What BAU does

BAU (Byrån för Arkitektur & Urbanism AB) is a Stockholm-based architecture and urbanism firm founded in 1991 by Hans Birkholz, Per-Eric Sundby, and Peter Walker. The firm provides comprehensive architectural design and urban planning services across residential, commercial, office, public, cultural, and diplomatic building typologies, with a portfolio that includes Mall of Scandinavia, Sthlm 01, Arenastaden, Haga Norra, the Tele2 headquarters, and a long-running house-architect mandate for Swedish foreign properties (embassies and EU representation). BAU employs approximately 90 people and operates from a single headquarters at Gävlegatan 12A in Stockholm, serving clients in Stockholm and other Swedish municipalities including Solna, Sundbyberg, Järfälla, Uppsala, Gävle, and Örebro.

The firm delivers end-to-end services from master planning and urban structure plans through sketch design, construction documentation, and tenant adaptation, supported by proprietary technical capabilities including BREEAM and Miljöbyggnad sustainability certification, certified accessibility expertise (TIL 2), internationally recognized daylight analysis, BIM (Building Information Modeling) via Graphisoft BIMcloud, and an in-house physical model workshop with 3D printers and laser cutters. BAU has been the lead architect on landmark projects such as Mall of Scandinavia (winning Årets köpcentrum 2017) and Torsplan 2 (the first BREEAM Outstanding office building in Sweden).

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees, negotiated on a project-by-project basis and invoiced across project phases. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales through competitive tenders (markanvisningstävling), direct commissions from property developers, and repeat engagements with established clients. Primary customer segments are major Swedish property developers and real estate companies (Fabege, JM, Skanska, PEAB, Klövern, HSB, Unibail-Rodamco) and government/public sector clients (Statens Fastighetsverk, Stockholm City Planning Office). Marketing is portfolio-driven, relying on industry events (MIPIM, Almedalen, SGBC), trade media coverage, and an active Instagram presence.

Name

BAU

Legal name

Byrån för Arkitektur & Urbanism AB

Website

https://bau.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BAU is a Stockholm-based architecture and urbanism firm founded in 1991, employing approximately 90 people and providing end-to-end architectural design, urban planning, and sustainability certification services primarily to Swedish property developers (Fabege, JM, Skanska) and government clients (Statens Fastighetsverk).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture & Urban Planning 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

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning consultancy
• Sustainability certification consulting
• Building information modeling
• BIM architecture services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 and Consulting Services: BAU generates revenue through fees for architectural design, urban planning, and consulting services on building projects. Revenue is project-based, invoiced across project phases from early sketches through construction and tenant adaptations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BAU provides architectural design and urban planning services to property developers, real estate companies, and government clients across Sweden. The firm's offering covers the full project lifecycle from early urban master planning and sketch design through detailed architectural documentation, construction administration, and tenant fit-out adaptations. Services span residential, commercial, retail, public, hospitality, and diplomatic building typologies, supported by in-house BIM capabilities, sustainability certification, accessibility expertise, and daylight analysis.

Product overview

BAU (Byrån för Arkitektur & Urbanism) is an architecture and urbanism firm based in Stockholm, Sweden, founded in 1991. The firm provides comprehensive architectural design services and urban planning consultancy. Their portfolio includes residential buildings, office complexes, public facilities, hotels, shopping centers, and large-scale urban development projects. The firm also offers specialized services in sustainability, daylight analysis, BIM (Building Information Modeling), and accessibility certification. BAU operates as a unified professional practice rather than a modular software platform, delivering end-to-end architectural services from early sketch phases through construction and tenant adaptations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture & Urbanism Services Comprehensive architectural design and urban planning services delivered to property developers, real estate companies, government agencies, and municipalities in Sweden. The offering spans the full project lifecycle — from early urban master planning and sketch design, through detailed architectural design and construction documentation, to tenant adaptations — across residential, commercial, retail, public, hospitality, and diplomatic building typologies. The service integrates BIM-based design, sustainability certification (BREEAM, Miljöbyggnad, Svanen), accessibility expertise (Certifierad TIL 2), daylight analysis, and physical model presentations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Torsplan 2 achieved BREEAM Outstanding certification (89.7%) — first office building in Sweden with this certification
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Liljewall ArkitekterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Following BAU's master planning and detail plan work for the Farao blocks in Arenastaden (for Fabege), Liljewall won the commission to develop Farao 17 into a finished office building.
• Stina Stjärnström Stockholm ABminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBAU collaborated with Stina Stjärnström Stockholm AB on interior design for Bilias headquarters within the Haga Norra development.
• Kragh & Berglund LandskapsarkitektercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architects Kragh & Berglund collaborated with BAU on multiple projects including Arenastaden (Kairo and Farao), the winning competition proposal for Tullinge (with Sveafastigheter), and Stångholmsbacken. The partnership creates integrated urban environments combining architecture and landscape design.
• Sauerbruch HuttoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAU partnered with German firm Sauerbruch Hutton as the Swedish execution partner for Sthlm 01 (Star-shaped 27-story office building in Hammarby Sjöstad). BAU produced all construction documentation for the landmark building while Sauerbruch Hutton provided the architectural design.
• Benoy ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAU worked with UK-based Benoy Architects in an initial collaboration on the Mall of Scandinavia project.
• WingårdhsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWingårdhs was selected through an international competition to design the interior of Mall of Scandinavia, following BAU's overall architectural framework and construction documentation.
• TEA (Tengbom Ekström Arkitekter)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTEA designed the residential blocks above Bilia in Haga Norra (kvarter 6 and 7), developed by Brabo, while BAU designed the Bilia commercial portion and overall urban plan.
• Graphisoft (BIMcloud)coreTechnology or IntegrationBAU was the first Swedish architecture firm to install BIMcloud from Graphisoft, enabling advanced BIM collaboration across projects including Mall of Scandinavia.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wingårdhs: Major Swedish architecture firm with similar portfolio across commercial, residential, and cultural projects. BAU and Wingårdhs directly collaborated on Mall of Scandinavia, demonstrating they compete and partner in the same Stockholm developer ecosystem.
• White Arkitekter: Leading Nordic architecture firm with comparable services in urban planning, residential, and commercial projects. White is a frequent competitor in Swedish and Scandinavian tenders for the same developer clients.
• Tengbom: One of Sweden's largest architecture firms, with deep penetration into commercial real estate, residential, and urban planning. Tengbom serves the same major property developers (Fabege, Skanska, JM) that anchor BAU's client base.
• Arkitema: Scandinavian architecture and urban planning firm with similar full-service offering from master planning through construction documentation. Competes in the same Nordic developer and municipal markets.
• Liljewall Arkitekter: Swedish architecture firm with comparable typology coverage. Liljewall won the Farao 17 commission in Arenastaden for Fabege after BAU's master planning, showing direct head-to-head competition on the same developer projects.
• Sauerbruch Hutton: Berlin-based architecture firm that partnered with BAU on Sthlm 01. Operates in the same commercial and cultural building typology space and collaborates with or competes against BAU on selected projects.

Broad incumbents

• COWI: Large Danish engineering and architecture consultancy offering architectural services alongside engineering. Competes with BAU on larger integrated urban infrastructure and master planning assignments in the Nordics.
• Henning Larsen: International architecture firm (Ramboll group) with strong urban design and sustainability expertise. Comparable to BAU on sustainability-driven urban projects and mixed-use developments across Scandinavia.

Emerging players

• Cobe: Danish architecture firm known for urban development and public buildings. Smaller portfolio overlap with BAU but competes in Scandinavian tenders and pursues similar mixed-use urban projects.
• Kragh & Berglund Landskapsarkitekter: Swedish landscape architecture firm that has partnered with BAU on Arenastaden and Haga Norra projects. While not a direct architecture competitor, the integrated landscape-architecture offering parallels BAU's full-service positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bau_stockholm
• Xx.com/bahcesehir

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 BAU