Designs meaningful architectural spaces and adaptive reuse projects.
Esch Sintzel Architekten, founded in Zurich in 2008 by Philipp Esch and Stephan Sintzel, has established itself as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Swiss architecture. The firm's philosophy centers on creating meaningful "places"—spaces that are experienced, laden with significance, and bound to time. Housing constitutes a primary focus of their work, addressing architectural challenges at both the intimate apartment scale and the broader urban context. Their designs often merge regularity with playfulness, treating architectural structures as a spatial fabric. In 2024, the original firm evolved into two separate entities: Studio Sintzel and SERA – Studio Esch Rickenbacher Architektur, marking a new chapter in their professional journey. Their portfolio includes notable projects such as the transformation of a former Coop wine storage facility in Basel into 64 apartments of varying sizes. This adaptive reuse project, completed in 2024, preserved the building's striking mushroom-shaped columns while reimagining the space for residential use. The firm's work extends beyond housing to include infrastructure buildings, schools, and market halls. Their approach is characterized by prudent use of resources and respect for existing structures, transforming technical requirements into expressive designs. Philipp Esch, who studied at ETH Zurich, has served as a visiting professor at Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio since 2021, while both founding partners have been admitted to the Swiss Association of Architects (BSA).