What Markus Schietsch Architekten does

Markus Schietsch Architekt:innen is a Zurich-based architecture firm founded in 2005 by Markus Schietsch, operating as a Swiss GmbH with a team of approximately eleven people (founder plus ~10 architects). The firm provides architectural design services across educational, cultural, civic, recreational, laboratory/office, and private residential typologies. It is technically distinguished by a specialist focus on sustainable, timber-hybrid construction methodologies — most notably freeform cross-laminated-timber (CLT) shell structures (Elephant Enclosure Zurich, CHF 57M), concrete-timber hybrid pavilions with vibration-isolating cores for laboratory environments (AVS Aargau, AVS Canton Zug), wood-clay hybrid systems for passive climate control (Extension School Building Entlisberg), and prefabricated timber construction. The firm also designs custom furniture (Prix Lignum 2024 for Crematorium Thun furniture).\n\nThe firm acquires most of its public-sector work through architectural competitions, where it has an unusually high 1st-Prize conversion rate on Swiss municipal, cantonal, and federal tenders, and has extended into Germany via the BIZ Berlin visitor-centre competition win (Euro 150M construction cost, the firm's largest commission). Private residential work is obtained via direct commission without competition. Revenue is earned on a per-project, fee-on-construction-cost basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm's client base is overwhelmingly public-sector (cities, cantons, federal agencies) with a small private-residential tail. \n\nThe firm is entirely founder-owned, with no external investment, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. It is actively operating, with several long-running projects under construction (BIZ Berlin 2016–2030, Indoor Swimming Pool Dübendorf 2017–2028) and multiple new commissions commenced in 2025. Geographic reach spans Switzerland (10+ cantons), Germany, and Ireland. The brand is reinforced through consistent presence in Swiss architecture publications (Hochparterre, werk bauen + wohnen, DBZ), exhibitions, and professional awards (Prix Lignum, iconic award, best architects, Ulrich Finsterwalder Ingenieurpreis).

Name

Markus Schietsch Architekten

Legal name

Markus Schietsch Architekt:innen GmbH

Website

https://markusschietsch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Markus Schietsch Architekt:innen is a Zurich-based architecture firm (~11 staff) founded in 2005, specialising in sustainable timber-hybrid construction for public-sector clients across Switzerland, Germany, and Ireland, acquired primarily through architectural competitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable construction
• Timber construction
• Hybrid construction systems
• Public buildings architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Fees generated through architectural design services for buildings, including design, competition submissions, and full project delivery. Revenue is earned on a per-project basis via commissions (direct) or competition wins (government/public sector).
2. Furniture Design: Custom furniture design services, notably the furniture for Crematorium Thun (winner of Prix Lignum 2024 for furniture design, with execution by RUWA Holzbau, Küblis).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Markus Schietsch Architekt:innen is a Zurich-based architecture firm providing full architectural design services for public sector buildings (schools, crematoria, swimming pools, laboratory/office pavilions, university campuses, zoo enclosures) and bespoke private residential homes. The firm specializes in sustainable, materially innovative construction including freeform timber shell structures, concrete-timber hybrid pavilions, and wood-clay hybrid systems, securing most projects through architectural competitions won with 1st Prize and serving clients in Switzerland, Germany, and Ireland.

Product overview

Markus Schietsch Architekt:innen is an architecture firm based in Zurich, Switzerland, founded in 2005. The firm provides architectural design services across multiple typologies including educational facilities, cultural buildings, housing, recreation/sports facilities, and office/laboratory buildings. Their portfolio encompasses completed projects (such as Crematorium Thun, University Campus Brig, Elephant Enclosure Zurich, AVS Aargau, BIZ Berlin) as well as ongoing projects in competition or development phases. The firm operates through architectural competitions, direct commissions, and renovation projects, serving both public and private clients in Switzerland and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 1st Prize in BIZ Berlin competition (2016–2030) for Euro 150 million government project — firm's largest known project.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EM2N Architekten: Swiss architecture practice with a comparable mix of public sector commissions (schools, cultural buildings, housing) and a focus on innovative timber and hybrid construction. Similar size and competition-led project acquisition strategy.
• Burkhalter Sumi Architekten: Zurich-based architecture firm of similar scale with strong public sector focus and recognized competition track record. Highly comparable in terms of Swiss-German project mix, sustainable construction expertise, and reliance on open architectural competitions for public commissions.
• Stücheli Architekten: Swiss architecture firm specializing in public sector projects including cultural, educational, and recreational buildings. Comparable in competition-led GTM, public client base, and emphasis on distinctive building identities within the Swiss/German market.
• Max Dudler Architekten: Swiss-German architecture firm with comparable emphasis on public cultural and civic buildings and a strong competition track record. Similar focus on craftsmanship, materiality, and context-driven design.
• Atelier Peter Zumthor: Swiss architecture firm with comparable focus on materiality, craftsmanship, and contextually rooted design. Smaller-scale practice with similar founder-led brand positioning and museum/cultural typology expertise.
• Burkard Meyer Architekten: Swiss architecture firm with strong public sector and competition-based portfolio, including educational and cultural facilities. Comparable in project typology mix and Swiss-German geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• Snøhetta: Internationally recognized architecture practice with comparable emphasis on public cultural buildings, sustainability, and timber/mass-timber innovation. Operates at much larger scale but competes in similar competition categories.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture firm with strong public sector competition track record and emphasis on innovative sustainable construction. Comparable in competition-led GTM but operates at significantly larger scale with international delivery capacity.
• Herzog & de Meuron: Swiss-headquartered global architecture firm with comparable Swiss roots, public cultural building portfolio, and emphasis on material innovation. Operates at vastly larger scale and competes in similar competition categories at the highest tier.

Emerging players

• Studio Libeskind: International architecture firm with comparable emphasis on distinctive cultural, civic, and educational buildings. Similar competition-based GTM and signature-driven project portfolio, though larger and more globally distributed.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/markusschietsch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/markus-schietsch-architekten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Markus Schietsch Architekten