He was involved in the construction of the Hessische Landesmuseum building opened in 1906 and was the scientific designer of Darmstadt's unique and internationally important zoological dioramas.

Born 15 October 1849[3] in Hirschberg, Thuringia as son of a factory owner,[4] he was educated by private tutors and a school at Ebersdorf until 1864.

[1] After attending a trade school in Hof, Bavaria from 1864–1866, he studied mechanical engineering and zoology at the Polytechnikum Nuremberg from 1867–1870.

[4] Starting in 1892, he published a series of educational wall charts,[10] together with teacher Heinrich Jung and Dr Friedrich Quentell.

Briefliches von den Moorweihern bei Erlangen (Letters from the moor ponds near Erlangen) [12] Die Stellungen der Vögel : für Präparatoren, Ausstopfer und Freunde der Vögel (The poses of birds : for taxidermists and friends) 1873 – Bemerkungen über das Halten von niederen Seethieren (Remarks on the keeping of lower sea animals)[13] 1874 – Grundriss der Zoologie (Basics of zoology) [14] 1877 Mittheilungen über Cölenteraten (Notes on coelenterates).

[15] 1878 – Aufstellung der Spirituspräparate (Presentation of spirit preparations)[16] 1880 Beschreibung eines Apparats zur Entfettung von Knochen (Description of an apparatus for the de-greasing of bones) [17] 1882 – Über die Entwicklung des Kalkskeletts von Asteroides calycularis (On the development of the calcareous skeleton of Asteroides calycularis)[18] Anatomie der Clavularia prolifera n. sp.

[25][26] In 1909, he founded an association for the "performance of von Koch's children's games"(Verein zur Ausführung der G. v. Koch'schen Kinderspiele).