Bunq

What Bunq does

bunq architectes is a Swiss architecture firm founded in 2006 and headquartered in Nyon, with a secondary office in Corsier. The firm provides comprehensive architectural design services across Swiss Romandie, spanning residential housing (individual houses to large collective developments), public buildings (fire stations, schools, gymnasiums), heritage renovation and elevation, and urban planning. Its portfolio includes 50+ documented projects, with a particular specialization in timber construction, heritage-sensitive renovation of classified buildings, and low-tech sustainable construction methods. Clients comprise Swiss municipalities and communes (Ville de Genève, Commune de Gland, Bernex-Confignon), public institutions (Institution de Lavigny, Ecole Protestante d'Altitude), housing cooperatives (CODHA, Cité-Derrière), and private individuals.

The firm's go-to-market operates through two channels: public architecture competitions mandated by Swiss procurement law — where bunq has secured multiple 1st-prize wins including the Quai Vernets ilot A (516 dwellings, CHF 142 million construction value in partnership with GD architectes) — and direct commissions (mandats directs) for private residential work. On large-scale urban mandates, bunq forms architectural associations with peer firms (GD architectes, Pont12) to deliver projects exceeding its standalone capacity. Revenue derives from professional service fees structured per SIA rate frameworks as a percentage of construction cost or as fixed mandates. The firm also operates bunq'inn, an architecture bookstore and cultural/exhibition space launched in 2019, which functions as a brand and community engagement extension rather than a primary revenue stream.

The firm is led by partners Julien Grisel, Cyril Lecoultre, and Laurent Gaille, with academic affiliations at EPFL and HEPIA. It is privately held with no external investors and has accumulated recognition through Best Architects awards (2019-2025), Prix Lignum 2024 for sustainable wood construction, and Prix Patrimoine Suisse 2026 for heritage renovation. Core technical differentiators are domain specialization in timber/wood structures, expertise in elevating classified heritage buildings using wood frame construction, and a consistent design language demonstrated across project scales from individual houses to 1,200-unit urban developments.

Name

Bunq

Legal name

bunq architectes

Website

https://bunq.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

bunq architectes is a Swiss architecture firm founded in 2006 in Nyon, providing sustainable architecture, timber construction, heritage renovation, and urban planning services to municipalities, public institutions, housing cooperatives, and private individuals across Swiss Romandie.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable construction
• Heritage renovation
• Urban planning
• Residential architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Nyon

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: bunq architectes generates revenue through professional architecture and design service fees. These include project design, competition submissions, renovation, extension, and urban planning services. Fees are typically structured as a percentage of construction costs (according to Swiss SIA rate structures) or as fixed mandates. Projects range from private residences to large public housing and institutional buildings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

bunq architectes is a Swiss architecture firm founded in 2006, based in Nyon, providing comprehensive architectural design services for residential, public, institutional, and urban planning projects across French-speaking Switzerland. The firm specializes in wood-based sustainable construction, heritage renovation of classified buildings, low-tech bio-sourced building methods, and large-scale collective housing, delivered through public competitions, direct commissions, and collaborative associations with peer firms. Their work spans individual houses to urban blocks including housing, schools, fire stations, gymnasiums, and multi-purpose public buildings.

Product overview

Bunq is a Swiss architecture firm (bunq architectes) offering comprehensive architectural design services. The firm operates as a single unified practice focused on residential, commercial, public, and institutional projects across French-speaking Switzerland. Their portfolio spans new construction, renovation, transformation, and urban development projects. The firm also operates bunq'inn, an architecture bookstore and cultural space that serves as an extension of their office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural and design services covering residential, commercial, public, and institutional projects across Switzerland, from initial concept through construction. Includes new build, renovation, transformation, heritage renovation, and urban planning work. Delivered to Swiss municipalities, institutions, housing cooperatives, foundations, and private clients.
• bunq'inn — architecture bookstore and cultural space An affiliated architecture bookstore, exhibition, and cultural space operated as an extension of the bunq architecture office on Rue Saint-Jean in Nyon, open to the public with a street presence. Hosts exhibitions, conferences, and sells architecture books.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• GD architectescoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerbunq and GD architectes formed an association (joint venture) to develop the Quai Vernets project (ilot A), one of the largest urban housing projects in Geneva. This partnership combines bunq's architectural expertise with GD's complementary capabilities for delivering a complex 516-dwelling development.
• Pont12 architectesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partnerbunq and Pont12 architectes collaborated as an associated team to develop urban housing (12 buildings, 175 dwellings) as part of a large development in Crissier. The partnership was invited to develop the project following a MEP won by HHF and AWP.
• Perenzia ingénieurscoreTechnology or IntegrationPerenzia ingénieurs is the structural engineering partner for many bunq projects, including the Gland multi-purpose building and the St-Cergue internat project. Perenzia and bunq co-present at conferences on topics such as natural ventilation and ecosystem-based design approaches.
• Ingeni SAmajorTechnology or IntegrationIngeni SA is the structural and civil engineering partner for the Béthusy renovation and elevation project in Lausanne, working on the complex heritage renovation with wood frame construction.
• BG ingénieursmajorTechnology or IntegrationBG ingénieurs is listed as the civil and MEP engineer for the Quai Vernets ilot A project.
• CODHA (Coopérative d'Habitation Genevoise)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCODHA is a housing cooperative and key client/partner for the Quai Vernets project, commissioning housing units. bunq works with CODHA and other cooperatives on large-scale cooperative housing developments.
• Cité-DerrièremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCité-Derrière is a housing cooperative that partners with bunq on multiple projects including the Chemin du Couchant development in Nyon and the Plaines-du-Loup project in Lausanne.
• bunq'inn (architecture bookstore and cultural space)minorOthersbunq'inn is an affiliated architecture bookstore and cultural space operated as an extension of the architecture office, located on Rue Saint-Jean in Nyon. It sells architecture books and hosts exhibitions and events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ilg Santer Architekten: Zurich-based Swiss architecture firm with similar scale, awards recognition, and portfolio spanning public buildings, housing, and adaptive reuse.
• Miller & Maranta: Basel-based Swiss architecture firm of similar standing with comparable quality-driven practice, awards profile, and focus on public and residential commissions.
• Duplex Architekten: Zurich-based Swiss architecture firm of similar size with comparable focus on public-sector projects, housing, and competition-driven workflow.
• HHF Architekten: Basel-based Swiss architecture firm of similar size and ethos; comparable focus on sustainable construction, public-sector competitions, and timber/hybrid structures across housing and public buildings.
• Kury Stähelin Architekten: Basel-based Swiss architecture firm of comparable scale with similar recognition in public competitions and housing/institutional portfolios.
• Christ & Gantenbein: Basel-based Swiss architecture firm of comparable scale, with strong public-sector and museum/institutional portfolio and similar competition-led GTM.
• Pont12 architectes: Swiss Romandie architecture firm that has partnered with bunq on the Crissier urban housing project; directly comparable size, region, and public-sector housing focus.
• Felippi Wyssen Architectes: Swiss Romandie architecture practice based in Sierre, with overlapping project types including public buildings, housing, and heritage work; competes for similar cantonal and municipal mandates.
• GD architectes: Geneva-based architecture firm that partnered with bunq on Quai Vernets; comparable French-speaking Swiss practice competing for the same cantonal and cooperative-housing mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Lacaton & Vassal: Larger internationally awarded French architecture firm with a parallel philosophy of sustainable, low-cost, and heritage-sensitive design; sets the higher-end peer benchmark in the same conceptual space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bunqarchitectes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bunq-architectes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Bunq