BIG (company)

BIG (company). BIG, officially Bjarke Ingels Group, is a globally renowned architecture firm and design collective founded in Copenhagen in 2005 by architect Bjarke Ingels. The practice is celebrated for its ambitious, pragmatic, and often playful approach to architecture, urbanism, and environmental design, operating from major studios in Denmark and New York City. Its prolific output spans cultural institutions, residential towers, public spaces, and master plans, consistently aiming to merge societal, economic, and environmental benefits into what it terms "hedonistic sustainability."

History

The firm's origins trace to the merger of Bjarke Ingels' practice PLOT Architects, which he co-founded with Julien De Smedt, and the team from the former office of renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture. Following the dissolution of PLOT Architects in 2005, Ingels established BIG in Copenhagen, quickly gaining international attention with early projects like the VM Houses and the Mountain Dwellings in Ørestad. A pivotal moment came with the commission for the Danish Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo, which showcased the firm's innovative spirit to a global audience. The opening of a satellite office in New York City in 2010 marked a significant expansion into the North American market, leading to major commissions such as the VIA 57 West apartment building and the redevelopment of the Smithsonian Institution's South Campus.

Notable projects

BIG's portfolio is characterized by its diversity and scale. Key completed works include the serpentine CopenHill (Amager Bakke) in Copenhagen, a waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope on its roof; the twisting Twist Museum at the Kistefos sculpture park in Norway; and the crystalline The Lego House in Billund, Denmark. Significant urban developments feature the Google North Bayshore headquarters in Mountain View, California, and the master plan for the World Trade Center site's 2 World Trade Center tower. Other prominent projects are the Audemars Piguet museum in Le Brassus, Switzerland, the Kuwait National Bank headquarters, and the Tirpitz museum in Blåvand, Denmark.

Design philosophy

Central to BIG's methodology is the concept of "pragmatic utopianism" and "hedonistic sustainability," which seeks to design buildings that are both ecologically responsible and experientially delightful. The firm often employs diagrammatic, narrative-driven design processes, translating complex programs into simple, iconic forms, as seen in their book "Yes is More," an architectural manifesto presented as a comic book. This approach emphasizes creating synergistic relationships between a building's function, its community, and its environment, aiming to prove that sustainable design can enhance quality of life. Their work frequently engages with topography, proposing architectural landforms and hybrid typologies that challenge conventional categories.

Leadership and structure

The firm is led by its founder and creative director, Bjarke Ingels, alongside a partnership that includes key figures such as Finn Nørkjær, Kai-Uwe Bergmann, and David Zahle. Day-to-day operations and business strategy are managed by CEO Sheela Maini Søgaard. BIG operates as a collaborative network of architects, designers, and thinkers across its studios in Copenhagen and New York City, with additional project offices worldwide. The firm collaborates frequently with other design and engineering leaders, such as Heatherwick Studio on the Google Bay View campus and various artists on integrated public art installations.

Awards and recognition

BIG has received extensive international acclaim, including the prestigious European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award for the Copenhagen Mountain Dwellings. The firm has been honored with numerous American Institute of Architects awards, the Wallpaper* Design Award, and the International Highrise Award for VIA 57 West. In 2016, TIME magazine named Bjarke Ingels one of the 100 most influential people. Major exhibitions of the firm's work have been held at institutions like the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Category:Architecture firms of Denmark Category:Companies based in Copenhagen Category:Design companies Category:2005 establishments in Denmark