What Studio Nauta B.v. does

Studio Nauta B.v. is a Rotterdam-headquartered architecture and design studio founded in 2012 by Jan Nauta (Benjamin Filbey joined as partner in July 2025), operating under the slogan 'More with Less.' The practice delivers fee-based architectural design services spanning residential, educational, civic, infrastructure, and urban design typologies, with technical differentiation centered on low-tech construction methodology, adaptive reuse, and biobased building techniques—primarily engineered timber (CLT/glulam), rammed earth, and circular reuse of existing structures and materials. Notable technical approaches include Paris Proof station design (Lantern for a Station, Zwolle), hybrid glulam/CLT skeleton frames designed for adaptability and extension, and integrated biobased material strategies deployed at neighborhood scale.

The firm serves a diversified mix of public and private clients in the Netherlands and Belgium, including municipalities (Zwolle, Dordrecht, Groningen, Gouda, Leeuwarden, City of Antwerp), housing associations (Eigen Haard, Havensteder), developers (Schipper Bosch, Did Vastgoedontwikkeling, OPEN Development, MWPO), infrastructure operators (ProRail), and educational institutions (PCBO Leeuwarden, Sinne Kinderopvang). Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees on individually commissioned work, acquired primarily through open and invited design competitions, direct commissions from repeat clients, and partnership networks with peer architecture practices and landscape architects. With 14 team members and over 50 projects completed or underway across residential, educational, civic, infrastructure, and research typologies, the studio has scaled from a founder-led atelier to a partner-level practice, evidenced by recent large-scale housing commissions (288 timber social housing units in Amsterdam, 700 homes in Diemen, 130 homes in Zwolle, 220+ homes in Gouda) and award recognition including the Abe Bonnema Prize (2018) and Vredeman de Vries Prize (2023).

Name

Studio Nauta B.v.

Legal name

Studio Nauta B.v.

Website

https://studionauta.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio Nauta is a Rotterdam-based architecture studio founded in 2012 that designs residential, educational, civic, and infrastructure projects across the Netherlands and Belgium, specializing in low-tech, biobased construction (timber, rammed earth, reuse) for municipalities, housing associations, developers, and public clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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. Architecture and Design Services: Fee-based professional services for architectural design, urban design, and spatial planning projects across residential, educational, civic, and infrastructure typologies

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Studio Nauta B.v. is a Rotterdam-based architectural practice that delivers fee-based design services across residential, educational, civic, cultural, and infrastructure typologies. The studio emphasizes a 'More with Less' philosophy, focusing on low-tech solutions, reuse of existing structures, biobased construction (CLT, glulam, rammed earth), and long-term sustainability. It operates through design competitions, invited tenders, and direct commissions from municipalities, housing associations, developers, and institutional clients.

Product overview

Studio Nauta B.v. is a Rotterdam-based architectural practice founded in 2012, offering architectural design services across residential, educational, infrastructure, urban design, and research domains. The practice operates under a 'More with Less' philosophy, emphasizing low-tech solutions, reuse of existing structures and materials, biobased construction, and long-term sustainability. Their portfolio spans individual house projects (such as House by the Lake, House in the Woods, House by the River) to larger institutional and infrastructure projects (School by a School, Lantern for a Station, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp). The firm also engages in research and exhibition work, including publications on architecture and exhibitions such as Room for Learning? and the Public Occasion Agency book series. Studio Nauta has been recognized with awards including the Abe Bonnema Prize and Vredeman de Vries Prize.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Core architectural design services spanning residential, educational, infrastructure, urban design, and research projects. Emphasizes low-tech, sustainable solutions with focus on reuse of existing structures and biobased construction techniques for clients including municipalities, housing associations, and developers.
• Residential Architecture Design of private residential projects including individual houses, home renovations, and large-scale housing developments such as Garden with Housing, House by the Lake, and 288 timber social housing units in Amsterdam.
• Educational Architecture Design of schools, children's daycare centres, and educational facilities including new construction, renovation, and adaptive integration of childcare. Notable projects include School by a School (Leeuwarden) and Schools in a Park (Dordrecht).
• Urban Design and Master Planning Large-scale urban development and master planning services including De Nieuwe Veenmarkt (Zwolle), Harthof (Groningen), Diemen Hout (700 homes), and mixed-use regeneration projects.
• Cultural and Civic Architecture Design of libraries, community centres, civic buildings, and cultural facilities such as Library for a Garden (Borgerhout, Antwerp) and the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (MHKA) competition entry.
• Infrastructure Architecture Design of transportation infrastructure and public realm improvements including the Lantern for a Station (Zwolle station redesign) conceived within a strict Paris Proof CO2 framework.
• Research and Exhibition Curation Architectural research, exhibitions, and publications including the Cedric Price 'Room for Learning?' exhibition, Dynamics of Time, and Public Occasion Agency publications.

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Pieter Bedaux (Nauta Bedaux)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Long-standing partnership with Pieter Bedaux. Joint ventures include Library for a Garden in Borgerhout (Antwerp), Firestation for a Port, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp competition entry, and Wilgenstraat children's and community centre commission in Antwerp.
• Feilden FowlesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2024Partnership for MHKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp) competition. Studio Nauta and Feilden Fowles shortlisted to design 22,000m² contemporary art gallery for Flemish Government.
• Mulder ZonderlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2023Frequent collaboration on large-scale housing and urban projects including De Nieuwe Veenmarkt (Zwolle), De Kazerne (Gouda), Harthof (Groningen), and other developments.
• Joost EmmerikcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Landscape architecture partner for numerous projects including De Nieuwe Veenmarkt, Garden with Housing, De Kazerne, Harthof, and other projects requiring integrated landscape design.
• Wirtz InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Landscape architecture collaboration for Library for a Garden project in Borgerhout, Antwerp.
• OPEN DevelopmentmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Development partner for De Kazerne redevelopment project in Gouda - 220+ home residential transformation.
• Multiple MunicipalitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal clients including Groningen, Zwolle, Dordrecht, Gouda, Leeuwarden commissioning various civic, housing, and educational projects.
• Multiple DeveloperscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReal estate development partners commissioning residential and mixed-use projects.
• Multiple SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational institution clients commissioning school renovations and new facilities.
• Chief Government Architect's OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Dutch Chief Government Architect on civic projects and design competitions.
• ProRailmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClient for Zwolle Station competition win - lantern entrance hall and platform canopies designed as Paris Proof station.
• Eigen HaardmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHousing association client for 288 timber social housing units in Amsterdam Zuidoost.
• HavenstedermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHousing association commissioning social housing projects.
• AG VespamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAntwerp municipal real estate agency commissioning Library for a Garden project.
• De Zwarte HondmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture practice collaboration on School by a School project in Leeuwarden and other educational projects.
• Schipper BoschmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDevelopment partner for Garden with Housing project in Amersfoort and other sustainable housing developments.
• Flemish GovernmentmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClient for Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (MHKA) competition and other Flemish public projects.
• Samantha HardinghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic and curatorial collaboration on Cedric Price exhibitions including Room for Learning (WUHO Gallery LA), Dynamics of Time (Maastricht), and Wish We Were Here (Architectural Association).
• Scrap MarshallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner for Public Occasion Agency (POA 1-22) and ongoing collaboration on exhibitions and publications.
• TU DelftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution where Jan Nauta has taught; studio on Food and Education.
• Architectural Association School of ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaching and exhibition partnership including jury participation for Experimental 11.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MVRDV: Rotterdam-based architecture practice with comparable typology breadth (residential, civic, cultural, urban) and a shared Dutch design-competition culture. Both firms target sustainability-led, large-scale built work in the Netherlands and abroad, making MVRDV the closest scale-comparable peer.
• Powerhouse Company: Rotterdam-headquartered architecture practice with a similar focus on sustainable, design-led residential and mixed-use projects. Comparable technology/market positioning around timber and biobased construction, and overlapping Dutch client set.
• SeARCH: Dutch architecture firm with residential, civic and competition-led project profile. Comparable size and engagement model with Studio Nauta, also active in design competitions for Dutch public clients.
• Mecanoo: Established Dutch architecture firm with deep public-sector and housing-association credentials, including libraries, schools and civic buildings. Directly comparable because it competes with Studio Nauta on municipal/housing commissions in the Netherlands and on cultural commissions internationally.
• NL Architects: Amsterdam-based architecture office known for innovative public, residential and mixed-use buildings and recurring competition wins. Comparable typology breadth and Dutch competition-led go-to-market approach.
• ZUS (Zones Urbaines Sensibles): Rotterdam-based practice specializing in urban regeneration, adaptive reuse, and architecture for public clients. Closely matches Studio Nauta's civic/urban projects (e.g., Harthof car-park transformation, library and courtyard typologies) and Dutch municipal tender activity.
• Benthem Crouwel Architects: Dutch practice with strong civic, transportation and public-building portfolio, including station and infrastructure projects in the Netherlands. Directly comparable because it competes in the same Dutch public-procurement arena as Studio Nauta (e.g., ProRail-adjacent commissions).

Broad incumbents

• OMA / Office for Metropolitan Architecture: Rotterdam-based global architecture firm that defines the upper-tier of Dutch practice. An incumbent benchmark for competition culture and cultural-civic commissions (e.g., museum equivalents to MHKA), though materially larger and international in scope.
• de Architekten Cie. Long-established Amsterdam architecture firm with a broad public-sector and housing portfolio. Comparable typology (housing, civic, urban) and municipal client overlap, but substantially larger and more diversified than Studio Nauta.

Emerging players

• Studio Drift: Amsterdam-based Dutch design practice working at the intersection of architecture, art and research with international exhibitions. Comparable peer-of-record on research/exhibition components of Studio Nauta's portfolio (Venice Biennale, Architectural Association), though primarily art-and-installation rather than built architecture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studio-nauta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studio Nauta B.v.