HBAAT

What HBAAT does

HBAAT (atelier Hart Berteloot) is a Lille-headquartered architecture and urban design practice co-founded by architects Heleen Hart and Mathieu Berteloot, both ENSAP Lille-trained DPLG architects and active academics. The firm specializes in the transformation and rehabilitation of existing buildings — heritage monuments, Perret-era industrial halls, social housing stock, and civic facilities — applying what it terms an "Architecture of Situations" methodology centred on structural rigour, material frugality, and collaborative design mediated through hand-crafted physical models rather than photorealistic renders.

The practice generates revenue through professional fees on architecture and urban design commissions, primarily acquired through public-sector architecture competitions (concours) and direct commissions from municipalities, agglomerations, social housing organizations (OPH/ESQ such as Partenord Habitat, Logis Métropole, CLTB Brussels), and a smaller set of private developers (ICADE, Dubois Promotion). Project fees are negotiated as a percentage of construction cost; disclosed individual project construction budgets range from approximately €800K to €8M HT, with major civic and cultural commissions typically in the €2M–€7M band. The client base is concentrated in northern France (Lille, Maubeuge, Chalon-sur-Saône, Amiens) and Belgium (Brussels, Mons, Tournai), with a growing Paris presence.

The firm maintains a small core team (~9 people including administrative staff and qualified architects) and operates without external equity, secondary transactions, or institutional investment. Distribution is entirely reputation-based, driven by competition wins, recurring coverage in D'A, AA, Casabella, and EXE publications, Mies Van der Rohe nominations (2019, 2024), the Grand Prix D'Architectures (2021), and the founders' teaching positions at ENSAP Lille (Heleen Hart since 2011, Mathieu Berteloot since 2009, co-directing Studio Spolia). The project index lists over 60 commissions across housing, cultural facilities, schools, libraries, sports facilities, and public spaces from 2012 to the present.

Name

HBAAT

Legal name

atelier Hart Berteloot

Website

https://hbaat.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

HBAAT is a Lille-based architecture and urban design practice specializing in the transformation and rehabilitation of existing buildings for public sector clients (municipalities, social housing organizations) across France and Belgium, applying a methodology centred on physical models, structural rigour, and participatory co-design.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Building rehabilitation
• Urban design planning
• Heritage restoration
• Participatory housing design

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Urban Design Services: HBAAT generates revenue through professional fees for architecture and urban design commissions from public sector clients (municipalities, agglomerations) and private sector clients (housing associations, developers). Revenue is project-based, earned through competition wins and direct commissions, with fees typically calculated as a percentage of construction cost.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HBAAT (atelier Hart Berteloot) is an architecture and urban design practice that delivers architectural design, urban planning, heritage restoration, and participatory housing services for public sector clients (municipalities, agglomerations) and private developers (housing associations, social landlords, residential developers). Its work is centered on the transformation, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings — including listed heritage monuments and industrial structures — rather than new construction on tabula rasa sites, with collaborative co-design workshops and hand-crafted physical models used as the primary design and communication tools.

Product overview

HBAAT (atelier Hart Berteloot) is an architecture firm based in Lille, France, co-founded by Heleen Hart and Mathieu Berteloot. The firm specializes in architectural design, urban planning, heritage restoration, and participatory housing projects. Their services include building design across multiple typologies including cultural facilities, housing (collective and participatory), educational facilities, sports complexes, and public infrastructure. The firm does not offer software products or digital services—its offerings consist entirely of architectural and urban planning professional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full architectural design services for public and private clients covering new civic buildings, cultural facilities (theatres, cinemas, conservatoires, museums, médiathèques), educational facilities (schools, crèches), sports facilities, and public infrastructure. Delivered through architecture competitions and direct commissions in France and Belgium.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 completed or ongoing projects across France and Belgium since 2012
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• V+ (Bruxelles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerV+ is a Brussels-based architecture practice that HBAAT associates with on projects in Belgium. For the 22 participatory housing units in Brussels (project 166), HBAAT worked in association with V+ as the lead firm.
• AAPH (Atelier Pierre Hebbelinck)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBAAT partnered with AAPH (Pierre Hebbelinck) for the Conservatoire de musique de Montataire project, combining expertise for the transformation of the historic Perret industrial halls.
• Taktyk PaysagistescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBAAT worked in association with Taktyk paysagistes (landscape architects) and Sophie Delhay architecte on the Parc des Dondaines urban park competition in Lille.
• Pierre Toby (artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPierre Toby contributed artistic glass installations for the Conservatoire de musique de Montataire, introducing coloured, semi-mirror glass panels that create visual vibrations and spatial ambiguity in the interior.
• EgiscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEgis provided BET structure and fluids engineering for the Conservatoire de musique project in Montataire. Also involved in Centre Pompidou Maubeuge (project 051) and 10 Logements Tourcoing.
• SEA / BET StabilitécoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSEA provided structural engineering (BET stabilité) for the 22 participatory housing units in Brussels (project 166).
• MK / BET FluidesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMK provided mechanical/fluid engineering (BET fluides) for the 22 Brussels housing project.
• ATS / BET AcoustiqueminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerATS provided acoustic engineering (BET acoustique) for the 22 Brussels housing project.
• SNC LavalincoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSNC Lavalin provided structural and MEP engineering for multiple projects including the Conservatoire de Montataire, Centre Pompidou Maubeuge, and Parc des Dondaines. A repeat engineering partner.
• SNC LavalincoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSNC Lavalin provided BET structure and fluides engineering for the Mairie de Proville project.
• Art ScenocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArt Sceno provided scenography engineering (BET scénographie) for the Théâtre de Chalon-sur-Saône renovation project.
• Khale AcousticscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKhale Acoustics provided acoustic engineering for the Théâtre de Chalon-sur-Saône renovation.
• Richard KleinminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRichard Klein, architecture historian, contributed historical expertise to the Théâtre de Chalon-sur-Saône project, given the building's heritage status.
• Joseph Abram (historien de l'architecture)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJoseph Abram, architecture historian, was engaged as a specialist consultant for the Conservatoire de Montataire project to enrich the heritage understanding of the Perret industrial halls.
• Chevalier-Masson (designers textile)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChevalier-Masson designed large repurposed textile curtains for the multipurpose hall at Cappelle-en-Pévèle médiathèque/third-place project.
• Peter Vermeersch (artiste)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPeter Vermeersch painted the Corten steel enclosure wall of the Crèche at Habay, creating a site-specific artwork integrated into the building's facade.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lacaton & Vassal: French architecture firm whose pioneering work in transformation, rehabilitation, and preservation of existing structures (rather than demolition) closely mirrors HBAAT's 'Architecture of Situations' methodology. Both target public-sector and social-housing clients and prioritize low-cost, materially honest interventions on existing buildings.
• ChartierDalix: Paris-based French architecture firm with a parallel methodology centered on adaptive reuse and transformation of existing buildings, including heritage and institutional projects. Comparable typology range (cultural, educational, public) and shared focus on structural and material preservation.
• Frédéric Druot Architecture: French architect specializing in transformation and rehabilitation of existing buildings, including the celebrated Lacaton & Vassal + Druot social-housing transformations. Closely aligned with HBAAT's reuse-over-demolition ethos and social-housing client base.
• Dominique Coulon & Associés: French architecture practice focused on public and cultural facilities (mediathèques, schools, cultural centers) for municipal clients. Similar public-procurement GTM, similar project typology mix, and comparable regional/national award profile to HBAAT.
• Tracks Architectes: Small French architecture atelier with a comparable footprint (small team, public-sector clients) and focus on social-housing, educational, and cultural projects. Operates in similar competition-driven procurement dynamics and shares HBAAT's emphasis on contextual, material-driven design.
• NP2F Architectes: Paris-based small French architecture practice with a portfolio of public-sector housing, educational, and cultural commissions. Comparable scale and similar emphasis on participatory and contextual design processes.
• Atelier Philippe Madec: French architecture practice with deep expertise in sustainable, ecologically driven design and public-sector commissions. Shares HBAAT's positioning around environmental performance, contextual response, and bioclimatic low-tech strategies.
• B+C Architectes: French architecture firm (Brest-based) with a strong portfolio of public and cultural facilities including rehabilitations of existing buildings. Comparable methodology around contextual transformation and similar French public-procurement orientation.

Broad incumbents

• David Chipperfield Architects: Internationally established practice renowned for heritage-sensitive transformation and adaptive reuse (Neues Museum Berlin, Royal Academy refurbishment). Significantly larger and broader in scope, but operates at the high end of the same 'transformation of existing fabric' category where HBAAT competes.
• Architecture-Studio: One of France's largest architecture practices with extensive public-sector and international portfolio across cultural, educational, and housing typologies. Operates in the same French public-procurement landscape but at materially larger scale and with broader geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hart_berteloot_aat_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 HBAAT