prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung

What prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung does

prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung is a German architecture and urban planning partnership (Quasten Rauh PartGmbB) headquartered in Darmstadt with a second office in Mainz opened in March 2025. Founded in 2001 by Gero Quasten and reorganized as a partnership with Katharina Rauh in 2017, the firm operates with approximately 25 staff plus the two partners and delivers services across all German HOAI service phases. Its work centers on sustainable public-sector and non-profit architecture, with a documented specialization in timber (Brettsperrholz/glulam) and rammed earth (Stampflehm) construction, Passive House standards, deep energy renovation of existing stock, and climate-neutral operation concepts. Urban planning commissions span district frameworks (e.g., Rodgau-West 46 ha, Hubland 135 ha, Science City Garching 160 ha) co-developed with landscape architect partners.

The firm's core products are professional services: architectural design, urban planning, public space design, renovation and adaptive reuse, general planning (Generalplanung) coordination, energy consulting through certified Energie-Effizienz-Experten, and life cycle assessment. Project categories concentrate on educational buildings (schools, Kitas), sports facilities, collective and residential housing, and community-oriented public buildings. Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, relying on winning public tenders, invited and open architectural competitions, repeat commissions from municipal clients across Hessen and the Rhine-Main region, and public-facing events such as Tag der Architektur and the WDC 2026 Design Week. Pricing follows the German HOAI fee schedule, billed per project across multi-year service phases. Customer concentration sits with municipal governments, state building authorities, universities, and non-profit organizations such as SOS-Kinderdorf and Evangelischer Regionalverband Frankfurt und Offenbach. Operational positioning is reinforced by 'Gemeinwohl-Pionier-Unternehmen' certification since 2023 and a dense award portfolio (Staatspreis Hessen 2023, Metzendorf-Preis 2024, DAM Preis 2025 nomination).

Name

prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung

Legal name

prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung | Quasten Rauh PartGmbB

Website

https://prosa-online.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung is a Darmstadt-based German architecture and urban planning partnership (~25 staff plus 2 partners) delivering sustainable public-sector design across all HOAI phases, with a focus on timber, rammed earth, and Passive House construction for municipalities, schools, and non-profit clients in the Rhine-Main region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural and Urban Planning Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture
• Urban planning
• Timber construction
• Passive house design
• Public building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Darmstadt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 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 and Urban Planning Services: Full-service architecture and urban planning firm providing services across all HOAI Leistungsphasen (service phases). Revenue is generated through project-based fees for architectural design, urban planning, general planning (Generalplanung), energy consulting, fire protection planning, and competition submissions. Projects range from small-scale Kitas to large university campuses and urban development frameworks. Fee structures follow German HOAI (Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure) regulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung is a German architecture and urban planning firm that designs sustainable public buildings (schools, kindergartens, sports facilities) and develops urban master plans for municipalities and institutional clients. Services span all HOAI service phases and include general planning (Generalplanung), energy consulting, fire protection, life cycle assessment, and competition submissions, with a specialisation in timber and rammed earth construction and passive house standards.

Product overview

prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung is a German architecture and urban planning firm (PartGmbB) founded in 2001, operating from offices in Darmstadt and Mainz. The firm offers integrated architectural and urban planning services through a single unified practice rather than a platform-plus-modules structure. Core service offerings include architectural design, urban planning, public space design, and specialized approaches to working with existing building stock. The firm focuses on specific project categories: educational buildings (schools, kindergartens), sports facilities, collective/cooperative housing, and general residential housing. Add-on services include energy consulting, general planning coordination, and life cycle assessment. The practice operates as a 25-person team delivering services directly to clients through all phases of project delivery, from initial concept through construction supervision.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services (Architektur) Full-service architectural design and planning, including new construction, renovation, and extension of buildings. Specialises in sustainable, timber, and clay construction with a focus on educational and community buildings, delivered across all HOAI service phases for municipal and institutional clients.
• Urban Planning Services (Stadtplanung) Urban development and city planning services including master plans, framework plans, development concepts, and zoning plans for residential, commercial, and mixed-use areas, delivered for municipal authorities and public developers.
• Public Space Design (Öffentlicher Raum) Design of public spaces including plazas, streetscapes, and outdoor areas associated with urban development projects, typically delivered alongside urban planning commissions for municipal clients.
• Working with Existing Buildings (Bauen mit Bestand) Specialised approach to working with existing building stock, including renovation, adaptive reuse, deep energy renovation, and heritage-listed (Denkmalschutz) buildings — favouring reuse over demolition-and-new-build for sustainability and resource conservation.
• Education Buildings Design (Bildung) Design of educational facilities including primary schools, special education schools, and childcare facilities (KiTas), delivered as general planning commissions for school districts (Kreise) and municipalities.
• Sports Facilities Design (Sport) Sports building design including sports halls, soccer halls, gymnasiums, and multi-functional sports campuses, typically in timber and polycarbonate construction for municipal and club clients.
• Collective Housing Design (Gemeinschaftliches Wohnen) Design of communal and cooperative housing projects including housing villages, residential communities, and assisted living facilities, targeted at nonprofit organisations and social housing providers serving vulnerable populations.
• Residential Housing Design (Wohnen) Residential housing design including single-family homes, multi-family buildings, and housing developments for public and private clients.
• Energy Consulting Services Energy efficiency consulting for residential and non-residential buildings, including building energy analysis, envelope optimisation, and integrated energy concepts; delivered by registered Energie-Effizienz-Experten (EEE) within the planning process.
• General Planning (Generalplanung) Complete project delivery as general planner, coordinating all disciplines including architecture, building services, structural engineering, and fire protection for integrated project delivery under a single point of responsibility.
• Life Cycle Assessment Life cycle analysis and assessment services for buildings, evaluating environmental impacts from construction through operation to eventual demolition, used to guide material and systems selection in pursuit of climate-neutral operation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sport- und Bildungscampus Bürstadt achieved climate-neutral operation target by 2035 through renewable materials and regenerative systems
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie Deutschland e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023prosa underwent the GWÖ audit process and was certified as a 'Gemeinwohl-Pionier-Unternehmen' in July 2023, following a peer group review and external audit. The firm prepares annual GWÖ (Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie) reports assessing ecological, social, and ethical performance across employees, suppliers, financial partners, and projects. ECOnGOOD label test company since 2024.
• Fast+Epp (Structural Engineering)coreTechnology or IntegrationFast+Epp served as structural engineers for the Forum Physik project at TU Darmstadt, collaborating on the innovative timber 'table' construction and pneumatic roof 'cloud' system. They produced a promotional video about the project highlighting productive cooperation.
• grüningerarchitekten (Darmstadt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project execution with grüningerarchitekten from Darmstadt for the renovation of the Nibelungenhalle in Lorsch (Bestandsumbau), combining prose's architecture expertise with grüningerarchitekten's local knowledge.
• Rehwaldt Landschaftsarchitekten (Dresden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation with Rehwaldt Landschaftsarchitekten across multiple urban planning and landscape architecture projects: Science City Garching (160 ha), Campus master planning Bayreuth (60 ha), Rodgau-West framework plan (46 ha), University campus Erlangen (66 ha). Long-term strategic partnership.
• sinning architekten (Darmstadt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint first prize in the urban and landscape planning competition for Bildungs-, Kultur- und Sportstandort Hoppegarten. sinning architekten based in Darmstadt partnered with prose and Rehwaldt Landschaftsarchitekten.
• GDLA LandschaftsarchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint recognition in Businessquartier Leverkusen competition (mod:natur) with GDLA Landschaftsarchitekten. Project proposed a growing system combining modular architecture and ecological principles.
• ML Mobilitätslösung (Mobility Planning)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with ML Mobilitätslösung for the Gebietsentwicklung Rodgau-West (46 ha framework plan), combining prose's urban planning with specialized mobility planning for a car-reduced, climate-neutral residential quarter.
• AO Landschaftsarchitekten (Mainz)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with AO Landschaftsarchitekten from Mainz for the Gebietsentwicklung Offenbach-Bieber project.
• häfner jiménez betcke jarosch landschaftsarchitekturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation for Landesgartenschau Thüringen competition (Wettbewerb Ankauf 2019) — a 15.5 ha garden city concept in Leinefelde.
• die-grille.net (Landschaftsarchitektur)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with die-grille.net for Hubland framework planning (Würzburg, 135 ha) alongside BS+ Städtebau und Architektur.
• Passivhausinstitut (Darmstadt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific monitoring partnership for Astrid-Lindgren-Schule Braunshardt and Grundschule Raunheim projects, in cooperation with the Passivhausinstitut. Research focuses on summer thermal protection and thermal bridge-free connections in timber construction.
• ECOnGOOD Network (Voelkel, WEtell, TRESSBRÜDER, prior1, Raiffeisenbank Lech, Caritas Köln, Fahnen-Gärtner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollective of ECOnGOOD test companies collaborating to increase visibility of the sustainability label. Other test companies include food brand Voelkel, mobility provider WEtell, outdoor brand TRESSBRÜDER, and others. Joint advocacy for the ECOnGOOD label.
• BDA (Bund Deutscher Architekten)coreOthersBoth partners are BDA (Bund Deutscher Architekt:innen) members. Katharina Rauh serves on the BDA Darmstadt board (Vorstand). Gero Quasten is a BDA member. Partner membership number: AKH Nr. 16532 (Gero Quasten), AKH Nr. 18956 (Katharina Rauh).
• SRL (Vereinigung für Stadt-, Regional- und Landesplanung)minorOthersBoth partners are members of SRL (Vereinigung für Stadt-, Regional- und Landesplanung), the German association for urban, regional, and spatial planning.
• AKH (Architektenkammer Hessen)coreOthersBoth partners are registered members of Architektenkammer Hessen (AKH). Katharina Rauh is a member of the AKH representative assembly (Vertreterversammlung) since 2024. Gero Quasten is also a member of the AKH Vertreterversammlung since 2024.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Dorgerloh + Schwarz Architekten: Sustainable architecture firm with public sector focus and Darmstadt regional presence. Comparable peer competing for similar Hessen municipal commissions, with overlapping expertise in educational and community building design.
• Planquadrat (Darmstadt): Darmstadt-based urban planning and architecture firm where both prosa partners previously worked. Direct regional competitor for Hessen public tenders and a pipeline relationship (former employer), competing for similar municipal clients in the same geographic market.

Direct peers

• Sinning Architekten: Darmstadt-based architecture firm that has partnered with prosa on competition wins including the Hoppegarten educational campus. Comparable German architecture firm with public sector focus, similar regional Darmstadt/Hessen market, and shared competition-based GTM.
• Staab Architekten: German architecture firm specializing in cultural and public buildings with strong sustainability credentials and frequent competition participation. Comparable to prosa in targeting public-sector clients through VGV procedures and invited competitions, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Hascher Jehle Architektur: Berlin-based architecture firm with deep public sector portfolio including schools, sports facilities and urban planning. Highly comparable as a German practice winning public tenders and competitions for institutional buildings, overlapping with prosa on municipal education and sports facility work.
• Heinle, Wischer und Partner: Stuttgart-based architecture practice with strong track record in educational buildings, urban planning, and sustainable design. Directly comparable on public sector education and municipal planning projects across German-speaking regions, similar competition-driven GTM.
• ASUNA Architekten: Sustainable architecture firm specializing in energy-efficient public and educational buildings in Germany. Direct peer to prosa in timber construction, passive house expertise, and Public sector client base with similar size and competition-based project acquisition.
• Rehwaldt Landschaftsarchitekten: Long-standing landscape architecture partner of prosa on multiple master planning competitions including Science City Garching, Rodgau-West, and Bayreuth Campus. Comparable as a sustainable design peer working on large-scale German planning frameworks and joint competition submissions.

Broad incumbents

• HPP Architekten: One of Germany's largest architecture practices with offices in multiple cities, comprehensive sustainability practice, and significant public sector wins. Represents the larger competitor category prosa faces when scaling up to larger public commissions and master planning projects.
• ARGE Hascher Jehle / Heinle Wischer (Large German General Planning Practices): Larger established German architecture firms with broader public sector portfolios and regional offices, competing with prosa on larger framework and master planning commissions. Broader incumbent peers rather than direct competition at the same scale as prosa's boutique offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 prosa Architektur + Stadtplanung