Urbanus Architecture & Design

What Urbanus Architecture & Design does

URBANUS is an independent Chinese architecture and urban design practice founded in 1999 in Shenzhen by three partners: Meng Yan, Wang Hui, and Liu Xiaodu. Operating as a partnership of semi-independent studios under a shared design philosophy (Shenzhen Studio led by Meng Yan, Beijing Studio led by Wang Hui, and LXD cross-disciplinary atelier led by Liu Xiaodu), the firm provides full-service architecture and urban design for cultural institutions, government bureaus, real estate developers, and educational clients. Its core competency lies in high-density urban typologies, urban village regeneration, adaptive reuse of industrial heritage, and historical district preservation, with methodological differentiators including "hybrid building" regeneration, courtyard reinvention through curved-wall interventions, and "making on-site" industrial heritage strategies.

The firm's revenue model is professional services fees from commissioned design work, competition prizes, and consulting engagements; pricing is project-specific and not publicly disclosed. GTM is dual-tracked: an event/competition-driven track (international biennales, design competitions, direct government and institutional commissions) and a community-led reputation track (academic lectures at Harvard GSD, UIC, and Copenhagen; publications in Architectural Record, Domus, Dezeen; curatorial leadership of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture). Notable projects include the OCT-LOFT creative park regeneration (ongoing since 2003), Nantou Hybrid Building (2023), Kingway Brewery Renovation (2022), SHUM YIP UpperHills LOFT (2018), China Merchants Group History Museum (2023), Longgang Twin Stars School (2024), and Yuehai Culture and Sports Center (2025). Works have been collected by MoMA (New York) and M+ (Hong Kong).

Name

Urbanus Architecture & Design

Legal name

Urbanus Architecture & Design (URBANUS都市实践)

Website

https://urbanus.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

URBANUS is a Shenzhen-based independent architecture and urban design practice founded in 1999, operating three studios (Shenzhen, Beijing, LXD) that deliver cultural, civic, educational, and urban regeneration projects for government bureaus, cultural institutions, and real estate developers in China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban regeneration
• Cultural facility design
• Industrial heritage renovation
• Urban village regeneration

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanshan

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architecture and urban design practice providing design services for cultural institutions, public buildings, residential, commercial, and urban regeneration projects. Revenue generated through design fees, competition prizes, and consulting commissions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

URBANUS is an independent architecture and urban design practice in China that delivers architectural design, urban planning, and adaptive reuse services. The firm focuses on high-density urban typologies, historical preservation, urban village regeneration, and cultural/public facility design, serving cultural institutions, government bureaus, and private developers across China. It operates through studios in Shenzhen and Beijing under three founding partners.

Product overview

URBANUS Architecture & Design is an independent architecture and urban design practice founded in 1999, operating as multiple studios led by founding partners. The firm offers comprehensive architectural services including urban design, heritage renovation, cultural facilities, residential projects, and urban village regeneration. The portfolio includes projects across Shenzhen and Beijing, with major works such as the OCT-LOFT creative park transformation, Dafen Art Museum, SHUM YIP UpperHills LOFT mixed-use development, Nantou Hybrid Building urban regeneration, Kingway Brewery cultural center, and various civic and educational buildings. The practice emphasizes urban research, urban village preservation and regeneration, high-density urban typologies, and adaptive reuse of industrial heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services
• Urban Regeneration and Urban Village Redevelopment
• Industrial Heritage and Adaptive Reuse Design
• Cultural and Civic Facility Design

Quantifiable outcome

• 2024 THE PLAN Award Overall Winner
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• China Resources (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Construction agency for Weilong School (part of Longgang Twin Stars project). Project involved complex school design with community integration.
• Shenzhen Vanke City Construction Management Co., Ltd.majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Construction agency for Weiwu School (part of Longgang Twin Stars project).
• China Academy of Building ResearchcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021LDI (Lead Design Institute) collaborator for Kingway Brewery Renovation project providing structural and MEP engineering.
• VS-A.HK LtdcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Facade consultant for Yuehai Culture and Sports Center, providing specialized facade design expertise for this 39,752 sqm cultural building.
• ARUP (Arup International Consultants)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2012Structural and mechanical engineering consultant for SHUM YIP UpperHills LOFT project. Provided structural engineering and MEP services for this 105,000 sqm mixed-use development.
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Design collaboration for SHUM YIP UpperHills LOFT project. SOM responsible for tower and ballroom building design while URBANUS designed the LOFT portions.
• Guoqun DesigncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2006Interior design collaborator for The OCT Art & Design Gallery. Also collaborated on multiple other URBANUS projects including Tulou Collective Housing.
• Shenzhen OCT Properties Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Long-term partnership for OCT-LOFT creative park renovation spanning nearly 20 years. URBANUS transformed former industrial warehouses into creative cultural park and continues ongoing renovations.
• Jiang Hongwei Liao E'xian and TeamcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2000LDI collaborators for Luohu Art Museum (Public Art Plaza) project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SANAA: Tokyo-based architecture firm with Pritzker-recognized practice emphasizing public cultural buildings and contextual urban integration. Comparable in independent partnership structure, museum typology leadership, and high-design-bar cultural commissions.
• MVRDV: Dutch architecture firm known for high-density urban design and data-driven sustainability. Comparable in research-led approach to urban density problems and public-cultural project portfolio, with broader international footprint.
• OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture): Global architecture firm renowned for urban-scale and cultural projects, with established presence in Asia. Comparable in urban research methodology, museum typology expertise, and high-density typology innovation, though at significantly larger scale.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture firm with broad portfolio spanning cultural, civic, and large-scale urban projects. Comparable in museum/cultural typology leadership and high-density urban work, though operating at materially larger scale with international delivery capacity.
• Zaha Hadid Architects: London-based global architecture firm with major cultural, civic, and mixed-use portfolios. Comparable in independent founding identity, award dominance, and museum-grade design prestige, though at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Steven Holl Architects: New York-based firm recognized for cultural, educational, and urban housing architecture globally. Comparable in independent ownership model, cultural-civic project focus, and emphasis on signature typologies with award recognition.

Direct peers

• Vector Architects: Beijing-based architecture practice with parallel independent ownership and similar focus on public/cultural buildings and adaptive reuse in China. Comparable in boutique scale, project typology mix, and domestic China footprint.
• Atelier Deshaus: Shanghai-based independent architecture firm known for material-driven cultural and urban projects in China. Closely comparable in scale, independent ownership structure, and focus on cultural/urban regeneration work within China's high-density context.
• MAD Architects: Beijing-based architecture firm with global profile, working on cultural, civic, and urban-scale projects. Directly comparable as a leading independent Chinese architecture practice with international museum recognition and award-winning portfolio.

Regional players

• Kengo Kuma & Associates: Tokyo-based firm with strong Asia-Pacific focus on cultural and urban regeneration projects. Comparable in craft-driven, context-sensitive approach to heritage and urban renewal, with similar boutique-to-mid-scale structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanus_architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Urbanus Architecture & Design