What TOPOS does

TOPOS Stadtplanung Landschaftsplanung Stadtforschung is an independent German planning consultancy and research institute founded in 1984 and headquartered at Badensche Straße 29, Berlin. The firm operates across three integrated business divisions — Stadtplanung (urban planning), Landschaftsarchitektur und Landschaftsplanung (landscape architecture and planning), and Stadtforschung (urban research) — delivering the full project cycle from feasibility analysis and competition submissions through Bauleitplanung (Bebauungspläne, Flächennutzungspläne) to landscape design, environmental reports, citizen participation, and social impact assessment. Its deliverables are professional services outputs governed by German HOAI fee standards, with revenue generated via project-based commissions from public authorities, educational institutions, and private developers.

The firm's underlying methodology combines spatial analysis, strategic planning, and participation formats delivered by an interdisciplinary team of approximately 20-25 specialists led by two managing partners — Stephan Buddatsch (landscape architecture, partner since 1992) and Uwe Eichhorn (urban planning, partner since 2013) — under a GbR (Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts) civil-law partnership structure. Specialized service lines include gartendenkmalpflege (garden heritage conservation) with reference projects such as the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin and Olympiapark München Parkpflegewerk, as well as §172 BauGB Milieuschutz social studies.

TOPOS acquires work primarily through competitive tenders (Wettbewerbe), public procurement under Vergaberecht, direct commissions from repeat public-sector clients (Berlin Bezirksämter, Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, BBR, HOWOGE), and recurring joint-competition partnerships with architects including David Chipperfield Architects, karlundp, Moeller Soydan, Ferdinand Heide, and Behles & Jochimsen. Its geographic reach is Germany-wide, with documented engagements in Berlin, Nürnberg, Frankfurt, Essen, Ravensburg, Erlangen, Duderstadt, Munich, and other cities. The firm holds no external investors, operates without subsidiaries, and generates no disclosed revenue figure; its primary brand assets are the 2021 BDA Preis Berlin, the inaugural Docomomo Rehabilitation Award (DRAW), and a top-3 competitionline ranking among 1,600+ German planning offices.

Name

TOPOS

Legal name

TOPOS Stadtplanung Landschaftsplanung Stadtforschung

Website

https://topos-planung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TOPOS is a Berlin-based independent German planning consultancy founded in 1984, delivering integrated urban planning, landscape architecture, and urban research services to public-sector clients, educational institutions, and private developers across Germany via HOAI-regulated professional engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Planning & Landscape Architecture Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Urban planning services
• Landscape architecture
• Urban research
• City development planning
• Garden heritage conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Planning and Consulting Services: Professional services revenue from urban planning, landscape architecture, and urban research engagements. Projects are typically commissioned by public authorities (municipalities, Bezirksämter), educational institutions, and private developers. Revenue is project-based with fees structured according to German HOAI (Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure) standards for planning services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TOPOS is an independent German planning consultancy that delivers professional services across three integrated divisions: Stadtplanung (urban planning and Bauleitplanung), Landschaftsarchitektur und Landschaftsplanung (landscape architecture and outdoor space design), and Stadtforschung (urban research, citizen participation, and social studies). The firm provides the full project cycle from feasibility analysis, competition entries, and binding land-use planning (Bebauungspläne) through to landscape design, environmental reports, garden heritage conservation (Gartendenkmalpflege), and social impact assessment for public and private sector clients throughout Germany.

Product overview

TOPOS is an independent German planning consultancy and research institute founded in 1984, operating nationwide across three integrated business areas: Stadtplanung (urban/city planning), Landschaftsarchitektur und Landschaftsplanung (landscape architecture and landscape planning), and Stadtforschung (urban research). The three divisions work collaboratively: urban planning provides the spatial planning framework, landscape architecture delivers the outdoor space design (public and private), and urban research supplies the social and market analytical foundation. Together they offer the complete project cycle from feasibility analysis and planning competitions through to construction land planning (Bebauungspläne), landscape design, citizen participation, and social impact assessment. Notable specialized services include garden heritage conservation (Gartendenkmalpflege), environmental reports and green planning documents, and social studies for urban preservation areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stadtplanung (Urban Planning)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 years of successful project delivery and competition wins
• +3 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

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, flagship and minor.

• Moeller Soydan Architektur PartGmbBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Long-term architectural partnership for competition entries and projects. Jointly won 1st prize (after revision) for Gewerbliche Schule Ravensburg 2025, recognition for Weiterführende Schule Hafner Konstanz 2025, and collaborated on multiple school and educational building projects.
• karlundp Gesellschaft von Architekten mbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Frequent competition partner with multiple joint wins including 1st prize Leibniz-Gymnasium Essen 2024, 1st prize Bildungs- und Integrationszentrum Buch 2019, 2nd prize Präsident-Mohr-Schule Ingelheim 2021, and recognition for Gymnasium Putzbrunn 2021.
• Weinmiller Großmann Architekten PartGmbBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for school projects including 1st prize Schulzentrum Duderstadt 2022, Mittelschule Holzkirchen recognition 2021, and Schulzentrum Duderstadt construction approval 2024.
• Behles & Jochimsen ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint winners of städtebaulicher Ideenwettbewerb for Regensburger Viertel Nürnberg 2016. Currently collaborating on rbb-Areal städtebauliches Entwicklungskonzept 2026.
• Ferdinand Heide ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWon 1st prize Technische Universität Nürnberg 2021 and collaborated on Burgruine Burgschwalbach 2018, multiple campus projects including TU Nürnberg structure plan.
• Scheidt Kasprusch Architekten GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on recognition-winning entries: Haus für Familie und Bildung Berlin-Ostbahnhof 2021, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Forum 2022, and Bildungs- und Kulturcampus Birkenwerder 2019.
• Max Dudler ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on BMU (Bundesministerium für Umwelt) competition 2019 and Bürokomplex Richard-Strauss-Straße München 2019.
• David Chipperfield ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious collaboration on Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin gartendenkmalpflegerische Instandsetzung (garden monument restoration). Project resulted in Docomomo Rehabilitation Award 2021 and BDA Preis Berlin 2021. Collaboration since 2013 through 2021.
• asum Mieterberatung und StadtforschungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term research partner for social housing studies and Milieuschutz (social preservation) investigations. Collaborated on Sozialstruktur und Mietentwicklung studies for Kreuzberg areas (2017/19).
• HASCHER JEHLE ArchitekturmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint 3rd prize for CCS/Erweiterung Congresshalle Saarbrücken 2022.
• GRUNWALD Architektengesellschaft mbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint 3rd prize for innovative Quartiersentwicklung Boxdorf 2022.
• Winking Froh Architekten GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWon 2nd prize for Bayernkaserne competition 2021 and collaborated on Clay-Schule Berlin 2015.
• Blocher Partners ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Ludwigstraße Mainz 2020.
• brewittarchitektur BDAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint 3rd prize for Grundschule Brockhagen 2022 and Gütersloh Grundschule 2022.
• Dudler ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on WB Neubau BMU (Bundesministerium für Umwelt) 2019.
• Karl und Probst ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Wettbewerb Betriebsgebäude Berliner Wasserbetriebe 2016.
• Büro Katrin Schulze, MünchenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Parkpflegewerk Olympiapark München (2010-2013), a foundation for UNESCO World Heritage application. Also collaborated on Parkpflegewerk Theresienwiese München (2016-2018).
• HORTECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on restoration work for Köllnischer Park including sculpture restoration and Terracottabrunnen renovation.
• J. MAYER H. ArchitektenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on VoltAir Berlin courtyard and private street design. Project includes innovative courtyard greening with metal, natural stone, and diverse plantings.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lützow 7 Müller Wehberg Landschaftsarchitekten: Berlin landscape architecture office with overlapping service portfolio in public open-space design, park and campus planning, and competition-based project acquisition.
• relais Landschaftsarchitekten: German landscape architecture practice covering comparable HOAI service phases 1–9 with public and private clients, competing for similar open-space and Bauleitplanung engagements.
• Hager Partner Landschaftsarchitektur: Switzerland/Germany active landscape architecture and urban planning firm comparable in service mix (master planning, open-space design, citizen participation) and competition-driven GTM.
• Treibhaus Landschaftsarchitektur: Berlin landscape architecture firm with comparable focus on urban open spaces, Bauleitplanung support, and competition participation in the German market.
• bgmr Landschaftsarchitekten: Berlin-based landscape architecture and urban planning firm with similar interdisciplinary practice spanning open-space design, Bauleitplanung, and urban research — the closest direct functional peer to TOPOS in scale and offerings.
• Pesch Partner Architekten Stadtplaner: German architecture and urban planning firm with integrated Stadtplanung services for municipalities, directly competing for the same Bauleitplanung and master planning tenders.
• faktorgruen Landschaftsarchitekten: Freiburg-based landscape architecture and urban planning firm offering comparable open-space design, master planning, and citizen participation services for German municipalities.
• ST raum a. Berlin-based urban planning office working on Bauleitplanung, master planning, and urban research for German municipalities — directly competes with TOPOS for public-sector tenders.

Broad incumbents

• SWA Group: Internationally recognized landscape architecture and urban planning firm offering analogous master planning, open-space design, and citizen engagement services — broader geographic reach but comparable core methodology.
• ASTOC Architects and Planners: Larger Cologne-based architecture and urban planning practice with a broader portfolio spanning architecture and Stadtplanung — competes with TOPOS for major municipal master plans but at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TOPOS-Stadtplanung-Landschaftsplanung-Stadtforschung-100063962923854
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/topos-stadt-landschaftsplanung-stadtforschung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 TOPOS