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
| Dec 17, 2010
How to Win More University Projects
University architects representing four prominent institutions of higher learning tell how your firm can get the inside track on major projects.
| Dec 13, 2010
Energy efficiency No. 1 priority for commercial office tenants
Green building initiatives are a key influencer when tenants decide to sign a commercial real estate lease, according to a survey by GE Capital Real Estate. The survey, which was conducted over the past year and included more than 2,220 office tenants in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, the UK, Spain, and Japan, shows that energy efficiency remains the No. 1 priority in most countries. Also ranking near the top: waste reduction programs and indoor air.
| Dec 7, 2010
Are green building RFPs more important than contracts?
The Request for Proposal (RFP) process is key to managing a successful LEED project, according to Green Building Law Update. While most people think a contract is the key element to a successful construction project, successfully managing a LEED project requires a clear RFP that addresses many of the problems that can lead to litigation.
| Dec 7, 2010
Blue is the future of green design
Blue design creates places that are not just neutral, but actually add back to the world and is the future of sustainable design and architecture, according to an interview with Paul Eagle, managing director of Perkins+Will, New York; and Janice Barnes, principal at the firm and global discipline leader for planning and strategies.
| Dec 7, 2010
Green building thrives in shaky economy
Green building’s momentum hasn’t been stopped by the economic recession and will keep speeding through the recovery, while at the same time building owners are looking to go green more for economic reasons than environmental ones. Green building has grown 50% in the past two years; total construction starts have shrunk 26% over the same time period, according to “Green Outlook 2011” report. The green-building sector is expected to nearly triple by 2015, representing as much as $145 billion in new construction activity.
| Dec 7, 2010
USGBC: Wood-certification benchmarks fail to pass
The proposed Forest Certification Benchmark to determine when wood-certification groups would have their certification qualify for points in the LEED rating systemdid not pass the USGBC member ballot. As a result, the Certified Wood credit in LEED will remain as it is currently written. To date, only wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council qualifies for a point in the LEED, while other organizations, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Canadian Standards Association, and the American Tree Farm System, are excluded.
| Dec 7, 2010
Prospects for multifamily sector improve greatly
The multifamily sector is showing signs of a real recovery, with nearly 22,000 new apartment units delivered to the market. Net absorption in the third quarter surged by 94,000 units, dropping the national vacancy rate from 7.8% to 7.1%, one of the largest quarterly drops on record, and rents increased for the second quarter in a row.
| Dec 7, 2010
Hot rumor: Norman Foster designing Apple’s new campus
Lord Norman Foster, reportedly has been selected to design Apple’s new campus in Cupertino, Calif. If the news is true, Foster is a good match for Apple say experts. Foster built his celebrity by marrying big gestures to technological wizardry. And, unlike some starchitects, he has glommed onto the environmental revolution—something Apple has made a point of embracing, too.
| Dec 7, 2010
10 megacities of the near future
With Beijing, Shanghai, and Mumbai already on the global radar, where can the next wave of construction be found? Far beyond China, India, and even Brazil it’s predicted. The world’s next future megacities could include Istanbul, Turkey; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Khartoum, Sudan, among others. Read about these emerging and little-known behemoths.
