Both practices already belong to French multinational architecture and engineering giant Egis\u2019s 10N collection of architectural studios, but the merger, announced today (13 January), means that 12 global offices will now come under the WW+P brand.<\/p>\n
Other 10N practices include London, Hong Kong, and San Francisco-based 10 Design, Fenwick Iribarren Architects based in Madrid and Omrania, and U+A in the Middle East<\/p>\n
WW+P\u2019s staff numbers have more than doubled following the merger \u2013up to 410 from 168 a year ago.<\/p>\n
WW+P and SvN both specialise in transport infrastructure and transit-oriented development, making the pairing a \u2018natural fit from the outset\u2019, according to WW+P chief executive Ali Mowahed.<\/p>\n
He added: \u2018This merger represents the coming together of two brands to create a global practice that builds better cities, smarter infrastructure and more inclusive communities.<\/p>\n
\u2018Partners want confidence. Cities need leadership. We offer both: with a brand that stands for quality, innovation, and bold ideas.\u2019<\/p>\n
SvN managing principal Drew Sinclair added: \u2018The DNA of both practices is remarkably similar.<\/p>\n
\u2018Both practices place a unique value on listening, meaningful consultation, and a deep understanding of history and context; both practices share a capacity for design innovation; and both practices have a total commitment to a regenerative, deeply sustainable approach to planning and architecture.\u2019<\/p>\n
Following the merger, Sinclair will join the global executive leadership team as executive director.<\/p>\n
Colin Hutchison, chief executive officer at 10N, said: \u2018SvN and WW+P coming together as one compelling brand creates a powerful vehicle through which 10N can offer cohesive placemaking and planning strategy, architecture, civic infrastructure and design expertise.\u2019<\/p>\n
The creation of the Egis architecture line in March 2023, based in a London office opposite WW+P, aimed \u2018to facilitate creative synergy and collaboration across sectors to provide a holistic approach to urban design, architecture and engineering\u2019, Egis said at the time. It was rebranded as 10n last year.<\/p>\n
Q&A with WW+P chief executive officer Ali Mowahed<\/p>\n
How does this merger reflect the confidence\u00a0WW+P and Egis have in the North American market?
This merger is a global strengthening of our capabilities. Latin America, the USA and Canada comprise a strong market. We want to do much more work there. It\u2019s encouraging to work in a mega-region that is still investing in mass transit at scale, unlike the UK. Their ambition is significant: they have well-funded, urban renewal programmes that transition away from private vehicles to sustainable developments. It\u2019s a very good fit for our combined expertise with SvN.<\/p>\n
Could this merger increase your capabilities at home?
Absolutely. Bringing SvN\u2019s expertise into the mix means we can incorporate planning into what we offer as a practice. The thinking around transit-oriented development (TOD) that SvN has done that\u2019s central to Canada is very applicable to the UK and Europe \u2013 particularly those TOD programmes that enable private developers to engage in transit delivery.<\/p>\n
This is something the UK \u2013 and [government-owned housing delivery arm] Platform4 especially \u2013 should take note of. Our collective experience between WW+P and SvN as TOD advisers to the Ontario government is directly applicable to challenges around viability and cost effectiveness in the UK.<\/p>\n
Why are you bucking the trend and going on an expansion drive at a time of economic uncertainty?
Our global footprint means we\u2019ve been able to weather instability in the UK better than our peers. The typologies that we are experts in \u2013 transit-led regeneration, urban renewal, regenerative design \u2013 are still very much in demand globally. We load share between studios; wherever we have the right skillset, we deliver. Whether it\u2019s delivering an airport in Toronto or a landscape scheme in Guangzhou, our teams around the world with the right skills will support the project.<\/p>\n
How will these change the day-to-day operations from London, and does London remain the centre of Egis\u2019s architecture output?
Drew Sinclair, managing principal of SvN, joins as an executive director of WW+P, while the leadership for Latin America, the USA and Canada is being staffed by former SvN principals Ana Espinosa, Shonda Wang and Laura Sellors, respectively.<\/p>\n
Most of our global leadership remains in London. Egis\u2019s architecture collective 10N is still headquartered in London, and is very aligned with the growth and expansion strategy that WW+P is adopting. This merger with SvN really broadens the portfolio and skillset that we have as a practice, bringing a significant increase in landscape architecture, policy planning and client advisory services, mixed-use residential and commercial developments, alongside our transit portfolio. We can then bring these skills home to the UK. SvN\u2019s experience of delivering affordable housing and community-led regeneration projects are very applicable to the economic and development challenges that the UK needs to address.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Both practices already belong to French multinational architecture and engineering giant Egis\u2019s 10N collection of architectural studios, but…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":368035,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-368034","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368034"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368034\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/368035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}