assar
assar (assar SLR) is a Belgian architecture firm with 120+ professionals across five studios in Brussels, Antwerp, Liège, Paris, and Luxembourg, delivering large-scale corporate, healthcare, institutional, and urban development projects for enterprise and government clients across Benelux and France.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What assar does
assar architects (legal entity assar SLR) is a Belgian-headquartered architecture and design firm founded in 1985 (originally operating as Luyten & Lens) and headquartered in Watermael-Boitsfort, Brussels. The firm operates approximately 120+ professionals across five studios — Brussels, Antwerp, Liège, Paris, and Luxembourg — and organizes its practice around four service pillars (architecture, interiors, landscape, society), six areas of expertise (future-proof tech, governance, heritage, innovation, solutions, sustainable design), and four client sectors (corporate, healthcare, institutional, urban development). Its flagship commissions include the NATO permanent headquarters in Brussels (251,980 m²), the CHIREC Delta hospital (104,000 m², 563 beds), The Cube and The Wings developments with Ghelamco, and the K9-4 PolBru police training centre, with award recognition including a MIPIM 2020 Best Healthcare Development finalist position and four 5-star European Property Awards in 2022.
The firm's core technical stack centers on BIM (Building Information Modeling) deployed at LOD 300 and maintained through operations and maintenance, VR visualization for client design review, and algorithmic/parametric form generation for adaptive architectural shapes. assar was an early Belgian adopter of the HP SitePrint autonomous construction site printing robot and uses sustainability measurement tools (GRO, Totem, Madaster) alongside certifications (BREEAM, WELL, DGNB, HQE, PEB). Proprietary methodologies include a four-pillar holistic design framework, a BIM-based tender pilot, and an internal knowledge-sharing platform ('Les Midis de l'Archi') that brings external experts on circular concrete, bio-sourced materials, and material reuse.
Commercial operations are project-based professional services delivered through direct client engagement and public procurement/competition channels across Benelux and France. Revenue derives from negotiated architecture and design fees per project, with multi-year contract cadence typical for large commissions; the firm partners with developers (Ghelamco, AG Real Estate), contractors (CIT Blaton, BAM Galère), engineering firms (SOM, VK Engineers, Jacobs, NNE, Exyte), and specialists (Omgeving, Verso Architecture) in consortia tailored to each project. In October 2025, assar announced a strategic partnership with Sweco focused on architecture for a society in transition.
assar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- assar
- Legal name
- assar SLR
- Website
- https://assar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- assar (assar SLR) is a Belgian architecture firm with 120+ professionals across five studios in Brussels, Antwerp, Liège, Paris, and Luxembourg, delivering large-scale corporate, healthcare, institutional, and urban development projects for enterprise and government clients across Benelux and France.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
assar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (541410), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where assar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
assar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture services encompassing master planning, architectural design, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning for large-scale complex projects. Revenue is generated through design fees, project management fees, and consultancy services on a per-project basis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
assar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
assar is a Belgian architectural firm offering inclusive architecture services organized around four pillars (architecture, interiors, landscape, society) and six expertise areas (future-proof tech, governance, heritage, innovation, solutions, sustainable design). The firm delivers master planning, architectural design, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning for corporate, healthcare, institutional, and urban development clients. Projects span large-scale, complex commissions across Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
Product overview
assar architects is a Belgian architecture firm offering comprehensive architectural services organized around four pillars (architecture, interiors, landscape, society), six areas of expertise (future proof tech, governance, heritage, innovation, solutions, sustainable design), and four sector focuses (corporate, healthcare, institutional, urban development). The firm provides inclusive architecture services, specializing in sustainable design, BIM-integrated project management, and heritage preservation across Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. Notable projects include Chirec Delta hospital (104,000 m²), NATO Headquarters Brussels (251,980 m²), The Cube Brussels Airport (37,158 m²), and K9-4 PolBru police training center (7,500 m²).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Inclusive Architecture Services Core architectural services focused on designing and building inclusive spaces that meet the needs of all people across different life stages, delivered through a holistic 4-pillar methodology.
- Architecture Core architectural design services focused on rehabilitation, renovation, and sustainable construction of living and working spaces, with emphasis on occupant well-being.
- Interiors Interior design services creating unique identities through material choices, aesthetics, and accessibility in emblematic locations.
- Landscape Landscape architecture services for rehabilitation, renovation, and sustainable construction focused on well-being of occupants and local residents.
- Society Societal integration services structuring balance between functions, services, and cultural opportunities through intergenerational spaces and shared facilities.
- Corporate Sector Projects Architectural services for corporate clients including offices, research facilities, and work environments for companies building for their own operational needs.
- Healthcare Sector Projects Healthcare architecture services balancing technical and functional requirements with human needs for medical facilities including hospitals, clinics, and care homes.
- Institutional Sector Projects Public market architecture services with thorough understanding of public procurement processes and institutional requirements.
- Urban Development Sector Projects Real estate professional services addressing architectural project management needs and guaranteeing project success for mixed-use urban developments.
Quantifiable outcome
- CHIREC Delta hospital (104,000 m², 563 beds) finalist for MIPIM AWARDS 2020 in 'Best Healthcare Development' category
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use assar
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
assar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
assar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GhelamcocoreLong-standing close partnership with Ghelamco, a major Belgian real estate developer. Jointly developed The Wings project (winning 4 European Property Awards) and The Cube (state-of-the-art office in Brussels Airport district with multiple sustainability certifications). The partnership combines Ghelamco's development capabilities with assar's architectural design expertise.
- OmgevingminorLandscape architecture partnership on the 't Huis Kortrijk care campus project, where Omgeving provided landscape design expertise complementing assar's architecture and interior design.
- SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)coreCollaboration with SOM on the NATO HQ project (251,980 m²), one of the largest and most complex architectural commissions in Belgium. SOM contributed international expertise while assar provided local knowledge and on-the-ground delivery capability for the highly secure government facility.
- CIT BlatoncoreConsortium partnership with CIT Blaton (construction company) and VK Engineers on the K9-4 PolBru police training centre project. The consortium combined assar's architectural expertise with CIT Blaton's construction delivery and VK Engineers' technical engineering capabilities.
- Jacobs, NNE, ExyteminorCollaboration with engineering firms Jacobs, NNE, and Exyte on the UCB Inflexio pharmaceutical production facility, where assar handled architectural and landscape design while engineering partners managed specialized technical and pharmaceutical facility requirements.
- SABH (architect)minorPartnership with SABH architect on the CHU Angers hospital project, featured in Bouwen aan de Zorg for nature-driven healthcare architecture.
- Verso ArchitectureminorMaster Plan collaboration with Verso Architecture on the Triangle de Bavière development in Liège, with assar leading the housing lot (Lot D) and Verso handling the Knowledge Pole component.
- BAM Galère + CegelecminorContractors on the Vinci Energies Belgium headquarters project (Gosselies, 24,000 m²), where BAM Galère handled construction and Cegelec provided special technical installations.
- VK EngineersminorOngoing engineering partnership on projects including K9-4 PolBru, where VK Engineers provided building services engineering for the police training centre project.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
assar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture firm with strong sustainability and innovative design positioning; broader geographic reach and larger team than assar but operates in adjacent market segments.
- Mecanoo: Larger Dutch architecture firm with established healthcare, library, and institutional expertise across Europe; broader portfolio and headcount than assar.
- Foster + Partners: Global architecture incumbent with extensive institutional, healthcare, and large-scale mixed-use portfolio; competes with assar (often as consortium leader) on the largest European mega-projects.
Direct peers
- Stéphane Beel Architectes: Belgian architecture practice with comparable profile in cultural, public, and urban projects in Belgium; similar scale and client base to assar.
- Jaspers-Eyers Architects: Brussels-based architecture firm of comparable scale working on large Belgian institutional, healthcare, and mixed-use projects; competes with assar for the same major public and developer commissions in Belgium.
- KAAN Architecten: Dutch architecture firm of similar size with strong institutional, healthcare, and cultural project portfolio across the Benelux and broader Europe.
- BOB361 Architects: Brussels-based architecture practice working on Belgian residential, office, and public projects; competes with assar on similar mid- to large-scale commissions.
- awg architecten: Antwerp-headquartered Belgian architecture firm of similar size with comparable practice profile across corporate, institutional, and urban development projects in Belgium.
- 51N4E: Brussels-based architecture practice with strong focus on sustainability, adaptive reuse, and inclusive design — overlapping with assar's heritage and society pillars in Belgium.
Emerging players
- Cobe: Copenhagen-based architecture firm with strong sustainability and urban development focus; smaller in scale but conceptually adjacent to assar's holistic and society pillars.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
assar social profiles
Digital presenceassar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance21 records
assar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
assar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
assar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
assar 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 assar
What does assar do?
assar is a Belgian architectural firm offering inclusive architecture services organized around four pillars (architecture, interiors, landscape, society) and six expertise areas (future-proof tech, governance, heritage, innovation, solutions, sustainable design). The firm delivers master planning, architectural design, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning for corporate, healthcare, institutional, and urban development clients. Projects span large-scale, complex commissions across Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
Is assar a public or private company?
assar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was assar founded?
assar was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is assar based?
assar is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does assar make money?
One revenue line is on record: architecture and Design Services.
Who are assar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Mecanoo and Foster + Partners. Direct peers are Stéphane Beel Architectes, Jaspers-Eyers Architects, KAAN Architecten, BOB361 Architects, awg architecten and 51N4E. Cobe is listed as an emerging player.
Does assar have an API?
No public API is recorded for assar.
What industry is assar in?
assar's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 8700.