Seattle, WA and Cambridge, MA, March 15, 2010 - NBBJ, a global architecture and design firm, and Chan Krieger Sieniewicz, internationally-known for urban design and architecture excellence, announced today a merger of the two firms that will create an integrated team of over 700 architects, urban designers, planners and interior designers. The Chan Krieger Sieniewicz team, including its five principals, will continue in their current roles. As part of the transition to the NBBJ name, the Cambridge office will operate as Chan Krieger NBBJ.
More than three years of collaboration as the design team behind the new 530,000 square-foot Building for the Third Century at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) led to a growing interest by principals in both firms to establish a more formal and far-reaching alliance. "We were initially brought together with NBBJ when MGH suggested we team up and combine what the client saw as complementary abilities," said Alex Krieger, Founding Principal of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz and Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. "As we worked with our colleagues at NBBJ, we realized we shared the same values and studio culture, only on a different scale."
Scott Wyatt, Managing Partner of NBBJ, said "Since that introduction three years ago, we learned a lot about each other and came to realize the value we could provide to clients by combining the strengths of both organizations. NBBJ is known for our deep market experience in healthcare, education, corporate and commercial design. Chan Krieger Sieniewicz is known in Boston and internationally for its world-class depth in architecture and urban design. Integrating this experience advances what we can together offer clients, particularly on complex urban projects in the U.S. and overseas."
The merger gives NBBJ, which already operates a project office in Boston, a larger presence in New England. The Seattle-based firm has offices in several U.S. cities, including Columbus, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Overseas offices include London, Beijing, Shanghai and Dubai.
Recognition of both firms' work includes numerous AIA design awards, awards in national and international design competitions, Progressive Architecture awards and top sustainable, real estate and business awards.
"We are excited about merging our practice with NBBJ, and see it as simply an ideal match of corresponding skills and personalities," said Larry Chan, Founding Principal of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz and president of the Boston Society of Architects. "The expertise clients are seeking today requires a deep reserve of problem-solving experience. This collaboration allows us to deliver on that need, and to work going forward with the best talent in the industry to advance the strong personal relationships we've built."
About Chan Krieger Sieniewicz - Founded in 1984, Chan Krieger Sieniewicz is built on its ability to cross the disciplines of architecture, urban design, and public space planning. It is widely regarded for its distinctive combination of pragmatic methodology, scholarship, and civic vision. CKS's work is primarily for the public, educational, and institutional sectors, particularly on projects that engage complex settings. For more information, visit www.chankrieger.com
About NBBJ - Founded in 1943, NBBJ is a global architecture, planning and design firm that helps companies and organizations create innovative places. NBBJ's client roster includes Fortune 500 companies, leading public and civic organizations worldwide and US News & World Report top hospitals. Together, NBBJ's design teams and clients have designed communities, buildings, and environments that enhance people's lives, improve businesses' bottom lines and contribute to a more sustainable and livable world. The firm consistently ranks among the country's top ten and the world's top 20 largest architectural firms. For more information, visit www.nbbj.com.
Related Stories
| May 10, 2011
Dinner is now served…atop the Lincoln Memorial?
Take a look at the temporary restaurant sitting atop Brussels’ historic Arc de Triomphe-Triomfboog. The Cube, by Electrolux, offers 18 diners a spectacular view of the Parc du Cinquantenair, and is one of two structures traveling across Europe, making stops at famous landmarks in Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and Russia. What do you think about one of these 60-tonne structures being placed on a U.S. memorial?
| May 6, 2011
Ellerbe Becket now operating as AECOM
*/ The architecture, interiors and engineering firm Ellerbe Becket, which joined AECOM in 2009, has fully transitioned to operating as AECOM as of May 2, 2011.
| May 2, 2011
URS acquires Apptis Holdings, a federal IT service provider
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and CHANTILLY, VA– April 28, 2011 – URS Corporation and Apptis Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of information technology and communications services to the federal government, announced that they have signed a definitive agreement under which URS will acquire Apptis.
| May 2, 2011
Perkins+Will merges with Vermeulen Hind Architects, offically launches Perkins+Will Canada
Ottawa and Hamilton-based Vermeulen Hind Architects, one of Canada’s leading healthcare architectural firms, has merged with Perkins+Will. Vermeulen Hind joins Toronto-based Shore Tilbe Perkins+Will and Vancouver-based Busby Perkins+Will to create Perkins+Will Canada. The combination marks the official launch of Perkins+Will Canada, a merge that will establish the firm as among the pre-eminent interdisciplinary design practices in Canada.
| Apr 26, 2011
Ed Mazria on how NYC can achieve carbon neutrality in buildings by 2030
The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects invited Mr. Mazria to present a keynote lecture to launch its 2030 training program. In advance of that lecture, Jacob Slevin, co-founder of DesignerPages.com and a contributor to The Huffington Post, interviewed Mazria about creating a sustainable vision for the future and how New York City's architects and designers can rise to the occasion.
| Apr 26, 2011
Video: Are China's ghost cities a bubble waiting to burst?
It's estimated that 10 new cities are being built in China every year, but many are virtually deserted. Retail space remains empty and hundreds of apartments are vacant, but the Chinese government is more concerned with maintaining economic growth—and building cities is one way of achieving that goal.
| Apr 25, 2011
Earn $300 million by NOT hiring Frank Gehry
An Iowa philanthropist and architecture aficionado—who wishes to remain anonymous—is offering a $300 million “reward” to any city anywhere in the world that’s brave enough to hire someone other than Frank Gehry to design its new art museum.
| Apr 20, 2011
Marketing firm Funtion: to host “Construct. Build. Evolve.”
Function:, an integrated marketing agency that specializes in reaching the architecture, building and design community, is hosting an interactive art event, “Construct. Build. Evolve.” in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park on Thursday April 21, 2011 at 11:00AM EDT. During the event attendees will be asked to answer the question, “how would you build the future?” to rouse dialogue and discover fresh ideas for the future of the built environment.
| Apr 20, 2011
Architecture Billings Index: new projects inquiry index up significantly from February
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the March ABI score was 50.5, a negligible decrease from a reading of 50.6 the previous month. This score reflects a modest increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 58.7, up significantly from a mark of 56.4 in February.
