Gies

What Gies does

Gies Architekten BDA is a privately held German architecture firm founded in 1996 by Dipl. Ing. Michael Gies, headquartered on Erwinstraße 10 in Freiburg im Breisgau. The firm delivers architectural design, planning, and project supervision services across residential, public, cultural, and commercial building typologies, with a domain specialization in sustainable architecture, timber frame construction, passive house and zero-energy design, Baugruppen (collaborative building group) development, and the renovation or adaptive reuse of existing buildings. Its portfolio comprises more than 40 completed projects across Germany and France, including the Kleehäuser zero-energy housing in Freiburg-Vauban, the Eco-Logis — the first Baugruppe in the Alsace region — the cross-border Art'Rhena cultural center, and the 64-unit L'ecoquartier des «Vergers de Saint Michel» in Reichstett, which won the PYRAMIDES D'ARGENT 2021.

The firm operates as a professional services practice under the German HOAI fee framework, generating revenue through architectural commissions won via open and invited competitions and via direct engagement with public institutions, housing developers, cooperatives, and private clients. A 5-person core team — including founder Michael Gies, architects Peter Baumgardt and Marilen Lou Gaiser, and office manager Lukas Heibges — is multilingual across German, French, English, Dutch, and Spanish, enabling delivery in the Franco-German Upper Rhine region. Long-term operational partnerships with energy engineering firm solares bauen GmbH, a network of local French architecture practices (rhb architectes, Atelier Tekton, Atelier GIET, Michel Spitz, Comperé), and landscape architects support cross-border execution. The firm holds BDA membership and AKBW registration, has accumulated multiple national and international design awards (Hugo-Häring-Auszeichnung 2008, PYRAMIDES D'OR 2016, PYRAMIDES D'ARGENT 2021, Hessischer Staatspreis 2020), and currently has shortlistings for the Deutscher Bauherrenpreis 2026 and the REAR AWARD 2026.

The business model is fee-for-service with no external investors, no subsidiaries, and no venture, growth, or private equity capital — the firm is wholly founder-owned and financed through operating cash flow from project commissions.

Name

Gies

Legal name

GIES ARCHITEKTEN BDA

Website

https://giesarchitekten.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gies Architekten BDA is a 5-person sustainable architecture firm in Freiburg, Germany, specializing in timber construction, energy-efficient design, and Baugruppen development for housing developers, municipalities, and cooperatives across Germany and France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture
• Timber construction
• Residential design
• Building renovation
• Architectural services

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg im Breisgau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Full-service architectural firm providing design, planning, and project management for residential, public, and commercial buildings. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for architectural design, competition participation, and project supervision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gies Architekten BDA is a German architecture firm providing full-service architectural design, planning, and project supervision for residential, public, and commercial buildings. The firm specializes in sustainable timber construction, energy-efficient and passive house design, building group (Baugruppe) development, and renovation/conversion of existing structures across Germany and France.

Product overview

Gies Architekten BDA is an architectural firm offering architectural design services. The firm works on a wide range of architectural projects including residential buildings, community facilities, public buildings, and urban development. Their portfolio encompasses new construction, renovation, conversion, and urban planning projects. They specialize in sustainable building, timber construction, and building in existing structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sustainable Architectural Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple award-winning projects including Hugo-Häring-Auszeichnung, PYRAMIDES D'ARGENT, Hessischer Staatspreis, and Deutscher Bauherrenpreis nominations

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• rhb architectes, StrasbourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with rhb architectes for cross-border projects. Jointly delivered L'ecoquartier des «Vergers de Saint Michel» project in Reichstett, France.
• Atelier Tekton, StrasbourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench architecture partner for Eco-Logis project in Strasbourg-Neudorf, the first Baugruppe in the Alsace region.
• solares bauen GmbH, FreiburgcoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-term engineering partner specializing in building physics and energy consulting. Collaborated on numerous sustainable building projects including Kleehäuser, Eco-Logis, and Binzgrün.
• Architektenkammer Baden-Württemberg (AKBW)coreOthersProfessional chamber membership. Michael Gies is member (AK Ba-Wü AL-Nr. 051545), providing professional standards and credentials.
• Atelier GIET Architecture, BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal architecture partner for Kindergrippe Mirassou project in Bordeaux, France.
• BOUSSAC Architekt, BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal architecture partner for Kindergrippe Mirassou project.
• Ralf Kramer / Ines und Max LauerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partners for Baugruppe 4Gewinnt project in Freiburg Gutleutmatten.
• Michel Spitz Architecte, ColmarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench architecture partner for Cœur de village project in Grignon, France.
• ARCHITECTES COMPERE & CIE SELARL, QuimperlécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal architecture partner for Hôtel de Communuté project in Quimperlé, France.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Staab Architekten: Berlin-based architecture firm with a strong portfolio in cultural, public, and adaptive-reuse buildings in Germany. Larger in scale than Gies but competes in the same cultural/public typology space and design quality tier.
• Max Dudler Architekten: Berlin/Zurich-based architecture firm with a long-standing reputation for cultural and public buildings in Germany and Switzerland. Overlaps with Gies in typology and jury-recognized design quality.
• HPP Architekten: Large established German architecture practice with deep public-sector and commercial portfolio and an active sustainability practice. A broader incumbent that competes with Gies for major German public commissions.
• David Chipperfield Architects: Internationally established architecture practice with a strong German cultural and public-building portfolio and growing sustainability focus. A broader incumbent that competes for the same high-prestige European public commissions.

Direct peers

• Holzer Kobler Architekturen: Zurich- and Berlin-based architecture firm with a parallel focus on cultural and public-sector buildings and cross-border DACH-region work. Comparable in typology mix and institutional client orientation.
• Hascher Jehle Architektur: Berlin-based architecture firm recognized for sustainable building envelopes, energy-efficient renovation, and large-scale public commissions. Comparable on sustainability specialization and German public-sector client work.
• Baumschlager Eberle Architekten: Austrian-rooted sustainable architecture firm with multiple European offices and a long-standing philosophy around energy-conscious, material-honest design. Directly comparable on sustainability focus and cross-border DACH-region footprint.
• Steimle Architekten: Stuttgart-based boutique architecture firm with comparable scale and a parallel focus on sustainable, material-driven design and cultural/public building typologies. Directly comparable in size, regional footprint, and design philosophy to Gies Architekten BDA.
• Blauraum Architekten: Hamburg-based sustainable architecture firm of similar boutique scale, with comparable focus on residential, public, and adaptive-reuse projects in timber and resource-efficient construction. Directly comparable in niche and operational model.

Regional players

• Atelier Kempe Thill: Rotterdam-based architecture firm with European cultural/public building portfolio and a documented focus on sustainable, material-honest construction. Comparable on design philosophy; not a direct German-market competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/giesarchitekten
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Gies