Mateo Arquitectura

What Mateo Arquitectura does

Mateo Arquitectura is a Barcelona-based architecture practice founded around 1980 by Josep Lluís Mateo, operating as a sole proprietorship under the legal name Josep Lluís Mateo Martínez. The firm delivers comprehensive architectural services spanning housing, office buildings, public buildings, cultural institutions, urban planning, and public spaces, plus a secondary product design line (architect-designed furniture and objects such as the Pergola microclimate shade, Mateo Chair, and Rosenthal tea set) and an editorial/publications arm producing monographs and writings by the principal.

The practice serves enterprise clients including real estate developers (Kaufman & Broad, Vinci Immobilier, Eiffage, Inmobiliaria Colonial, Ferrovial Inmobiliaria), financial institutions (Banc Sabadell — a repeat anchor client across multiple Spanish office projects), government bodies (Ajuntament de Barcelona, Generalitat de Catalunya, Deutsche Bundesbank), and cultural institutions (National Gallery Prague, Filmoteca de Catalunya, Toni Catany International Photography Centre). Revenue is generated through project-based commissions acquired via architectural competitions, direct commissions, and professional networks across Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Lebanon.

The practice is led end-to-end by Josep Lluís Mateo, a PhD-honors architect educated at ETSAB and UPC who has held teaching positions at institutions including ETH Zürich. The firm has no external investment, no subsidiaries, no parent company, and no disclosed funding rounds. Core intellectual property is articulated through six conceptual building blocks — Place, Poetic Pragmatism, Space, Depth, Material, Nature, and Identity — and is reinforced by international recognition including Domus magazine's "100+ World's Best Architecture Firms 2019" and the Korean Institute of Architects' "100 Architects of the Year 2024." Recent activity includes the Banc Sabadell Fundació building (completed 2022), ongoing projects in France and Spain, publication of "In transit" (2023), and forthcoming retrospective "Obra oberta" (2026).

Name

Mateo Arquitectura

Legal name

Josep Lluís Mateo Martínez

Website

https://mateo-arquitectura.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mateo Arquitectura is a Barcelona-based architecture practice founded by Josep Lluís Mateo, delivering housing, office, public building, cultural institution, and urban design projects for enterprise clients across Europe through project-based commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning
• Public building design
• Housing architecture
• Cultural institution design

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Architecture and design services for public buildings, housing, urban planning, cultural institutions, workplaces, and product design. Revenue generated through project-based commissions from private developers, public institutions, and government bodies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Mateo Arquitectura is a Barcelona-based architecture practice led by Josep Lluís Mateo that delivers full-service architectural design across housing, offices, public buildings, cultural institutions, urban planning, and public spaces for enterprise and government clients across Europe. The practice also produces architect-designed furniture and objects (such as the Pergola, Mateo Chair, and Rosenthal tea set) and publishes editorial monographs documenting its built work and theory.

Product overview

Mateo Arquitectura is a globally active architecture practice led by Josep Lluís Mateo offering three interconnected service lines: Architecture Works (comprehensive architectural design across housing, offices, public buildings, cultural institutions, and urban planning), Product Design (architect-designed furniture and objects including the Pergola, Banc Sabadell Foundation desk, Mateo Chair and bench, and Rosenthal tea set), and Publications (editorial works documenting the practice). The firm's work spans from intimate domestic spaces to large-scale urban developments across Europe, with a shared conceptual foundation articulated through six practice principles (Place, Poetic Pragmatism, Space, Depth, Material, Nature, Identity).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Works Full-service architectural design and project delivery spanning housing, offices, public buildings, cultural institutions, urban planning, and public spaces for enterprise and government clients across Europe.
• Product Design Architect-designed furniture and objects including the Pergola microclimate-regulating shade structure, Banc Sabadell Foundation desk, Cooled public floor covering, Suspended counter, Mateo Chair and bench, Staircase railing, BS table, Public fountain, and the Rosenthal tea set, extending architectural thinking to the scale of furniture and everyday objects.
• Publications Editorial monographs and books sold through external publishers and retailers, including 'Obra oberta' (Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya, 2026) and 'In transit' (Puente Editores, 2023), presenting projects, writings, and reflections across the firm's international portfolio.

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• ARQUITECTURA-G: Barcelona-based younger practice working across residential, public, and cultural projects at similar boutique scale; comparable in regional positioning and typology though with less established international brand.

Direct peers

• Rafael Moneo: Spanish architect with internationally recognized portfolio across cultural, civic, and educational buildings; comparable founder-led model, similar award pedigree, and overlap on European cultural-institution commissions.
• Batlle i Roig Arquitectura: Catalan architecture practice with comparable scope across public, residential, and landscape projects, similar firm size, and overlapping client base of developers and public institutions in Spain.
• RCR Arquitectes: Catalan architecture practice with comparable international award profile (Pritzker Prize 2017), similar typology range (cultural, public, residential), and similar firm size and Barcelona/Catalonia origin.
• OAB (Office of Architecture in Barcelona): Barcelona-based architecture firm led by Carlos Ferrater, similar mid-size practice structure, comparable typology coverage (offices, housing, public), and competing for similar European developer commissions.
• Miralles Tagliabue EMBT: Barcelona-based practice with international portfolio across public buildings, cultural institutions, and urban projects — directly comparable in geography, typology, and mid-size boutique positioning.
• Carles Enrich Studio: Barcelona-based boutique architecture practice operating at similar scale on housing, public space, and adaptive reuse projects — directly comparable in firm size, typology, and regional market.
• Caruso St John: European architecture practice of similar scale and typology (cultural institutions, public buildings, housing) with comparable international award profile and competition-driven project acquisition model.

Broad incumbents

• Studio Gang: Mid-to-large international architecture firm with similar typology breadth (cultural, public, residential) and comparable emphasis on place-driven design; broader scale and US footprint but competes in similar international competitions.
• David Chipperfield Architects: European-headquartered architecture firm competing for the same cultural institution and public sector commissions (e.g., Neues Museum Berlin, Royal Academy refurbishment); operates at a larger scale and brand tier but with overlapping client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/map-arquitectos-s-l-
• Instagraminstagram.com/mateoarq
• Pinterestco.pinterest.com/MateoArq
• Xx.com/mateoarq
• Facebookfacebook.com/mateoarquitectura

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 Mateo Arquitectura