What RH Arkitekter does

RH Arkitekter is a Copenhagen-based architecture firm, legally RH Arkitekter A/S (CVR 26196485), founded in 2001 by Bo Ramlyng and Arne Hansen. It specializes exclusively in Life Science and pharmaceutical facility design, with all approximately 60 employees dedicated to this vertical. The firm operates six integrated service lines: Laboratories (R&D, QC, CMC, Production, API), Cleanrooms, Production Facilities, Masterplans, Animal Facilities, and Offices & Administration. Its expertise spans GMP, GLP, GMO classes, AAALAC accreditation, and cleanroom air-handling standards, anchored by named specialists across each domain and a dedicated Head of Quality.

The client base is concentrated in Danish and international pharmaceutical companies — including Novo Nordisk (with repeat engagements spanning Innovation Lab, Gatehouse, laboratories, and Beijing animal facilities), Lundbeck, Leo Pharma, Takeda, Bavarian Nordic, Biogen, Bayer, Novozymes, and Novo Nordisk Pharmatech — alongside Danish universities (Københavns Universitet, DTU, SDU), public hospitals (Hvidovre, AUH, Universitetshospital Køge), and government framework clients such as Bygningsstyrelsen. The firm is ISO 14001:2015 certified in environmental management.

Commercially, RH Arkitekter generates revenue through project-based professional services fees on enterprise engagements, sold directly via partner-led relationships rather than outbound marketing. Distribution is direct-to-client with selected construction-partner delivery (e.g., 5E BYG on the Lundbeck headquarters). The firm is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or external investors, and is governed by a four-person partner group (Mette Hanghøj Lech, Malte Johannesen Bülow, Tine Simon, Simon Skriver) with founders Bo Ramlyng and Arne Hansen in active consulting roles.

Name

RH Arkitekter

Legal name

RH ARKITEKTER AS

Website

https://rh-ark.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RH Arkitekter is a Copenhagen-based, 60-person architecture firm founded in 2001 that exclusively designs Life Science and pharmaceutical facilities — laboratories, cleanrooms, production plants, animal facilities, masterplans, and offices — for Danish and international pharma, biotech, hospital, and university clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical and Life Science Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pharmaceutical & Biotech Manufacturing Facility Construction (IMAFADAI)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical architecture services
• Laboratory facility design
• Cleanroom design services
• Life science architecture
• GMP facility design

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: RH Arkitekter generates revenue through project-based professional services, providing architectural design, interior design, and consulting services for Life Science facilities. Revenue is earned through fees for design projects, typically charged based on project scope, complexity, and deliverables. The firm works on conversion of existing facilities, extensions, and new building projects for Danish and international clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RH Arkitekter provides specialized architectural design, interior design, and consulting services for Life Science and Pharmaceutical facilities. The firm delivers six core expertise areas — Laboratories, Cleanrooms, Production Facilities, Masterplans, Animal Facilities, and Offices and Administration — for Danish and international pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, universities, and hospitals, covering new construction, conversions, and extensions that comply with GMP, GLP, cleanroom, GMO, and AAALAC standards.

Product overview

RH Arkitekter is an architecture firm specializing in Life Science facilities, offering six core service areas: Laboratories (Laboratorier), Cleanrooms (Renrum), Production Facilities (Produktion), Masterplans, Animal Facilities (Dyrestalde), and Offices and Administration (Kontor og administration). Founded in 2001 and based in Copenhagen with approximately 60 employees, the firm provides integrated architectural services from research and production facilities to finished products for Danish and international Life Science and Pharma companies, as well as public educational institutions and hospitals. The company follows a user-centered approach with continuous user involvement processes, focusing on creating flexible, functional, and inspiring work environments tailored to each client's specific needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Laboratories (Laboratorier) Design and architecture of functional laboratories defined by their specific function, product, and process, specializing in GMP, GLP, GMO, isotopes, viruses, and cleanrooms. Services include Research & Development laboratories, QC laboratories, CMC laboratories, Production laboratories, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) facilities. The service targets Life Science and pharmaceutical companies needing regulatory-compliant laboratory facilities.
• Cleanrooms (Renrum) Specialized cleanroom design for Life Science industries ensuring sterility, air quality, and control of particle levels. Covers layout optimization, air filtration systems, materials, surfaces, and technical installations with specific requirements for air filtration, pressure control, temperature, and humidity. Targets pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare clients needing sterile production environments.
• Production Facilities (Produktion) Design of flexible and scalable production buildings for Life Science companies with focus on simple and rational architecture. Services include new production facilities, rebuilding existing buildings, and optimizing layout for efficient process flow and logistics. Targets pharmaceutical manufacturers needing compliant production environments.
• Masterplans Future-proof masterplan design for Life Science facilities incorporating short-term and long-term goals. Includes design guides ensuring consistent aesthetics and compliance with applicable local plans. Targets pharmaceutical operators, hospitals, and educational institutions with campus-scale Life Science developments.
• Animal Facilities (Dyrestalde) Design of animal facilities for both small and large animals covering in-vivo, ex-vivo, and in-vitro experiments. Includes animal houses, operating rooms, test rooms, and laboratories with different GMO classes, following AAALAC accreditation standards. Targets pharmaceutical and research organizations needing regulated animal testing facilities.
• Offices and Administration (Kontor og administration) Design of office environments for Life Science companies since 2001, focusing on creating simple, bright, and aesthetically pleasing workspaces. Services include new office buildings, conversion of existing buildings, and interior design with user-involvement processes. Targets pharmaceutical, biotech, and research organizations needing user-centered workspaces, often integrated with laboratory and production environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of specialized Life Science architecture experience serving Danish and international clients

Named customers26 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 5E BYGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRH Arkitekter collaborated with 5E BYG on the Lundbeck headquarters project, where 5E BYG served as the construction partner. The collaboration was described as balanced and resulted in high satisfaction from the client.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Jacobs: Global engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with deep pharma and Life Sciences capital-project capabilities. Threatens RH on mega-projects and integrated EPCM engagements.
• Ramboll: Large Nordic engineering, architecture, and consultancy with a Buildings practice that includes pharma/lab design. Competes with RH for Danish pharmaceutical facility projects but serves many other verticals.
• Arcadis: Global design, engineering, and consultancy with significant pharma/life-sciences buildings work in Europe. Competes for Danish and Nordic pharma architecture commissions and offers broader advisory services.
• COWI: Major Danish engineering, architecture, and consulting group with significant pharma and Life Science facility work in Scandinavia. Offers broader services and scale than RH but competes directly for Danish pharma architecture mandates.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with a Property & Buildings practice covering pharma manufacturing and lab facilities. Competes on larger integrated-design bids where engineering + architecture are bundled.

Direct peers

• Payette: Boston-based architecture firm with a dominant Life Science practice focused on research buildings, GMP facilities, and cleanrooms for pharma and biotech. Closest US analog in terms of being an architecture-led, science-specialized firm.
• CannonDesign: Integrated design firm with a Life Science and health care practice designing labs, GMP production, and vivaria. Competes with RH for sophisticated pharma clients seeking aesthetic + technical rigor in facility design.
• HDR: Global architecture and engineering firm with a dedicated Life Sciences practice designing labs, cleanrooms, and GMP manufacturing facilities for pharma and biotech clients — a direct functional competitor in life-science facility architecture.
• NNE: Danish pharma-focused engineering, architecture, and consulting firm historically tied to Novo Nordisk. Directly competes with RH Arkitekter for Life Science facility design mandates in the Nordic market and shares deep GMP/GLP/cleanroom domain expertise.
• Perkins&Will: International architecture practice with a recognized Science & Technology / Life Sciences studio designing research labs, vivaria, and GMP facilities. Comparable in vertical specialization to RH Arkitekter but at much larger scale and global footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rharkitekter
• LinkedIndk.linkedin.com/company/rh-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/rh_arkitekter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 RH Arkitekter