Hosoya Schaefer Architects
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zurich-based private architecture and urban design studio founded in 2003, offering architectural design, master planning, strategic consulting, and media installation services to municipalities, transportation authorities, developers, and housing cooperatives across Europe and Japan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hosoya Schaefer Architects does
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zurich-headquartered architectural and urban design studio founded in 2003 by Markus Schaefer and Hiromi Hosoya, both Harvard GSD-trained architects. The firm offers four integrated service lines: architectural design (residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings), urban design and master planning, strategic planning and consulting, and media installations for cultural and institutional clients. Its work is organized around two proprietary methodologies — 'Deep Urbanism' and the 'Industrious City Framework' — which position the firm as a thought leader in systemic, multi-scale urban design rather than a project-by-project practice.
The firm is privately held with no external investment, operating from offices in Zurich (headquarters) and Kyoto, with a team of approximately 30 professionals. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a project basis, acquired primarily via architectural competitions (open and invited) and direct commissions from public and private clients. The customer base is horizontally segmented across urban development agencies and municipalities, transportation and infrastructure authorities, real estate developers, and housing cooperatives, with active projects in Switzerland, Germany, and other European markets as well as Japan.
Hosoya Schaefer competes on the basis of its academic credentials (Harvard, ETH, Keio affiliations), its competition track record (Elisabeth-Aue Berlin 1st Prize, ICONIC, Red Dot, iF, and Holcim Awards), and its interdisciplinary collaboration network including Agence TER, Studio Vulkan, Gehl, and Burckhardt Partner. Distribution is relationship- and competition-led rather than sales-led, and the firm uses academic lectures, biennale participation, and publications (including the 2026 QUART De Aedibus monograph) as primary brand channels. There is no evidence of AI/ML, software, or platform technology in the firm's offering.
Hosoya Schaefer Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hosoya Schaefer Architects
- Legal name
- Hosoya Schaefer Architects AG
- Website
- https://hosoyaschaefer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zurich-based private architecture and urban design studio founded in 2003, offering architectural design, master planning, strategic consulting, and media installation services to municipalities, transportation authorities, developers, and housing cooperatives across Europe and Japan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hosoya Schaefer Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architecture and Urban Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build) (HSAPAEAI)
Keywords
Where Hosoya Schaefer Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hosoya Schaefer Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Revenue generated through fees for architectural design services, including building design and realization for residential, commercial, and institutional projects. Projects are secured through competitions and direct commissions.
- Urban Design and Master Planning: Fees from urban design projects, framework plans, and master planning engagements for municipalities and developers
- Research and Consulting: Strategic planning and consulting services, including contributions to publications and academic research
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Hosoya Schaefer Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zürich-based studio providing architectural design and building realization, urban design and master planning, strategic planning and consulting, and media installations. It serves residential, commercial, institutional, municipal, and infrastructure clients, winning projects through architectural competitions and direct commissions.
Product overview
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zurich-based architecture and urban design studio offering a unified suite of services centered on architectural design, urban design, strategic planning, and media installations. The firm operates as a single integrated practice rather than a platform with separate modules, combining building design and realization with research-driven approaches across all project scales. Key service areas include residential and commercial architecture, urban masterplanning, strategic development consulting, and interactive media installations for institutional clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural design services for residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings, from concept through realization.
- Urban Design Services Masterplanning and urban design for districts, quarters, and city districts, including public space and landscape integration.
- Strategic Planning and Consulting Urban development strategies, feasibility studies, and consulting for complex development projects and municipal planning processes.
- Media Installations Design and development of media installations and interactive exhibits, including award-winning projects for museums and public institutions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple first prize competition wins including Elisabeth-Aue Berlin, Winkelstrasse Zürich, and numerous station area developments
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Hosoya Schaefer Architects
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hosoya Schaefer Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Hosoya Schaefer Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Agence TERcoreLong-standing collaboration with Agence TER on multiple urban design projects including Elisabeth-Aue Berlin, Langenfeld framework plan, and various master planning engagements across Germany and Switzerland
- Studio VulkancoreOngoing collaboration with Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture on urban development projects including Main Station Zurich 2050 and multiple station square projects
- B+S AGmajorPartnership with B+S AG as part of interdisciplinary planning team for Main Station Urban Space 2050 project in Zurich
- Burckhardt PartnercoreCollaboration with Burckhardt Partner on Berlin City Entrance West (Stadteingang West) competitive dialogue process
- Halter AGmajorCollaboration with Halter AG on Fabrik SG vertical factory project in St. Gallen, winning investors competition
- GehlmajorCollaboration with Gehl on Riga Port City masterplan development
- IBV HüslermajorCollaboration with IBV Hüsler on transportation and infrastructure projects including station areas and mobility hubs
- S2L LandschaftsarchitektenmajorPartnership with S2L Landschaftsarchitekten on Station Herrliberg-Feldmeilen project
- Transitec Beratende Ingenieure AGmajorCollaboration with Transitec on Station Herrliberg-Feldmeilen project team
- gus wüstemann architects AGmajorCollaboration with gus wüstemann architects AG on Station Herrliberg-Feldmeilen winning proposal
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hosoya Schaefer Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KCAP (Kees Christiaanse): Rotterdam/Zurich-based practice combining urban design, architecture, and strategic planning — directly overlapping with Hosoya Schaefer's 'Deep Urbanism' methodology and European urban district focus.
- MVRDV: Rotterdam-based practice with strong urban design and masterplanning portfolio across Europe and Asia. Comparable scale, research-driven methodology, and international competition-led growth.
- Steven Holl Architects: New York-based studio with parallel academic-practice model (Holl teaches at Columbia), emphasis on urban and cultural projects, and similar thought-leadership publishing approach.
- BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Copenhagen/New York-based design practice known for large-scale urban masterplans, mixed-use developments, and international competition wins — directly comparable project types and cross-cultural positioning.
- Burckhardt Partner: Swiss architecture firm collaborating with Hosoya Schaefer on the Stadteingang West project; comparable Swiss competition-winning practice serving public clients across Switzerland and Germany.
- Herzog & de Meuron: Basel-based architecture firm with comparable Swiss roots, international project portfolio spanning cultural buildings and urban masterplans, and similar design-led, competition-winning model. Closest geographic and practice-style peer.
- David Chipperfield Architects: London/Berlin-based practice with comparable European urban masterplans, cultural buildings, and public-sector commissions. Similar competition-winning culture and DACH-region presence.
- Snøhetta: Multi-disciplinary design studio combining architecture, urban design, and landscape across Europe and beyond. Shares the integrated practice model, urban-systems research orientation, and academic-credentialed leadership.
Broad incumbents
- OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture): Rotterdam-based global architecture and urban design practice with broader portfolio and significantly larger scale, but directly comparable in urban masterplans, competition-led growth, and cross-cultural positioning.
Regional players
- gmp (von Gerkan, Marg and Partners): Hamburg-based architectural practice with strong German and Swiss competition portfolio in transportation hubs, urban districts, and public-sector masterplans — direct overlap in the DACH-region market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hosoya Schaefer Architects social profiles
Digital presenceHosoya Schaefer Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hosoya Schaefer Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Hosoya Schaefer Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hosoya Schaefer Architects 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 Hosoya Schaefer Architects
What does Hosoya Schaefer Architects do?
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zürich-based studio providing architectural design and building realization, urban design and master planning, strategic planning and consulting, and media installations. It serves residential, commercial, institutional, municipal, and infrastructure clients, winning projects through architectural competitions and direct commissions.
Is Hosoya Schaefer Architects a public or private company?
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hosoya Schaefer Architects founded?
Hosoya Schaefer Architects was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hosoya Schaefer Architects based?
Hosoya Schaefer Architects is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Hosoya Schaefer Architects make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Architectural Design Services are the primary driver. The others are urban Design and Master Planning and research and Consulting.
Who are Hosoya Schaefer Architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KCAP (Kees Christiaanse), MVRDV, Steven Holl Architects, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Burckhardt Partner, Herzog & de Meuron, David Chipperfield Architects and Snøhetta. OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) is listed as a broad incumbent. gmp (von Gerkan, Marg and Partners) is listed as a regional player.
Does Hosoya Schaefer Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hosoya Schaefer Architects.
What industry is Hosoya Schaefer Architects in?
Hosoya Schaefer Architects's product category is Architecture and Urban Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAI, Space Planning & Workplace Design. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 8711.