the practice
Places designed around horses
Nicolas Bischoff Architecte Équestre is an architecture and design practice specialising in bespoke equestrian spaces, in France and internationally. Private stables, stud farms and equestrian estates are designed together with the residences, hospitality facilities and living spaces that accompany them.
Each project combines a practical understanding of horses with architectural ambition: thoughtful siting, dialogue with the landscape, respect for the environment, efficient day-to-day operation and carefully considered volumes and materials. The aim is to create distinctive places where equine wellbeing, ease of use, safety and the pleasure of life with horses come together.
the founder
Nicolas Bischoff
Architect, designer and rider
Architect, designer and rider, Nicolas Bischoff founded his specialist practice in 2025, following a career spanning equestrian architecture, major projects and the world of luxury.
His work in equestrian architecture began at the Haras Nationaux, French national stud architecture department, with Thierry Le Borgne, and at Bruno Beguin’s practice, before taking him to Timothy Court & Company in Sydney. He then joined 2Portzamparc and AW² in Paris, contributing to high-end hospitality and residential projects internationally.
Early design experience with Philippe Starck in 2007 helped shape an approach that extends from the building to the smallest detail. Today, he brings these experiences together in an independent practice dedicated to places shaped around life with horses.
The William Inglis Hotel – Riverside Stables
Sydney, Australia
Design at Timothy Court & Company, 2016–2017.
Photography : The William Inglis Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton, Zermatt
Zermatt, Suisse
Design at AW², 2021–2022.
Project perspective : AW²
an equestrian culture
Understanding horses through experience
A passionate rider since childhood, Nicolas Bischoff has also spent several years working in stables, from mucking out and caring for horses to managing daily routines. As a horse owner and dressage competitor, he remains closely involved in this world every day.
This experience informs his approach to design: understanding horses and their needs, anticipating their behaviour, knowing the daily routines and making maintenance easier. He also values equestrian culture, its landscapes, its materials and its way of life.
Designing the estate as a whole
Nicolas Bischoff’s experience in equestrian, residential and hospitality architecture allows him to approach each estate as a whole. Private villas, staff accommodation, guest houses, hotels, restaurants and clubhouses are designed in harmony with the equestrian facilities, the landscape and the way the place is used.
This overall approach connects the siting of buildings, circulation routes, outdoor spaces and the quality of interiors. It applies to private and professional stables alike, from the smallest projects to the largest developments.
In dialogue with the equestrian world
Nicolas Bischoff’s career has developed through contact with leading architects and equestrian professionals in France and abroad. His exchanges with elite riders and trainers, as well as professionals in racing and polo, broaden his understanding of the many forms of equestrian activity.
These perspectives enrich his thinking on practical needs, sporting requirements and the evolution of equestrian places.
