Atelier Deshaus
Atelier Deshaus is a Shanghai-based architectural design practice founded in 2001 by partners Liu Yichun and Chen Yifeng, delivering full-scope design for cultural, educational, commercial, hospitality, and industrial-heritage adaptive-reuse projects across China for government, institutional, and private developer clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersShanghai, China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Atelier Deshaus does
Atelier Deshaus (大舍建筑设计事务所) is a Shanghai-based architectural design practice founded in 2001 by managing partners Liu Yichun (柳亦春) and Chen Yifeng (陈屹峰). The firm operates as a privately held partnership providing full-scope architectural design services — from concept through construction administration — across cultural and museum projects, educational facilities, urban renewal and industrial-heritage adaptive reuse, commercial and office campuses, boutique hotels and residential complexes, and landscape/public space design. Its portfolio spans more than 30 completed projects across China, with marquee commissions including the Long Museum West Bund (33,007m², 2014), the Qintai Art Museum in Wuhan (2021), the Gold Mountain Upper Cloister in Chengde for Aranya, and the ACDC Anji Creative Design Center (2025). The firm is headquartered in Shanghai's West Bund cultural district (Xuhui District, GATE M West Bund Dream Center).
The firm's technical identity centers on visible structural logic, material expression, and the integration of structure with spatial and cultural meaning. Signature methodologies include the 'umbrella vault' (伞拱) cantilevered structural system developed at the Long Museum West Bund, where independent shear walls integrate structure, MEP, and spatial intent into a unified volumetric architecture; a 'weak order' (弱秩序) design philosophy that produces ambiguous, poetic spatial qualities; and a recurring expertise in adaptive reuse of industrial heritage (80,000-tonne Silo transformation, Art Arena, West Bund Art Center). Design references draw on Jiangnan regional spatial typologies (courtyard, garden, boundary) translated into contemporary architectural language. Strategic technical collaborators include Tongji University Architectural Design and Research Institute, engineer-architect Zhang Zhun, structurist Ohno Hiroshi, and landscape architect Masakazu Masuda.
Atelier Deshaus generates revenue through professional architectural design service contracts (typical percentage-of-construction-cost or fixed-fee structures), with no publicly disclosed pricing. Business is secured through a sales-led, reputation-driven go-to-market: government and institutional tenders for public buildings (schools, museums), direct commissions from private developers (Aranya, Vanke, Long Museum), and international exhibition/journal presence (Venice Biennale, MoMA, RIBA London, Aedes Berlin; Architectural Record, GA Document, Wallpaper*) that generates inbound inquiries. Primary customer segments are Cultural and Public Institutions and Educational Institutions; secondary segments include Corporate and Commercial Real Estate and Boutique Hospitality/Cultural Real Estate. The firm holds no patents, has no external funding, and operates as a tightly held partnership without identified institutional investors.
Atelier Deshaus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Atelier Deshaus
- Legal name
- 大舍建筑设计事务所
- Website
- https://deshaus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Atelier Deshaus is a Shanghai-based architectural design practice founded in 2001 by partners Liu Yichun and Chen Yifeng, delivering full-scope design for cultural, educational, commercial, hospitality, and industrial-heritage adaptive-reuse projects across China for government, institutional, and private developer clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Atelier Deshaus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Full Gut Renovation (Studs-Out Remodel) (HSAPAEAA)
Keywords
Where Atelier Deshaus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shanghai
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Atelier Deshaus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Deshaus generates revenue by providing architectural design, interior design, landscape design, and related professional services for commissioned projects spanning cultural facilities, educational institutions, public infrastructure, and private residences. Fees are structured as design service contracts, likely on a percentage-of-construction-cost or fixed-fee basis typical of architectural practices.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Atelier Deshaus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Atelier Deshaus is a Shanghai-based architectural design practice founded in 2001 that delivers full-scope architectural services spanning concept design, schematic design, design development, and construction administration. The studio primarily designs cultural institutions (museums, art spaces), educational facilities, urban renewal and adaptive-reuse projects, commercial/office buildings, hotels, residential developments, and landscape/public spaces.
Product overview
Atelier Deshaus (大舍建筑) is an architectural design practice founded in Shanghai in 2001 by managing partners Liu Yichun and Chen Yifeng. The firm operates as a single, unified architectural design studio rather than a platform. Its portfolio spans cultural and museum projects (Long Museum West Bund, Art Arena, Taizhou Contemporary Art Museum, Qintai Art Museum, Tao Yiqiu Memorial Hall), educational facilities (kindergartens, schools, youth activity centers), urban renewal and industrial heritage transformations (80,000-ton Silo, Old Baidu Coal Dock, West Bund Art Center), commercial and office campuses (Anting Auto City R&D Hub, Anji Creative Design Center, GATE M West Bund Dream Center), boutique hotels and residential projects (Suzhou Changyuan Yoxiong Hotel, Grand Granary), and landscape/public space design (Bianyuan, Rihui Port Bridge, Yunyang Visitor Center). The firm is recognized for its approach to integrating structure, materiality, and spatial experience rooted in Jiangnan cultural traditions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cultural and Museum Architectural Design Full architectural design services for museums, art galleries, cultural centers, and exhibition venues, delivered to public cultural institutions, private collectors, and government bodies.
- Educational Facility Design Architectural design for schools, kindergartens, universities, and other educational buildings, with attention to pedagogy-driven spatial planning for institutional and public-sector clients.
- Urban Renewal and Adaptive Reuse Design services for the conversion and adaptive reuse of industrial buildings, warehouses, and historic structures into contemporary public, cultural, or commercial spaces for government agencies, developers, and institutions.
- Commercial and Office Building Design Architectural design for office towers, mixed-use developments, and commercial properties serving corporate occupiers, developers, and investors.
- Hotel and Residential Design Architectural design for boutique hotels, resorts, and high-end residential developments, addressing hospitality operators, residential developers, and private clients.
- Landscape and Public Space Design
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple projects received awards from major bodies including Architizer A+ Awards, IADA, German Design Award, AMP (Architecture MasterPrize), and the UK Design Museum
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Atelier Deshaus
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Atelier Deshaus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Atelier Deshaus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tongji University Architectural Design and Research Institute (同济大学建筑设计研究院（集团）有限公司)coreDeshaus collaborates extensively with Tongji University Architectural Design and Research Institute on structural, MEP, and construction documentation for major projects including the Art Arena (艺仓美术馆) and Qintai Art Museum (琴台美术馆). This is a recurring strategic partnership for施工图 and engineering support.
- Artist Ding Yi (艺术家丁乙)coreDeshaus collaborated with renowned artist Ding Yi on the 'Ding Yi Building' (丁乙楼) at the Arton (雅昌) Art Center, Shanghai, where Ding Yi designed custom colored cross-pattern ceramic tiles for the building's facade, integrating art and architecture in a landmark project.
- Artist Zhan Wang (艺术家展望)coreDeshaus collaborated with artist Zhan Wang on the 'Flora Pavilion' (花草亭) installation at the Shanghai Urban Space Art Season, and on the facade decoration of the external escalator at the 80,000-tonne Silo renovation. Zhan Wang created stainless steel landscape sculptures and拓片 stainless steel panels.
- Structurist Ohno Hiroshi / 大野博史coreDeshaus collaborated with Japanese structurist Hiroshi Ohno on the design of the Rihui Harbour Pedestrian Bridge (日晖港步行桥), developing the Y-shaped cable-stayed beam structural system over an extended period of structural iteration.
- Landscape Architect Masakazu Masuda / 枡野俊明coreFor the Gold Mountain Upper Cloister (金山岭上院) at Aranya, Japanese landscape architect and Zen monk Masakazu Masuda designed the entry stone garden ('Endless Meaning' / 无尽意) and surrounding landscape, creating an integrated architecture-landscape-spiritual experience.
- Structure and Architecture Research Institute / 和作结构建筑研究所 (Zhang Zhun / 张准)coreDeshaus has an ongoing working relationship with architect-engineer Zhang Zhun (和作结构建筑研究所) on structural design across multiple projects including the West Bund Studio, Flora Pavilion, Spiral Art Gallery, Qintai Art Museum, and Gold Mountain Upper Cloister.
- Aranya (阿那亚)coreDeshaus has completed two major projects for Aranya: the Gold Mountain Upper Cloister (金山岭上院) in Chengde and appears as a recurring architectural partner for Aranya's cultural real estate developments focused on spiritual retreat and cultural community.
- Vanke (万科)coreDeshaus designed the Great Granary (大谷仓) Yu-Niao Liuxu Town Center for Hangzhou Vanke, and the Suzhou Chang Garden Youxiong Hotel for Vanke's heritage hotel brand. Ongoing relationship for architecturally significant boutique projects.
- RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)minorDeshaus held the exhibition 'Sensitive Urbanism: Deshaus in Shanghai' at RIBA London headquarters in 2022, representing a major international platform for the firm's visibility in the UK and global architectural community.
- Aedes Architecture Forum, BerlinDeshaus held two exhibitions at Aedes Architecture Gallery Berlin: 'Reviving Earth' (再兴土木) in 2016 and 'Shared Landscape: New Life for Industrial Heritage' (共有风景：工业旧址的新生) in 2023, establishing the firm's European visibility.
- Long Museum (龙美术馆 — Wang Wei, Collector)coreDeshaus designed the Long Museum West Bund (龙美术馆西岸馆), a flagship 33,007m² museum project, establishing the firm's reputation in large-scale cultural architecture. This was a direct collaboration with collector Wang Wei.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Atelier Deshaus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- OMA: Rotterdam-headquartered global architecture firm led by Rem Koolhaas with strong museum and cultural building portfolio (Whitney Museum, Garage Museum). Overlaps in cultural typology but at much larger scale and broader typology coverage.
- Kengo Kuma and Associates: Tokyo-based architecture firm with contextual/cultural design philosophy and comparable typology focus on cultural, hospitality, and adaptive reuse projects (V&A Dundee, Japan National Stadium). Similar material sensitivity and cultural contextualism.
- David Chipperfield Architects: London-based international architecture firm renowned for cultural and museum architecture (Neues Museum Berlin, Royal Academy renovation). Comparable in cultural building typology and award pedigree, but operates at much larger scale globally.
- Foster + Partners: London-based major international architecture firm with extensive cultural and museum portfolio (Reichstag, Apple Park). Overlaps in cultural building typology but operates at vastly larger scale.
- Zaha Hadid Architects: London-based globally recognized architecture firm with comparable portfolio in museums, cultural centers, and large-scale signature commissions (MAXXI, Heydar Aliyev Center). Operates at much larger scale across global markets.
Direct peers
- Neri&Hu Design and Research Office: Shanghai-based interdisciplinary design and architecture firm founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu. Designs boutique hotels, cultural projects, and interiors with comparable contextual sensitivity and aesthetic rigor.
- Vector Architects: Beijing-based Chinese architecture firm founded by Gong Dong with international profile, designing cultural, hospitality, and adaptive reuse projects across China. Directly comparable to Deshaus in scale, typology focus, and theoretical approach.
- OPEN Architecture: Beijing-based Chinese architecture firm founded by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing (UCCA Dune Art Museum, Pingshan Performing Arts Center). Designs cultural and educational buildings with comparable experimental approach.
- MAD Architects: Beijing-headquartered Chinese architecture firm founded by Ma Yansong with global recognition (Lucas Museum, Harbin Opera House). Comparable in scale, prestige, and typology focus on cultural and signature buildings.
- Atelier FCJZ: Shanghai-based architecture firm founded by Fan Li and Chen Yifei, with comparable portfolio in cultural, educational, and adaptive reuse projects across China. Most directly comparable peer in same geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Atelier Deshaus social profiles
Digital presenceAtelier Deshaus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Atelier Deshaus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Atelier Deshaus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Atelier Deshaus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Atelier Deshaus
What does Atelier Deshaus do?
Atelier Deshaus is a Shanghai-based architectural design practice founded in 2001 that delivers full-scope architectural services spanning concept design, schematic design, design development, and construction administration. The studio primarily designs cultural institutions (museums, art spaces), educational facilities, urban renewal and adaptive-reuse projects, commercial/office buildings, hotels, residential developments, and landscape/public spaces.
Is Atelier Deshaus a public or private company?
Atelier Deshaus is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Atelier Deshaus founded?
Atelier Deshaus was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Atelier Deshaus based?
Atelier Deshaus is headquartered in Shanghai, China, in the Asia region.
How does Atelier Deshaus make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are Atelier Deshaus's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are OMA, Kengo Kuma and Associates, David Chipperfield Architects, Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects. Direct peers are Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, Vector Architects, OPEN Architecture, MAD Architects and Atelier FCJZ.
Does Atelier Deshaus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Atelier Deshaus.
What industry is Atelier Deshaus in?
Atelier Deshaus's product category is Architectural Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders, with a secondary code of HSAPAEAA, Full Gut Renovation (Studs-Out Remodel). Its NAICS code is 541310.