Local agency or remote studio for an architecture firm website in Fribourg: how to choose (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a two-partner architecture atelier in Fribourg, the scarcest resource is time rather than budget: every hour spent on the website is taken from drawings, sites and competitions. A remote studio at a fixed price (CHF 2,700 to 8,200, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks) asks few hours of the partners if photos exist, and works well for a portfolio with a translated German version. A Fribourg agency remains a better fit if bilingualism must be flawless on both sides of the Sarine and you want in-person support.

How many hours does each option cost the partners?

Fribourg is a bilingual city sitting on the language border, with a clientele that mixes private owners, municipalities, cooperatives and clients from the canton of Bern. A small atelier lives on residential commissions, farmhouse conversions and competitions. For an English-speaking partner running a practice here, the real cost of a website includes the time of both partners.

2026 ballpark, working estimate. A do-it-yourself template costs little in subscription fees, but 60 to 100 partner hours are often worth more than a studio's fee.

What is the total three-year cost, time included?

Assumption: a partner hour valued at CHF 120, a prudent internal value for a Fribourg atelier.

2026 ballpark, based on typical agency quotes and public rate pages of local agencies. Studio maintenance after the 3 included months of support is quoted separately: the line is an assumption. Kolonell's grid is fixed: Starter CHF 2,700, Growth CHF 4,500, Premium CHF 8,200, with a project manager reachable in your hours (a 1 to 2 hour gap, team on GMT) and native English or French copywriting. Details are on the international website offer page.

When should you pick the Fribourg agency?

To be clear: if half your commissions come from German-speaking clients and you want two versions written by native speakers with the same finesse, a local bilingual agency does better than a translation. It also makes sense if you prefer to work through on-site meetings, want a photographer who follows your sites on demand, or need your visual identity created alongside the website.

The remote studio fits when French or English is your main commercial language, German mainly serves as a welcome version, your photos exist and you want your evenings back.

What the site needs, and the Swiss frame

For a small atelier, keep to the essentials: a filterable portfolio (single homes, farmhouse conversions, multi-unit housing, competitions), short project pages with location, year, floor area and a credited photographer, a studio page presenting both partners, a competitions and awards page, and a form that qualifies the enquiry: municipality, plot or existing building, project type, budget, timeline. Images are served as AVIF or WebP with lazy loading, for a mobile LCP under 2.5 seconds, and the CMS should let you add a project in under 30 minutes.

The revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP), in force since 1 September 2023, requires a privacy notice and information on form data, in both languages if the site is bilingual. Photos remain the photographer's intellectual property unless assigned in writing, and views of private homes require the owners' consent. Drone flights follow Swiss civil aviation rules, under the pilot's responsibility. The REG register exists and some cantons regulate the practice of the profession: check the Fribourg rules before displaying titles and qualifications. Aim for WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA. This is not legal advice.

Decision checklist: what share of your commissions is German-speaking? How many hours can you really commit? Are your photos ready? Will the domain and code be in the atelier's name? Who adds a project, and how fast?

Mini case study

Illustrative example: Anne Clerc and Jonas Aebischer, a two-partner atelier in Fribourg. Agency option: CHF 18,000 + CHF 220 a month for 36 months (CHF 7,920) + 22 partner hours (CHF 2,640) = CHF 28,560. Studio option: Starter CHF 2,700 + German version CHF 1,800 + maintenance assumed at CHF 120 a month for 33 months (CHF 3,960) + 18 hours (CHF 2,160) = CHF 10,620. With 50% German-speaking commissions they would pick the agency; at 25%, the studio saves them CHF 17,940.

FAQ

Does a bilingual site cost twice as much?

No. With a studio, the German version usually adds CHF 1,200 to 2,500 depending on text volume, native review included.

Is Starter enough for a two-person atelier?

Often yes for 6 to 15 projects. Move to Growth (CHF 4,500) if you want advanced filters or a detailed competitions page.

Do we really need a professional photographer?

For an architect, yes: budget CHF 1,200 to 2,500 per day, with 2 to 3 projects shot per day in town.

How long until launch?

3 to 4 weeks with a studio if photos and core copy are ready, versus 6 to 12 weeks with a local agency.

Can we switch providers later?

Yes, if the domain is in your name and the code is assigned by contract. Without those two clauses, a switch can cost several thousand francs.

For a precise estimate for your atelier, use the free quote form.

Let's scope your project. A bilingual portfolio, a simple CMS and a qualifying form, from CHF 2,700, live in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.