Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich

What Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich does

Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich, legally Schmid Schärer Architekten / Generalplaner GmbH, is a privately held Swiss architecture and general-planning (Generalplaner) firm founded in 2006 by Patrick Schmid and Roger Schärer after both gained experience at established Swiss architecture offices. The firm is headquartered at Sihlfeldstrasse 10 in Zürich, is organized as a Swiss GmbH, and operates with 11-50 employees and five partners following the 2017 addition of Remo Baumgartner and the 2023 additions of Asako Berwert and Moritz Weber.

The firm's core service is architectural design and full general-planning, spanning concept, execution, and construction management for educational facilities, healthcare and nursing buildings, residential housing, commercial/industrial structures, cultural venues, and public infrastructure. Schmid Schaerer acquires most of its commissions through architectural competitions (Wettbewerbe) and studies (Studienaufträge), and serves a primarily Swiss-German client base consisting of cantons, municipalities, and housing cooperatives, with selected private residential work. The portfolio totals 80 projects (18 realized, 7 in progress, 55 completed), distributed across 36 residential, 25 education, 20 healthcare/nursing, 18 commercial/industrial, 9 cultural/leisure, and 2 infrastructure typologies. Eleven projects have been delivered under the Generalplaner model.

The firm's go-to-market relies on a competition-led acquisition motion reinforced by an extensive recurring partner ecosystem spanning landscape architecture, structural and civil engineering, building services, and energy engineering. It has earned sustained industry recognition including multiple 'best architects' gold awards (2019, 2020, 2025), Hochparterre 'Die Besten' (2016, 2022), Gute Bauten GR (2017), and the Eternit Architekturpreis (2011). Revenue, pricing, and external funding are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich

Legal name

Schmid Schärer Architekten / Generalplaner GmbH

Website

https://schmidschaerer.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich is a Swiss architecture and general-planning (Generalplaner) firm founded in 2006, serving Swiss cantons, municipalities, and housing cooperatives with design and construction-management services across education, healthcare, residential, and civic typologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• General planning services
• Public building design
• Residential architecture
• Educational facility design

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, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich provides comprehensive architectural design and general planning (Generalplaner) services for public, residential, educational, healthcare, and commercial buildings across Switzerland. The firm delivers end-to-end project responsibility — from initial design and competition entries through execution and construction management — and acquires most commissions through architectural competitions and study commissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural design services spanning concept, design development, execution, and construction management for public, residential, educational, and healthcare buildings. Targeted at Swiss public institutions, housing cooperatives, and private developers.
• Generalplaner (General Planning) Services Integrated general planning services providing single-point responsibility for coordinating all design and engineering disciplines on a building project. Targeted at clients seeking a single accountable party for multi-disciplinary project delivery.

Named customers6 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

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Studio MauriziominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture studio collaboration on the Centro Sanitario Bregaglia project in 2022. Studio Maurizio is based in Maloja and works on architectural projects in the region.
• hochform agminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing architectural partnership for various projects.
• WT PartnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for various architectural projects.
• Stabilis BaurealisationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction realization partner for building projects.
• Krayer & Smolenicky ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration on Deitingen village center project (2007-2012).
• Joos & Mathys ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration on Kriesiareal Baden project (2008).
• Savioni ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Lenzburg Drei Doppeleinfamilienhäuser project.
• Renato Maurizio ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project with Renato Maurizio Architekten from Maloja on Grevas Bildungszentrum St. Moritz.
• Stefan Fürst ArchitektminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Würenlos Alterszentrum project.
• Weber Weber ArchitektenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Rinaupark project in Kaiseraugst.
• Christian Bühlmann ArchitektminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARGE (joint venture) partnership on Holderbank school project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Herzog & de Meuron: Basel-headquartered global architecture firm with a Swiss practice foundation; while operating at significantly larger scale and project scope, they share the same competition-driven Swiss acquisition model and similar typology mix.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture firm with significant public-building and residential portfolio; while operating internationally and at much larger scale, it represents the broader incumbent tier that competes for the largest Swiss and European public commissions.
• Peter Zumthor: Swiss architect renowned for cultural and public buildings; while much smaller in volume and operating at a different price tier, the firm shares the same Swiss competition and craft-led reputation dynamics as Schmid Schaerer.

Direct peers

• Atelier Girsberger: Swiss architecture office of comparable size, active in residential, public, and educational commissions, using competition as primary acquisition — a closely aligned direct peer in the Swiss mid-market.
• HHF Architects: Basel-based award-winning Swiss architecture firm with comparable competition-led model and portfolio across public, residential, and cultural buildings — closely comparable in approach and credentials.
• EM2N Architekten: Zürich-based architecture firm of similar scale, active in public sector, residential, and educational commissions through Wettbewerbe — directly comparable in business model and project typology.
• Burckhardt+Partner: One of Switzerland's largest and oldest architecture firms, headquartered in Zürich, offering full Generalplaner services across education, healthcare, residential, and public buildings — directly comparable in service model, geography, and sector mix to Schmid Schaerer.
• Burkhalter Sumi Architekten: Zürich-based Swiss architecture practice with comparable scale, working across public buildings, education, and residential projects via competition-led acquisition — a closely comparable peer in size, geography, and market positioning.
• Diener & Diener Architekten: Basel-based Swiss architecture practice with a comparable focus on public sector, residential, and urban projects via competitions — a directly comparable peer with broader scope but similar market dynamics.
• Hosoya Schaefer Architects: Zürich-based architecture office working across public, residential, and urban projects with comparable scale and competition-driven model — a directly comparable peer in the Swiss mid-sized practice segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schmid-schaerer-architekten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Schmid Schaerer Architekten Zürich