Spinn Arkitekter

What Spinn Arkitekter does

Spinn Arkitekter is a privately held Norwegian architecture firm founded in 2012, specializing in sustainable buildings for the public sector — primarily educational facilities, alongside cultural, sports, and healthcare projects. The firm operates through three regional offices: Oslo (ØST, Rådhusgata 4 — regional HQ), Tromsø (Nord, KOOP22, Fredrik Langes gate 14), and Stavanger (Vest, Kvitsøygata 15), with a named team of approximately 14 individuals across partner, senior architect, junior architect, and communication-designer roles. Five partners lead the practice: Daniel P. Barth (Managing Director, Oslo), James Dodson (Professional Director, Oslo, new collaborations contact), Leif D. Houck (School Development, Oslo), Marion Pflugfelder (West department lead, Stavanger), and Sara Normann Lund (North department lead, Tromsø). Sub-brand SPINN Interiør operates the interior-architecture practice.

Core technical competencies are centered on environmental performance and low-carbon construction: BREEAM (Good/Very Good/Excellent), passivhaus, mass timber (massivtre) construction, facade-controlled and sensor-driven hybrid ventilation, plus-energy (plusshus) buildings, circular-economy reuse design, parametric design with 3D laser scanning, and experimental virtual architecture (The Gallerocks metaverse/NFT project). All offices hold Miljøfyrtårn (Eco-Lighthouse) certification. Notable milestones include Oslo's first plus-energy school (Voldsløkka skole, EU ARV/Futurebuilt pilot), the world's northernmost BREEAM-certified building (Baksalen skole, Hammerfest), BREEAM Excellent at Ski vgs LOOPEN, and a circular-economy ombruksprosjekt at Slemmestad that saved Rana municipality 16 million kroner, 90 tonnes of waste, and 234 tonnes of CO2-equivalents. The firm has won Årets idrettsanlegg 2020 (Flesberg idrettsanlegg) and Trondheim kommunes Byggeskikkpris 2023 (Huseby skoler).

Revenue is generated through project-based architectural and design services commissioned via Norwegian public procurement. Customers are Norwegian municipalities, county administrations, and public agencies (e.g., Oslobygg KF, Undervisningsbygg Oslo KF, Vestfold og Telemark Fylkeskommune, Statsbygg, Aktiv mot kreft), with services spanning feasibility studies, programming, schematic design, detailed design, and construction follow-up. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; new collaborations are initiated through direct partner contact, architectural competitions, and procurement processes. No revenue figures, funding rounds, or ownership disclosures are available in the source material — the firm appears to be an independent, partner-held practice.

Name

Spinn Arkitekter

Legal name

Spinn Arkitekter

Website

https://spinnark.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spinn Arkitekter is a Norwegian architecture firm founded in 2012, specializing in sustainable public-sector buildings — primarily schools, plus cultural, sports, and healthcare facilities — across Norway through offices in Oslo, Tromsø, and Stavanger.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture services
• Educational building design
• Mass timber construction
• Public building architecture
• Interior design consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: SPINN provides multidisciplinary engineering and consulting services including architecture and interior design. Services span the entire project lifecycle from possibility studies, programming, schematic design, detailed design, to construction follow-up. Projects are commissioned through public procurement for municipalities and public institutions in Norway.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Spinn Arkitekter is a Norwegian architecture firm that designs and delivers sustainable public-sector buildings — primarily schools, cultural centers, sports facilities, and healthcare buildings — along with interior architecture (via SPINN Interiør) and early-phase consulting services such as feasibility studies, programming, and school development advisory. Engagements span the full project lifecycle from concept and schematic design through detailed design and construction follow-up, with a strong emphasis on environmental certifications including BREEAM, passive house, plus-energy, and Svanemerket (Nordic Swan Ecolabel).

Product overview

Spinn Arkitekter is a Norwegian architecture firm offering multidisciplinary design and consulting services with a focus on society-critical buildings. The portfolio consists of three main service areas: educational buildings (undervisningsbygg) including elementary schools, secondary schools, and upper secondary schools; cultural buildings (kultur) such as libraries, cultural centers, and community spaces; and healthcare/care facilities (helse og omsorg) including kindergartens, care homes, and health centers. The company also provides school development consulting (Skoleutvikling) and sports facility design (Idrett). Notable named projects include LOOPEN (Ski vgs), Båsmo barneskole, Mesterfjellet skole, and the innovative virtual architecture project The Gallerocks. All departments are Miljøfyrtårn certified, and projects frequently achieve BREEAM and Passivhaus certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skoleutvikling (School Development Consulting) School development consulting service including opportunity studies, procurement strategy, user processes, and development of spatial and functional programs based on educational norms; aimed at Norwegian municipalities and county administrations planning new schools or renovations.
• SPINN Interiør (Interior Architecture) Interior architecture sub-brand delivering interior design services with a circular economy focus, where furniture is reused or built from old furniture; demonstrated through the Slemmestad project which saved the municipality 16 million kroner and avoided 234 tonnes of CO2 equivalents.
• Båsmo barneskole (Educational Building Design) Architectural design of a 4,300 m2 elementary school with special pedagogical department for Rana kommune, achieving BREEAM Good certification and 50% CO2 reduction; serves as reference project for sustainable educational building delivery.
• Mesterfjellet skole (Educational Building Design with Hybrid Ventilation) Design of a 6,500 m2 vertical 1-10 grade school with family center and kindergarten, featuring passive house standard, low energy class B certification, and a sensor-controlled hybrid ventilation system connected to a weather station that automatically calculates window openings based on weather conditions.
• Dagsturhytter / Varden (Day-Trip Hut Concept) Conceptual design and construction of day-trip hiking huts near Hammerfest using mass timber (massivtre) construction, 3D laser scanning of terrain to inform door and window placement based on wind, views, and accessibility, and Japanese shou-sugi-ban flame treatment for weather resistance.
• LOOPEN / Ski videregående skole (Upper Secondary School Design) Design of an upper secondary school combining educational facilities, a multi-purpose hall, cultural school, and public library in Ski; achieved BREEAM Excellent, Futurebuilt nZEB, and passivhaus certifications with parametric facade optimization.
• Ravinen kultur- og familiesenter (Multi-Use Cultural and Family Center) Architectural design of a 5,400 m2 multi-functional culture and family center combining a library, music school, family and health unit, and physiotherapy/medical center for Rælingen kommune; designed to serve an expected 150,000 annual visitors.
• Gymsaler Båsmo og Selfors (Sports Hall Design) Design of two identical approximately 1,000 m2 gymnasium halls for elementary schools in Rana municipality, each achieving BREEAM Very Good certification and configured for volleyball with divisible space accommodating two simultaneous classes.
• Flesberg idrettsanlegg (Multi-Use Sports Facility) Design of a multi-use facility combining school, sports hall, swimming pool, library, and community center; built in mass timber (massivtre) to passive house standard with 50% greenhouse gas reduction; winner of Sports Facility of the Year 2020.
• Pusterommet (Healthcare Interior Design) Interior design of fitness and recovery rooms (Pusterommet) for cancer patients at hospitals across Norway, designed in partnership with the Aktiv mot kreft foundation; each facility includes a training zone, social zone, conversation room, and changing facilities oriented around a mastery experience.
• Rjukan fjellhall (Sustainable Data Center / Cultural Building) SPINN's founding project — a data center built inside the Rjukan mountains using surplus excavation masses as gabion wall facade elements, leveraging free river cooling and distributing surplus heat as free district heating to Rjukan; commissioned by Tinn Energi AS in 2012.
• Voldsløkka skole (Plus-Energy School Design) Design of Oslo's first plus-energy school — a 12,200 m2 youth school plus 1,600 m2 rehabilitation — engineered to produce more energy over its lifetime than consumed in materials, construction, operation, and demolition, with solar cells on roof and facades, a geothermal system, and battery storage.
• The Gallerocks (Virtual Architecture / Metaverse Project) Virtual architecture innovation project applying parametric design and VR technology to build three-dimensional metaverse worlds with NFT applicability for digital art exhibition spaces; developed with technology partner Spatial as an internal innovation initiative.

Quantifiable outcome

• Baksalen skole: World's northernmost BREEAM certified building (BREEAM Good), passive house level, low energy
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Format EngineerscoreTechnology or IntegrationFormat Engineers is a key collaboration partner on multiple projects including the Dagsturhytter (day-trip huts) project with parametrics and 3D laser scanning, Volden project, and Rjukan fjellhall data center. They specialize in parametric design and engineering solutions.
• Lo:Le LandskapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLo:Le Landskap is a landscape architecture firm that collaborates on multiple educational projects including Båsmo barneskole, Rana ungdomsskole, and Gymsaler Båsmo og Selfors.
• COWIcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCOWI is a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy that partners on projects including Båsmo barneskole, Gruben barneskole, Rana ungdomsskole avd. Moheia, and Kårvåg barneskole.
• CEBRA/Various ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Mesterfjellet skole project in Larvik.
• Berg-LarsenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration partner on Mesterfjellet skole and Vetland skole projects.
• Østengen & BergocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture firm collaborating on multiple projects including Mesterfjellet skole, Tvedestrand skole, Voldsløkka skole, and Frakkagjerd ungdomsskole.
• ING: Format EngineerscoreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering partner for the dagsturhytter (day-trip huts) project with innovative mass timber construction.
• Alliance ArkitekterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Harestad skole and Varen – Randaberg kulturscene projects.
• NorconsultcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor engineering consultancy collaborating on Ski vgs. (LOOPEN), Lervigskvartalet, Gruben barneskole, Eikeli videregående skole, Kongsberg vgs., and multiple other projects.
• Backe Stor-OslocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction company partner on Flesberg idrettsanlegg, Eikeli videregående skole, Hokksund barneskole, and Kleiverud skole projects.
• Filter ArkitekterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Huseby skoler project in Trondheim.
• GrindakerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture partner on Huseby skoler project.
• KonturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm collaborating on Prinsdal skole project.
• Tinn Energi ASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient and partner for Rjukan fjellhall project - SPINN's first project from 2012 creating eco-friendly data center with free cooling and district heating.
• VeidekkecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMain contractor for Voldsløkka skole og kulturstasjon project - Oslo's first plus-energy school.
• MiljøfyrtårncoreOthersEnvironmental certification organization. All SPINN offices are Miljøfyrtårn certified.
• StatsbyggminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment building client for Nasjonalmuseet project - interior architecture services for Norway's new national museum.
• Bjørbekk & Lindheim ASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture partner on Ravinen kultur- og familiesenter, Baksalen skole, and Haraldsvang skole projects.
• In'ByminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape and urban development partner on Bamble idrettsanlegg and Bamble ungdomsskole projects.
• Kruse Smith EntreprenørcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction company partner on VID Stavanger and Griegakademiet projects.
• Undervisningsbygg Oslo KFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor public client for educational buildings in Oslo including Vetland skole, Prinsdal skole, Haukåsen skole, Voldsløkka skole.
• Tromsø Utbygging ASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment company for Ishavsportalen (BY50) sustainable urban development project in Tromsø.
• SINTEFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in EU ARV project at Voldsløkka skole for climate positive circular communities.
• NTNUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in EU ARV project at Voldsløkka skole for climate positive circular communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nordic Office of Architecture: Major Nordic architecture firm with strong presence in education, health, and cultural buildings. Competes with Spinn in Norwegian public procurement but at significantly larger scale and broader Nordic reach.
• Link Arkitektur: Large Scandinavian architecture firm with Norwegian offices and deep expertise in education and public buildings. Broader incumbent competing for the same Norwegian municipal contracts.
• Snøhetta: Large Norwegian-origin global architecture firm with a broad portfolio including cultural and public buildings. Overlaps with Spinn in cultural and public-sector commissions but operates at a much larger scale and global footprint.

Direct peers

• LPO Arkitekter: Norwegian architecture firm specializing in housing, schools, and public buildings with sustainability focus. Strong overlap in client type (municipalities) and project typology (educational and cultural facilities).
• DARK Arkitekter: Norwegian architecture practice with similar size and a comparable portfolio of public buildings, particularly schools and cultural facilities. Direct competitor in Norwegian municipal procurement.
• Mad Arkitekter: Norwegian architecture firm with comparable headcount and a strong portfolio in schools, kindergartens, and cultural/public buildings across Norway. Direct competitor for the same municipal public procurement contracts Spinn targets.
• HLM Arkitekter: Norwegian-origin architecture firm with substantial expertise in educational and healthcare buildings and a multi-office Nordic footprint. Competes directly with Spinn for public-sector school and culture commissions.

Regional players

• Ratio Arkitekter: Norwegian-Danish architecture firm focused on education and public buildings. Comparable niche in school design with a primarily regional Norwegian footprint.
• Stein Hamre Arkitekter: Norwegian architecture firm with substantial education and cultural-building portfolio. Comparable size and similar project typology, serving as a regional peer in school commissions.

Emerging players

• CEBRA Architecture: Danish architecture firm with strong portfolio in schools and educational buildings. Already co-collaborated with Spinn on Mesterfjellet skole and represents a Nordic peer in sustainable educational design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SpinnArkitekter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spinnark

Compliance6 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 Spinn Arkitekter