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MatanP
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Here is the $1$-type case. I assume all spaces are of the homotopy type of CW. Let me write $haut(X)$ (resp. $haut_*(X)$) for the monoid of self-equivalences (resp. pointed ones) to avoid posible confusion with the group-theoretic notation. These spaces have the correct homotopy type by our assumption.

From All Groups are Outer Automorphism Groups of Simple Groups by Droste, Giraudet and Göbel, for every discrete group $G$ we can write $G\cong out(S)$ where $S$ is simple. Recall the exact sequence $0\to Z(S)\to S\to aut(S)\to out(S)\to 0$. If $S$ is abelian we are done, so we can assume $S$ has trivial center.

Looping down the universal fibration with fiber $BS$ we have the homotopy principal fiber sequence $S\to haut_*(BS)\to haut(BS)$ and thus $haut_*(BS)//S\simeq haut(BS)$. But $haut_*(BS)\simeq aut(S)$ and $S\to aut(S)$ is injective so the homotopy quotient $haut_*(BS)//S$ is the (ordinary) quotient $aut(S)/S\cong out(S)\cong G$. Hence, $G\simeq haut(BS)$.

MatanP
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