What VA arkitektar does

VA Arkitektar ehf. is a private Icelandic architecture practice founded in 1959 by Manfreð Vilhjálmsson, headquartered at Laugavegur 26 in Reykjavík. The firm is owned by six co-owners who all participate in project and company management, with a three-person executive committee led by Indro Candi (CEO) and Helena Björgvinsdóttir (Board Chair). After a series of mergers in the 1980s and 2000s culminating in the 2003–2004 merger with Manfreð Vilhjálmsson – Arkitektar ehf, the firm consolidated around its current VA Arkitektar ehf. identity.

The firm delivers architectural design, interior design, urban planning, renovations, project coordination, and property division declarations (eignaskiptayfirlýsingar) — the latter being a government-licensed service required under Icelandic multi-unit housing law. VA Arkitektar holds ISO 9001 quality management certification and is a certified BREEAM Assessment Organization, having designed Reykjavík City's two pioneering BREEAM-certified projects (Sundhöll Reykjavíkur and Dalskóli). The core offering serves residential, commercial, public, and interior design segments, with a horizontal service structure rather than productized vertical solutions.

VA Arkitektar generates revenue through project-based professional services commissions delivered directly to clients, with pricing quoted on a per-project basis. Its customer mix spans municipal and national government clients (Reykjavíkurborg, Húnaþing Vestra), energy and hospitality enterprises (HS Orka, guesthouse developers), and private residential customers. Distribution is exclusively direct, with no intermediaries, and the firm's geographic footprint is limited to Iceland. Notable works include the Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið) facilities, Sundhöll Reykjavíkur, Dalskóli, Brúarvirkjun hydropower station, and Grunnskóli Húnaþings Vestra, several of which have received international recognition including Mies van der Rohe Award nominations.

Name

VA arkitektar

Legal name

VA Arkitektar ehf.

Website

https://vaarkitektar.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning services
• Interior design services
• Sustainable building design
• BREEAM certification services

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Project-based professional services for architectural design, consulting, and project management across residential, commercial, public buildings, interior design, and urban planning sectors.
2. Property Division Services: Preparation of property division declarations (eignaskiptayfirlýsingar) for multi-property buildings, a legally required document in Iceland. This service was added to their portfolio, with rights and licenses granted by the Icelandic Government.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VA Arkitektar is an Icelandic architectural firm providing comprehensive architectural design, consulting, project management, and coordination services for residential, commercial, public buildings, interior design, and urban planning projects. The firm also delivers BREEAM environmental certification assessment and prepares legally mandated property division declarations (eignaskiptayfirlýsingar) for multi-unit buildings in Iceland.

Product overview

VA Arkitektar is an Icelandic architectural firm offering a unified portfolio of architectural design and planning services. The core offering encompasses architectural design for residential buildings (Íbúðarhúsnæði), commercial properties (Atvinnuhúsnæði), public buildings (Opinberar byggingar), interior design (Innanhúshönnun), and urban planning (Skipulag). Additionally, the firm provides property division declaration services (Eignaskiptayfirlýsingar) as a licensed service under Icelandic law. Projects span educational facilities, swimming pools, residential homes, cultural institutions, and infrastructure, with the firm also offering BREEAM environmental certification assessment services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design, Planning and Project Management (Arkitektúr og skipulag) Comprehensive architectural design, consulting, and project management services delivered to clients in Iceland across five service categories: residential buildings (íbúðarhúsnæði), commercial properties (atvinnuhúsnæði), public buildings (opinberar byggingar), interior design (innanhúshönnun), and urban planning (skipulag). Includes renovations, documentation, and project coordination from conceptual design through project completion.
• Property Division Declarations (Eignaskiptayfirlýsingar)

Quantifiable outcome

• First Reykjavik City project to receive BREEAM certification
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nordic BuiltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA Arkitektar is a participant in the Nordic Built charter, a policy development project under the Nordic Council of Ministers for sustainable development in construction. As active participants, VA Arkitektar has made it their goal to follow the sustainability charter in building design across the Nordic countries.
• Grænni ByggðcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA Arkitektar is a member of Grænni Byggð (Green Building Iceland), an organization promoting sustainable building practices in Iceland.
• VerkíscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA Arkitektar collaborates with Verkís on BREEAM certification for their pioneering projects. They served as designers of Reykjavik City's two pioneering BREEAM-certified projects and perform BREEAM certification in those projects together with Verkís.
• Basalt ArkitektaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA Arkitektar collaborated with Basalt Arkitekta on the Sundlaug at Hofsós swimming pool project, which received a nomination for the Mies van der Rohe Award and DV Cultural Award in 2010-2011.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Teiknistofan ARCHUS: Icelandic architecture firm providing architectural, interior, and planning services in Iceland. Comparable as a domestic peer competing in the same Icelandic market across residential, commercial, and public sectors.
• Basalt Arkitekta: Icelandic architecture firm of comparable scale and scope that has collaborated directly with VA Arkitektar on the Sundlaug at Hofsós project. Comparable in size, market (Iceland), and award profile (joint Mies van der Rohe nomination).
• Studio Granda: Icelandic architecture and design firm known for high-profile cultural and public projects in Reykjavík. Comparable as a domestic peer serving similar Icelandic institutional and residential clients with similar design philosophy.
• Arkís: One of Iceland's largest and longest-established architecture firms, providing architectural and urban planning services across residential, commercial, and public sectors in Iceland. Directly comparable as a domestic peer competing for the same municipal and private commissions.

Broad incumbents

• 3XN: Danish architecture firm with strong Nordic design heritage and international portfolio in cultural, public, and educational buildings. Comparable as a Nordic incumbent sharing the same design philosophy and award-driven brand approach.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Danish-founded global architecture practice with Nordic design DNA and high-profile public, cultural, and residential commissions. Comparable as a Nordic-rooted incumbent operating at much larger scale across the same building typologies.
• Snøhetta: Internationally renowned Norwegian architecture and design firm with deep cultural, public, and landscape architecture practice. Comparable as a Nordic incumbent whose portfolio, sustainability focus, and award profile closely mirror VA's positioning, but at much larger scale.
• Henning Larsen: Major Nordic (Danish) architecture firm with broad portfolio across public, cultural, and educational buildings across Scandinavia and internationally. Comparable as a much larger Nordic incumbent pursuing similar public-sector commissions at a larger scale.
• Cobe: Danish architecture firm known for cultural, public, and urban design projects across the Nordics and Europe. Comparable as a Nordic design peer with similar typology mix (public, residential, urban planning) and design-led brand positioning.
• White Arkitekter: Major Swedish/Nordic architecture firm with strong sustainability and public-sector focus. Comparable as a larger Nordic peer sharing VA's emphasis on sustainable design, BREEAM/environmental certification, and large public commissions.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vaarkitektar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/va-arkitektar
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/tags/vaarkitektar

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 VA arkitektar