Northeastern Switzerland Office

Studio Nicotra · Zurich

Spaces that move people.

Interior design, lighting design, and strategy for workplaces, gastronomy, and retail.

Get in touch

Selected Projects

Built. Used. Lived.

Every project begins with an idea and becomes a story you can experience. Workplaces, neighborhoods, hospitality, and lighting, designed for the people who bring them to life every day.

Customers

Some of the organizations for which we design spaces and working environments.

Axpo
KAYAK logo
HIAG
Pensimo
ZVV
Zurich Public Transport
Winterthur City Bus
Bern University of Applied Sciences
Alcon
Kanadevia Inova
Swiss Confederation

Our Values

Places with
appeal.

We translate the identity of companies and brands into spaces where people see themselves reflected: working environments, restaurants, and shops.

We design spaces meant to be truly lived in after move-in or opening, not just occupied.

To achieve this, we combine strategy, interior architecture, and lighting design. We stand for an attitude, not a style. That outlasts any trend.

Competencies

Four areas, one attitude.

All skills →

01
Workplaces
We translate company culture into spaces where people love to come together and grow together.
Needs analysis, change management, planning and delivery
Work →
02
Hospitality & Retail
Places that win you over in the first moment. Clear workflows behind the counter, and in front of it an atmosphere people remember.
Concept, brand space, shopfitting and furniture design
Work →
03
Light
Light is part of the architecture. It creates atmosphere, guides the way and lets spaces settle.
Lighting concept, daylight, luminaires and bespoke fittings
More on light →
04
Existing Buildings & Strategy
Every building holds a future. We make it visible before anyone invests.
Use concept, space strategy and site evaluation
Site evaluation →
Workplaces
Hospitality & Retail
Light
Existing Buildings & Strategy
Tools

Understand first, then plan.

Our proprietary tools reveal what your space needs to deliver: how much area, in which location, and for what kind of work. Try it out before we meet.

Lighting Design
Light shapes space. And with it, shadow.
As a trained lighting designer (ZHAW / SLG), Alessandro Nicotra anchors light into the design right from the initial sketch: creating atmosphere, providing orientation, and setting the foundation for focused work. Intelligently controlled, sustainable, and precisely tailored to the architecture.
More about lighting design →

For property owners and real estate developers

Every surface is a design task.

Whether it's a new development or an existing property: A space rents out when people can envision themselves working or living in it.

We read the building, develop the right use for it, and design the spaces that bring a property to life: ground floors, common rooms, and neighbourhood meeting spots.

For marketing purposes, we make them visible before construction even begins. This leads to decisions that stand up before the board of directors and investors.

Spatial Video · Residential Community Room

Activation and Repositioning

Space and Utilization Strategy

Community Spaces and Neighbourhood Facilities

Visualization and Walkthrough Video for Marketing

Tenant fit-out and reuse in interior design

Customer Reviews01 / 06
“Working with Studio Nicotra GmbH was an outstanding experience. Their expertise, warm communication and commitment gave us a functional, beautiful office where our team truly feels at home.”
Fabienne Schwarz
Fabienne Schwarz
Office Manager, KAYAK Europe GmbH
Translated from German
Journal

From the Journal

All articles→
KAYAK Office, Zurich
Working Worlds26 October 2026

Bringing employees back to the office: What really makes an office attractive

Many companies want to see more life in the office, and many try to achieve it with rules. But while presence can be mandated, enthusiasm cannot. An office that people enjoy coming to offers something that doesn't exist at home: encounters, learning, and spaces that make work easier.

Read more →
HIAG Bahnhofplatz, Zurich
Workplace Intelligence26 October 2026

Office Renovation Costs: What Companies Should Expect and Where to Save

The first question from any executive board is legitimate: How much does it cost? The honest answer is that it depends less on the square footage than on the depth of the intervention. Those who know early on which levers determine the price can make conscious decisions about where an investment will have the greatest impact.

Read more →
pom+ Industriehof, Zurich
Workplace Intelligence26 October 2026

Office Corporate Culture: How to Make a Company's Future Direction Visible

Every office tells the story of how a company works: who sits where, where people meet, how open doors are. But often, it tells the story of yesterday's culture. Anyone planning an office is therefore also planning tomorrow's culture. To do that, you first need to know where you stand today and where you want to go.

Read more →

Studio

One team, many disciplines.

Interior design, lighting design, strategy, and change under one roof on Gutstrasse in Zurich.

Discover the studio →

Contact

Listening is our first draft.

Every project begins with a conversation. Tell us what you have in mind: a new working environment, a restaurant, a space for the future. We bring an open mind, curiosity, and experience in strategy, interior design, and lighting. We'd love to meet at our studio on Gutstrasse in Zurich. Or wherever your project is coming to life.