Mei architects and planners

What Mei architects and planners does

Mei architects and planners is a Rotterdam-headquartered architecture firm operating under the Dutch legal entity Smartlab Holding BV (KvK 24349518), with operations dating to 1994. The firm specializes in biobased and circular architecture, with a core technical foundation in Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glulam construction, Open Building principles (open column-beam grids enabling future layout flexibility), nature-inclusive design, and circular demountable building systems. Its portfolio spans new build, transformation of heritage buildings, and urban planning. Flagship projects include SAWA (a 50-meter, 15-floor fully circular wooden residential building in Rotterdam completed in July 2025 with 109 apartments, 90% CLT construction, and approximately 1,100 tons of stored CO2), Fenix I (a 45,000 m² warehouse transformation into 212 loft apartments completed in 2019), and the Gasometer (a 23,000 m² BVO transformation of a 1950s gas holder in Münster, Germany into a nature-inclusive residential tower with mixed programming). A planned NICE Tower at 140 meters is positioned as the world's tallest circular wooden residential building.

The firm generates revenue through professional architectural design fees on individual project commissions, which are secured via competitive architectural tenders and direct developer relationships. Its client base consists primarily of real estate developers (Nice Developers, Heijmans Vastgoed), contractors (ERA Contour), impact investors (Focus on Impact), and municipal or public-utility entities (Stadtwerke Münster). The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting large-scale, sustainability-focused developments across residential, mixed-use, heritage transformation, and urban planning sectors. Mei has expanded from a Dutch-only base into the German market, winning tenders in Münster, Bonn, and Hamm, and operates as an internationally recognized practice with substantial award visibility (BNA, Rotterdam Architecture Prize, Architizer, World Architecture Festival, German Design Awards).

Mei is a privately held firm with no disclosed external institutional investment, no public revenue figures, and a stated team of approximately 27-30 professionals. It is led by founder Robert Winkel and embedded in sustainability coalitions including Building Balance, Built by Nature, and the Dutch Green Building Council. The firm's revenue mechanics are inherently project-lumpy: large, multi-year commissions create episodic revenue recognition tied to tender wins and project milestones, and the firm's growth depends on continued success in competitive tenders and on converting international pipeline into active commissions.

Name

Mei architects and planners

Legal name

Smartlab Holding BV

Website

https://mei-arch.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rotterdam-based architecture firm specializing in biobased and circular architecture using CLT and Glulam timber. Serves real estate developers, contractors, impact investors, and municipalities across the Netherlands and Germany with award-winning residential, heritage transformation, and urban planning projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture
• Biobased architecture
• Circular construction
• Timber construction
• Urban planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural firm providing design services for new construction, transformation, and urban planning projects. Revenue comes from project fees based on architectural services rendered for residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments.
2. Tender and Competition Winnings: Company wins projects through architectural competitions and tenders, receiving fees for design services on award-winning projects such as SAWA, Gasometer, and Fenix I.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mei architects and planners is an internationally operating architecture firm based in Rotterdam that designs innovative projects with minimal CO2 emissions across new construction, transformation, and urban planning. The firm specializes in biobased and circular architecture using natural materials such as wood, CLT, and glulam, combined with nature-inclusive design and Open Building principles to deliver sustainable residential, mixed-use, and urban development projects. Tailored services include architectural design, masterplanning, and project oversight for developers, municipalities, and real estate investors.

Product overview

Mei architects and planners is an internationally operating architecture firm based in Rotterdam, specializing in biobased and circular architecture. The firm offers a portfolio of architectural services including new build projects (such as the SAWA wooden residential tower and NICE Tower), transformation of existing buildings (such as Fenix I and Gasometer), and urban planning/masterplanning (such as Kabeldistrict Delft). Their core offering centers on sustainable, nature-inclusive design that prioritizes CO2 reduction, biodiversity, circularity, and community building. The portfolio is organized around key project types: residential buildings, transformation of heritage buildings, and urban development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SAWA A revolutionary circular wooden residential building of 50 meters height (15 floors) located in Rotterdam's Lloydkwartier district. Built primarily from Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and glulam, it is Rotterdam's first fully wooden residential building, featuring 109 apartments with generous green terraces, integrated biodiversity with 600 linear meters of planters and 140 nesting facilities, and CO2-neutral operation through PV panels and district heating.
• NICE Tower A planned circular wooden residential tower of 140 meters height, designed as the world's tallest wooden residential building. The tower will feature wooden braces in the façade and a wooden lift core, with no concrete used in construction, marking a new phase in circular timber high-rise architecture.
• Gasometer Transformation of a 1950s monumental gas holder in Münster, Germany into a nature-inclusive residential tower. The project includes approximately 23,000 m² BVO of housing (social, care, and free sector), a mobility hub, co-working spaces, theater, gym, and public swimming pool, all built within the original steel frame using a new wooden structure. The building will be clad with PV panels and features a green interior oasis with rainwater harvesting.
• Fenix I Redevelopment of the historic 1922 Holland America Line warehouse into a mixed-use complex with 45,000 m² of program. Features 212 loft apartments built atop the warehouse using a unique steel table construction (approximately 1 million kg) that passes through the existing building, a cultural cluster with Codarts Circus Arts School, Conny Janssen Danst, and Circus Rotjeknor, plus commercial and parking spaces.
• Kabeldistrict Delft Masterplan design for the transformation of a former cable factory in Delft into a dynamic live/work area. The project emphasizes high circularity, layered integration of greenery and water, and fusion of old industrial architecture with new development, creating a sustainable and productive urban district.
• Sluisbuurt Thuis Student housing project positioned as a catalyst for the Sluisbuurt district development, designed as part of Mei's urban development initiatives.
• Max & Moore High-profile office buildings for the Buiksloterham district, designed for pioneers and entrepreneurs in Amsterdam's emerging urban area.

Quantifiable outcome

• SAWA stores approximately 1,100 tons of CO2 in its timber structure, equivalent to 550 cars taken off the road for a year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• UTB Projektmanagement GmbHflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2023Developer partner for Gasometer transformation project in Münster. UTB Berlin is developing the historic gas holder into a nature-inclusive residential tower. This is a flagship project for Mei in Germany.
• Peter Bastian Architekten BDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating local architect for Gasometer project, providing expertise on German building regulations and local context. Located in Münster.
• Inside OutsidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architects for Gasometer project, responsible for designing the surrounding park and green spaces.
• Pirmin JungcoreTechnology or IntegrationStructural engineer and timber construction specialist for Gasometer project. Provides expertise in fire safety, building physics, and timber construction systems.
• Engie DeutschlandcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInstallation and sustainability advisor for Gasometer project, providing expertise in energy systems and sustainable building technologies.
• ERA ContourflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractor for SAWA project - the first fully wooden residential building in Rotterdam. ERA Contour specializes in sustainable construction.
• Heijmans VastgoedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Fenix I project - transformation of the historic San Francisco warehouse into mixed-use development. Long-term development partner for urban transformation projects.
• Building BalancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMei has signed the Building Balance declaration, committing to biobased construction. Building Balance promotes sustainable building with biobased materials.
• Built by NaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork organization promoting timber construction. Mei collaborates with Built by Nature to advance sustainable building practices.
• Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMei works with DGBC on sustainable building certification and promoting green building standards in the Netherlands.
• Climate CleanupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate organization that Mei supports through biobased building initiatives.
• DerixcoreTechnology or IntegrationCLT timber supplier for SAWA project. Derix operates sustainable timber factories in Germany, providing high-quality cross-laminated timber.
• Pieters BouwtechniekcoreTechnology or IntegrationStructural engineer for SAWA project, providing expertise in timber construction engineering.
• ABTcoreTechnology or IntegrationStructural engineer for Fenix I project, known for innovative engineering solutions in heritage transformation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OMA: Larger, established Rotterdam-headquartered architecture firm with broader portfolio. Competes for the same flagship Dutch real estate commissions but offers far greater scale and a wider service mix than Mei.

Direct peers

• Snøhetta: International architecture firm with a strong sustainability, public-realm, and timber design identity (e.g., Mjøstårnet). Comparable to Mei in biobased/sustainable positioning and pursuit of innovation-driven, award-recognized commissions.
• Powerhouse Company: Dutch architecture firm known for sustainability-driven, innovative design including circular and bio-based projects. Closely comparable to Mei in size, Rotterdam base, sustainability positioning, and developer-client model.
• UNStudio: Amsterdam-based international architecture firm with comparable mid-size scale and focus on innovative, parametric, and sustainability-led design. Competes for similar enterprise developer and municipal tenders across NL and Germany.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Internationally operating architecture firm with a comparable innovation and sustainability brand. Pursues large-scale mixed-use, residential, and circular design commissions that overlap with Mei's project typology, including timber/mass-timber work.
• ZUS (Zones Urbaines Sensibles): Rotterdam-based architecture and urbanism practice with comparable scale and focus on circularity, adaptive reuse, and innovative urban transformation — directly comparable to Mei's transformation and masterplanning portfolio.
• MVRDV: Rotterdam-based architecture firm with comparable scale, mixed-use/mixed-program expertise (Markthal, Tianjin Binhai Library), and a Dutch innovation brand. Directly competes for high-profile tenders and developer relationships in Mei's home market.
• 3XN: Danish architecture firm with a strong sustainability and timber-led portfolio. Competes for similar Nordic/Northern European developer and institutional clients with comparable project typology.
• WOHA: Singapore-based architecture firm with globally recognized leadership in biophilic, sustainable, and green-infrastructure design. Directly comparable to Mei in its pioneering sustainability positioning and award-recognized built work.
• Studio Gang: US architecture firm known for innovative, sustainable, and nature-integrated design (e.g., Aqua Tower, projects with mass timber). Comparable to Mei in combining ecology, community, and structural experimentation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mei-architects-and-planners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Mei architects and planners