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
Giants 400 | Aug 29, 2022
Top 80 Senior Living Facility Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
Perkins Eastman, Hord Coplan Macht, Ryan A+E, and Stantec top the ranking of the nation's largest senior living facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 29, 2022
Top 70 Student Housing Facility Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
Niles Bolton Associates, Mithun, Gensler, and Perkins and Will top the ranking of the nation's largest student housing facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
| Aug 29, 2022
Montana becomes first U.S. state to approve 3D printing in construction
Montana is the first U.S. state to give broad regulatory approval for 3D printing in building construction.
Giants 400 | Aug 29, 2022
Top 175 Multifamily Sector Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
Perkins Eastman, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, KTGY, and Gensler top the ranking of the nation's largest multifamily sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes all multifamily sector work, including apartments, condos, student housing, and senior living facilities.
| Aug 26, 2022
Idaho Building Code Board considers gutting large part of state energy code
Idaho Building Code Board considers gutting large part of state energy code.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 25, 2022
7 things to know about designing for Chinese multifamily developers
Seven tips for designing successful apartment and condominium projects for Chinese clients.
Giants 400 | Aug 25, 2022
Top 155 Apartment and Condominium Architecture Firms for 2022
Solomon Cordwell Buenz, KTGY, Gensler, and AO top the ranking of the nation's largest apartment and condominium architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
University Buildings | Aug 25, 2022
Higher education, striving for ‘normal’ again, puts student needs at the center of project planning
Sustainability and design flexibility are what higher education clients are seeking consistently, according to the dozen AEC Giants contacted for this article. “University campuses across North America are commissioning new construction projects designed to make existing buildings and energy systems more sustainable, and are building new flexible learning space that bridge the gap between remote and in-person learning,” say Patrick McCafferty, Arup’s Education Business Leader–Americas East region, and Matt Humphries, Education Business Leader in Canada region.
| Aug 25, 2022
New York City’s congestion pricing aims to reduce traffic, cut carbon
Officials recently released an environmental assessment that analyzes seven different possible pricing schemes for New York City’s congestion pricing program.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Aug 24, 2022
Solutions for cladding performance and supply issues
This course covers design considerations and cladding assembly choices for creating high-performance building envelopes — a crucial element in healthy, energy-efficient buildings.