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
Green | Nov 13, 2022
Global building emissions reached record levels in 2021
Carbon-dioxide emissions from building construction and operations hit an all-time high in 2021, according to the most recent data compiled by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction.
University Buildings | Nov 13, 2022
University of Washington opens mass timber business school building
Founders Hall at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, the first mass timber building at Seattle campus of Univ. of Washington, was recently completed. The 84,800-sf building creates a new hub for community, entrepreneurship, and innovation, according the project’s design architect LMN Architects.
Architects | Nov 10, 2022
What’s new at 173 architecture firms for 2022
More than 295 U.S. architecture and architecture-engineering (AE) firms participated in BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 survey. As part of the Giants survey process, participating firms are asked to describe their most impactful firm innovations and noteworthy company moves in the past 12 months. Here is a collection of the most compelling business and project innovations and business moves from the 2022 Architecture Giants.
Giants 400 | Nov 9, 2022
Top 30 Data Center Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
HDR, Corgan, Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects, and Gensler top the ranking of the nation's largest data center architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 8, 2022
Top 110 Sports Facility Architecture and AE Firms for 2022
Populous, HOK, Gensler, and Perkins and Will top the ranking of the nation's largest sports facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Industry Research | Nov 8, 2022
U.S. metros take the lead in decarbonizing their built environments
A new JLL report evaluates the goals and actions of 18 cities.
Hotel Facilities | Nov 8, 2022
6 hotel design trends for 2022-2023
Personalization of the hotel guest experience shapes new construction and renovation, say architects and construction experts in this sector.
Green | Nov 8, 2022
USGBC and IWBI will develop dual certification pathways for LEED and WELL
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) will expand their strategic partnership to develop dual certification pathways for LEED and WELL.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Nov 8, 2022
Renovation work outpaces new construction for first time in two decades
Renovations of older buildings in U.S. cities recently hit a record high as reflected in architecture firm billings, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Sponsored | Steel Buildings | Nov 7, 2022
Steel structures offer faster path to climate benefits
Faster delivery of buildings isn’t always associated with sustainability benefits or long-term value, but things are changing. An instructive case is in the development of steel structures that not only allow speedier erection times, but also can reduce embodied carbon and create durable, highly resilient building approaches.
