What GENERAL PLANNING does

GENERAL PLANNING (legal entity DBA SpA, doing business as DBA General Planning) is an Italian architecture, engineering, and integrated design consultancy founded in 1970 in Milan as an evolution of the Fritz & Batello architectural studio. The firm was acquired in 2023 by DBA PRO. S.p.A. (now DBA S.p.A.), the operating company of DBA Group, and now operates as a DBA S.p.A. brand under the DBA Group umbrella. Its core service offering is organized into three lines — Consulenza (consulting: feasibility, space planning, LEED/sustainability advisory, due diligence), Progettazione (integrated design spanning architecture, structural engineering, HVAC, electrical systems, and equipment specifications), and Gestione (project and construction management, cost and quality control, supervision, and handing over). It serves primarily enterprise clients in Real Estate, Industrial, and Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare, including UniCredit, Generali Real Estate, Antirion SGR, Kryalos SGR, Roche, GSK, Novartis, Chiesi, Siena Biotech, Nestlé, Puma, and IEO, with project reach extending from Italian regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Veneto, Lazio) into the United Arab Emirates.

The firm operates a project-based consulting business model, charging negotiated fees on a per-project basis tied to scope, complexity, and duration, with multi-year contract cadences typical for large real estate and pharmaceutical programs. Distribution is exclusively direct: the firm engages enterprise clients (corporations, real estate developers, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, government entities) through direct sales relationships, with no indirect channels or marketplace distribution. Go-to-market is built on a portfolio of completed landmark projects — multiple LEED Platinum and LEED Gold certifications (Regina Giovanna 27-29, Gioiaotto, Puma HQ, Nestlé HQ, E&Y HQ, La Serenissima) — and on positioning itself as a single responsible interlocutor across the full project lifecycle from concept through handover.

The firm's technical backbone is BIM (Building Information Modeling), used across all project phases for coordinated design of architecture, structures, and MEP systems to international standards. Underlying this is a stable partner group led by Chairman Giuseppe Monti (with the firm since 1975), Technical Director Loris Colombo (partner since 1988), and four additional partners (Bonini, Gennari, Varenna, Dagrada) plus architect Francesco Prennushi — most with 15+ year tenures. The firm is headquartered legally at Piazza Roma 19, Stefano di Cadore (BL), with an operational office at Viale Liguria 24, Milan, and maintains 51-100 employees. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

GENERAL PLANNING

Legal name

DBA SpA

Website

https://generalplanning.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GENERAL PLANNING is an Italian architecture, engineering, and integrated design consultancy founded in 1970, now operating as a brand of DBA S.p.A. (DBA Group). It delivers consulting, design, and project management services to enterprise clients in Real Estate, Industrial, and Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare across Italy and the UAE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture & Engineering Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Composite & Continuous-Fiber 3D Printers (IMAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Integrated design services
• Architecture engineering consulting
• BIM design services
• Construction project management
• Real estate development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

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. Professional Services - Integrated Design and Engineering Consulting: Revenue is generated through fees for integrated design, engineering, architecture, and consultancy services. Services include conceptual planning, feasibility studies, space planning, project management, construction management, and works supervision. The company provides complete project lifecycle services from concept to handing over.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DBA General Planning provides integrated design, engineering, architecture, and consultancy services for complex construction projects. The firm delivers three core service lines — consulting (feasibility studies, space planning, LEED assessment), design (architecture, structures, MEP systems using BIM methodology), and project/construction management — as a single responsible interlocutor for clients across Real Estate, Industrial, and Healthcare sectors in Italy and internationally.

Product overview

DBA General Planning is a brand of DBA S.p.A that offers integrated design, engineering, architecture, and consultancy services primarily in the Real Estate, Industrial, and Healthcare sectors. The company provides three core service lines: Consulenza (Consulting Services) covering feasibility studies, space planning, and sustainability assessments; Progettazione (Design Services) for integrated architectural and engineering design from concept through detailed specifications; and Gestione (Management Services) including project management, cost control, and construction supervision. Using advanced BIM (Building Information Modeling) methodologies, the company delivers coordinated integral design for architecture, structures, and mechanical/electrical systems, collaborating with major architectural firms on domestic and international projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulenza (Consulting Services) Provides investment opportunity evaluation, feasibility studies, space planning, smart working solutions, fit-out design, value engineering, risk analysis, due diligence, design validation, LEED assessment, and sustainability consulting for real estate, industrial, and healthcare projects. Targeted at enterprise clients, real estate developers, financial institutions, and government entities.
• Progettazione (Design Services) Offers integrated design services from concept through detailed design, covering architecture, structural engineering, H.V.A.C. systems, electrical systems, equipment and furniture design, specifications, and procurement documentation for complex construction projects. Targeted at enterprise clients across Real Estate, Industrial, and Healthcare sectors.
• Gestione (Management Services) Provides project management, time management, tender and contract management, cost control, quality control, construction management, architectural and specialist supervision, and handing over services throughout the project lifecycle. Targeted at enterprise clients and developers needing single-point-of-accountability project delivery.
• BIM Design Services Building Information Modeling (BIM) design methodology used across all project phases for integrated and coordinated integral design of architecture, structures, and building systems. Targeted at enterprise clients needing seamless collaboration across architecture, structural, and MEP systems.
• Project and Construction Management Comprehensive project and construction management services including works management, specialist supervision, and coordination of safety (HSEM) during design and execution phases. Targeted at enterprise clients requiring single-point accountability for delivery of complex construction projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Buildings of high construction quality meeting international standards
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Proger: Italy-based larger multidisciplinary engineering and PM firm serving public infrastructure, energy, and built environment; broader scope but overlapping integrated design and PM services in Italy and abroad.
• WSP: Global professional services firm delivering integrated design, engineering, and PM across property, transport, and environment; competing for the same multinational pharma and real estate mandates as DBA General Planning.
• AECOM: Global design, engineering, and construction services firm active in pharma, healthcare, and corporate real estate sectors; broader incumbent competing for the same integrated design mandates, particularly with multinational clients.
• Arup: Global integrated design, engineering, and consultancy firm with strong pharma, healthcare, and sustainable buildings practices; large-scale incumbent whose services overlap directly with the firm's integrated offering.
• RINA Consulting: Italy-headquartered global engineering consultancy offering design, PM, and assurance services across infrastructure and industrial sectors; broader portfolio but overlaps with industrial/pharma design and consultancy segment.

Direct peers

• Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV): Italian architecture practice focused on corporate headquarters, real estate developments, and high-end commercial buildings for clients including luxury/finance/industrial firms — overlapping real estate / office vertical and architectural design practice.
• Lombardini22: Italian integrated design, engineering, and project management firm serving real estate, retail, healthcare, and corporate clients — closely comparable service mix, sector focus, and Italian mid-market positioning.
• One Works: Italian-headquartered integrated architecture and engineering firm offering design, PM, and consultancy for real estate, infrastructure, and industrial clients across Europe and the Middle East — direct overlap with DBA General Planning's integrated design + PM model and core sectors.
• Mario Cucinella Architects (MC A): Italian architecture firm with deep sustainability/LEED expertise delivering integrated design for institutional, healthcare, and corporate clients; aligns on architectural services profile and sustainability credentials.
• GPA Ingegneria: Italian engineering consultancy delivering integrated design, project management, and construction supervision for real estate, industrial, and infrastructure clients; comparable in services, client type, and Italian-mid-market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dbagroup_official
• Facebookfacebook.com/generalplanningsrl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/general-planning

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 GENERAL PLANNING