AE Works Ltd. (AE Works), an award-winning building design and consulting firm is excited to announce that WTW Architects, a national leader in higher education design, has joined the firm. This move brings together over 100 talented professionals. The acquisition is effective as of March 15, 2024.
AE Works is a top-ranked firm on the Architectural Record Top 300 that has delivered a diverse range of projects for leading commercial clients, research institutions, hospitals, and public agencies throughout the region and country. The addition of WTW Architects expands AE Works’ design leadership and presence in Pennsylvania and nationally.
Founded in Pittsburgh in 1959, WTW Architects has earned a reputation as a design leader in higher education, commercial, and healthcare projects. WTW Architects has worked on over 140 different college and university campuses to enhance student living and learning. This work includes significant projects at the University of North Dakota, Texas A&M, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Penn State, University of Vermont, and Towson University.
AE Works Acquires WTW Architects
AE Works’ Founder, President & CEO, Michael Cherock, PE, shares, “We are excited to have WTW Architects join AE Works. WTW’s design leadership in delivering higher education facilities is now combined with our track record of work nationwide for leading businesses, research institutions, hospitals, and public agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institutes of Health, CDC. This move is a key part of our strategic firm vision to diversify our experience regionally and nationwide.”
In its 16 plus years of being in business, AE Works has been on the Inc. 5000’s fastest growing companies list seven times—which puts them in the top 0.1% of all companies in the country. AE Works has grown consistently beyond its start-up years and has proven to be resilient throughout the recent pandemic and other industry challenges like the Great Recession. This move furthers the firm’s resilience and commitment to deliver excellence to clients with national reach, diverse market expertise, and wide range of building design and consulting services.
“We are excited to join a leading firm headquartered in our hometown of Pittsburgh. AE Works is focused on making building projects a better value for clients,” adds Larry Payne, AIA, President & CEO of WTW Architects. “Together, we will be able to do that better than ever. This is about providing clients and partners with the best value possible from an architecture firm and providing our staff more opportunities. United by tradition and innovation, I know we’ll continue to impact the architecture landscape in Pennsylvania and beyond.”
This strategic move isn't just about combining resources; it's about values, a strong vision for the future, and providing a great place to work for staff. Larry Payne has been appointed as Managing Principal and will serve on the AE Works’ firm management council. In collaboration with Michael Cherock and the leadership team, he will play a pivotal role in driving the growth and impact of the firm, both locally and on a broader scale.
AE Works and WTW Architects are jointly developing an integration strategy, aiming to synergize their strengths and further cement AE Works' position as an industry leader.
About AE Works
A top-ranked building design and consulting firm on the Architectural Record Top 300, AE Works has delivered over $1 billion of building projects for a diverse range of leading businesses, research institutions, hospitals, and public agencies. Leveraging the power of diverse services delivered by one team, AE Works makes building projects a better value. The firm is a certified B Corp, underscoring the company’s commitment to making a positive impact on employees, communities, and the environment. Services include architecture, interior design, engineering, and planning + project services. AE Works is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with additional offices in State College, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. Learn more at aeworks.com
About WTW Architects
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, WTW Architects is an architecture, interior design, and planning firm with over sixty-five years of distinguished design experience. This experience is marked by over 50 recent awards across higher education, commercial, healthcare, and mixed-use development sectors. Renowned for its leadership in higher education facility design, WTW brings an impressive portfolio on over 140 college and university campuses, including the University of North Dakota, The University of Pittsburgh, The Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Miami. WTW is recognized nationwide as a thought leader in the programming, planning, and design of student life projects. The firm's impact extends to iconic Pittsburgh landmarks such as Acrisure Stadium, Fifth Avenue Place, and the University of Pittsburgh William Pitt Union. Learn more at wtwarchitects.com
Related Stories
AEC Innovators | Mar 2, 2023
Turner Construction extends its ESG commitment to thwarting forced labor in its supply chain
Turner Construction joins a growing AEC industry movement, inspired by the Design for Freedom initiative, to eliminate forced labor and child labor from the production and distribution of building products.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 1, 2023
Multifamily construction startup Cassette takes a different approach to modular building
Prefabricated modular design and construction have made notable inroads into such sectors as industrial, residential, hospitality and, more recently, office and healthcare. But Dafna Kaplan thinks that what’s held back the modular building industry from even greater market penetration has been suppliers’ insistence that they do everything: design, manufacture, logistics, land prep, assembly, even onsite construction. Kaplan is CEO and Founder of Cassette, a Los Angeles-based modular building startup.
Airports | Feb 28, 2023
Data visualization: $1 billion earmarked for 2023 airport construction projects
Ninety-nine airports across 47 states and two territories are set to share nearly $1 billion in funding in 2023 from the Federal Aviation Administration. The funding is aimed at help airports of all sizes meet growing air travel demand, with upgrades like larger security checkpoints and more reliable and faster baggage systems.
Seismic Design | Feb 27, 2023
Turkey earthquakes provide lessons for California
Two recent deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria offer lessons regarding construction practices and codes for California. Lax building standards were blamed for much of the devastation, including well over 35,000 dead and countless building collapses.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2023
New 20,000-seat soccer stadium will anchor neighborhood development in Indianapolis
A new 20,000-seat soccer stadium for United Soccer League’s Indy Eleven will be the centerpiece of a major neighborhood development in Indianapolis. The development will transform the southwest quadrant of downtown Indianapolis by adding more than 600 apartments, 205,000 sf of office space, 197,000 sf for retail space and restaurants, parking garages, a hotel, and public plazas with green space.
Architects | Feb 27, 2023
Hord Coplan Macht announces retirement of Founder/CEO Lee Coplan, FAIA, and names successor
Hord Coplan Macht, an award-winning integrated architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning firm, announces the retirement of Founder and Chief Executive Officer Lee Coplan, FAIA. Lee leaves behind a long and celebrated career leading the practice over the last four decades while bringing innovative design strategies and leadership to the architecture and design community.
Libraries | Feb 26, 2023
A $17 million public library in California replaces one that was damaged in a 2010 earthquake
California’s El Centro community, about two hours east of San Diego, recently opened a new $17 million public library. With design by Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects and engineering services by Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering, the 19,811-sf building replaces the previous library, which was built in the early 1900s, damaged by a 7.2 earthquake that struck Baja California in 2010, and demolished in 2016.
Architects | Feb 24, 2023
7 takeaways from HKS’s yearlong study on brain health in the workplace
Managing distractions, avoiding multitasking, and cognitive training are key to staff wellbeing and productivity, according to a yearlong study of HKS employees in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth.
University Buildings | Feb 23, 2023
Johns Hopkins shares design for new medical campus building named in honor of Henrietta Lacks
In November, Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine shared the initial design plans for a campus building project named in honor of Henrietta Lacks, the Baltimore County woman whose cells have advanced medicine around the world. Diagnosed with cervical cancer, Lacks, an African-American mother of five, sought treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in the early 1950s. Named HeLa cells, the cell line that began with Lacks has contributed to numerous medical breakthroughs.
Arenas | Feb 23, 2023
Using data to design the sports venue of the future
Former video game developer Abe Stein and HOK's Bill Johnson discuss how to use data to design stadiums and arenas that keep fans engaged and eager to return.
