practice with education, research, and administrative building portfolios; comparable German competition-led model and sustainability focus to SEHW.
• Hascher Jehle Architektur: Berlin-based architecture firm with comparable education, research, and modular timber construction work; close peer in scale and competition-led public-sector project acquisition.
• Reichel Schlaier Architekten: Stuttgart-based architectural firm with strong education and public-building track record, competing in the same competition-led German public architecture market as SEHW.

Broad incumbents

• KSP Architekten: Major German full-service architecture firm with comparable education, research, and public-administration work, operating at a similar general-planning scope as SEHW but with significantly larger headcount.
• gmp · von Gerkan, Marg and Partners: One of Germany's largest architecture practices, with deep public-sector and cultural-building portfolios comparable to SEHW's competition-driven public work, but at substantially larger scale and global reach.
• HPP Architects: Established German architecture firm with strong education, research, and public-sector portfolios (similar to SEHW) and significant office scale across Germany and international markets.
• HENN Architekten: Munich-headquartered architecture firm with extensive education, research, and workplace portfolios; comparable to SEHW in general-planning scope and German public-sector client mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sehw Architecture