What Studio Other Spaces does

Studio Other Spaces is an international architecture and art studio headquartered in Berlin, founded as a GmbH by artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann, with operations traceable to 2011 (formalized as a spun-off entity around 2018). The studio operates at the intersection of art and architecture, producing sculptural installations, museum expansions, cultural pavilions, civic infrastructure, and memorial projects for institutional clients including the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Préfecture de Paris, the Meles Zenawi Foundation, the Serpentine Gallery, Nordea-fonden (City of Copenhagen), and Hirshhorn Museum. Its core technology approach combines parametric design, geometry development, and physical prototyping, anchored by proprietary methods such as the quasi brick module system (developed with mathematician Einar Thorsteinn), ice-formwork concrete construction, and tidal-responsive design; digital tools include virtual reality for project visualization and visitor engagement. Revenue is generated project-by-project through direct commissions, architectural competitions, and institutional invitations (enterprise field sales motion), with a professional services pricing model that is not publicly disclosed. Customers are concentrated in cultural institutions, museums, governments/municipalities, foundations, and selected hospitality clients, with a 25+ project portfolio spanning 12+ countries across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. Strategic partnerships with Henning Larsen Architects, Snøhetta, OMA, ArtEngineering, Vogt Landscape Architects, and Transsolar enable delivery of multi-disciplinary buildings and installations at scales from pavilions to multi-building campus projects.

Name

Studio Other Spaces

Legal name

Studio Other Spaces GmbH

Website

https://studiootherspaces.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studio Other Spaces is a Berlin-based architecture and art studio founded by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann, designing sculptural installations, museum expansions, cultural pavilions, and civic infrastructure through direct commissions from cultural institutions, governments, and foundations worldwide.

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, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: The studio generates revenue through commissions for architectural design, public art installations, museum expansions, cultural pavilions, and civic infrastructure projects. Revenue is project-based, with clients including museums, foundations, municipalities, cultural institutions, and private clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Studio Other Spaces is an international architecture and art studio that provides architectural design services for public buildings, pavilions, museums, memorial parks, cultural institutions, and civic infrastructure at the intersection of art and architecture. Projects are secured through direct commissions, architectural competitions, and institutional invitations, and delivered through design development, physical prototyping, and construction supervision. The studio also curates institutional exhibitions and creates permanent artistic installations.

Product overview

Studio Other Spaces is an international architecture and art studio that functions as a single integrated practice rather than a platform with modular products. The studio offers architectural design services for public buildings, pavilions, museums, memorial parks, restaurants, and cultural institutions, working at the intersection of art and architecture. Their portfolio includes completed projects such as Fjordenhus (Vejle, Denmark), the Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall Facades (Iceland), Common Sky (Buffalo, USA), Cirkelbroen (Copenhagen), and Lyst Restaurant interiors, as well as ongoing projects including the Philharmonie Extension (Berlin), Tidal Museum (Denmark), and Meles Zenawi Memorial Park (Addis Ababa). The studio also curates exhibitions such as 'The Design of Collaboration' at Kunst Meran and creates permanent artistic installations like 'The Seeing City' in Paris. Their design approach emphasizes collaboration, physical prototyping, and the integration of art with architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers9 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Kunst Meran Merano ArtemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Host venue for Studio Other Spaces' first institutional solo exhibition 'The Design of Collaboration', showcasing the studio's working methods and collaborative approach.
• ArtEngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Engineering partner for Common Sky project at Buffalo AKG Art Museum and multiple other studio projects. Provides structural engineering and production design expertise across the studio's portfolio.
• OMA / Shohei ShigematsucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Common Sky is part of OMA's master plan for the Buffalo AKG Art Museum expansion, the most significant campus development in the museum's 160-year history. Studio Other Spaces' canopy connects the historic museum to the adjacent park.
• TranssolarcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Energy engineering partner for Ilulissat Icefjord Park project, providing environmental and energetic concept expertise for the visitor centre and exhibition buildings.
• Vogt Landscape ArchitectsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Landscape architecture partner for Meles Zenawi Memorial Park in Addis Ababa, designing curated gardens along the campus path and landscape concepts for buildings. Also collaborated on Fjordenhus project.
• Fasil Giorghis and Kidus HailesilassiemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Local Ethiopian architects collaborating on Meles Zenawi Memorial Park project. Provided local architectural expertise and context for the Addis Ababa-based memorial and campus.
• Lundgaard & Tranberg ArkitektermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Local Danish architects collaborating on Fjordenhus project in Vejle, Denmark. Served as the Danish architectural partner alongside Studio Olafur Eliasson's design leadership.
• SnøhettamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Co-designed the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2007 with Kjetil Thorsen of Snøhetta. This collaboration represented an early architectural project expanding from artistic practice into architecture.
• Serpentine GallerymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Commissioned the annual Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, a prestigious architectural series. The 2007 pavilion by Eliasson and Thorsen was curated with public events including the Serpentine Gallery Experiment Marathon.
• Henning Larsen ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2005Collaborated on Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre project. Henning Larsen served as the primary architect while Studio Olafur Eliasson designed the distinctive quasi brick facades. This was one of the early architecture-scale projects from Studio Olafur Eliasson that informed the founding of Studio Other Spaces.
• Einar ThorsteinncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2005Mathematician and geometer who developed the quasi brick geometry system in collaboration with Olafur Eliasson. This proprietary space-filling module system became the foundation for the Harpa Reykjavik facades and represents a unique design approach.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Snøhetta: Norwegian architecture firm that co-designed the Serpentine Pavilion 2007 with Olafur Eliasson. Comparable cultural and civic client base, with strong overlap in landmark cultural architecture and Northern European design language.
• Studio Gang: Chicago-based studio of Jeanne Gang, known for art-museum commissions (writers theatre, Natural History Museum addition) and interdisciplinary design. Comparable boutique scale, cultural client focus, and signature public architecture.
• SANAA: Tokyo-based practice of Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, renowned for art museums (New Museum, Louvre-Lens, Grace Farms). Closest comparable peer in terms of museum commissions, lightweight sculptural architecture, and cultural institution focus.
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro: New York-based interdisciplinary studio behind The Shed, The High Line, and The Broad. Comparable art-architecture integration, cultural institution client base, and signature public-realm interventions.
• Studio Olafur Eliasson: The Berlin-based art studio of Olafur Eliasson, which spun off Studio Other Spaces in 2018 to handle the larger architectural commissions. Both work at the intersection of art and architecture, share the same founder, and operate on a project-commission model with cultural institutions worldwide.
• Heatherwick Studio: London-based studio known for art-driven architecture and pavilions (UK Pavilion at Expo 2010, Coal Drops Yard, Little Island). Highly comparable boutique scale, art-architecture integration, and signature public-realm projects for institutional clients.

Broad incumbents

• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Copenhagen/New York architecture firm known for iconic cultural buildings (the LEGO House, Amager Bakke, The Spiral). Larger incumbent with comparable signature civic and cultural architecture profile.
• OMA: Dutch architecture firm that designed the Buffalo AKG masterplan within which Studio Other Spaces delivered the Common Sky canopy. Broader incumbent in cultural and institutional architecture with deeper resources and a wider project portfolio.
• Zaha Hadid Architects: London-based firm known for sculptural museum and cultural architecture (MAXXI, Heydar Aliyev Center, Broad Art Museum). Larger incumbent with comparable sculptural design language and museum client base.
• Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Genoa-based practice renowned for museum architecture (Centre Pompidou, Whitney Museum, California Academy of Sciences). Established incumbent in cultural institution architecture with global reach comparable to SOS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/studiootherspaces
• Xx.com/sos_berlin
• Facebookfacebook.com/studiootherspaces
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studio-other-spaces

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Studio Other Spaces