What Barkow Leibinger does

Barkow Leibinger is a privately-held international architecture practice founded in 1993 by Frank Barkow and Regine Leibinger, headquartered in Berlin, Germany with a second office in New York. The firm employs 60+ architects, model builders, and support staff and operates across Europe, North America, and Asia. Its client base spans industrial and manufacturing corporations (TRUMPF, KLS Martin), real estate developers (Jahr Grundbesitz, Estrel), state-owned housing associations (WBM Berlin-Mitte), government bodies (City of Stuttgart), and professional services firms (Grant Thornton).

The practice's core offering is full-service architectural design — covering buildings, master-planning, interior design, and site-specific installations — supplemented by BIM (Building Information Modeling) services, material-based research, and sustainability consulting. The firm is a founding member of the BIM-Allianz, a network of architecture practices shaping digital transformation of planning. Technical differentiation is grounded in material research, digital and analog fabrication methods, sustainable construction techniques (prefabricated concrete, timber-hybrid, clay masonry, deconstructable assemblies), and circular economy principles, demonstrated by DGNB Platinum certification on John Jahr House and ongoing projects such as the Weissenhof.Forum for IBA'27.

Revenue is earned through project-based architectural design fees, competition prizes, and direct commissions, sourced via architectural competitions, direct client engagement, and professional referrals. The firm operates through a group of related legal entities in Germany (Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH, Partnerschaft mbB, Projektgesellschaft mbH, International GmbH) and the US (Barkow Leibinger Inc.), suggesting structured project- and entity-level financial flows. Notable high-profile commissions include the 176-meter Estrel Tower in Berlin (525-room hotel/office), the 27,600 sqm John Jahr House, and the WBM Mollstraße social housing project (84 apartments, construction began April 29, 2026).

Name

Barkow Leibinger

Legal name

Barkow Leibinger Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH

Website

https://barkowleibinger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Barkow Leibinger is a Berlin-headquartered, privately-held international architecture practice founded in 1993 by Frank Barkow and Regine Leibinger, with a 60+ team serving industrial corporations, real estate developers, housing associations, and governments across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

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 Design Services: The firm generates revenue through architectural design fees for buildings, master-planning, and site-specific installations. Revenue is earned through project-based commissions, competition prizes, and design services for corporate, institutional, and government clients across industrial, commercial, cultural, and residential sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barkow Leibinger is an architecture practice providing full-service architectural design for buildings, master-planning, and site-specific installations across industrial, commercial, cultural, residential, and high-rise sectors. Beyond design, the firm offers interior design, BIM services (as a founding member of the BIM-Allianz), material-based research, and sustainability consulting, supported by digital and analog fabrication methods and expertise in timber, prefabricated concrete, and circular economy construction. Projects are acquired through direct commissions, architectural competitions, and referrals, served from offices in Berlin and New York.

Product overview

Barkow Leibinger is an architecture practice offering a unified suite of services centered on architectural design and planning. The core offering consists of architectural design services for buildings, master-planning, and site-specific installations across sectors including industry, office, cultural, residential, adaptive reuse, and high-rise projects. This core is supported by interior design capabilities, BIM (Building Information Modeling) services (with founding membership in the BIM-Allianz network), material-based research conducted in partnership with universities and industry, and sustainability consulting. The practice operates internationally throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, with projects ranging from individual buildings to large campus developments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design covering buildings, master-planning, and site-specific installations for industrial, academic, cultural, office, residential, and high-rise projects.
• Interior Design Interior architecture and design services for commercial, residential, and institutional spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• DGNB Platinum certification confirmed for John Jahr House
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• BIM-AllianzcoreTechnology or IntegrationBarkow Leibinger is a founding member of the BIM-Allianz, a network of architecture firms that aims to actively shape the digital transformation of planning. This partnership positions the firm at the forefront of BIM implementation and digital building practices.
• ZECH Hochbau AGmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for Weissenhof.Forum project in Stuttgart. Responsible for construction execution of the 2,100 sqm Visitor and Information Center.
• B&O Bau und Gebäudetechnik GmbH & Co. KGmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor partner for WBM Mollstraße residential project in Berlin. Collaborating on modular and serial construction for social housing.
• TOPOTEK 1majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture partner for John Jahr House project, developing plaza areas, outdoor spaces, and green roofs with sponge city principles.
• ASTOCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban planning partner for Kurfürstenstraße masterplan, redeveloping four corners of major Berlin intersection with John Jahr House as the keystone project.
• Bollinger + GrohmannmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStructural engineering partner for multiple projects including Estrel Tower and John Jahr House. Expert in complex structural solutions for high-rise and sustainable construction.
• Transsolar KlimaEngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy concept and sustainability planning partner for Estrel Tower and Gallusanlage 8 competition. Specializes in climate-responsive building design.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• OMA: Rotterdam-headquartered international architecture practice with cultural, residential and mixed-use projects globally. Comparable in international cultural and residential portfolio, founder-led identity and competition-led practice model.
• Sauerbruch Hutton: Berlin-based architecture firm of comparable size with strong sustainability and material-driven design language, working on cultural, office and residential projects in Germany and internationally. Highly comparable in scale, Berlin base and sustainability positioning.
• David Chipperfield Architects: Mid-sized international practice with award-winning cultural, office and public buildings across Europe and Asia. Comparable in international reputation, cultural-institution portfolio and high-profile competition wins, though at slightly larger scale.
• Snøhetta: Norwegian-international architecture practice with cultural, public and sustainability-led projects across Europe and North America. Comparable in design-led international practice, sustainability emphasis and cultural-institution portfolio (e.g., opera houses, museums).
• SANAA: Tokyo-based architecture studio with Pritzker Prize recognition and a portfolio of cultural and public buildings. Comparable in reputation for design excellence, museum and cultural commissions and international competition track record, though typically larger-scale institutional projects.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Copenhagen/New York architecture firm known for high-rise, mixed-use and sustainability-led projects globally. Comparable in high-rise competition wins (e.g., Estrel Tower vs. BIG's 2 World Trade Center-type projects), sustainability focus and transatlantic presence.

Broad incumbents

• HPP Architects: Düsseldorf-headquartered German practice with a broad portfolio across office, cultural, residential and stadium typologies. Comparable as a German-rooted international architecture firm but operates at significantly larger scale and typology breadth.
• Foster + Partners: London-based global architecture firm with extensive high-rise, cultural and sustainable design portfolio. Comparable in international high-rise and sustainability positioning (e.g., Estrel Tower vs. Foster + Partners' tower projects), though operating at much larger scale.
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill): US-headquartered global architecture, engineering and urban planning firm with extensive high-rise and institutional portfolio. Comparable as a competitor for landmark high-rise commissions and sustainability-driven design but operates at substantially larger scale and integrated engineering capability.
• gmp Architects: Hamburg-headquartered German architecture firm with extensive international stadium, cultural and transportation portfolio. Comparable as a German-rooted international practice but materially larger and broader in scope than Barkow Leibinger.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barkow-leibinger
• Instagraminstagram.com/barkowleibinger

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Barkow Leibinger