Arkitekter Uden Grænser (AUG)

Name

Arkitekter Uden Grænser (AUG)

Legal name

Arkitekter Uden Grænser

Website

https://aug.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Architectural Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Pro bono architecture
• Humanitarian architectural design
• Urban planning services
• Nonprofit architecture
• Development architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Individuals pay membership fees to join AUG. The membership base (~500 paying members) also strengthens funding applications to foundations and companies.
2. Donations and grants from foundations: AUG receives funding from Danish foundations and government development funds (CISU, Dreyers Fond, Statens Kunstfond, etc.) for specific project delivery.
3. Pro bono architectural services model: All architectural and planning services are provided voluntarily (pro bono) by volunteer architects and planners. Revenue is not generated from service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AUG is a volunteer-based Danish non-profit that delivers pro bono architectural design and urban planning services to civil society organizations working with vulnerable communities and the green transition. Its delivery is organized around four thematic programs — Byggeri & Udvikling (Building & Development), By & Liv (City & Living / urban planning), Ukraine (reconstruction), and Viden & Formidling (Knowledge & Communication) — covering needs assessment, co-design, technical specifications, climate-adapted building design, and construction oversight across 10+ countries.

Product overview

Arkitekter Uden Grænser (Architects Without Borders) is a Danish non-profit architectural development organization operating four thematic programs: (1) Byggeri & Udvikling (Building & Development) for construction projects, (2) By & Liv (City & Living) for urban planning in the global south, (3) Ukraine Program for reconstruction support, and (4) Viden & Formidling (Knowledge & Communication) for advocacy. The organization offers architectural consulting services to civil society organizations and implements various projects including schools, community centers, housing, bio-centers, and urban farming initiatives. Projects span multiple countries including Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Nicaragua, Mongolia, Cambodia, India, Ukraine, and Denmark. The portfolio includes completed projects (Bio Learning Centre in Sierra Leone, Casas Melhoradas in Maputo, Magburaka Education Centre), ongoing projects (TCDC Tanzania high school upgrade, Waste to Wealth Uganda), and completed initiatives (Chameleon School, Cambodia Kindergartens, Football Clubhouse in Sierra Leone). The organization also produces knowledge products including publications, exhibitions, and educational events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Byggeri & Udvikling (Building & Development)

Quantifiable outcome

• Bio-centre in Kinawataka, Kampala — provides sanitation, showers, biogas, clean water, and community space for a dense slum settlement.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Architecture Sans Frontières International (ASF-int)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008AUG is the Danish member of Architecture Sans Frontières International, an umbrella organization for solidarity-based architecture organizations worldwide. AUG co-participates in ASF-int co-learning sessions and aligns with the Hasselt Charter as its shared set of values. The partnership provides international credibility, cross-country project referrals, and knowledge exchange.
• Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (MS / ActionAid Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMellemfolkeligt Samvirke is a major long-term partner. AUG co-locates at MS's headquarters in Copenhagen. The organizations collaborate on projects including the MS TCDC campus upgrade in Tanzania (Arusha) and the Green Learning Space in Nørrebro. MS provides funding and local presence; AUG provides architectural design.
• Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFA is a Sierra Leone-based environmental organization. AUG designed the Bio Learning Centre (700 m2, 2009-2014) for EFA — AUG's largest completed building to date. The project is featured in the 'Developing Architecture' publication.
• Red Cross DenmarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUG is partnering with Red Cross Denmark on three domestic projects: upgrading two homeless care centres (Pitstop in Aarhus, Svalegangen in Middelfart) and designing wayfinding for Center Sandholm, Denmark's asylum seeker reception centre.
• We're (Estamos Mozambique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUG has collaborated with Estamos on multiple projects in Mozambique, including the Casas Melhoradas housing project (2013-2023) and Land Rights in Maputo #1 and #2 (2018-2026). We're provides local knowledge, community engagement, and operational support in Maputo.
• React (Reconstruction of War-Affected Communities Together)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReact is a Danish NGO working in Sierra Leone. AUG collaborated with React on the Magburaka Education & Computer Centre (2012-2017) and the Masanga Dwellings staff housing project (2010-2012).
• ACTogether Uganda / National Slum Dwellers Federation UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTogether is a Ugandan slum dweller federation. AUG partnered with ACTogether on the Bio-centre in Kinawataka, Kampala (2022-2023) and the Waste to Wealth project in Mbarara, Uganda (ongoing). Projects are community-run via local cooperatives.
• Vedvarende Energi (Sustainable Energy, Denmark)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVedvarende Energi partnered with AUG on the Kibera Bio Centre in Nairobi, Kenya (2010-2013), a sanitation building producing biogas for a local school.
• Café DirectocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCafé Directo is a Danish social enterprise selling sustainably produced coffee to Danish churches. AUG is collaborating with Café Directo on the Coffee-central in Nicaragua (2021-2024), designing a production facility, housing, dining hall, and community spaces for coffee farmers.
• Ingeniører Uden Grænser (Engineers Without Borders Denmark)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIngeniører Uden Grænser collaborated with AUG on the Chameleon School project in Goa, India (2009-2011), providing engineering expertise alongside AUG's architectural design.
• School of Life (Skolen for Livet)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool of Life is a Danish organization supporting the AUG school project in Sarame, Tanzania (2022-2024), targeting vulnerable children and youth in a rural district.
• Jabungu FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Tanzanian development organization collaborating with AUG on the school project in Sarame, near Magugu, Tanzania.
• Arup DenmarkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArup is listed among AUG's collaborative partners in the footer of the website, suggesting potential structural engineering collaboration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MASS Design Group: US-based nonprofit architecture organization working on built-environment projects with social impact, including health facilities and housing. Larger scale than AUG, but directly comparable mission of using architecture as a development tool.
• Build Change: International nonprofit focused on disaster-resilient housing construction and retrofitting in emerging markets. Comparable to AUG's climate-adapted housing work and reconstruction focus (e.g., Ukraine program).
• UN-Habitat: United Nations agency for sustainable urbanization and human settlements. Operates in many of AUG's geographies and shares the urban poverty and informal-settlement focus, though at vastly greater scale and resourcing.
• Habitat for Humanity International: The largest global nonprofit housing organization, focused on affordable housing construction for low-income families. Far larger than AUG but operates in overlapping geographies and overlapping affordable housing mission.

Direct peers

• Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI): International network of community-led organizations working on informal settlement upgrading. AUG's ACTogether Uganda and National Slum Dwellers Federation partnerships are direct counterparts, and the community-co-design methodology is closely aligned.
• Architecture Sans Frontières France: The French national chapter of ASF-int, delivering pro bono architecture and urban planning services to vulnerable communities. Comparable to AUG in mission, volunteer-driven model, and project types (housing, community facilities, urban planning).
• Architecture Sans Frontières International (ASF-int): ASF-int is the umbrella network of which AUG is the Danish national chapter. It coordinates solidarity-based architecture organizations across multiple countries, shares knowledge, and facilitates cross-country project referrals, making it AUG's most direct structural peer.
• Engineers Without Borders Denmark (IUG): Danish engineering counterpart to AUG. The two organizations have previously collaborated on projects (e.g., Chameleon School, India), and they share the volunteer-driven, NGO-funded model for development engineering work.
• Architecture Sans Frontières UK (Article 25): UK-based architectural NGO providing pro bono design services for humanitarian and development projects. Highly comparable operating model, partnership-driven delivery, and development-sector client base.

Regional players

• CARE Danmark: Danish member of the global CARE International humanitarian federation. Comparable in being a Copenhagen-based NGO operating internationally with development funding, though across a broader programmatic scope than architecture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/arkitekterudengraenser
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aug-danmark
• Instagraminstagram.com/arkitekterudengraenser

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Arkitekter Uden Grænser (AUG)