Conversion City

What Conversion City does

UmbauStadt (operating as Conversion City) is a German urban planning and architecture consulting firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Weimar, with additional offices in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Vienna (Austria), and a neighborhood office in Hanau Hafentor. The firm serves exclusively German municipal and local-government clients, delivering professional services across the full urban development lifecycle — from initial analysis and integrated urban development concepts (ISEK) through public participation, architectural competition supervision (Wettbewerbsbetreuung), framework planning (Rahmenplanung), implementation management, and long-running Stadtumbaumanagement mandates for towns facing demographic and structural decline.

Its service portfolio is built around deep specialization in German federal and state urban development funding programs (Städtebauförderungsprogramme such as 'Lebendige Zentren', 'Stadtumbau West', and 'Wachstum und nachhaltige Erneuerung'). Core offerings include Stadtumbaumanagement (urban restructuring management), Fördergebietsmanagement (promotional area management), Vorbereitende Untersuchungen (preliminary investigations), ISEK development, Wettbewerbsbetreuung, Rahmenplanung, Dorfmoderation (village moderation), and Umsetzungsmanagement. A notable intellectual property is the OP-OD (Open Plan – Open Decision) methodology developed jointly with RWTH Aachen University under the federal 'Zukunft Bau' research program, and the firm maintains an active research partnership portfolio (Stiftung Baukultur Thüringen, KOOPERATIVEGROSSSTADT eG, etc.).

The business model is project-based professional services: the firm acquires work through public tenders, competitive bidding for urban planning competitions, and direct engagement with municipal administrations. Fees are funded primarily through federal and state urban development programs. Multidisciplinary teams combine architecture, urban planning, environmental planning, and regional planning, supported by a network of specialist sub-contractors (CIMA for retail, PSLV for traffic, empirica for market research, dwif for tourism). The firm markets via its website, Instagram, YouTube, regional press coverage, and an extensive documented project portfolio across more than 25 project pages spanning Bavaria, Hesse, Berlin, Brandenburg, and Lower Saxony.

Name

Conversion City

Legal name

UmbauStadt

Website

https://umbaustadt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UmbauStadt (Conversion City) is a German urban planning and architecture consultancy serving municipalities with integrated urban development concepts, restructuring management, competition supervision, and citizen participation services across Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Planning and Architecture Consulting

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

Keywords

• Urban planning consulting
• Architectural design services
• Urban development concepts
• Citizen participation processes
• Urban restructuring management

Headquarters

HQ city

Weimar

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Urban Planning Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for urban development, including Stadtumbaumanagement (urban restructuring management), ISEK development, Vorbereitende Untersuchungen (preparatory investigations), competition supervision, and citizen participation processes. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements with German municipalities and local governments, typically funded through federal and state urban development programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Conversion City (UmbauStadt) provides professional urban planning and architecture consulting services to German municipalities and local governments. The firm delivers comprehensive urban development support including urban restructuring management (Stadtumbaumanagement), integrated urban development concepts (ISEK), funding program management, competition supervision, framework planning, and citizen participation processes. Services span the entire urban development lifecycle from analysis and concept development through public participation and final implementation.

Product overview

UmbauStadt (Conversion City) is an urban planning and architecture firm offering comprehensive consulting services for urban development. The company operates a platform-plus-services model, providing specialized professional services including Stadtumbaumanagement (urban restructuring management), ISEK (Integrated Urban Development Concepts), Vorbereitende Untersuchungen (Preliminary Investigations), Fördergebietsmanagement (Promotional Area Management), Wettbewerbsbetreuung (Competition Supervision), Rahmenplanung (Framework Planning), Dorfmoderation (Village Moderation), and Umsetzungsmanagement (Implementation Management). The firm also conducts research projects in partnership with institutions like RWTH Aachen University. These services work together to support German municipalities throughout the complete urban development process, from initial analysis and concept development through public participation, competition procedures, and final implementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stadtumbaumanagement (Urban Restructuring Management) Comprehensive urban restructuring management services supporting cities in implementing urban development concepts, including project initiation, development, analysis, planning activities, and public relations work for municipalities facing demographic change.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful completion of Stadtumbaumanagement for Arzberg since 2007, with numerous completed projects including Bürgerhaus renovation, new swimming pool, and multiple public space improvements.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stiftung Baukultur ThüringencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on the 'Plattform Wohndebatte' (Platform Housing Debate) project from 2019-2021, working with the Thuringian Ministry for Infrastructure and Agriculture, Architects and Engineers Chambers of Thuringia, Thuringian state development company, and other housing sector partners to address housing questions in decentralized Thuringian contexts.
• CIMA MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for retail analysis in the ISEK+VU Haunstetten project (2018-2020), providing retail expertise for the Augsburg district development.
• PSLV MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for traffic analysis in the ISEK+VU Haunstetten project, providing transportation planning expertise.
• nonconform, RosenheimcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project partner for the ISEK Rosenheim project (2023-2025), collaborating on integrated urban development concept for the entire city.
• Händel Junghans Architekten, MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for the ISEK Rosenheim project, contributing architectural expertise.
• empiricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for the INSEK Bernau project, providing market and empirical research expertise.
• dwifminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for the INSEK Bernau project, providing tourism and economic development expertise.
• RWTH Aachen University, Lehrstuhl für Wohnbau und Grundlagen des Entwerfens (WB) + Lehrgebiet für Computergestütztes Entwerfen (DC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on the 'Nah am Nutzen 2' project in the 'Zukunft Bau' research program, developing the Open Plan - Open Decision methodology for participatory planning processes.
• KOOPERATIVEGROSSSTADT eGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Nah am Nutzen 2' research project, contributing cooperative housing development expertise.
• Haase & Bey Architekten PartGmbBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Schulcampus Arnstein feasibility study (2024-2025), with Haase & Bey providing building analysis for the educational campus development.
• Fugmann Janotta PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration partner on multiple urban development projects including the ISEK Hildesheim, Stahnsdorf S-Bahnquartier competition, and Ideenwerkstatt Münchner Norden, providing architectural and urban planning expertise.
• Hoffmann-Leichter IngenieurgesellschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ideenwerkstatt Münchner Norden project, providing engineering expertise for the Munich north development study.
• Hosoya Schaefer Architects AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected as winning team for the Elisabeth-Aue competition in Berlin-Pankow, working with AgenceTer.de GmbH for landscape architecture.
• PSU (München)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint commission for the Bad Nauheim climate adaptation concept, with PSU providing specialized expertise.
• yVerkehrsplanung, WeimarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert collaboration for traffic planning challenges in the Markt Sparneck framework plan project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Machleidt GmbH: Berlin-based office for urban planning, architecture, and research delivering integrated urban development and competition supervision work. Competes for the same pool of municipal and federal-program-funded projects.
• ASTOC Architects and Planners: Cologne-based architecture and urban planning practice with overlapping municipal and large-scale urban development engagements in Germany. Similar focus on integrated urban concepts and competition supervision.
• RKW Architektur + Städtebau: Düsseldorf-headquartered architecture and urban planning firm with German municipal clients and integrated development concept work. Comparable scale and Bundesland-level project footprint.
• ac-planergruppe: German urban planning consultancy with multi-city presence delivering ISEK, Rahmenplanung, and citizen participation services for municipalities. Directly comparable service portfolio and target client base.
• AS&P Albert Speer + Partner: Frankfurt-based architecture and urban planning firm with comparable German municipal clients and integrated urban development work. Competes for similar ISEK, master planning, and competition mandates across German states.
• KCAP Architects & Planners: Rotterdam-based architecture and urban planning firm with active projects in Germany covering urban strategies, ISEK-equivalent frameworks, and waterfront/quartier developments. Closely comparable urban planning methodology and European municipal client base.

Broad incumbents

• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with a European urban planning practice. Competes for large-scale master plans and mixed-use developments but operates across an incomparably broader portfolio than UmbauStadt.
• Henn Architekten: Larger German architecture practice with an urban planning capability spanning buildings, campuses, and master planning. Overlaps in competition entries and large-scale development commissions but operates across a broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC52JQxNwCsne6rDWDOvOLvA
• Instagraminstagram.com/umbaustadt
• Xx.com/UmbauStadt
• Facebookfacebook.com/umbaustadtaktuell
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umbaustadt-gbr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Conversion City