Markus Schaefer

Hosoya Schaefer Architects is a Zurich based office for architecture, urban design and research founded in 2003. The office has won several international awards.

Significant current projects are the Swiss Innovation Park near Zurich, new urban quarters in the HafenCity and in Wilhelmsburg in Hamburg, four train stations in Toronto, mobility research for Volkswagen.

In Switzerland, the office won first prizes for the new national exposition in 2027 in Eastern Switzerland, for the development of the Technology-Cluster / V-Zug Area in Zug. 

Markus Schaefer and Hiromi Hosoya have been the curators of the Salon Suisse at the Architecture Biennale 2014 in Venice.

Previously Markus Schaefer was cofounder, partner and head of research at CityTrackerX AG, Zurich (2013 – 2017).

Markus Schaefer was the first director of AMO in Rotterdam (2001- 2003). AMO is the think tank and research department of OMA, the architecture office established by Rem Koolhaas.

Markus was partner and head of research at CityTrackerX AG, a privately funded research and development company aiming at a real-time performance analysis of cities.

Schaefer is Visiting Professor in Design Critic in Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, Cambridge, USA (2018). 

Also he was Visiting Professor and Tutor in Advanced Urban Design, joint Master’s Programme at the National Research University Higher School of Economics & Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow, Russia (2016/17). 

Most significant projects are in architecture: Airport Engadin, St. Moritz – Samedan, Switzerland (competition 2008, 1st prize), Multi-use building with retail and housing in Uzwil (competition 2017, 1st prize); in urban design: Bahnhstadt Nürtingen (competition 2017, 1st prize), IBA Hamburg Elbinselquartier Wilhelmsburg (international competition 2016, 1st prize; ongoing),  HafenCity Hamburg Elbbrückenquartier (international competition 2015, 1st prize), Swiss National Exposition Eastern Switzerland 2027 (2015, 1st prize), Swiss National Innovation Park, Dübendorf (2014, 1st prize); in urban consulting: Advisor to Skolkovo Innovation Center Development near Moscow, Russia and others.

Schaefer has a Masters of Architecture from Harvard University, a Masters in Neurobiology from the University of Zurich.