What NEXT Architects does

NEXT Architects is an Amsterdam-based international architecture firm founded in 1999, delivering integrated architectural design, urban planning, landscape architecture, and infrastructure design services. The firm operates from two offices — Amsterdam (headquarters, established 1999) and Beijing (opened 2004) — and serves clients across Western Europe, Southern Europe, and East Asia. Its portfolio spans cultural buildings (e.g., The Nieuwe Rietwijker cultural center in Amsterdam-Noord), residential transformations (e.g., The Bayview Residence, a 146-apartment project in Cascais, Portugal, recognized with a 2023 Prix Versailles Honorable Mention), community facilities (Breeding Ground in Banne-Noord), and bridge/infrastructure design, organized around three conceptual themes: Building Bridges, Creating Common Ground, and Making City.

The firm employs approximately 25-30 multidisciplinary designers and architects, led by co-founders John van de Water and Marijn Schenk. Core technology is centered on BIM/REVIT modeling for design and technical elaboration, supported by a research and concept development practice that explores themes such as bicycle cities, water management, and future urban scenarios. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a project-by-project basis via direct client engagement with government entities, real estate developers, cultural institutions, and housing corporations; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm is privately held and founder-led, with no external investment or parent company disclosed in the available data.

Name

NEXT Architects

Legal name

NEXT Architects

Website

https://nextarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NEXT Architects is an Amsterdam-based international architecture firm founded in 1999, delivering integrated architectural design, urban planning, landscape, and bridge infrastructure services for government, cultural institutions, housing corporations, and real estate developers across Europe and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning services
• Landscape architecture
• Infrastructure design
• Bridge design

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architecture and design services for urban planning, architecture, landscape, and infrastructure projects

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NEXT Architects is an international architecture firm that provides integrated design services spanning architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, and infrastructure for residential, commercial, cultural, and public-sector projects. The firm organizes its work around three conceptual themes — Building Bridges, Creating Common Ground, and Making City — and delivers commissioned projects through multidisciplinary teams based in Amsterdam and Beijing.

Product overview

NEXT Architects is an international architecture firm offering integrated design services rather than a software product platform. The firm's services span architectural design, urban planning, landscape architecture, and infrastructure design. Their work is organized around three core themes—Building Bridges, Creating Common Ground, and Making City—which serve as conceptual frameworks for their portfolio of projects including cultural buildings, educational facilities, residential developments, and large-scale urban transformations. The multidisciplinary approach combines exploration, connection-making, and creation across all service areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design covering residential, commercial, cultural, and educational buildings for enterprise, government, and nonprofit clients.
• Urban Planning Strategic urban planning and master planning services for metropolitan areas and city districts, addressing metropolitan challenges and creating connected communities.
• Landscape Architecture Landscape design integrated with architectural and urban planning projects, addressing the integration of buildings with their environment and broader societal themes.
• Infrastructure Design Design services for bridges and other infrastructure projects, including literal connections and metaphorical social connections, serving public infrastructure clients.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Fragmentos de ArquitecturaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating architecture firm for The Bayview Residence project in Cascais, Portugal
• SVP stedenbouw en architectuurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban planning and architecture partner for The Nieuwe Rietwijker cultural center project in Amsterdam
• RochdaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing corporation partner for The Nieuwe Rietwijker project, contributing to residential development aspects

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• 3XN: Danish architecture firm with comparable international cultural, educational, and residential portfolio. Similar mid-sized scale and integrated urban design approach makes it a relevant benchmark peer.
• Mecanoo: Dutch architecture firm rooted in Delft with international scope across cultural, educational, housing, and infrastructure. Comparable in size, multidisciplinary approach, and signature-building focus to NEXT.
• UNStudio: Amsterdam-headquartered architecture and urban design network with comparable international project portfolio and Dutch origin. Direct competitor for European cultural, residential, and infrastructure commissions.
• Snøhetta: Multidisciplinary architecture, landscape, and brand design firm comparable in studio size, interdisciplinary approach, and cultural/infrastructure portfolio. Direct peer for integrated urban and landscape-led commissions.
• MVRDV: Rotterdam-based international architecture, urbanism, and landscape practice with a similarly multidisciplinary remit and comparable scale. Closest direct peer for NEXT given Dutch origin, urban/lifestyle focus, and integrated design-to-research model.

Emerging players

• Hassell: Multi-studio architecture and urban design practice with cultural, residential, and urban regeneration work. Comparable studio scale and project mix, especially in mixed-use urban transformation briefs.
• MAD Architects: Beijing-headquartered architecture practice focused on futuristic urban and cultural projects in China. Comparable to NEXT's Beijing office in geography and project type, with similar niche-driven international positioning.

Broad incumbents

• OMA: Rotterdam-based Rem Koolhaas practice operating as a global broad incumbent in architecture and urbanism. Competes for the same large cultural and urban briefs as NEXT but at materially greater scale and global reach.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Internationally recognized architecture and design practice with offices across continents. Overlaps with NEXT on cultural and mixed-use briefs and bridges, but at a significantly larger scale and brand reach.
• Zaha Hadid Architects: London-headquartered global practice with signature infrastructure and cultural buildings. Overlaps with NEXT on bridge and large cultural projects but operates at a far larger scale and with established brand premium.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/next-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/nextarchitects
• Xx.com/NEXTarchitects
• Facebookfacebook.com/nextarchitects

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 NEXT Architects