11.07.2025
We welcome Angela Wiest as Associate Partner
We are proud of this announcement and would like to take this opportunity to thank Angela for her outstanding commitment to our projects in Switzerland and abroad.
Within our agency her work represents a milestone in urban transformation in the South Caucasus region and a meaningful step towards making cities more resilient and liveable.
07.07.2025
Calling Talents!
You rethink cities, shape spaces, and want to drive transformation?
We’re open for architects with a focus on urban design and a passion for shaping future urban environments.
Join a creative team that dares to shape the future – with courage, vision, and fresh ideas.
Let’s shape urban life together!
Apply now and help write the next chapter of our cities.
05.05.2025
Added energy in our Associate team
Our Associate team continues to grow with new competencies, while maintaining a steadfast commitment to excellence, continuity, and personal dedication.
We are delighted to welcome Claudia Kleffmann—award recipient from Columbia University and Head of Competitions—as a new Associate. Furthermore, we are pleased to announce the promotion of Dominique Erdin, a long-standing Associate with a distinguished focus on process-oriented spatial development and urban research, to the position of Senior Associate.
16.01.2024
2023 National Award
sa_partners is the winner of the 2023 National Architecture Award in Azerbaijan for best project in the category of «Residential Architecture – Multiple and affordable Housing». We are delighted to receive this award which recognizes our ongoing efforts to develop liveable cities in Post-Soviet countries and Central Asia over the past few years.
11.10.2023
«12 Steps to a City of People» receives GA Award in Toronto
We were honored with the ISCOARP Gerd Albers Award for «Book of the Year 2023», at the 59th ISOCARP World Planning Congress in Toronto for our publication «12 steps to a city of people».
21.09.2023
UN-Habitat World Habitat Day
20.09.2023
Interview with Radio SRF1 about urban climate
27.06.2023
Climate Activation Plan for the City of Baden
21.03.2023
Keynote speech at the Climate Adaption Symposium «Cool down Zurich»
16.03.2023
Guest lecture at the Lucerne University of Sciences and Arts
What opportunities do the transformation of space and society offer and what does it mean for future planning? Dunja Kovari discussed this question with students showcasing our projects in Germany and abroad.
15.03.2023
Interview with VPRO
sa_partners was interviewed by the Dutch public TV channel VPRO about its international projects in the field of urban development in the Eurasian region which apply a strong focus on sustainable development and post-soviet urban transformation.
23.01.2023
12 steps to a City of People: A roadmap towards a livable city of tomorrow
19.01.2023
Climate Envoy to the City Council of Zurich
Dunja Kovari-Binggeli was elected to the City Council of Zurich as climate envoy. In her new function she advises the City Council on strategic planning and complex projects relating to the urban climate and sustainable and green urban development.
20.12.2022
Green City Master Plans approved
Two Green City Master Plans by sa_partners were approved in Azerbaijan, as a step towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are result of an international tender I already yet recognized as pioneering work in the field of green recovery after crisis.
01.11.2022
Sponge City Expertise
As part of a national task force on nature-based solutions sa_partners brings in the Agency's international expertise on strategic Sponge City concepts in a pilotproject conducted by the National Agency for Waterwastemanagement.
15.09.2022
UN-Habitat National Urban Forum
Dunja Kovari was keynote speaker at this year's UN-Habitat National Urban Forum in Baku, which took place on October 5-6, 2022. Her contribution focused on carbon-neutral approaches for more inclusive, resilient, smart and sustainable urbanization using the example of international urban development projects by sa_partners.
11.07.2022
sa_p updates associate group
Following the growth of the agency in Zurich, Angela Wiest was appointed to senior associate. Angela joined the team in 2016. As sa_p’s youngest cadre member, she was trained at ETH Zurich and brings a diverse background from urban policy to architecture. She strengthens the company's multidisciplinary profile and fosters the development of sa_p's future strategy.
01.07.2022
UN-Habitat World Urban Forum
It‘s time for action! As part of the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum #WUF11 our city laboratory on the ecological transformation is presented in Katowice, Poland. We could not be prouder that Swiss innovation is shared with top representatives of national governments, NGOs as well as multinational companies and academics.
02.02.2022
Maintenant, aussi en français!
Notre documentation sur le climat urbain est désormais également disponible en français! L’intérêt suscité par la publication de « 12 Regeln für ein gutes Stadtklima » en Suisse allemande nous a encouragé à publier une nouvelle version de la brochure en français et à élargir notre champ d’action à la Suisse romande.
26.01.2022
Future Lab - Urban Innovations for remote areas
In collaboration with the Federal Office for Spatial Development, the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, the Paul Scherrer Institute, Avenir Suisse and the University of Zurich, sa_partners conducted a international urban innovation project in the field of digital transformation in remote areas.
18.11.2021
Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects - Symposium
Dunja Kovari is a keynote speaker and panelist at the Low Tech - No Tech symposium on Nov 18 2021, organized by the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects, Switzerland's leading professional association for construction, technology and environment.
16.11.2021
Life Science Campus - Basel
sa_p has been awarded the contract for the development of a Life Science Campus in Basel. In an exclusive location, an ecologically oriented master plan is to be created that will create the conditions for an dynamic and mixed-used development.
17.06.2021
Qatar - Territorial Eco-Masterplan
As a member of an international team, sa_p is appointed by the State of Qatar to develop a regional eco-master plan for specific districts of the emirate. The team is asked to develop strategies and proposals for action for sustainable urban and landscape development.
20.05.2021
EspaceSuisse - "HOW ARE SWISS CITIES ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE?"
As part of the exchange of experience between 'EspaceSuisse' and the 'Swiss Cities Association, Dunja Kovari gave an keynote speech on the topic of "Urban climate as cross-cutting task".
23.11.2020
Neighbourhood 7 - Saint Petersburg, Russia
sa_p and Karres en Brands (NL) were commissioned to elaborate an urban design concept for the Neighbourhood 7 in the Leningradskaya region positioning the neighbourhood as a model district adapting sustainable urban innovations for a future-proof development.
23.10.2020
Porta del Ticino - Urban Living Lab, 1st Prize
sa_p wins together with TAMassociati (Venice), Studio Giorgetta (Milan) and Golder (Toronto) the competitive procedure for the transformation of the central industrial area into an ecology oriented innovation district !
27.09.2020
High-rise Concept City of Winterthur
sa_p is commissioned to develop the citywide high-rise concept for the fast growing city of Winterthur. This involves the elaboration of strategic frameworks, quality guidlines and the Municipal General Plan for Switzerland's #5 largest town.
20.08.2020
Interview Swiss Chamber of Architects and Engineers
Dunja Kovari gives an interview to the urgent topic of "Climate Adaptation" for the Swiss Chamber of Engineers and Architects in the run-up to the congress "Low-Tech / No-Tech".
23.04.2020
Urban Focus: Climate
Dunja Kovari is giving a speech to "Climate Adaptive Urban Development" at the ARCHITECTURE FORUM WINTERTHUR.
28.02.2020
Wintercity Conference Baikal, Russia
Thomas Kovari is giving a keynote speech at the WinterCity Baikal Conference in Russia that takes place within the international membership program of the WinterCity Association. The main topic was climate change and the new challenges facing cities and entire regions.
30.01.2020
City of Karlsruhe [GER]
Our high-rise concept for Karlsruhe has been approved unanimously by the city council. It has been developed by sa_partners in a two-year long participative process.
16.12.2019
Sustainable Federal Pilot Schemes
The Federal pilot schemes supports innovations in urban planning. sa_partners bid for two projects on Digitalization and Intergral development strategies was accepted for the 2020-2024 funding period!
29.10.2019
The Future of Cities, Belgrade
sa_p takes part in the international e-Future of Cities Conference ISOCARP in Belgrade with a keynote lecture on the post-digital city.
12.09.2019
sa_p HOSTS PlanSalon #7
At 12 th september sa_p opened her spacelab, to share - and more importantly develop further - their research around digitalisation, connectivity as well as social and climate change - "Between Digitalization and Omline". Up to sixty representatives from the public administration and the industry joined the event.
14.02.2019
Campus Design National Technical University Irkutsk [RUS]
Thomas Kovari is a member of the international panel of experts for the positioning and redesign of the National Technical University (ISTU), an educational campus with 30'000 students and researchers in the university town.
14.01.2019
Citywide High-rise Concept for the City of Karlsruhe [GER]
sa_partners is appointed to develop a citywide high-rise concept for City of Karlsruhe [GER].
01.10.2018
Transformation of Railway Area in the City Center of Lausanne
Commission for a study to transform a railway site into a mixed-use development in the city-center of the Lausanne, Switzerland.
01.06.2018
Development Standard for Urban Development in Russia
sa_partners is appointed to contribute to the development of new system of urban planning standards for the Russian Federation.
01.04.2018
Citywide High-rise Concept Karlsruhe [GER]
sa_partners is appointed to develop a citywide high-rise concept for City of Karlsruhe (GER).
01.03.2018
Swiss Radio & Television
sa_p von air for the Riverside Grossacher by Swiss National Broadcaster.