bureau SLA - we are architects

What bureau SLA - we are architects does

bureau SLA is a Netherlands-based architectural design practice founded in 2002 and headquartered in Zaandam that designs and realizes buildings and spaces with a focus on circular, biobased and adaptive construction. Its portfolio spans public, cultural, residential and community projects delivered across Dutch municipalities and includes headline works such as the People's Pavilion (a 100% borrowed-materials pavilion for Dutch Design Week 2017), the Biobased Artist-in-Residence in Rotterdam using lime-hemp prefab construction, the BeHagen biobased social housing project in Leeuwarden, the A11 Hembrug transformation of a former weapons workshop in Zaandam, and the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein in Utrecht (approximately 9,200 m2).

The firm develops proprietary circular-material methods through hands-on prototyping and testing, including load-bearing hempcrete (kalkhennep) prefab systems, terrazzo from discarded gravestones, CLT panels repurposed from the Audi Munich expo pavilion, wool-felt acoustic panels from surplus Dutch sheep wool, urban-mining precast concrete, and demountable bolted-steel frameworks. Material innovations such as Pretty Plastic (recycled plastic facade tiles) have been commercialized via a co-founded separate entity. The practice runs the ACT (Architecture & Circular Thinking) research group at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture and publishes work including the forthcoming 'Architects with Attitudes' book.

Revenue is generated on a project-based professional services model: fees are earned through competitive public tenders (notably for municipal and central-government clients such as Gemeente Amsterdam, Gemeente Utrecht, Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, WoonFriesland) and direct commissions from cultural institutions, housing corporations, and private clients. Go-to-market is sales-led and referral-driven; recognition is built via awards, university lecturing (TU Delft, Cornell, Norman Foster Foundation), and architectural publications rather than paid marketing. The firm is privately held, has no external institutional funding, and does not publicly disclose revenue.

Name

bureau SLA - we are architects

Legal name

bureau SLA

Website

https://bureausla.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bureau SLA is a privately held Dutch architecture firm headquartered in Zaandam that designs circular, biobased buildings and public spaces, serving Dutch municipalities, housing corporations, cultural institutions, and private developers through competitive tenders and direct commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zaandam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Architectural design services: Bureau SLA earns revenue through fees for architectural design services on commissioned projects, ranging from public buildings (municipal, cultural, housing) to private commissions. Revenue is project-based, driven by competitive tender wins and direct client commissions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

bureau SLA is an architecture firm that designs and realizes architectural projects with a focus on circular, biobased and adaptive buildings and spaces. The firm delivers architectural design services for public, cultural, residential, and community buildings using circular materials (hempcrete, reclaimed timber, recycled plastics, urban-mined concrete, reused stone) and demountable construction systems. Services are acquired through competitive public tenders and direct commissions from municipalities, housing corporations, cultural institutions, and private developers.

Product overview

Bureau SLA is an architecture firm that designs, invents, and builds projects across the Netherlands. Their portfolio spans multiple building typologies and focus areas: biobased construction (using materials like hempcrete, timber, and recycled plastics), circular economy principles (borrowed materials, reusable systems), social housing, cultural facilities, community spaces, and sustainable residential design. Key named projects/products include: the BeHagen biobased social housing project, A11 Hembrug transformation, Cultural Centre Berlijnplein, Biobased Artist-in-Residence Rotterdam, People's Pavilion, Co-living Oosterwold, Marineterrein 27E, Pavilion Café Muiderslot, Metta Vihara Buddhist Meditation Centre, and the Municipal Yard Office Building. The firm also co-developed and co-owns Pretty Plastic, a commercial circular facade tile product made from recycled plastic. Their research group ACT published the book 'Architects with Attitudes'. The firm emphasizes circularity, sustainability, and innovative material use across all projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biobased Artist-in-Residence Rotterdam A two-attached residence building for dancers, poets and theatre-makers in Rotterdam, constructed almost entirely from bio-based materials using lime-hemp (hempcrete) prefab elements. The load-bearing walls provide insulation, breathability, and moisture regulation in a single material layer.
• Pretty Plastic Circular facade tiles made from recycled plastic household waste. Developed by Peter van Assche as a co-founder of Pretty Plastic; tiles are sold commercially for building facades.
• BeHagen Biobased Social Housing Biobased and nature-inclusive social housing project in Leeuwarden Nieuw Oud Oost. 50 social rental homes using 85% biobased building materials with nature walls designed as habitats for plants and animals.
• A11 Hembrug Transformation Transformation of a century-old military workshop (1916-1921) into a building combining residences and workspaces for 8 households on the Hembrug terrain in Zaanstad.
• Cultural Centre Berlijnplein Circular culture cluster in Utrecht Leidsche Rijn Centrum comprising approximately 9,200 m² of cultural facilities with urban mining precast concrete framework and circular facade materials.
• People's Pavilion 100% borrowed materials pavilion for Dutch Design Week 2017, where all building materials were returned after the event without damage. Construction without screws, glue, drills or saws.
• Co-living Oosterwold (Bosveld) Self-sufficient community of 9 dwellings in Almere Oosterwold using prefab timber construction elements with customisable window placement and helophyte wastewater filtration.
• Marineterrein 27E Transformation of a 1962 concrete shell building on Amsterdam's naval base into a public building for the Dutch presidency of the EU in 2016.
• Pavilion Café Muiderslot Wooden pavilion café for Muiderslot Castle in Muiden, designed as a contemporary garden room, fully demountable and built according to circular principles, with seating for approximately 70 guests.
• Metta Vihara Buddhist Meditation Centre The first newly-built Buddhist meditation centre in the Netherlands, located in Hengstdijk. Provides 22 beds in 13 bedrooms, meditation hall, library, and dining hall, built with robust raw materials.
• Municipal Yard Office Building (Werven Nieuw-West) Office building for Amsterdam's municipal yard workers designed as a circular building without ecological footprint, using zero energy (solar and geothermal), recycled bolted steel beams, and facade made from stones found on location.
• Noorderparkbar Café pavilion in Amsterdam North constructed entirely from second-hand materials sourced via Marktplaats (Dutch e-Bay), designed with a low budget while maintaining distinctive aesthetic appeal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Buildings designed to operate without finite energy sources — using solar power and geothermal heating/cooling
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BAM WonencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Construction company that partnered with bureau SLA to win the Builders' Competition for biobased and nature-inclusive building in Leeuwarden Nieuw Oud Oost (beHagen project). Uses the BAM Flow industrial timber home system, assembled in 1 day.
• Bureau BiotacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ecology and landscape design firm collaborating with bureau SLA on the beHagen biobased social housing project in Leeuwarden.
• Landscape CollectedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Landscape architecture firm collaborating on the beHagen project, integrating nature-inclusive design in Leeuwarden.
• Site PracticecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Architecture and urbanism practice collaborating with bureau SLA on the beHagen project in Leeuwarden, winning the Builders' Competition for biobased building.
• Pieter S. Jansma (Ecologist)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Ecologist providing expertise on the beHagen project for nature-inclusive design and ecosystem integration in Leeuwarden.
• Ninja ZurheidecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Interior designer collaborating with bureau SLA on the studio space design within A11 Hembrug. Ninja Zurheide also handled construction management. The project won the Frame Awards Gold and multiple other recognitions.
• Hollands Wol CollectiefminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Transforms surplus Dutch sheep wool (otherwise incinerated) into felt acoustic wall panels used in bureau SLA's studio interior at A11 Hembrug.
• WoonFrieslandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Social housing corporation that commissioned the beHagen project through the Builders' Competition, providing 50 social rental homes in Leeuwarden Nieuw Oud Oost.
• College van Rijksadviseurs (CRa)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Board of Government Advisors co-organized the Builders' Competition for biobased and nature-inclusive building in Leeuwarden, which bureau SLA's team won.
• A&E ExpominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Supplied and milled 300 m2 of CLT panels from the Audi pavilion at the Munich International Automobile Exhibition, which were repurposed as wall panels, cabinets, and doors in bureau SLA's studio.
• InbocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Architecture firm collaborating with bureau SLA on the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein project in Utrecht, contributing to the multidisciplinary design team for the circa 9,200 m2 circular culture cluster.
• Overtreders WcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Architecture firm that has collaborated with bureau SLA on multiple projects including the People's Pavilion (Dutch Design Week 2017) and the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein. Known for hands-on, circular design approaches.
• WoonpionierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Housing innovation firm collaborating with bureau SLA on the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein project for Utrecht Municipality.
• Boom LandscapeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Landscape architecture firm collaborating on the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein project, responsible for the design of nearly one hectare of public space.
• Vink BouwcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Developer and intended builder for the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein project in Utrecht. Vink Bouw is the developer and contractor for the approximately 9,200 m2 culture cluster.
• Overtreders WcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Architecture firm collaborating with bureau SLA on the Pavilion Café Muiderslot project, along with architectural historian Marieke Berkers and landscape architect Joost Emmerik.
• Academie van Bouwkunst Amsterdam (ACT Research Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Peter van Assche was lector of Architecture & Circular Thinking (ACT) research group at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture from 2019 to 2025. The group, including research fellows Gerjan Streng and Laura van Santen, explored architectural possibilities of a new material paradigm and published 'Architects with Attitudes' (NAi010, 2026).
• Dun Agro Hemp GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Hemp construction specialist from Oude Pekela that supplied the prefabricated hempcrete (kalkhennep) elements for the Biobased Artist-in-Residence project in Rotterdam.
• Stukadoorsbedrijf Charles ThuijlsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Clay plaster specialist from Zwanenburg that provided clay plaster finishing for the interior of the Biobased Artist-in-Residence in Rotterdam.
• Verhoeven Bouw 'tcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Main contractor for the Biobased Artist-in-Residence project in Rotterdam, building the hempcrete prefab structure.
• Lenco Zelfbouw SupportminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Construction supervision partner for the Biobased Artist-in-Residence project, based in Delft.
• Pretty Plastic (co-founded entity)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2019Co-founded and co-owned by Peter van Assche, Pretty Plastic commercializes the circular plastic recycled facade tile technology developed at bureau SLA. The tiles won multiple international awards and are sold via prettyplastic.nl.
• NAP ingenieursminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Structural engineering partner for the A11 Hembrug transformation project in Zaandam.
• Pieters BouwtechniekminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Structural engineer for the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein project.
• ArupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Structural engineering partner for the People's Pavilion at Dutch Design Week 2017, providing engineering expertise for the 100% borrowed materials construction.
• New Horizon (Urban Mining)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Urban mining advisor for the People's Pavilion, providing expertise on circular material sourcing and lending.
• Ham & SybesmacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Main builder for the People's Pavilion, constructing the 100% borrowed materials structure in Eindhoven.
• Projectmanagementbureau Gemeente AmsterdamminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Project management consultancy for the municipal yard office building (Werven Nieuw-West) in Amsterdam.
• Adviesbureau VanderWeeleminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Sustainability consultant for the Werven Nieuw-West project in Amsterdam, providing sustainability and circularity expertise.
• De Ingenieursgroep BVminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Structural engineer for the municipal yard office building (Werven Nieuw-West), Amsterdam.
• Target Bouwkosten NVBKminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Quantity surveyor for the municipal yard office building (Werven Nieuw-West), Amsterdam.
• Prins BouwcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2014Main contractor for the Marineterrein 27E transformation project in Amsterdam, completed in 2016 for the Dutch EU Presidency.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Overtreders W: Dutch architecture firm with a shared circular and biobased design ethos; a recurring collaboration partner on the People's Pavilion (Dutch Design Week 2017), Cultural Centre Berlijnplein, and Pavilion Café Muiderslot. Closest direct peer in size, approach, and Dutch cultural-institution client base.
• DUS Architects: Dutch architecture firm with a strong focus on sustainable, circular, and biobased construction. Comparable to bureau SLA in scale, geography, and explicit circular-design practice.
• ZUS (Zones Urbaines Sensibles): Dutch architecture and urban design practice known for sustainable, future-proof public projects. Comparable to bureau SLA in scale, Dutch public-sector focus, and emphasis on adaptive, long-lifecycle design.
• Inbo: Major Dutch architecture firm that collaborated with bureau SLA on the Cultural Centre Berlijnplein project. Comparable in working on Dutch municipal commissions and cultural buildings, though with a broader and larger portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): International architecture firm known for sustainability-led and innovative projects. Much larger and broader than bureau SLA, but a comparable public-facing brand and emphasis on design innovation in sustainability.
• MVRDV: Major Dutch architecture firm known for innovation including sustainability- and data-driven design. Significantly larger than bureau SLA but a comparable Dutch public-sector peer with innovation-led positioning.
• Powerhouse Company: Dutch architecture firm focused on energy-positive and sustainable buildings. Comparable sustainability ethos but with a broader typology and a larger team than bureau SLA.
• cepezed: Dutch architecture firm with proprietary demountable and circular building systems (e.g., 'demountable construction' framework). Larger and broader portfolio than bureau SLA, but overlapping circular-construction ethos and Dutch public-sector focus.
• Snøhetta: International architecture firm with a strong portfolio of sustainable and culturally significant projects. Shares bureau SLA's emphasis on material storytelling and contextual design, but operates globally at much larger scale.
• Mecanoo: One of the largest Dutch architecture firms with a deep portfolio of public, cultural, and residential buildings, many with sustainability features. A broader incumbent working on the same Dutch public-sector tender landscape as bureau SLA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bureau-sla---we-are-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/bureausla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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