Sa_partners
sa_partners is a Swiss urban design and territorial planning firm in Zürich that delivers integrated planning, urban design, and architecture services primarily to public sector clients across Switzerland and international markets including Azerbaijan and Georgia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sa_partners does
sa_partners (legal entity: sapartners Kovari + Kovari GmbH) is a Swiss urban design and territorial planning agency headquartered at Dufourstrasse 95, Zürich. Founded by Thomas and Dunja Kovari in 2007, the firm offers integrated services across urban design and planning, participation and dialogue, consulting and support, and research and evaluation, delivered through its proprietary 'End-to-End Urbanism' methodology that links masterplanning to architectural implementation. Its core clients are public sector entities — Swiss municipalities, cantons, and federal authorities, alongside international government clients, most notably the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan (SCUPA), for which sa_partners is leading the post-conflict reconstruction of three cities in the East Zangezur region (Zangilan, Kalbajar, Qubadli).
The firm operates an internal research unit called Spacelab that produces publications and evaluations, and it maintains a project portfolio spanning mixed-use development, placemaking, urban climate solutions, and future-cities planning. It pursues a sales-led, project-based business model, winning work through competitive Swiss public-sector tenders and international competitions (e.g., the Officine Bellinzona 'Porta del Ticino' masterplan consortium win and a new Georgia mountain resort mandate). Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the firm holds no parent company or subsidiaries. Strategic priorities are evidenced by recent international expansion (Georgia, Uzbekistan exploration), growing associate-team capacity, and a stack of international awards including the Temel Architecture Award (2024, 2026) and the National Award for Architecture (2023).
Sa_partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sa_partners
- Legal name
- sapartners Kovari + Kovari GmbH
- Website
- https://sapartners.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- sa_partners is a Swiss urban design and territorial planning firm in Zürich that delivers integrated planning, urban design, and architecture services primarily to public sector clients across Switzerland and international markets including Azerbaijan and Georgia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sa_partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Planning & Architectural Design Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Real Estate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) & Infrastructure-Adjacent Real Estate Advisory (BPAJANAL)
Keywords
Where Sa_partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sa_partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Planning and Consulting Services: Project-based professional services for urban planning, spatial development, and strategic consulting to public sector clients and municipalities
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Sa_partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sa_partners is a Swiss urban design and territorial planning agency that delivers integrated services combining urban planning, urban design, and architecture from masterplan concept through to architectural implementation. Core offerings include Städtebau & Planung (Urban Design & Planning), Partizipation & Dialog (Participation & Dialogue), Beratung & Begleitung (Consulting & Support), and Forschung & Evaluation (Research & Evaluation) delivered through its Spacelab research think tank.
Product overview
Sa_partners is a Swiss urban design and planning agency offering integrated services that unite planning, urban design, and architecture. Their core service offerings include Urban Design & Planning (Städtebau & Planung), Participation & Dialogue (Partizipation & Dialog), Consulting & Support (Beratung & Begleitung), and Research & Evaluation (Forschung & Evaluation). They operate through a dedicated think tank called Spacelab for urban and societal research. Their work spans mixed-use development, placemaking, urban climate solutions, and future cities planning. They apply an 'End-to-End Urbanism' methodology, taking projects from masterplan concept through to architectural implementation. Projects are delivered across scales from territorial concepts to neighbourhood developments, with particular focus on site-specific solutions and sustainability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Spacelab: Thinktank and research division of sa_partners focused on urban and societal research, project evaluation, and knowledge-based visualizations
Products and services
- Städtebau & Planung (Urban Design & Planning) Comprehensive urban design and territorial planning services spanning from overall spatial concepts to legal planning implementation, integrating planning, urban design, and architecture for municipalities, cantons, and federal clients.
- Partizipation & Dialog (Participation & Dialogue) Interdisciplinary development and dialogue-based services covering conception and guidance of participatory processes, communication, and public relations for planning projects. Designed for public sector clients needing community acceptance.
- Beratung & Begleitung (Consulting & Support) Strategic consulting for authorities, administrations, associations, and private clients, providing coordination and support of complex planning projects with focus on sustainability, climate, and social change.
- Forschung & Evaluation (Research & Evaluation) via Spacelab Urban and societal research, project and process evaluations for federal, cantonal, and city institutions, synthesizing findings into reports and knowledge-based visualizations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully delivered post-conflict reconstruction of three destroyed cities in Azerbaijan
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sa_partners
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sa_partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sa_partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TAMassociaticoreCollaboration partner on the international competition for Officine Bellinzona master plan. The transnational team led by sa_partners developed the 'Porta del Ticino' masterplan for transformation of the historic industrial area into a green urban living laboratory.
- Studio Franco GiorgiettacoreCollaboration partner on the international competition for Officine Bellinzona master plan, contributing to the comprehensive transformation of Bellinzona's industrial center.
- GoldercoreCollaboration partner on the international competition for Officine Bellinzona master plan, part of the international team developing the masterplan.
- ArchiCO Engineering CompanycoreLocal partner in Azerbaijan for cable car project and wider South Caucasus projects. Collaborated on adapting alpine expertise to local conditions, identities and ambitions for the cable car project.
- State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan (SCUPA)corePrimary client and strategic partner for post-conflict urban reconstruction in Azerbaijan. Commissioned sa_partners in 2021 to rebuild three cities in the East Zangezur region: Zangilan, Kalbajar and Qubadli.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sa_partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hosoya Schaefer Architects: Zurich-based architecture and urban planning practice with comparable scale and Swiss focus. Both firms work at the intersection of masterplanning, urban design, and architectural implementation for public-sector clients.
- KCAP: Rotterdam/Düsseldorf-based urban planning and architecture firm specializing in large-scale masterplans, mixed-use districts, and European public-sector mandates. Directly comparable in offering, scale, and European public-sector focus.
- Steiger Concept: Swiss landscape architecture and urban design firm specializing in participatory planning and public-space design. Closely comparable in service mix (landscape + participation + urban design) and Swiss public-sector focus, though smaller scale.
- Balliana Schubert Landschaftsarchitekten: Swiss landscape architecture practice engaged in urban green-space planning and public-sector commissions. Comparable Swiss base and overlap on climate-adaptive urban green design and participatory planning methodologies.
Broad incumbents
- MVRDV: Dutch architecture and urban design firm with global masterplanning practice. Larger and more internationally diversified, but operates in the same urban design + architecture space with comparable methodology of integrated masterplan-to-implementation delivery.
- Snøhetta: Norwegian architecture, landscape, and urban design practice. Comparable integrated landscape + urban planning approach and a strong public-sector and cultural-mandate portfolio, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture and urban design firm with major masterplanning commissions. Overlaps with sa_partners on integrated urban planning and architecture, but at significantly larger scale and broader typology coverage.
Regional players
- Burckhardt+Partner: Major Swiss architecture firm with strong public-sector and urban planning work across Switzerland. Comparable Swiss base and municipal/cantonal client profile, though significantly larger headcount and broader building typology coverage.
- HPP Architects: German architecture and urban planning firm with comparable engagement on masterplans and public-sector urban development. Operates in the broader DACH region but at a much larger scale than sa_partners.
- Max Dudler: German architecture and urban planning firm with European public-sector portfolio. Comparable in design-led urban mandate focus but centered on building-scale architecture rather than territorial masterplanning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sa_partners social profiles
Digital presenceSa_partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sa_partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sa_partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sa_partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sa_partners
What does Sa_partners do?
Sa_partners is a Swiss urban design and territorial planning agency that delivers integrated services combining urban planning, urban design, and architecture from masterplan concept through to architectural implementation. Core offerings include Städtebau & Planung (Urban Design & Planning), Partizipation & Dialog (Participation & Dialogue), Beratung & Begleitung (Consulting & Support), and Forschung & Evaluation (Research & Evaluation) delivered through its Spacelab research think tank.
Is Sa_partners a public or private company?
Sa_partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sa_partners founded?
Sa_partners was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sa_partners based?
Sa_partners is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Sa_partners make money?
One revenue line is on record: planning and Consulting Services.
Who are Sa_partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hosoya Schaefer Architects, KCAP, Steiger Concept and Balliana Schubert Landschaftsarchitekten. Broad incumbents are MVRDV, Snøhetta and BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). Regional players are Burckhardt+Partner, HPP Architects and Max Dudler.
Does Sa_partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sa_partners.
What industry is Sa_partners in?
Sa_partners's product category is Urban Planning & Architectural Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAO, Community Engagement & Participatory Planning, with a secondary code of BPAJANAL, Real Estate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) & Infrastructure-Adjacent Real Estate Advisory. Its NAICS code is 54132 and its SIC code is 8742.