What noAarchitecten does

noAarchitecten is a Brussels-headquartered architecture firm founded in 1999 by Philippe Viérin, An Fonteyne, and Jitse van den Berg, specializing in adaptive reuse, heritage conservation, and sustainable architecture. The practice works primarily on public cultural and civic buildings, heritage restorations, museum transformations, residential masterplans, and urban design across Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and select other European markets. Major commissions include the Tour&Taxis Brussels masterplan (110,000 m²) for Nextensa, the KANAL-Centre Pompidou transformation (52,410 m²) for Fondation KANAL within Atelier Kanal, Het Steen Antwerp (5,000 m²), the City Campus Hasselt (14,500 m²), S.M.A.K. Ghent (20,000 m²), and the Klöpperhaus Hamburg (28,000 m²) for Tishman Speyer.

The firm operates a sales-led, project-based business model, acquiring work through open architectural competitions, invited competitions, and direct commissions. Revenue is generated from professional services fees tied to project scope and complexity — typically a percentage of construction cost or fixed fee per phase (design, documentation, construction observation) — with multi-year billing cycles on large public commissions. Delivery relies on approximately 11 permanent employees supported by a network of around 25 active architects and over 100 historical collaborators, supplemented by strategic partnerships with international firms (Sergison Bates, EM2N, David Kohn Architects, awg architecten, Vécsey*Schmidt, OpenStructures).

noAarchitecten differentiates through a stated philosophy of working with existing structures rather than demolition-and-rebuild, with technical differentiators including Passivhaus-certified housing (Tour&Taxis), heritage-integrated contemporary extensions (Het Steen), and museum transformation approaches (S.M.A.K., KANAL). The firm has accumulated significant brand capital through European and regional awards (European Award AHI 2025, Heritage Prize 2022, EUmies Awards 2024 shortlist, Brussels Architecture Prize 2025, Domus 50 Best Architecture Firms 2020). Founding partners' senior academic positions at ETH Zurich and Politecnico di Milano reinforce thought leadership in adaptive reuse, and the firm is closely associated with the Master Adaptive Reuse program at Hasselt University.

Name

noAarchitecten

Legal name

noAarchitecten

Website

https://noaarchitecten.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

noAarchitecten is a Brussels-based architecture firm founded in 1999 specializing in adaptive reuse, heritage conservation, museum transformations, residential masterplans, and sustainable design for European public institutions, cities, and real estate developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH)

Keywords

• Adaptive reuse architecture
• Heritage conservation design
• Museum architecture services
• Urban masterplanning
• Sustainable building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: The firm generates revenue through fees for architectural design services on projects ranging from competition winning proposals to direct commissions. Revenue is project-based, typically structured as a percentage of construction cost or fixed fee arrangements for specific project phases including design, documentation, and construction observation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

noAarchitecten is an architecture and design services firm delivering full-scope architectural design, interior design, urban design, and heritage restoration services. Its work is anchored in adaptive reuse and heritage-sensitive contemporary interventions, serving cultural, civic, residential, and healthcare programs across Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. The firm operates through project-based commissions acquired via public procurement competitions, invited competitions, and direct appointments.

Product overview

noAarchitecten is an established Belgian architecture firm founded in 1999 by Philippe Viérin, An Fonteyne, and Jitse van den Berg. The firm offers a comprehensive portfolio of architecture and design services, with particular expertise in cultural and museum projects (including S.M.A.K. Ghent, Het Steen Antwerp, Kanal Brussels), heritage restoration and adaptive reuse, residential development (including the Tour&Taxis Brussels masterplan), urban design/masterplanning, interior design, and exhibition design. The firm's approach emphasizes working with existing structures and buildings, sustainable practices, and adaptive reuse methodologies. This is not a technology/SaaS product company but an architecture and design services firm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Design Services Full-service architectural firm providing architectural design, interior design, urban design, and heritage restoration services for clients across Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
• Cultural and Museum Design Specialized design services for museums and cultural institutions, including transformations of the S.M.A.K. in Ghent, Het Steen visitor centre in Antwerp, and the KANAL arts complex in Brussels.
• Residential Development Residential architecture services including masterplan design and individual building projects for housing, assisted living, and mixed-use developments such as the Tour&Taxis Brussels masterplan and Passivhaus-certified buildings.
• Heritage and Adaptive Reuse Specialized services for heritage building restoration, adaptive reuse, and transformation of historic structures including monuments, protected buildings, prisons, monasteries, and warehouses.
• Urban Design and Masterplanning Large-scale urban design and masterplan services for neighborhood development, including the Tour&Taxis Brussels masterplan and the KANAL urban transformation.
• Exhibition Design Exhibition design and scenography services for museums, galleries, and cultural institutions, including reading-room artwork and tile-covered wall paintings at the Plantin-Moretus Museum and De Refter Bruges.

Quantifiable outcome

• Winner of European Award AHI 2025 – Built Heritage Category for Het Steen Antwerp
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• David Kohn ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with David Kohn Architects and Asli Ciçek for S.M.A.K. Ghent museum transformation project. The joint proposal was selected for the new museum development, transforming the museum in the park with sensitivity to the Floraliënhal and Citadelpark context.
• Vécsey*Schmidt Architekt*innencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Vécsey*Schmidt Architekt*innen and Westpol Landschaftsarchitektur winning competition for Nidelbad Areal redevelopment in Rüschlikon, south of Zürich.
• Sergison Bates architectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration partner on multiple major projects including Tour&Taxis Brussels masterplan (with awg architecten), KANAL Brussels, and M HKA Antwerp projects. Sergison Bates is a UK-based architectural practice.
• Westpol LandschaftsarchitekturcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture partner for Nidelbad Rüschlikon competition win, collaborating on the redevelopment of the Areal in Rüschlikon.
• EM2NcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner with Sergison Bates architects on KANAL Brussels (Atelier KANAL) and M HKA Antwerp projects. EM2N is a Swiss architecture practice.
• Atelier Kanal ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm forms part of Atelier Kanal, a collaboration including Sergison Bates architects and EM2N, dedicated to the KANAL Brussels cultural centre project for Fondation KANAL.
• OpenStructuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with OpenStructures to create the KANAL system furniture collection for Kanal-Centre Pompidou, which won the Sabato Design Award 2025.
• agn Leusmann GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Klöpperhaus Hamburg refurbishment project, working together on the transformation of the former department store.
• JES SocialtectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial architecture partner for Klöpperhaus Hamburg refurbishment project.
• Holcim Foundation / ETH ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnernoAarchitecten is a partnering firm together with &bogdan, Democo Group, 51N4E and Whitewood for the upcoming ETH Zürich-hosted two-week course on 'Design Incentives for Change' taking place September 1-12, 2025 in Brussels.
• awg architectencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Tour&Taxis Brussels masterplan alongside Sergison Bates architects, working on the masterplan design for the new residential quarter on the former railway yard.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KCAP: Rotterdam-based urban design and architecture firm where Philippe Viérin previously worked. Comparable in masterplanning and large mixed-use/heritage projects across Northern Europe.
• 51N4E: Brussels-based practice of similar size active in cultural, public, and urban projects in Belgium and internationally; partnered with noA on the Holcim Foundation/ETH Zurich fellowship. Competes for the same Belgian cultural commissions.
• awg architecten: Rotterdam-based practice collaborating with noA on the Tour&Taxis masterplan. Comparable scale, with a portfolio in large urban masterplans, residential, and cultural architecture in the Low Countries.
• Lacaton & Vassal Architectes: Paris-based practice and 2021 Pritzker laureate widely recognized for radical adaptive reuse and low-energy retrofit of existing buildings (social housing, cultural venues). Closest European counterpart in mission and approach to noA's heritage/retrofit philosophy.
• David Kohn Architects: London-based practice collaborating with noA on the S.M.A.K. Ghent museum transformation. Similar scale and specialism in cultural, educational, and adaptive reuse projects.
• Robbrecht en Daem architecten: Ghent-based practice of comparable scale with a strong reputation in museum, cultural, and public architecture in Belgium and Europe. Directly comparable in typology of work, client base (Belgian cities and cultural institutions), and award profile.
• EM2N: Zurich-based practice collaborating with noA in the Atelier KANAL consortium and on M HKA. Similar profile in European cultural and adaptive reuse projects, comparable scale and approach.
• Caruso St John: London/Zurich practice with a strong heritage and museum portfolio (Tate Britain, Museum of Applied Arts Frankfurt). Comparable in scale, typology, and European cultural-heritage positioning to noA.
• Sergison Bates architects: London-based practice collaborating with noAarchitecten on Tour&Taxis, KANAL, and M HKA. Similar scale, similar interest in heritage-sensitive contemporary architecture and consortium-led delivery on European cultural projects.

Broad incumbents

• David Chipperfield Architects: Larger, globally established practice with a renowned portfolio in museum, heritage, and adaptive reuse projects (Neues Museum Berlin, Royal Academy refurbishment). Two noA founders previously worked there, and it competes on the same European cultural-architecture commissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/noaarchitecten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 noAarchitecten