Employees at the New York office of architecture firm Snøhetta have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to unionize the studio.
Snøhetta employees’ action marks the third time architects at a private-sector architecture studio in the U.S. took that step. Designers at SHoP Architects in New York moved to unionize in December 2021, later dropping that bid. Employees at Brooklyn-based Bernheimer Architecture joined the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers last fall, making the firm the first unionized private-sector architecture studio in the U.S.
Snøhetta has union architects in Norway, where it is based, according to published reports.
“We look forward to working with this group to better understand what joining a union might mean for the firm, our culture, our business, and our entire team,” reads a statement from Snøhetta management. “We have been told that their focus is on addressing industry-wide issues rather than challenges specifically within our studio.”
After the petition is verified, members of the company will campaign for and against the movement, and then vote. A majority of workers must vote in favor of a union for the union to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board as their representative for collective bargaining.
Related Stories
Building Team Awards | May 31, 2016
Gonzaga's new student center is a bustling social hub
Retail mall features, comfortable furniture, and floor-to-ceiling glass add vibrancy to the new John J. Hemmingson Center.
Building Team Awards | May 27, 2016
Big police academy trains thousands of New York's finest
The Police Training Academy in Queens, N.Y., consists of a 480,000-sf academic/administration building and a 240,000-sf physical training facility, linked by an aerial pedestrian bridge.
Building Team Awards | May 26, 2016
Cimpress office complex built during historically brutal Massachusetts winter
Lean construction techniques were used to build 275 Wyman Street during a winter that brought more than 100 inches of snow to suburban Boston.
Building Team Awards | May 25, 2016
New health center campus provides affordable care for thousands of Northern Californians
The 38,000-sf, two-level John & Susan Sobrato Campus in Palo Alto is expected to serve 25,000 patients a year by the end of the decade.
Architects | May 24, 2016
Lissoni Architettura’s NYC Aquatrium takes first place in New York City Waterfront Design competition
NYC Aquatrium was selected from among 178 proposals from 40 countries as the winner of Arch Out Loud’s NYC Aquarium & Public Waterfront design competition
Building Team Awards | May 24, 2016
Los Angeles bus depot squeezes the most from a tight site
The Building Team for the MTA Division 13 Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility fit 12 acres’ worth of programming in a multi-level structure on a 4.8-acre site.
Building Team Awards | May 23, 2016
'Greenest ballpark' proves a winner for St. Paul Saints
Solar arrays, a public art courtyard, and a picnic-friendly “park within a park" make the 7,210-seat CHS Field the first ballpark to meet Minnesota sustainable building standards.
Architects | May 20, 2016
NCARB survey indicates continued growth of U.S. architects
The number of U.S. architects surpassed 110,000 in 2015, a 2% increase from the previous year.
Multifamily Housing | May 19, 2016
Architect Jean Nouvel designs flood-resilient Monad Terrace in Miami Beach
A man-made lagoon with lush vegetation at the base of the complex is expected to adapt to climate change and rising sea levels.
Building Team Awards | May 19, 2016
Chinatown library unites and serves two emerging Chicago neighborhoods
The 16,000-sf, pebble-shaped Chinatown Branch Library was built at the intersection of new and old Chinatown neighborhoods. The goal is for the building to unite the communities and serve as a catalyst for the developing area.
