"Our focus in recent years has revolved around spatial specificity: finding the missing piece in the masterplan that brings absolute coherence to the environment. Every project—whether a large-scale urban development or an interior renovation—possesses its own distinct raison d’être. We actively resist architectural banalization, which flattens identity and ignores local culture, micro-climates, and history. Instead, our recent work emphasizes contextual intelligence: crafting interventions that respond precisely to natural light, regional traditions, and human scale so the architecture feels both deeply rooted and naturally continuous."
Zurich office / headquarter:
Josefstrasse 192, 8048 Zürich Switzerland
Amsterdam office:
Vondelkerkstraat 26-o 1054KZ Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:
office@kubotabachmann.com
Toshihiro Kubota — Partner
Biography
Toshihiro Kubota (b. July 20, 1976, Ibaraki, Japan) is a co-founder and partner of Kubota & Bachmann Architects GmbH. After graduating with a degree in interior design from Creapôle-ESDI in Paris in 2000, he spent over a decade leading major international cultural and civic developments alongside Ateliers Jean Nouvel and other world-renowned practices.
Promoted to Design Partner at Ateliers Jean Nouvel in 2007, Kubota directed design development on benchmark winning entries including the Philharmonie de Paris and the Atlantic 3000 complex in Los Angeles, following early contributions to the Copenhagen Concert Hall and Geneva's CEVA 5 station. His design collaboration with Shigeru Ban also secured the winning scheme for the Centre Pompidou-Metz. In 2010, he co-founded Kubota & Bachmann Architects in Zurich alongside Yves Bachmann.
Selected Competition Wins & Recognition
- Philharmonie de Paris (Paris, France) — 1st Prize / Winning Scheme (w/ Ateliers Jean Nouvel)
- Centre Pompidou-Metz (Metz, France) — 1st Prize / Winning Scheme (w/ Shigeru Ban)
- Copenhagen Concert Hall (Copenhagen, Denmark) — 1st Prize / Winning Scheme (w/ Ateliers Jean Nouvel)
- Geneva CEVA 5 Train Station (Geneva, Switzerland) — 1st Prize / Winning Scheme (w/ Ateliers Jean Nouvel)
- Atlantic 3000 Casino Complex (Los Angeles, USA) — 1st Prize / Winning Scheme (w/ Ateliers Jean Nouvel)
- Seoul Performing Arts Center (Seoul, South Korea) — 2nd Prize / Personally Invited Contender (2006)
Yves Bachmann — Partner
Biography
Yves Bachmann (b. December 9, 1975, Zurich, Switzerland) is a co-founder and partner of Kubota & Bachmann Architects. After earning his diploma in architecture from the University of Applied Sciences in Burgdorf in 2001, he began his professional career in Paris as a project manager at Ateliers Jean Nouvel, leading high-profile international cultural and private commissions.
In 2004, Bachmann joined Iria Degen Interiors in Zurich, stepping onto the management board in 2006. Over an eight-year tenure, he directed major commercial, hospitality, and luxury residential projects across Switzerland and internationally. In 2010, he co-founded Kubota & Bachmann Architects alongside Toshihiro Kubota, overseeing management, technical execution, and project realization.
Selected Key Projects & Portfolio Highlights
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) Headquarters (Zurich, Switzerland) — Corporate Interior Architecture (w/ Iria Degen Interiors)
- Lagoon Beach Hotel (Cape Town, South Africa) — Hospitality Architecture & Interiors (w/ Iria Degen Interiors)
- Metropol & Globus Restaurants (Zurich, Switzerland) — Commercial Hospitality Design (w/ Iria Degen Interiors)
- Private Cultural & Residential Commissions (Qatar) — Project Management (w/ Ateliers Jean Nouvel for Sheikh Saoud Al Thani)
- Luxury Private Residences & Apartments (Switzerland & International) — Residential Design & Management
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