ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS

What ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS does

ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS GmbH is an owner-managed German architecture and urban planning firm founded in 1990 in Cologne by three RWTH Aachen graduates (Peter Berner, Zafer Bildir, Ingo Kanehl). The firm employs approximately 110-120 specialists across three offices — Cologne (headquarters), Karlsruhe, and Basel (Switzerland) — and has delivered more than 1,000 projects over 35 years. Its service portfolio spans regional strategies and city-wide master plans, neighborhood planning and large-scale transformations, general planning for healthcare, educational, office, and residential construction, and competition-driven urban design.

The firm's core technical offering is BIM-based object planning and a proprietary Digital Quarter Model (Digitales Quartiersmodell), a 3D planning/data/communication instrument used for coordinating framework planning, urban land-use planning, investment costs, DGNB certification, modular construction, and material databases. The Anna-Seiler-Haus at Bern University Hospital, completed in 2023, was described as the largest BIM project in Switzerland at the time. ASTOC also pursues research collaborations, including work with Bochum University of Applied Sciences on digital information transfer for life-cycle emissions classification of buildings and districts.

ASTOC generates revenue through professional service fees on commissioned projects — design competitions, invited tenders, and direct client mandates — across public-sector (municipalities, water boards, regional governments) and private-sector (real estate developers, healthcare systems, trade fair operators, universities) clients. Customers include Koelnmesse GmbH, Insel Gruppe (Inselspital Bern), Emschergenossenschaft, Stadt Köln, GMH Real Estate, and Blautal Grundstück GmbH. The firm operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries ASTOC AG (Switzerland) and ASTOC International GmbH, and has a partner structure of seven managing shareholders following the October 2024 expansion.

Name

ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS

Legal name

ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS GmbH

Website

https://astoc.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ASTOC is a Cologne-based, owner-managed German architecture and urban planning firm (~110-120 staff) with offices in Cologne, Karlsruhe, and Basel, delivering masterplans, neighborhood transformations, and BIM-based building design for public and private clients across Germany and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Urban Planning Services: Professional services revenue from architecture and urban planning projects including neighborhood planning, transformations, urban and strategic master plans for education, healthcare, infrastructure, research buildings, educational campuses, schools, office and residential construction. Revenue is project-based and earned through design competitions, commissioned planning work, and general planning contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ASTOC is an owner-managed architecture and urban planning firm providing comprehensive services including neighborhood development, strategic city and regional master plans, transformations, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, research buildings, office and residential construction. The firm applies BIM-based property planning and proprietary digital quarter models, with project work won through design competitions, invited tenders, and direct client commissioning.

Product overview

ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS is an owner-managed architecture and urban planning firm with 35 years of experience. The company operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their core portfolio includes BIM-based property planning, digital quarter modeling, strategic development concepts for cities and regions, general planning services, and competition participation. The firm works across all scales from regional strategies and city-wide master plans to neighborhood planning, transformations, and individual building projects including research buildings, hospitals, educational campuses, and office/residential construction. Projects like the Anna Seiler Haus (largest BIM project in Switzerland), the Magnum-Areal digital quarter model, and the Koelnmesse headquarters general planning represent key service offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Urban Planning Services Comprehensive architecture and urban planning services covering neighborhood development, strategic city planning, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, office and residential construction, and BIM-based planning for public and private clients.
• BIM-Based Property Planning BIM-based object planning services maintained and developed with established quality standards; delivered through the largest BIM project in Switzerland at the time (Anna Seiler Haus, completed 2023).
• Digital Quarter Models Three-dimensional planning tools, data storage, and communication instruments for sustainable neighborhood developments — coordinating framework planning, land-use planning, investment costs, DGNB certification, modular construction, and material databases.
• Strategic Development Concepts Strategic urban development concepts for districts, cities, and regions including master plans, spatial strategies, and transformation planning for industrial sites.
• General Planning Services Full-service general planning including architectural design, coordination of specialist planners, and project management for complex building projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest BIM project in Switzerland (Anna-Seiler-Haus, completed 2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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.

• urbanisticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for digital quarter model on Magnum-Areal Osnabrück project. Collaborated on urban planning aspects of the transformation project.
• List EcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for digital quarter model on Magnum-Areal Osnabrück project. Contributed sustainability and ecological expertise.
• HPP ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture (ARGE) partner in ASTOC HPP consortium for Koelnmesse corporate headquarters general planning contract. HPP designed the original listed Klöckner Humboldt Deutz high-rise building.
• GREENBOX LandschaftsarchitektenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture partner for Koelnmesse headquarters project. Responsible for open space concept including extensive greening of squares, pathways, inner courtyards and roof areas.
• bauchplan ).( Landschaftsarchitekten + StadtplanercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner with ASTOC for Blau.Quartier Ulm transformation project. Won the two-phase cooperative expert procedure unanimously in October 2023.
• RMP LandschaftsarchitektencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-term collaboration partner on Emscher Masterplan. Landscape architecture and planning partner for the strategic development concept.
• urbane gestalt LandschaftsarchitektenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture collaboration partner for Clouth-Quartier Cologne residential project.
• GWJ Architektur AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partner for Meinen-Areal Bern project. Collaboration from competition through implementation (SIA 31-53).
• ORT für LandschaftsarchitekturminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture partner for Meinen-Areal Bern project, based in Zürich.
• Henning Larsen ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape planning partner for Lauffenmühle Lörrach transformation project. Won the urban planning and open-space design competition.
• merz kley partnerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTimber construction consulting partner for Lauffenmühle Lörrach project.
• urbanistacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration partner. Part of ARGE for Kölner Perspektiven 2030+ and multiple other projects.
• bureau für Raumentwicklung (Zürich)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpatial development partner for Kölner Perspektiven 2030+ project.
• urbanista.ch (Zürich)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the interdisciplinary team for Raumstrategie Rheinisches Revier 2038+ project.
• LOLA landscape architects (Rotterdam)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture partner for Raumstrategie Rheinisches Revier 2038+.
• mrs Verkehrsplanung (Zürich)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTransportation planning partner for Raumstrategie Rheinisches Revier 2038+.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KCAP: Rotterdam- and Zurich-based urban planning and architecture firm whose integrated urban design and masterplanning practice directly mirrors ASTOC's citywide and district-scale transformation work across Europe.
• HPP Architekten: Hentrich-Petschnigg & Partner is a long-established German architecture firm of comparable scale and institutional client base; ASTOC and HPP are already joint-venture partners on the Koelnmesse 3.0 General Planning contract, underscoring direct comparability in capability and project scale.
• RKW Architektur +: German architecture and urban design practice with comparable focus on residential quarters, urban transformations, and public-sector clients, making it a direct competitor for ASTOC's neighborhood and masterplanning mandates.
• KSP Engel: Major German full-service architecture practice with similar institutional and corporate client focus (corporate headquarters, healthcare, public buildings) and a comparable multi-office German footprint, making it a close direct competitor for ASTOC's project types.

Regional players

• Burckhardt+Partner: Long-established Swiss architecture and general planning firm that competes with ASTOC AG for Swiss institutional, healthcare, and urban transformation commissions in the same Basel/Zurich catchment.
• Baumschlager Eberle: Austrian-Swiss architecture practice with comparable focus on sustainable, context-driven building and urban design; operates primarily in the Alpine region and competes for similar Swiss institutional and residential commissions.

Broad incumbents

• gmp Architekten: One of Germany's largest and most internationally recognized architecture practices, competing for the same large-scale public, cultural, and infrastructure commissions; significantly larger than ASTOC and operates across a much broader global portfolio.

Emerging players

• Henning Larsen Architects: Nordic architecture firm with strong sustainability and urban planning credentials; ASTOC and Henning Larsen have already partnered on the Lauffenmühle Lörrach transformation, demonstrating direct overlap on timber-construction urban regeneration projects.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astoc-architects-and-planners
• Instagraminstagram.com/astoc.de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries2 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 ASTOC ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS