diefabrik

What diefabrik does

DIEfabrik GmbH is a privately held architecture firm founded in 2020 and headquartered in Oldenburg, Germany. The firm delivers architectural planning services across the full German HOAI Leistungsphasen (service phases 1-9), covering new construction, renovation and adaptive reuse, interior design, urban planning concepts, and competition entries for residential, commercial, industrial, healthcare, government, hospitality, educational, and cultural clients across Germany. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on individual project commissions under HOAI fee structures, supplemented by competition-based client acquisition.

The firm's core technical differentiator is its integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows with proprietary software tools and digital fabrication. SPB (Systemisches Planen & Bauen) is an internally developed parametric system using evolutionary algorithms to generate optimized residential building layouts and BIM-ready models from target parameters. eCO2 is a sustainability decision-support tool jointly developed with Störmer Murphy and Partners and Jim Bögershausen, enabling comparison of construction costs and CO2 footprints of alternative methods in early design phases. The firm also operates digital fabrication capabilities (CNC, 3D printing, robotics) and VR/AR visualization, and participates in the "einfach BIM" open BIM cooperation network alongside HZDR, WPW Leipzig, and HTWK Leipzig.

The firm is led by managing directors Nils Klatte and Jakob Melchert, both M.A. Architekten and co-founding members of the predecessor entity architekturfabrik (2015). Operations follow a network-based collaborative model combining architects, designers, technicians, and computer scientists, with project teams assembled per engagement. Geographic footprint spans Oldenburg, Berlin, Bremen, Hannover, Emden, Detmold, Schönefeld, and Bernau bei Berlin, with no disclosed international operations. No external funding rounds have been disclosed; the firm operates as an independent GmbH under German law.

Name

diefabrik

Legal name

DIEfabrik GmbH

Website

https://diefab.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

DIEfabrik GmbH is a German architecture firm founded in 2020 in Oldenburg that delivers HOAI-compliant architectural planning across residential, commercial, industrial, government, and cultural segments, distinguished by proprietary generative design software (SPB), an eCO2 sustainability tool, BIM workflows, and in-house digital fabrication capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Drafting Services (541340), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• BIM workflow planning
• Residential architecture planning
• Digital fabrication architecture
• Generative building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture Design Services: Project-based architectural design services covering the full spectrum of German HOAI (Honorary Order of German Architects) Leistungsphasen (service phases 1-9). Services include new construction, renovation/adaptive reuse, interior design, urban planning concepts, and competition entries. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on individual client commissions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DIEfabrik provides architectural planning and design services across residential, commercial, healthcare, public, educational, and hospitality sectors in Germany. The firm combines traditional architecture (covering HOAI service phases 1-9) with proprietary digital tools including the SPB generative design software, the eCO2 sustainability assessment tool, BIM-based workflows, VR/AR visualization, and digital fabrication (CNC, 3D printing, robotics) for architectural models and components.

Product overview

DIEfabrik GmbH is an architecture firm founded in 2020 in Oldenburg, Germany, offering a comprehensive portfolio of architectural services and digital planning technologies. The core offering combines traditional architecture planning (residential, commercial, cultural buildings) with advanced digital tools. Key products include SPB (Systemisches Planen & Bauen) - a parametric building design software using evolutionary algorithms, eCO2 - a sustainability assessment tool for CO2 and cost comparison, einfach BIM - an open BIM methodology network, and digital fabrication capabilities including robotics, 3D printing, and VR/AR visualization. The company positions technology as a tool to support daily work, with planning and visualization conducted primarily in 3D models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architekturplanung (Architecture Planning) Comprehensive architectural services including new construction, renovation and adaptive reuse, interior design, urban planning concepts, and competition entries for residential, commercial, industrial, cultural, educational, and government clients across Germany.
• SPB (Systemisches Planen & Bauen) Proprietary parametric software that optimizes residential building design using evolutionary algorithms, generating 3D architecture models from target parameters (building dimensions, apartment mix) with BIM-ready outputs including DIN 276 cost estimates, area calculations, and automatic component lists.
• eCO2 Sustainability assessment tool that compares construction costs and CO2 footprints of alternative construction methods and materials in early design phases (competition through LP 3), integrating existing software solutions without disrupting established workflows.
• Robotik (Robotics) Digital manufacturing service using CNC, 3D printing, and robotics combined with traditional model-making to create architectural representations from small-scale city models to detailed architectural models and 1:1 objects, including complex spherical and non-Euclidean geometries.
• 3D-Druck (3D Printing) Additive manufacturing technology for creating physical architectural models and representations of building designs, supporting client communication and design verification.
• einfach BIM Open BIM-based working methodology and interdisciplinary cooperation network developing general-purpose, practice-oriented open BIM workflows across the entire building lifecycle, including procurement of planning and construction services, digital modelling guidelines, and BIM2Field integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• SPB generates optimized building layout variants in 2-3 minutes, enabling rapid iteration and comparison of design alternatives
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Störmer Murphy and PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint development of the eCO2 tool for comparing construction costs and CO2 footprints of alternative construction methods in early design phases. The tool integrates existing software solutions to enable architects and project developers to make data-driven sustainability decisions from competition phase through LP 3.
• Jim BögershausencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Co-developer of the eCO2 tool, specializing in digitization in construction. Contributed digitalization expertise to the development of the sustainability decision-support tool.
• einfach BIM Cooperation NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Interdisciplinary open BIM cooperation network initiated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and WPW Leipzig GmbH. DIEfabrik participates as a member developing general-purpose open BIM workflows across the building lifecycle. Scientific accompaniment by HTWK Leipzig.
• BRAUNLOCHER ARCHITEKTENminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019Joint participation in the BGD competition for Big Dutchman, winning 1st place for the design of a new reception and administration building.
• GSP ArchitektenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Cooperation with GSP Architekten on the HZA project for the Hauptzollamt Oldenburg in Emden. DIEfabrik produced the execution planning (Leistungsphase 5) for the project, working from a 3D building model.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barkow Leibinger: Berlin/New York architecture firm that explicitly combines computational design, robotics, and fabrication in project work. Comparable to DIEfabrik for its interdisciplinary practice merging architecture with computer science and digital manufacturing.
• Werner Sobek: Stuttgart-based engineering, architecture, and design firm known for technology-driven, sustainability-focused building design. Directly comparable to DIEfabrik for its integration of parametric design, digital fabrication, and CO2-conscious early-phase design tools into architectural practice.
• Störmer Murphy and Partners: Hamburg-based architecture and urban design firm with explicit focus on sustainability and digital planning tools. Most directly comparable peer — already partnered with DIEfabrik on the eCO2 tool — and serves the same northern German client base with comparable BIM and CO2-assessment capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• COOP HIMMELB(L)AU: Vienna-based architecture firm recognized for technology-forward, experimental design and complex geometry. Comparable for its emphasis on digital design methods and competition-driven project acquisition, though at significantly greater scale.
• Heinle, Wischer und Partner: Established German architecture firm with strong public-sector and developer relationships, particularly in northern and eastern Germany where DIEfabrik also operates. Comparable as a scaled competitor in the same regional market.
• gmp Architekten: One of Germany's largest architectural practices, active across public infrastructure, transport, cultural, and commercial buildings. Comparable as the type of large incumbent DIEfabrik must compete against in major German competitions.
• HPP Architekten: Large, established German architecture firm operating across residential, public, healthcare, and commercial segments. Comparable as a much larger incumbent competing for the same German client segments and public tenders, but without DIEfabrik's proprietary tooling focus.
• KSP Architekten: Major German architectural practice with broad coverage of public, commercial, and residential building types. Comparable as a competing domestic incumbent for German public-sector and developer commissions.

Emerging players

• Snøhetta: Norway-headquartered interdisciplinary design practice combining architecture, landscape, and digital tools. Comparable as a peer that uses technology and computational design as a core differentiator in architecture, though at global scale.
• UNStudio: Amsterdam-based network-style architecture firm with proprietary parametric design tooling (e.g., UNSense). Comparable to DIEfabrik for the combination of network working, technology investment, and sustainability focus, though with broader geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DIEfabrik.GmbH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diefabrik
• Instagraminstagram.com/diefabrik_gmbh?utm_medium=copy_link

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 diefabrik