What OM/AR architects does

OM/AR architecten bv cvba is a Belgian architecture firm headquartered at Londenstraat 28-30, 2000 Antwerpen. The firm was spun off from the multidisciplinary design bureau OMGEVING in November 2018 and operates as a private bv cvba with 11–50 employees (14+ named architects and urban planners including three executive board members: Wim Mertens, Kaat Balcaen, and Marc Van Hove). Its core offering is professional architectural design services — new construction, renovation, restoration, and urban planning — branded under the methodology "Omgevingsgerichte Architectuur" (context-sensitive architecture) that integrates physical, social, and cultural context without experimental or iconic gestures.

The firm's portfolio spans more than 50 documented projects across social housing, education, healthcare, public buildings, sport facilities, and residential developments, primarily in the Flemish region of Belgium (Antwerp, Gent, Mechelen, Turnhout, and surrounding municipalities). Notable projects include the Palazzo Verde residential block in Nieuw Zuid Antwerp (with Stefano Boeri Architetti), the Filature du Rabot social housing in Gent (WoninGent), the VIBO school campus in Oud-Turnhout, the OC Sint-Rafaël orthopedagogical center in Brecht, and the Rinkkaai urban development in Gent (with KCAP). The firm has won multiple architectural competitions and was shortlisted for the 2019 Belgian Building Awards (Rookie of the Year).

The business model is sales-led professional services: revenue is generated through project-specific design fees, project management, and architectural supervision, won via competitive tenders and architectural competitions primarily from public and semi-public clients — social housing corporations, municipalities, schools, universities, and healthcare organizations. GTM relies on competition wins, portfolio reputation, and professional referrals rather than traditional marketing channels. No external funding, M&A, or public listing is present, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

OM/AR architects

Legal name

OM/AR architecten bv cvba

Website

https://omar-architecten.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OM/AR architecten is a Belgian architecture firm in Antwerp, spun off from OMGEVING in 2018, delivering context-sensitive architectural design, renovation, restoration, and urban planning services to social housing corporations, municipalities, schools, and healthcare providers across Flanders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Context-sensitive architecture
• Social housing design
• Urban planning services
• Heritage renovation architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerp

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services for new construction, renovation, restoration, and urban planning projects. Revenue generated through design fees, project management, and architectural supervision services for public buildings, social housing, healthcare facilities, schools, and residential projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

OM/AR architecten provides architectural design services focused on context-sensitive, environment-oriented architecture ("Omgevingsgerichte Architectuur"). The firm delivers new construction, renovation, restoration, and urban planning projects for social housing corporations, municipalities, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and residential developers across the Flemish region of Belgium. Projects span concept design through construction supervision.

Product overview

OM/AR architecten is an architecture firm specializing in context-sensitive, environment-oriented architecture (Omgevingsgerichte Architectuur). The firm operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules structure. Their portfolio includes diverse project types: residential (social housing, apartments, cohousing, single-family homes), educational facilities (schools, academies, campuses, BUSO facilities), healthcare and care institutions, public buildings and spaces (parks, libraries, event venues), commercial properties, and heritage renovation/restoration projects. The firm originated from OMGEVING and has been operating independently as OM/AR architecten since November 2018, with projects spanning Belgium including Antwerp, Ghent, Mechelen, and surrounding regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OM/AR Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural design services focused on environment-oriented, context-sensitive architecture for residential (social housing, apartments, cohousing, single-family homes), educational facilities (schools, academies, campuses), healthcare and care institutions, public buildings and spaces (parks, libraries, event venues), commercial properties, and heritage renovation/restoration projects. Services span from initial site visit through final construction delivery, with project-specific teams assembled to match scope.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stefano Boeri ArchitetticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Palazzo Verde project in Nieuw Zuid Antwerp. OM/AR acts as local architect supporting the internationally renowned Italian architect on this green building project featuring stepped volumes around a central garden with roof gardens.
• AIM architectencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration on VIBO school campus project in Oud-Turnhout. Both firms work together on this comprehensive school campus development.
• B-bis architectenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Belevingscentrum Het Moment project at Abdij van Averbode. B-bis and OM/AR jointly developed the scenographic concept, architectural interventions, and furniture design.
• KCAP architects & plannerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Rinkkaai urban development project in Gent, working on major new district with 300+ housing units, care facilities, and public spaces.
• OMGEVINGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOM/AR originated from OMGEVING and continues to collaborate on projects. OMGEVING handles master plans and urban planning studies while OM/AR focuses on architecture. Many projects show ongoing collaboration.
• RE-STcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborations including Klooster Termien (Genk), Neerland (Wilrijk), F. Ferrerlaan (Gentbrugge), and other projects. RE-ST provides architectural partnership on various housing and urban projects.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bovenbouw architectuur: Antwerp-based Belgian architecture firm of similar scale with strong public-sector and residential portfolio. Direct competitor for Flemish public tenders.
• Stéphane Beel Architects: Belgian architecture firm with strong context-sensitive, minimal-material design philosophy. Comparable as a similarly-sized Belgian practice winning public and institutional commissions.
• WIT architecten: Belgian architecture firm with comparable size and mixed public/private portfolio. Direct peer for Flemish social-housing and institutional competitions.
• OMGEVING: Multidisciplinary urban planning and design bureau from which OM/AR was spun off in 2018. Sister entity continuing master-planning collaboration; directly comparable in Belgian public-sector design market.
• Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen: Renowned Belgian architecture practice with public-sector and contextual architecture focus. Peer in Flemish/Belgian institutional architecture market with stronger brand.
• B-bis architecten: Belgian architecture firm of similar size and profile, partner on Belevingscentrum Het Moment at Abdij van Averbode. Direct comparable as a regional Belgian firm with heritage/restoration and public-sector focus.
• AIM architecten: Joint venture partner on VIBO Oud-Turnhout school campus. Comparable Belgian firm with educational/public-sector project focus and similar headcount range.
• RE-ST architecten: Belgian architecture partner on Klooster Termien (Genk), Neerland (Wilrijk), and F. Ferrerlaan; similar mid-size Flemish practice with social housing and adaptive reuse focus, making it a tight functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• KCAP architects & planners: Dutch-rooted international urban design and architecture firm and active partner (Rinkkaai Gent). Larger incumbent with broader geographic reach, comparable practice areas in urban housing and mixed-use districts.
• Stefano Boeri Architetti: Internationally renowned Italian architecture firm collaborating on Palazzo Verde. Larger incumbent with global reach and vertical-forest specialization; peer in the same niche of high-design residential commissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/omgevingsgerichtearchitectuur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/om-ar-architecten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 OM/AR architects