Thomas Architects

What Thomas Architects does

thoma architekten is a German architecture and general-planning firm founded in 1993 by Hermann Thoma and Ariane Waegner, operating from three offices in Berlin, Leipzig, and Zeulenroda-Triebes. The firm delivers end-to-end architectural services across Leistungsphasen 1-9 (from conception through construction monitoring) for residential, educational, healthcare, cultural, commercial, administrative, industrial, and urban development projects, with a particular focus on schools, social housing, and energy infrastructure. Its underlying technical capabilities center on Building Information Modeling (BIM), timber and hybrid construction (Holzbau), and sustainability practices certified under German standards including BNB and KfW 40plus, enabling delivery to energy-efficient and sustainability-mandated public tenders.

The firm generates revenue through project-based professional services fees negotiated with public-sector clients (school authorities, municipalities, government buildings) and institutional customers such as state-owned housing companies (HOWOGE) and municipal utilities (Stadtwerke Leipzig). Multi-year contract cadences and recognition through Bundespreis Umwelt & Bauen 2020, Deutscher Fassadenpreis 2022, German Design Award Special 2023, and Dezeen Awards 2023 longlist support its positioning in the German sustainable-architecture market. The firm operates a horizontal segmentation approach across multiple building typologies rather than vertical specialization, with its competitive identity rooted in sustainable-design credentials, BIM and timber-construction capabilities, and an international team of approximately 60 staff drawn from 14 nations.

Name

Thomas Architects

Legal name

thoma architekten

Website

https://thoma-architekten.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

thoma architekten is a German architecture firm founded in 1993, operating from Berlin, Leipzig, and Zeulenroda-Triebes. It delivers general-planning services (LP 1-9) with BIM, timber construction, and sustainability expertise to public-sector and institutional clients across Germany and Austria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Architectural planning services
• Building information modeling
• Timber construction design
• Sustainable building design
• General construction planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

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. Architectural Services - Professional Services: General planning services for building construction including all phases from conception (LP 1) through construction monitoring (LP 9). Revenue generated through project-based fees for public and private sector clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

thoma architekten is a German architecture firm delivering full-service general planning (Generalplanung, Leistungsphasen 1-9) for building construction. Services span concept development, design, tendering preparation, and construction monitoring for residential, educational, healthcare, cultural, commercial, and urban development projects. The firm combines specialized capabilities in Building Information Modeling (BIM), sustainable design, and timber/hybrid construction (Holzbau) across its three German offices.

Product overview

thoma architekten is an established German architecture firm founded in 1993 by Hermann Thoma and Ariane Waegner, operating from three offices in Berlin, Leipzig, and Zeulenroda-Triebes. The firm offers a unified architectural service portfolio centered on comprehensive building planning and design, supplemented by specialized capabilities in BIM (Building Information Modeling), timber construction (Holzbau), and sustainability consulting. Their integrated approach combines general planning services with expertise across multiple building typologies including residential, educational, healthcare, cultural, commercial, and urban development projects. The firm employs approximately 60 staff members from 14 nations pursuing holistic planning approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Planning Services (Generalplanung) Comprehensive architectural planning and design services covering all project phases from conception (LP 1) through construction monitoring (LP 9), delivered for public and private sector clients across residential, educational, healthcare, cultural, commercial, and urban development projects.
• BIM Services (Building Information Modeling) Building Information Modeling services integrated into architectural planning, enabling coordinated design, accuracy and precision in documentation for schools, sports facilities, residential developments, and other complex building projects; supported by BNB certification on projects such as the Erich-Kästner-Gymnasium.
• Timber Construction (Holzbau) Specialized timber and hybrid construction methods including modular wood construction, timber facades, and sustainable building approaches for residential, educational, and commercial projects.
• Sustainability Consulting Sustainable building design services incorporating energy-efficient solutions, KfW efficiency standards (including KfW 40plus), photovoltaic systems with battery storage, and environmentally conscious construction methods.

Quantifiable outcome

• KfW 40plus efficiency standard achieved at Quartier Sewanstraße - only 60% of permitted energy demand
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Christian Schmidt (Landschaftsarchitekt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVFA member landscape architect collaborating on Kemmler-Oberschule Plauen competition project - new gymnasium and renovation
• Lars BuckiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerModel maker for competition models on Kemmler-Oberschule Plauen project
• 1&1 Internet SEminorOthersWebsite hosting provider with data processing agreement (AVV) per Art. 28 GDPR and technical organizational measures per Art. 32 GDPR

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Staab Architekten: Berlin-based architecture practice with strong public building portfolio (museums, cultural, civic). Comparable size and service offering with similar emphasis on competition-driven public sector work in Germany.
• Hascher Jehle Architekten: Berlin-based architecture firm of comparable size with strong sustainability credentials. Both firms emphasize timber construction, energy efficiency, and serve public/institutional clients across the German market.
• Max Dudler: Berlin and Zurich-based architecture firm with significant public sector and cultural building portfolio. Comparable emphasis on design quality competitions and German/Austrian market presence.
• Barkow Leibinger: Berlin-based architecture firm operating at similar scale, with comparable international profile and project portfolio spanning cultural, educational, and commercial buildings in Germany and beyond.
• JSK Architekten: German architecture firm with comparable size and project portfolio spanning public buildings, education, healthcare, and transportation infrastructure. Competes in similar German public tender markets with multi-office presence.
• Heinle, Wischer und Partner: German architecture firm with significant education, healthcare, and administrative building portfolio. Comparable mid-market positioning with sustainability expertise and public sector client mix.
• Bruno Fioretti Marquez: Berlin-based architecture firm with similar scale and multi-sector portfolio spanning educational, residential, and cultural buildings in Germany. Comparable competition-driven business model.

Broad incumbents

• David Chipperfield Architects: Internationally renowned architecture firm with Berlin office and significant cultural/public building portfolio in Germany. Operates at much larger scale with global brand recognition, particularly in museum and civic sector competitions.
• gmp Architekten: One of Germany's largest architecture firms with extensive public, cultural, and infrastructure portfolio. Operates at significantly larger scale with broader service capabilities, representing a major competitive force in German public tender markets.
• Sauerbruch Hutton: Larger Berlin-based architecture firm with established sustainability credentials and international reputation. Operates at broader scale with deeper resources but competes in similar public and cultural building segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thoma-architekten

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Thomas Architects