WeWork, the global network of cosharing workspaces with office locations in 65 cities and 21 countries, announced today that Bjarke Ingels, the Founding Partner and Creative Director of the architectural firm BIG, is now its Chief Architect.
Ingels will continue in his current capacities at BIG, which has offices in New York, London, and Copenhagen. But he will also advise and develop WeWork’s design vision and “language” for buildings, campuses and neighborhoods.
The eight-year-old WeWork generated $900 million in revenue in 2017, a year it opened 90 buildings around the world. The company told Bloomberg that it wants double its office buildings to 400 by the end of 2018. The company’s scale has allowed WeWork to get its construction costs down to around $5,000 per desk, which at bigger locations could save more than $100,000. WeWork also has $4.4 billion in investment capital from Japan's SoftBank to play with.
Coincidentally, WeWork got started around the same time that Ingels relocated to New York from his native Denmark. Both WeWork and BIG have since been high-profile juggernauts. “They have accomplished incredible things and … are committed to continuing their trajectory to places we can only imagine,” said Ingels about WeWork. “I am very excited to contribute with my insights and ideas to extend their community-oriented vision to ground-up buildings and urban neighborhoods.”
Adam Neumann, WeWork’s Co-founder and CEO, says that Ingels has changed the way he and his company think about architecture. “His designs inspire as much as surprise.” As WeWork’s Chief Architect, Ingels “will help us reimagine and reshape the future of our spaces, our company, and ultimately our cities,” predicts Neumann.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Sep 15, 2015
HOTEL SECTOR GIANTS: Gensler, AECOM, Turner among nation's largest hotel sector AEC firms
BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest hotel sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2015 Giants 300 Report.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 14, 2015
Is Apple's new iPad Pro a game changer for architects?
A stylus, split screen, and improved graphics make designing on the tablet easier.
Education Facilities | Sep 14, 2015
Gehry unveils plan for Children's Institute, Inc. campus in LA
The new facility, which will have rooms for counseling, afterschool activities, and youth programs, will allow CII to expand its services to 5,000 local children and families.
Architects | Sep 11, 2015
Haeahn Architecture wins design competition for Seoul work and press center
Building will have low roofs, open courtyard, and media facilities
Giants 400 | Sep 10, 2015
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR GIANTS: Stantec, Turner, Jacobs among top industrial AEC firms
BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest industrial sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2015 Giants 300 Report
Giants 400 | Sep 10, 2015
MILITARY SECTOR GIANTS: Clark Group, HDR, Fluor top rankings of nation's largest military sector AEC firms
BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest military sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2015 Giants 300 Report
Museums | Sep 9, 2015
Bauhaus Museum Dessau names two design winners
The German museum chose one sleek, no-nonsense concept and one colorful, complex entry.
Giants 400 | Sep 8, 2015
RETAIL SECTOR GIANTS: Callison RTKL, PCL Construction, Jacobs among top retail sector AEC firms
BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest retail sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2015 Giants 300 Report
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 7, 2015
The power of data: How AEC firms and owners are using analytics to transform design and construction
Case’s bldgs = data conference highlighted how collecting data about personal activities can inform design and extend the power of BIM/VDC.
Sponsored | Architects | Sep 4, 2015
Sydney-based Architectural Firm Dramatically Increases Productivity
ArchiOffice enables the firm to spend less time on managing projects by providing relevant information in one place.
