BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group)

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is an architecture firm founded in 2005 by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. Headquartered in Copenhagen with offices in New York, London, and Barcelona, BIG has grown from a small startup to a global powerhouse employing over 700 people. Known for its innovative and often playful designs, BIG has completed projects across Europe, North America, and Asia. The firm's portfolio spans various scales and typologies, from residential buildings to cultural institutions and urban masterplans. One of BIG's most iconic projects is CopenHill, a waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen that doubles as a ski slope and recreational area. This project embodies the firm's concept of "hedonistic sustainability," combining environmental responsibility with public enjoyment. BIG's work extends beyond traditional architecture. The firm has ventured into product design, urban planning, and even space architecture, collaborating with NASA on concepts for Mars habitation. Recent projects include the new Google campus in California, the Vancouver House skyscraper, and the Audemars Piguet Museum in Switzerland. In Copenhagen, BIG designed its own headquarters, a seven-story building featuring an open, collaborative workspace. The firm's approach often involves challenging conventional thinking. For instance, their "courtscrapers" in New York and Copenhagen blend European-style courtyard buildings with American skyscrapers. BIG has garnered numerous awards and accolades, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the American Institute of Architects' Honor Award. Bjarke Ingels himself was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2016. Despite its rapid growth and high-profile projects, BIG maintains a relatively flat organizational structure, encouraging input from all team members regardless of seniority.