What raumlabor does

raumlabor is a Berlin-based architecture and urban practice collective founded in 1999, operating as a small studio of approximately eight core members who work in multi-disciplinary teams across architecture, urbanism, art, and pedagogy. Its core offering is the design and delivery of commissioned architectural installations, exhibition design, urban research studies, and educational programmes for cultural institutions, museums, and public-sector clients in Germany and internationally; recent projects include the Open Area installation at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg (2026), the IBA Labs urban research study (2026), and the Haus Bastian cultural centre (2019). The collective also generates intellectual-property income through exhibitions, biennale contributions (most notably the Golden Lion-winning German Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale), and publications including the 2024 anniversary volume Polylemma.

The business model is project-based and services-led rather than product-based: raumlabor earns revenue from architectural commissions, competition prizes, exhibition design fees, grants, and publication sales, with no external venture or private-equity capital and no disclosed subscription, licensing, or software revenue. Customers are predominantly German and European cultural institutions and municipal authorities (Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, K20 Düsseldorf, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Berliner Senatsverwaltung), alongside international collaborators in countries spanning France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Austria, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, Kosovo, Argentina, and the USA. Education programmes such as the Making Futures School (with the Berlin University of the Arts) and the Open Raumlabor University extend the studio's role from building designer to research and curriculum partner, anchoring reputational positioning rather than driving scale.

Name

raumlabor

Legal name

raumlaborberlin

Website

https://raumlabor.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

raumlabor is a Berlin-based architecture and urbanism collective founded in 1999, serving European and international cultural institutions, museums, and public-sector clients through commissioned installations, urban research, exhibitions, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Projects: raumlabor generates revenue through commissioned projects for museums, cultural institutions, and public agencies. Projects include exhibitions, installations, and architectural interventions commissioned by cultural organizations and city governments.
2. Competition Winnings: The studio participates in and wins architectural competitions, securing contracts through competitive bidding processes for public projects.
3. Publication Sales: Sale of publications including Polylemma book and other documented works through publishers like Jovis

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

raumlabor is an architecture and urban practice collective that designs and delivers temporary and permanent spatial installations, performative pavilions, urban interventions, and research studies for museums, cultural institutions, theatres, and city governments. Their work combines architecture, installation art, and urban planning with participatory design approaches, employing unconventional materials such as clay, recycled inputs, and inflatable membranes. They supplement project commissions with publications documenting their practice and educational programs exploring experimental spatial practice.

Product overview

raumlabor (raumlaborberlin) is a Berlin-based architecture and urban practice collective offering spatial interventions, architectural design services, urban research, publications, and educational programs. The portfolio includes temporary and permanent architectural installations (Der Bau, Haus Bastian), urban research studies (IBA Labs, urbane optionsflächen), publications documenting architectural practice, and educational initiatives such as Making Futures School and Open Raumlabor University. The collective specializes in participatory design approaches that engage communities in urban transformation processes, working across exhibitions, festivals, museums, theaters, and public spaces in cities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Urban Interventions and Spatial Installations Temporary and permanent architectural interventions, public space installations, and performative structures that activate urban environments through participatory design approaches, delivered for museums, cultural institutions, and city governments.
• Research and Studies Urban research projects examining topics such as common good-oriented property policy, urban transformation, and participatory planning methodologies, commissioned by public agencies and cultural institutions.
• Publications Books and publications documenting architectural practice, urban theory, and project outcomes, including 'Polylemma', 'urbane optionsflächen', 'Making Futures Book', and 'Floating University Berlin 2018', sold through publisher Jovis.
• Educational Programs and Summer Schools Making Futures School and other educational initiatives that explore the role of architecture and architects in the 21st century through practice-based research across disciplines, delivered in cooperation with Berlin University of the Arts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Golden Lion award at 17th Venice Biennale architecture exhibition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Künstlerhaus MousonturmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaboration on Der Bau project - radical transformation of theatre space using clay construction for pandemic-conform performances.
• Berlin University of the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Making Futures Bauhaus+ cooperation on the occasion of Bauhaus Centenary, funded by federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community. Collaborative educational program exploring architecture's role in the 21st century.
• Barbara EhnesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStage designer who conceived the original idea for Der Bau project, collaborated with raumlabor on clay theatre construction.
• Staatliche Museen zu BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned by Berlin State Museums for Haus Bastian redesign project, creating new cultural education center concept and spatial design.
• Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und WohnencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned by Berlin Senate Department for IBA Labs study on Urban Optionsflächen as real laboratories for urban transformation.
• Kunstmuseum WolfsburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration including Open Area pavilion project (2026), 'Koralle' pavilion, and various exhibition installations.
• Markthalle IX ProjektgruppeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on vision for contemporary market hall in Berlin Kreuzberg, contributing to neighborhood economic and social center development.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• MVRDV: Rotterdam-based architecture firm known for experimental, data-driven, and socially engaged projects. Comparable in public-sector and cultural-institution commissions but operating at significantly larger scale.
• Snøhetta: Norwegian-headquartered international architecture and design firm with strong cultural-institution portfolio. Comparable experimental public-space and museum work, but at substantially larger scale than raumlabor.
• UNStudio: Amsterdam-based international architecture network with a research-driven, technology-forward practice. Comparable in working with cultural institutions and public clients on experimental briefs, but at much larger firm scale.

Direct peers

• Urban-Think Tank: Interdisciplinary design practice exploring informal urbanization and social infrastructure, based between New York and Caracas. Comparable focus on participatory urban research and design.
• NLÉ: Amsterdam-based practice led by Kunlé Adeyemi, known for floating architecture and experimental urban interventions. Comparable in mission-driven, socially engaged architecture and cross-cultural project base.
• Assemble: London-based architecture and design collective working across buildings, public realm, and cultural projects. Closely comparable to raumlabor in collective structure, experimental approach, and public-sector cultural clients.
• Estudio Teddy Cruz: San Diego/Tijuana-based research-driven practice investigating urban conflict and informal urbanism. Comparable cross-disciplinary, socially engaged approach to architecture and urban research.
• Recetas Urbanas: Seville-based architecture practice founded by Santiago Cirugeda, focused on tactical urbanism, self-built interventions, and community-led spatial practice. Highly comparable experimental, activist stance.
• ateliermob: Lisbon-based architecture collective working on social housing, public space, and participatory design. Comparable collective structure and focus on community-engaged spatial practice.
• point Supreme: Greek-Dutch architecture collective working on residential and public projects with a strong research-led, experimental approach. Comparable small collective size and European cultural-institution clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/raumlabor
• Instagraminstagram.com/raumlaborberlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raumlabor

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 raumlabor