Armon Semadeni Architects

What Armon Semadeni Architects does

Armon Semadeni Architekten GmbH is a Zürich-based Swiss architecture practice founded in 2009 by Armon Semadeni, operating as a GmbH (UID CHE-114.929.405) with approximately 44 current staff, 100+ alumni, and a portfolio spanning 20+ built and competition projects across Switzerland. The firm delivers integrated architectural services in the dual role of Generalplaner (general planner) and Architekt, running projects from feasibility and strategic studies through competition, planning, and execution; the offering is organised into five service lines that mirror the website navigation — Öffentliche Bauten (public buildings), Wohnbauten (residential), Geschäftsbauten (commercial), Umbauten (renovations and heritage-sensitive conversions), and Studien (strategic/feasibility studies). Project typologies include museums, universities, swimming halls, public administration, large cooperative and municipal housing estates, transit-anchored mixed-use towers, office high-rises, and protected buildings; construction costs on delivered work range from ~CHF 200k (Chemin Creux renovation) to ~CHF 80m (Franklin Turm), and the firm holds sustainability certifications including DGNB Platin, DGNB Silber, Minergie A Eco, Minergie P Eco, SNBS 2.0, and 2000-Watt on built projects.

The customer base is predominantly Swiss public sector and institutional clients: SBB Immobilien and BLS Immobilien (railway real estate), Hochbauamt cities of Zürich, Bern, and St.Gallen, Kanton Fribourg, Kanton Basel-Landschaft, Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik BBL, housing cooperatives ABZ and GAIWO Winterthur, and institutional developers including Helvetia Versicherungen, HRS Real Estate, HIAG Immobilien, Geiser Immobilien, and Agruna Immobilien. The firm earns project-based professional-services fees (typically percentage-of-construction-cost or fixed fees negotiated per mandate) won through open competitions, invited competitions, studies, and direct mandates, with multi-year realization cycles; all work is delivered domestically in Switzerland across Zürich, Bern, Basel-Landschaft, Fribourg, Aargau, Winterthur, St.Gallen, and other cantons. Underlying technology is conventional architectural tooling — CAD/BIM-based design, physical model making, and 3D visualisation by partners Nightnurse Images and Maaars Visualisierungen — combined with sustainability engineering and heritage-sensitive construction methods such as transfer-table structural systems (Aarau Bahnhof Süd), hybrid timber/concrete construction (Kastellweg Winterthur), and layered denkmalpflegerische Sanierung (Römerhof, Beckenhof).

The firm operates as an independent, founder-owned private practice with professional memberships in SIA and BSA, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no external funding rounds; revenue is generated entirely through fee-for-service mandates with no software, platform, or recurring-revenue product surface.

Name

Armon Semadeni Architects

Legal name

Armon Semadeni Architekten GmbH

Website

https://armonsemadeni.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zürich-based Swiss architecture practice founded in 2009, delivering public, residential, commercial and heritage-sensitive building projects as integrated Generalplaner and Architekt for public-sector, cooperative and developer clients across Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural design & planning fees: Fee-based professional services revenue earned on individual building projects (public, commercial, residential, heritage). Engagements are won via open competitions, invited competitions, studies and direct mandates. Project sizes range from single-family renovations (~CHF 200k) to ~CHF 80m+ construction cost (Franklin Turm).
2. Strategic planning & feasibility studies: Separate revenue from studies, masterplans, potential analyses and test planungen, often for institutional clients such as Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik BBL and Kanton Zürich.
3. Generalplaner / Gesamtleitung fees: Acts as Generalplaner on larger mandates (e.g. Letziturm, Schwimmhalle Neufeld, Fachhochschule Fribourg), bundling architectural, project-management and construction-supervision services under a single contract.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Armon Semadeni Architects (Armon Semadeni Architekten GmbH) is a Swiss architecture practice founded in 2009 and headquartered in Zürich. The firm provides architectural design, urban planning, and general planning services to clients undertaking building and development projects. As a GmbH with approximately 44 staff, the practice delivers design-led, project-based consulting across Switzerland.

Product overview

Armon Semadeni Architekten GmbH is a single Swiss architecture practice (founded 2009 in Zürich, UID CHE-114.929.405), not a multi-product software platform. Its offering is organized as one unified architectural design service delivered across five service lines that mirror the site's top-level navigation: Public Buildings (Öffentliche Bauten), Residential Buildings (Wohnbauten), Commercial Buildings (Geschäftsbauten), Renovations & Conversions (Umbauten), and Studies (Studien). These five service lines are not separate products but complementary practice areas under one firm — they share the same project teams, the same design methodology (general planner from development through planning to execution), and the same pool of specialist collaborators (structural, MEP, façade, landscape, traffic, building physics, signaletic). The service lines together cover the firm's named delivered buildings and competitions catalog, including landmark projects such as the Naturmuseum St. Gallen, the Franklin Turm (DGNB Platin), the Letziturm (DGNB Silber), the Schwimmhalle Neufeld, the Fachhochschule Fribourg, the Stöckacker housing estate, and the Kronenwiese housing estate (Minergie A Eco).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design
• Urban Planning
• General Planning

Quantifiable outcome

• Built Franklin Turm at ~CHF 80m, DGNB Platin certified
• +12 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Michael Meier und Marius Hug Architekten AGflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint-venture Planergemeinschaft on at least two flagship projects: Naturmuseum St. Gallen (2010-2016, Minergie P Eco, ~CHF 40m) and Wohnhaus Kastellweg Winterthur (2010-2014, 23 Alterswohnungen, ~CHF 8m). The two practices share the Wettbewerbsteams and Projektleitung on these mandates.
• Fuhr Buser Partner Bauökonomie AGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecurring collaboration partner on strategic planning and economic feasibility studies (e.g. Machbarkeitsstudie strategische Planung und Wirtschaftlichkeit for Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik BBL, 2018-laufend; Objekt- und Potentialanalyse dreier Bezirkshäuser Affoltern/Horgen/Pöschwies for Immobilienamt Kanton Zürich, 2017). Also listed as Baumanagement on Letziturm and Franklin Turm.
• dsp Ingenieure & Planer AG, GreifenseecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecurring Bauingenieur on multiple projects: Augusta Raurica (2014, 4. Preis), Glattbrugg Bahnhof (1. Preis), Franklin Turm (DGNB Platin), Gartenstrasse (Sanierung), Kronenwiese. Repeated preferred-relationship across competitions and built work.
• Hoffmann & Müller Landschaftsarchitektur, ZürichcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandschaftsarchitektur partner on Glattbrugg Bahnhof (44 Wohnungen, Büro/Gewerbe) and Schwimmhalle Neufeld Bern (Schwimmhalle + Tennis).
• Mettler Landschaftsarchitektur, GossaucoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandschaftsarchitektur partner on Wohnsiedlung Kanzleistrasse (200 Wohnungen), Letziturm (DGNB Silber, 157 Wohnungen) and Bümpliz Bahnhof Nord (SNBS 2.0).
• Synaxis AG, ZürichcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBauingenieur on multiple projects: Hotel Park- und Seeallee Heiden, Letziturm Zürich-Altstetten (DGNB Silber), Naturmuseum St. Gallen, Bümpliz Bahnhof Nord (SNBS 2.0). Also structural engineer for Stöckacker (Minergie P Eco).
• Meierhans + Partner AG, SchwerzenbachcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecurring Haustechnik / HLK partner on Naturmuseum St. Gallen, Franklin Turm (DGNB Platin), Hotel Park- und Seeallee Heiden and Wohnhaus Kastellweg Winterthur.
• K2S Bauingenieure AGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBauingenieur on the in-progress Kelchweg Altstetten residential project (GF 5'000 m², GV 16'000 m³) and on Aarau Bahnhof Süd (GF 19'300 m², Realisierung 2017-2024).
• Nightnurse Images, ZürichcoreGTM or Marketing Partner3D-Visualisierungen partner on numerous built and competition projects: Franklin Turm, Letziturm (co-credited with ASA), Naturmuseum St. Gallen, Hotel Park- und Seeallee, Seesicht Arbon, Kronenwiese, Fachhochschule Fribourg, Kanzleistrasse, Stöckacker, Schwimmhalle Neufeld, Bümpliz Bahnhof Nord, Aarau Bahnhof Süd. Repeated visualisation partner.
• Roman Keller, Zürich (Fotografie)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerArchitectural photographer credited across major built works including Naturmuseum St. Gallen, Fachhochschule Fribourg, Kronenwiese, Stöckacker, Beckenhof, Römerhof, Villa Bill, Haus im Spiegel. Drives the visual identity of the firm's portfolio on armonsemadeni.com and in publications.
• Bonbon Visuelle GestaltungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesign agency responsible for 'Konzept und Gestaltung' of the firm's website and brand presence.
• SIA (Schweizerischer Ingenieur- und Architektenverein)coreOthersProfessional industry membership listed for the firm.
• BSA (Bund Schweizer Architekten)coreOthersProfessional industry membership listed for the firm; founder Armon Semadeni holds the credential 'dipl. Arch. ETH SIA BSA'.
• UID: CHE-114.929.405 (Armon Semadeni Architekten GmbH)coreOthersSwiss enterprise identifier (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer) registered for the firm; firmensitz Zürich; Gründungsjahr GmbH 2009.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Miller & Maranta: Basel-based Swiss practice specializing in public-sector commissions, museums and heritage-sensitive projects, including multiple Swiss Building Award wins. Comparable in competition-driven GTM and institutional client focus.
• Burkhalter Sumi Architekten: Zürich-based architecture practice of comparable size, with a parallel portfolio of public-sector competition wins, residential developments and heritage conversions across Switzerland. Highly comparable in scale, business model (competition-driven GTM) and project typology mix.
• EM2N Architekten: Zürich-based firm of similar size, focused on public buildings, schools and cultural infrastructure for Swiss cantonal and municipal clients. Directly comparable competition-winning practice with overlapping civic and educational mandates.
• Stücheli Architekten: Zürich-based architectural practice with a comparable mix of public-sector competitions, mixed-use station-area developments and large residential projects. Similar Generalplaner positioning and Swiss institutional client base.
• Diener & Diener Architekten: Basel-based Swiss architecture practice with a comparable mix of public cultural buildings, residential developments and urban infill projects. Overlapping in Swiss institutional client base and design quality orientation.
• Caruso St John Architects: Zürich/London-based practice with strong Swiss public-sector competition pedigree (e.g., Novartis Campus, housing and cultural projects). Comparable in terms of public-procurement GTM and design-led positioning, though somewhat larger.
• Michael Meier und Marius Hug Architekten AG: Zürich-based firm and actual co-architect partner on two named ASA projects (Naturmuseum St. Gallen, Wohnhaus Kastellweg Winterthur). Closest collaborative peer — directly comparable scale, public-sector competition wins and typology mix.
• Pool Architekten: Zürich practice of similar scale, repeatedly winning 1. Preis outcomes in Swiss public competitions, including cultural and residential buildings. Comparable project typology, client roster and design-led positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Herzog & de Meuron: Basel-headquartered global architecture incumbent with a Swiss home market and a long track record of museum, cultural and public infrastructure projects. Overlaps with Armon Semadeni in Swiss public-sector competition participation but operates at vastly larger scale and global reach.
• David Chipperfield Architects: International architectural incumbent with significant museum, public-building and heritage-renovation practice, including Swiss projects (e.g., Kunsthaus Zürich extension). Overlaps in cultural-building typology and heritage-sensitive renovation expertise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/armonsemadeniarchitekten

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Armon Semadeni Architects