CLOU architects
CLOU architects is a Shanghai-headquartered architectural design practice specializing in retail, mixed-use, and community "social space" projects for major Chinese real estate developers, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersBeijing, China
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CLOU architects does
CLOU architects is a privately-held architectural design practice founded in 2005 by German architect Jan Clostermann, headquartered in Shanghai with additional offices in Beijing and Hong Kong. The firm specializes in the design of "social spaces" — retail and leisure destinations, large mixed-use complexes, and community hubs — for a client base dominated by major Chinese real estate developers (Vanke, CapitaLand, Longfor, China Overseas, CIFI, Fosun, GIC, Poly, Sino-Ocean, Sunac), with supplementary mandates from government entities (Changchun Government, Wuhan Urban Construction Group) and cultural institutions (Guggenheim Foundation Helsinki competition).
The firm operates an integrated design workflow that takes projects from master planning through architecture, façade design, urban renewal, landscape design, interior design, retail consultancy, and wayfinding/visual identity, supported by in-house specialists in BIM, visualization, model-building, and graphic design. Project teams are led by an experienced project architect and supported through all stages from concept to construction administration. CLOU has delivered 63 built projects encompassing 450 social spaces, holds 103 international design awards, and was ranked 18th in the 2025 Architizer Top 100 Architecture and Design Firms in China.
The business is structured as a professional services firm generating project-based fees, typically negotiated as a percentage of construction cost or on a fixed-fee basis relative to project scope and complexity. The Hong Kong office additionally oversees the Middle East and Asia (MEA) and Southeast Asia (SEA) regions, indicating a stated international expansion intent beyond the firm's core mainland China revenue base. The firm employs over 70 architects and designers across its three offices.
CLOU architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CLOU architects
- Legal name
- CLOU architects
- Website
- https://clouarchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CLOU architects is a Shanghai-headquartered architectural design practice specializing in retail, mixed-use, and community "social space" projects for major Chinese real estate developers, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CLOU architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)
Keywords
Where CLOU architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beijing
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
CLOU architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Professional services revenue generated through architectural design projects for commercial, residential, mixed-use, hospitality, and public sector clients. Projects range from master planning to full architectural design, facade design, interior design, and landscape architecture. Revenue is project-based, typically a percentage of construction cost or fixed fee arrangements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
CLOU architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CLOU architects is an international architecture and design firm that designs social spaces across retail, mixed-use, hospitality, and public sector projects. The studio offers integrated design services covering master planning, architecture, façade design, urban renewal, landscape design, interior design, retail consultancy, and wayfinding and visual identity. The firm is led by founder Jan Clostermann and operates from offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, serving developers, retailers, hospitality operators, and public sector clients primarily across China and Asia.
Product overview
CLOU architects is an architecture and design firm that operates as a service-based practice rather than a product company. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of integrated design services centered around creating social spaces: retail and leisure destinations, large mixed-use complexes, and community hubs. Their services span Master Planning, Architecture, Façade Design, Urban Renewal, Landscape Design, Interior Design, Retail Consultancy, and Wayfinding and Visual Identity. These services are delivered through an integrated workflow supported by in-house specialists including model-building, visualisation, graphic design, and BIM. The firm has offices in Shanghai (headquarters), Beijing, and Hong Kong, with a team of over 70 architects and designers. Notable project categories include shopping malls, mixed-use developments, hospitality projects, educational facilities, sports complexes, and cultural venues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Master Planning
- Architecture
- Façade Design
- Urban Renewal
Quantifiable outcome
- 103 international awards won
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CLOU architects
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CLOU architects technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CLOU architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CLOU architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AEDAS: AEDAS is one of the largest global architecture practices with deep Asia-Pacific roots and significant retail, hospitality, and mixed-use work. It competes for many of the same large-scale developer-led commissions in Greater China that CLOU targets, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- Gensler: Gensler is the world's largest design and architecture firm with a major retail and mixed-use practice serving global developers. It competes with CLOU for enterprise retail and commercial mandates but at vastly larger scale, serving as the dominant incumbent in the same end-market.
- Hassell: Hassell is an international architecture and design practice with offices across Asia-Pacific and a strong commercial, retail, and workplace portfolio. It is comparable to CLOU in serving Asia-Pacific real estate developers with design-led commercial and mixed-use projects, but at a larger multi-disciplinary scale.
- CallisonRTKL: CallisonRTKL is a global architecture practice with a heritage in retail and commercial design, including shopping centers and mixed-use destinations. It competes for the same enterprise retail-developer mandates as CLOU but as part of a much larger, multi-disciplinary global portfolio.
- UNStudio: UNStudio is a Netherlands-based international architecture network known for mixed-use, urban, and large-scale commercial projects. It is comparable as a design-led practice pursuing high-profile mixed-use and urban renewal commissions similar to those CLOU delivers.
- Foster + Partners: Foster + Partners is a premier global architecture firm with extensive mixed-use, commercial, and urban work worldwide. It competes with CLOU for marquee mixed-use and urban commissions at the high end of the market, and serves as a benchmark for international design credibility that CLOU is building toward.
Direct peers
- Lead8: Lead8 is a Hong Kong-based architecture and design firm with strong retail, commercial, and mixed-use credentials across Asia. Its regional base and retail-led portfolio closely mirror CLOU's positioning and competitive set in the China and broader APAC retail-architecture market.
- Benoy: Benoy is a UK-headquartered international architecture and design firm specializing in retail, leisure, hospitality, and mixed-use destinations. It is the closest direct peer to CLOU given its nearly identical focus on commercial/social spaces and comparable project types including shopping malls and destination retail.
- Chapman Taylor: Chapman Taylor is a UK-based architecture practice with a long-standing global reputation in retail, leisure, and mixed-use architecture. Its specialization in shopping centers, retail destinations, and masterplanning directly overlaps with CLOU's core service offering.
Regional players
- MAD Architects: MAD Architects is a Beijing-headquartered international architecture practice led by Ma Yansong with a strong global brand. It is comparable as a Chinese architecture firm with international recognition and a focus on culturally significant, design-forward projects, though its typology mix differs from CLOU's commercial/retail focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CLOU architects social profiles
Digital presenceCLOU architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CLOU architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
CLOU architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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CLOU architects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CLOU architects
What does CLOU architects do?
CLOU architects is an international architecture and design firm that designs social spaces across retail, mixed-use, hospitality, and public sector projects. The studio offers integrated design services covering master planning, architecture, façade design, urban renewal, landscape design, interior design, retail consultancy, and wayfinding and visual identity. The firm is led by founder Jan Clostermann and operates from offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, serving developers, retailers, hospitality operators, and public sector clients primarily across China and Asia.
Is CLOU architects a public or private company?
CLOU architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CLOU architects founded?
CLOU architects was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CLOU architects based?
CLOU architects is headquartered in Beijing, China, in the Asia region.
How does CLOU architects make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are CLOU architects's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AEDAS, Gensler, Hassell, CallisonRTKL, UNStudio and Foster + Partners. Direct peers are Lead8, Benoy and Chapman Taylor. MAD Architects is listed as a regional player.
Does CLOU architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for CLOU architects.
What industry is CLOU architects in?
CLOU architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAIAA, Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 8700.