BEHF Architects

What BEHF Architects does

BEHF Architects (legal entity: BEHF Ebner Hasenauer Ferenczy ZT GmbH) is a Vienna-based architectural firm founded in 1995 by Stephan Ferenczy, Armin Ebner, and Susi Hasenauer. The firm operates as an Austrian professional corporation (ZT GmbH) and provides architectural design services across five primary categories: residential developments (apartments, towers, housing complexes including HELIO Tower and the THE ENSEMBLE joint venture), hospitality (hotels, resorts, restaurants — Rosewood Vienna, Motel One Staatsoper, Le Méridien, Das Triest, Reiters Supreme), commercial and retail (shopping centers such as WEZ Bärnbach and Centar Kaptol Zagreb), heritage renovation and adaptive reuse (STAFA Tower, Korb Etagen), and interior design (Koller + Koller am Waagplatz, SHIKI). A distinguishing capability is the firm's heritage conversion and adaptive-reuse practice, including the LEED Platinum-certified 1911 STAFA Tower — at the time the oldest European building to receive the certification.

The firm earns revenue through project-based professional services, with fees structured as a percentage of construction cost or fixed project fees per commission. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct enterprise engagement with hotel chains, real estate developers, retail operators, financial institutions, and institutional residential developers across Austria and selectively Central Europe (Croatia). The firm has accumulated an extensive international awards portfolio (Prix Versailles, German Design Award, BIG SEE, IDA, American Architecture Prize, LIT, Green GOOD DESIGN®) that functions as its primary marketing channel alongside its project portfolio website.

BEHF maintains a 101-250 person multidisciplinary organization across its Vienna headquarters at Kaiserstraße 41, including planners, model makers, graphic designers, and administrative staff, and operates as an independent, privately held partnership with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external investment.

Name

BEHF Architects

Legal name

BEHF Ebner Hasenauer Ferenczy ZT GmbH

Website

https://behf.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BEHF Architects is a Vienna-based, privately held architectural firm founded in 1995, delivering design services in residential, hospitality, retail, heritage conversion, and interior design for enterprise clients including Rosewood, Motel One, and Erste Bank across Austria and Central Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Heritage building conversion
• Hospitality interior design
• Residential high-rise architecture
• Sustainable adaptive reuse

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Project-based professional services for architectural design, interior design, and heritage restoration projects. Revenue is generated through commissions on completed projects for private developers, hotel chains, retail operators, and residential developers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BEHF Architects provides comprehensive architectural design services including residential, hospitality, commercial/retail, heritage renovation, and interior design projects across Austria and Europe. The firm is engaged by enterprise clients such as hotel chains, real estate developers, retail operators, and financial institutions to deliver award-winning new construction and adaptive reuse of landmark buildings.

Product overview

BEHF Architects is an award-winning architectural firm based in Vienna, Austria, founded in 1995. The firm operates as a single unified architectural practice offering design services across multiple project categories: residential (apartments, towers, housing complexes), hospitality (hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars), commercial/retail (shopping malls, retail centers), heritage buildings (renovations, conversions), and interior design. The firm does not offer a software product or SaaS platform; its 'products' are architectural projects and design services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural design services covering residential, hospitality, commercial/retail, heritage renovation, and interior design projects for enterprise clients across Austria and Central Europe.

Quantifiable outcome

• HELIO Tower provides 401 modern apartments suitable for all life stages
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ARE Austrian Real Estate Development GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint venture development for THE ENSEMBLE project at Erdberger Lände 36-38, creating approximately 800 high-quality apartments on the Danube Canal in Vienna. BEHF Architects developed architectural guiding principles for the entire development.
• PREMIUM Immobilien AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint venture development partner for THE ENSEMBLE residential complex project, working alongside ARE Austrian Real Estate Development on the 800-apartment development at Erdberger Lände in Vienna.
• Supernova (Austria) Property SpecialistmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Supernova acquired Centar Kaptol in Zagreb, Croatia in early 2018 and commissioned BEHF Architects to modernize and convert the existing shopping mall into a modern shopping hub with improved spatial structure and functional organization.
• Esther Stocker (Italian Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian artist Esther Stocker collaborated on the design of the ceiling for Shopping Mall EO in Oberwart, Austria's first power centre, adding a touch of playfulness to the interior with her artistic contributions.
• MITTERMAIR ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project with MITTERMAIR Architekten for the conversion of the historic Korb Etagen complex at Brandstätte 7 in Vienna, transforming former Erste Bank offices into 69 apartments above Café Korb.
• Franz Graf (Austrian Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian artist Franz Graf created special floor patterns and facade motifs for Retail Centre Neukauf Villach, with floors replicating the look of a river and evoking movement of water.
• Cristina Spano (Barcelona-based Graphic Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarcelona-based graphic artist Cristina Spano designed the company logo featuring a vixen and rooster dancing together, randomly distributed on mosaic tiles for Koller + Koller am Waagplatz restaurant.
• Joji Hattori (Musician/Conductor)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamous musician and conductor Joji Hattori served as building contractor for SHIKI Japanese Fine Dining restaurant in Vienna, collaborating with BEHF Architects on the architectural concept combining Japanese tradition with cosmopolitan presence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• 3XN / GXN: Danish architecture practice with international portfolio in cultural, hospitality, and adaptive-reuse projects. Comparable to BEHF in sustainability-led hospitality and heritage work, though at materially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Snøhetta: Internationally renowned architecture and design firm operating across cultural, hospitality, and public-realm projects. Comparable to BEHF in hospitality and adaptive-reuse design sophistication, but with materially larger scale and global footprint.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Internationally active architecture and design firm with high-profile residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in Europe. Comparable to BEHF in residential high-rise and hospitality ambition, but with substantially larger scale and brand reach.
• David Chipperfield Architects: Global architecture firm with an extensive portfolio of cultural, heritage, and hotel projects including prize-winning restorations. Strong overlap with BEHF's heritage conversion expertise, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Studio Gang: US-headquartered architecture and urban design practice with award-winning high-rise residential and cultural projects. Comparable to BEHF in design-driven residential towers and sustainability credentials, but with larger organizational scale.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture and integrated design firm with deep hospitality, heritage, and mixed-use credentials. Comparable to BEHF in luxury hotel and adaptive-reuse commissions, but at a vastly larger scale and global project base.

Direct peers

• Delugan Meissl Associated Architects: Vienna-based architecture practice with international award recognition across residential, cultural, and commercial work. A close local peer sharing BEHF's mid-sized Vienna base, design-led positioning, and award-winning portfolio.
• Coop Himmelb(l)au: Austrian architecture firm headquartered in Vienna, internationally recognized for landmark and cultural architecture. Directly comparable to BEHF as a Vienna-based, award-winning practice working across cultural, commercial, and large-scale built projects.
• Henn Architekten: German architecture and design firm with strong presence in workplace, hospitality, and cultural projects across DACH. Comparable to BEHF in mid-sized European practice with award-recognized hospitality and adaptive-reuse work.
• ATP architekten ingenieure: Large integrated Austrian architecture and engineering firm with offices across DACH and CEE. Comparable to BEHF in residential, commercial, and hospitality design, and a stronger geographic peer in Central European markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BEHFArchitects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 BEHF Architects