OYO Architects
OYO Architects is a 25-person Ghent- and Barcelona-based architectural firm offering planning, design, and consulting services across residential, commercial, community, and regenerative industrial sectors for enterprise, government, and private clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersGhent, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What OYO Architects does
OYO Architects is a Belgian architecture and design firm founded in 2011 and headquartered in Ghent, operating a second studio in Barcelona, Spain. The firm is structured as a private partnership (OYO Architects bvba) owned by five founding partners — Nigel Jooren, Eddy Soete, Veroniek Vanhaecke, Lies Willaert, and Ferran Massip — and employs approximately 25 multidisciplinary staff spanning architects, urban planners, interior architects, and project managers. The firm organizes its work around four service categories: Generous Homes (residential), Thriving Communities (civic/educational), Work Landscapes (corporate), and Regenerative Industry (sustainable industrial). It also operates Tolhuis, a creative workspace and event venue at its Ghent headquarters.
The firm delivers project-based professional services covering architecture, urban design, and interior architecture, with a stated methodology of 'Ecosystem Thinking' and a 'Spatial Purpose Framework' that integrates social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Notable projects include the BREEAM Excellent-certified Agristo HQ (21,748.5 m²), the D'Ieteren Mobility House (22,000 m², Brussels), the Wintercircus adaptive reuse (FRAME Co-working Space of the Year 2025; EUMies 2026 nominee), the Royal Ballet School Antwerp, the Aquafin sewage sludge processor (8,701 m², operational 2026), and the Municipality of Jabbeke City Hall. Project acquisition occurs through architectural competitions, direct enterprise engagement, and referrals; clients include corporate enterprises (Agristo, Tomorrowland, Unilin, D'Ieteren), governments (Jabbeke), and private residential customers.
OYO is privately held with no external institutional investment and no disclosed revenue. Its go-to-market relies on competition wins, project-based fees, and earned-media credibility built through design publications (Dezeen, Frame, Dwell, ArchDaily) and industry awards. The firm positions itself as a small, high-leverage studio capable of delivering large-scale, sustainability-accredited projects across Belgium and select European markets.
OYO Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OYO Architects
- Legal name
- OYO Architects bvba
- Website
- https://oyo.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- OYO Architects is a 25-person Ghent- and Barcelona-based architectural firm offering planning, design, and consulting services across residential, commercial, community, and regenerative industrial sectors for enterprise, government, and private clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OYO Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where OYO Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ghent
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
OYO Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Architectural Services: Project-based fees for architectural design services including master planning, building design, interior architecture, and urban design across residential, commercial, community, and industrial sectors
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
OYO Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OYO Architects provides architectural, urban design, and interior architecture services for residential, commercial, community, and industrial projects. The firm operates as a multidisciplinary team delivering master planning, building design, and interior architecture grounded in sustainable and regenerative design principles. Additionally, it operates Tolhuis, a creative workspace and event venue at its Ghent headquarters offering private offices, meeting rooms, and event spaces.
Product overview
OYO Architects is a Ghent and Barcelona-based architectural collaborative founded in 2011, operating as a 25-person multidisciplinary studio that offers comprehensive architectural and design services. The firm's portfolio spans three main service categories: Generous Homes (residential architecture), Thriving Communities (educational, sports, and public facilities), and Regenerative Industry (sustainable industrial design). Additionally, OYO operates Tolhuis, a creative workspace venue offering private offices, meeting rooms, and event spaces for long-term rental and one-off bookings. The studio is known for projects such as Wintercircus (adaptive reuse), Agristo HQ offices (BREEAM Excellent certified), and various residential projects featured in international publications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Generous Homes Residential architecture service focused on designing well-being sanctuaries rooted in the purity and beauty of their environment, blending nature with architecture for harmonious living spaces. Targeted at private clients and families seeking innovative custom homes.
- Work Landscapes Office and commercial workspace design service including corporate headquarters, innovation hubs, and flexible work environments that prioritize employee well-being and sustainability. Targeted at corporate and enterprise clients.
- Thriving Communities Community-focused design service for educational facilities, sports venues, cohousing projects, and public spaces that encourage connections and interactions among residents. Targeted at municipalities, schools, and public-sector organizations.
- Regenerative Industry Industrial ecosystem design service creating sustainable, productive, and harmonious industrial landscapes including energy hubs, waste-to-source initiatives, and circular economy facilities. Targeted at industrial and manufacturing enterprises.
- Tolhuis Creative Workspace A creative workspace and event venue operated by OYO at Tolhuiseiland in Ghent, offering private offices for long-term rental, meeting rooms, and event spaces for the creative community.
Quantifiable outcome
- BREEAM EXCELLENT accreditation for Agristo HQ
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use OYO Architects
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
OYO Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
OYO Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- AlheembouwminorConstruction collaborator on Agristo HQ offices project (21,748.5 m² BREEAM Excellent building)
- SurealminorCollaborator on Agristo HQ offices project
- StudioninedotsminorCollaborator on Mobility House project (22,000 m² mobility hub in Brussels)
- Arter Landscape ArchitectsminorLandscape architecture collaborator on Mobility House project
- RAUminorCollaborator on Leiedal offices project (3,095.19 m² design proposal in Kortrijk)
- Arch&TecominorCollaborator on Master plan Business park project (30 ha confidential project)
- Bogdan & Van BroeckminorCollaborator on DBFM Egied van Broeckhovenschool project (12,348 m² transformation in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek)
- FOSTER (BESIX/Indaver)minorCollaborator on Aquafin processor project (8,701 m² sewage sludge processing in Ghent)
- MEET architectureminorArchitecture collaborator on Sphinx cinema renovation project (2,367 m² in Ghent)
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
OYO Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Studio Gang: Chicago-based studio known for sustainability-led architecture, ecology-driven design frameworks, and integration of urban, architectural, and interior disciplines — closely mirrors OYO's 'Ecosystem Thinking' and cross-scale methodology.
- MVRDV: Dutch architecture firm recognized for innovative, sustainability-oriented, and mixed-use projects across residential, commercial, and public sectors; comparable to OYO in product mix and design-led differentiation, though larger in scale.
- 3XN: Danish architecture studio with a stated focus on sustainable, human-centric design across commercial, cultural, and public buildings; comparable to OYO on regenerative design positioning and corporate/client base.
- Mecanoo: Dutch architecture firm with a strong portfolio in cultural, educational, residential, and public architecture, often combining urban planning with building design — overlaps with OYO's community and educational segment (e.g., Royal Ballet School Antwerp).
- Heatherwick Studio: London-based multidisciplinary design studio working across architecture, urban design, and interiors with strong emphasis on craft and storytelling — comparable to OYO's multidisciplinary, narrative-driven studio model and award-winning public profile.
- Snøhetta: Multidisciplinary Norwegian architecture and design studio operating across architecture, interiors, urban design, and landscape with a strong sustainability and contextual narrative — directly comparable to OYO's multidisciplinary, regenerative design positioning.
Broad incumbents
- BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Large international architecture and design practice with a broad portfolio of commercial, residential, and cultural projects; overlaps with OYO on innovative design positioning but operates at materially larger scale and global footprint.
Emerging players
- Stefano Boeri Architetti: Italian architecture firm with a global profile in sustainable, biodiversity-led, and regenerative urban architecture; comparable to OYO on regenerative design narrative and international competition-led project acquisition.
Regional players
- a2o architecten: Belgian architecture firm with a portfolio in residential, public, and educational projects, sharing OYO's regional Belgian context and mixed residential/community focus.
- Bontinck Architecture and Engineering: Belgian integrated architecture and engineering firm active in residential, commercial, and public-sector projects — directly comparable as a Belgian-headquartered multidisciplinary practice with overlapping client and project types.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
OYO Architects social profiles
Digital presenceOYO Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OYO Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
OYO Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OYO Architects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OYO Architects
What does OYO Architects do?
OYO Architects provides architectural, urban design, and interior architecture services for residential, commercial, community, and industrial projects. The firm operates as a multidisciplinary team delivering master planning, building design, and interior architecture grounded in sustainable and regenerative design principles. Additionally, it operates Tolhuis, a creative workspace and event venue at its Ghent headquarters offering private offices, meeting rooms, and event spaces.
Is OYO Architects a public or private company?
OYO Architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was OYO Architects founded?
OYO Architects was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is OYO Architects based?
OYO Architects is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does OYO Architects make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Services.
Who are OYO Architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Studio Gang, MVRDV, 3XN, Mecanoo, Heatherwick Studio and Snøhetta. BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) is listed as a broad incumbent. Stefano Boeri Architetti is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are a2o architecten and Bontinck Architecture and Engineering.
Does OYO Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for OYO Architects.
What industry is OYO Architects in?
OYO Architects's product category is Architectural Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 54131.