On January 24, 2018, Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL), one of the world’s leading architecture practices, formally joined the global design firm Perkins+Will in Shanghai. The strategic partnership will expand SHL’s presence in China and reinforce Perkins+Will's commitment to sustainability and design excellence, combining the strengths of both firms to jointly develop the Chinese architecture market.
Harrison noted: “This partnership is founded on shared values between Perkins+Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen: design excellence, sustainability, innovation, and the highest standards of client service. We also share a design philosophy, firmly believing that extraordinary architecture is always democratic and serves the greater good. We are aligned at every level.”
Both practices hold significant influence in the global architectural community and have undertaken extensive projects in China in recent years. Key works by Perkins+Will include the Suzhou Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai Natural History Museum, PetroChina Petrochemical Engineering Research Pilot and Translation Center, Shanghai Oriental Blue Ocean International Plaza, Oriental Fisherman’s Wharf, Wenzhou-Kean University Library, and Shanghai Xuhui South Medical Center. Since 2011, SHL has also been active in China, with projects including the Shanghai Library East, Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant, Ningbo Daily Newspaper Group Headquarters, New Ningbo Library, and the Dream Center's Dream Theater, among others.
Through this partnership, Perkins+Will combines its 83-year legacy of design excellence with SHL's illustrious Danish design heritage. Together, the two firms will deliver even more outstanding contributions to public and cultural architecture, according to Phil Harrison, CEO of Perkins+Will.
Combining Resources and Market Reach
Through this partnership, the two firms have aligned their growth objectives and market expansion strategies. By attracting professionals from diverse backgrounds, expanding public and cultural practices, and strengthening design capabilities, they will enter new territories, grow their client base, and apply pioneering design research to active projects. Crucially, they will also establish highly professional corporate management systems. Bente Damgaard, CEO of SHL, stated: “We aim to be a design-driven, client-focused firm that produces and delivers extraordinary design with outstanding efficiency. Aligning with Perkins+Will gives us the backing of a larger organization, along with advanced technology and broader reach, while allowing us to retain our vital brand identity. This is a tremendous opportunity.”
“Through this strategic partnership, Perkins+Will's global platform will bring us new tools, technologies, and other benefits that will be incredibly important for our clients in China, enabling us to deliver world-class Danish design services even more efficiently,” said Rong Lu, who co-founded SHL's Shanghai office with Chris Hardie in 2011. “We will be able to do so much more, taking on increasingly complex projects to serve clients who never compromise on quality and innovation.”
A Powerhouse of Combined Design Capabilities
The union of Perkins+Will and SHL will draw support from both firms' rich legacies and shared pursuit of excellence.
SHL was founded in 1986 and is globally renowned for its iconic, highly sustainable public and cultural buildings. Key projects include the Royal Library Extension in Copenhagen, Denmark; the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum in Denmark's second-largest city, Aarhus; the Katuaq Cultural Centre in Nuuk, Greenland; the Vendsyssel Theatre in Denmark; the Malmö Live concert hall, congress center, and hotel complex in Sweden; Dokk1 in Aarhus, the largest public library in Scandinavia; and the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Over the past 80-plus years, Perkins+Will has completed numerous landmark projects worldwide, characterized by beautiful form and thoughtful design, including Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois; the Shanghai Natural History Museum; and the Albion Library in Toronto, Canada.
Combining Sustainable Strength
Both SHL and Perkins+Will are recognized leaders in sustainable design. Through high-performance, environmentally responsive design, the two firms will contribute to significantly reducing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing human and ecological health. Together, they have completed hundreds of projects that meet or exceed international green building standards, totaling hundreds of millions of square feet. Many of the firms' professionals are highly regarded experts in the sustainable design field.
“Sustainability is deeply embedded in the DNA of both Perkins+Will and SHL,” said Damgaard. “It is a symbiotic synergy between our two firms, and further proof of why this partnership makes perfect sense.”
A Celebration of Cultural Diversity
This partnership also celebrates different cultures, customs, languages, and traditions, and the design innovation that sparks when these diverse elements come together.
Harrison stated: “Both firms champion a global diversity of talent and creative innovation. We view the integration of design cultures, aesthetic values, and sensibilities as a positive force that will lead us to create better, more thoughtful, and more inclusive architecture. At Perkins+Will, we respect and celebrate SHL's Danish design heritage, and we look forward to how it will enrich our joint projects in many ways.”
James Lu, Managing Director of Perkins+Will's Shanghai office, commented: “By combining Perkins+Will’s history of design excellence in China with SHL’s Danish design philosophy, we are uniquely positioned to serve our clients. The level of design caliber, rigorous performance, and expertise we offer will be unmatched in the Chinese market. This is a wonderful and highly positive way to welcome the Chinese New Year.”
About Perkins+Will
Perkins+Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm founded in 1935. Founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities, the firm collaborates with clients worldwide to create healthy, sustainable environments where people live, learn, work, play, and heal. With more than 20 offices and over 2,200 professionals globally, Perkins+Will includes leading practitioners in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Long-term client relationships span diverse fields, with the firm leading research initiatives across ten specialized Research Labs to catalyze innovative design technologies and solutions for a better, smarter, and more competitive built environment. Consistently ranked among the world's top design firms, Perkins+Will receives hundreds of design awards annually and is a progressive leader in corporate social responsibility. Click here to learn more.
About Perkins+Will Shanghai Office
Perkins+Will has practiced in Asia for three decades, consistently delivering environmentally responsible, culturally relevant, and socially significant architectural solutions. The firm established its Shanghai office in 2001 after winning the International School of Beijing (ISB) and the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University projects. Today, the Shanghai office offers services spanning public and cultural projects, corporate and commercial mixed-use developments, healthcare, science and technology, higher education, K-12 education, corporate interiors, and urban design. Representative projects include the Shanghai Natural History Museum, Suzhou Science and Technology Museum, Chervon Corporate Headquarters, PetroChina Petrochemical Engineering Research Pilot and Translation Center, Shanghai Oriental Fisherman’s Wharf, Wenzhou-Kean University Library, and Shanghai Xuhui South Medical Center. Click here to learn more.
About Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Founded in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1986, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects is led by founding partners Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer, and John F. Lassen, senior partners Kim Holst Jensen and Kristian Lars Ahlmark, and partners Rong Lu and Chris Hardie. As one of Scandinavia's most prestigious and award-winning architectural practices, the firm operates offices in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Shanghai, providing professional architectural services globally. SHL has created numerous internationally acclaimed, high-profile projects. Cultural and educational buildings, offices, commercial developments, retail, and residential projects form the cornerstone of SHL's portfolio, often situated in complex, diverse urban environments. The firm also boasts extensive global expertise in libraries, large-scale civic developments, and cultural landmarks. Recognized worldwide for its innovative, sustainable, and democratic architectural philosophy, SHL has received over 100 national and international awards. Click here to learn more.
About SHL Shanghai Office
Established in 2011 and led by partners Chris Hardie and Rong Lu, the Shanghai office of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects is one of Asia's premier design studios, with a portfolio focusing heavily on public and cultural architecture. In 2017, SHL’s Shanghai office was recognized as one of the most influential architecture firms in China.
The portfolio of SHL’s Shanghai office includes the Shanghai Library East, an 110,000-square-meter future hybrid library located in the heart of Pudong; the "Dream Center," a cultural landmark along the Huangpu River; the "Green Valley," a 50,000-square-meter green office park in the Shanghai Expo area that will serve as the headquarters for Shanghai Pudong Development Bank; the West Bund Waterfront Theater; the 123,000-square-meter Ningbo Daily Newspaper Group Headquarters; the 104,000-square-meter "Home of Staff" cultural complex for the Ningbo Federation of Trade Unions; and the New Ningbo Library, set to complete in 2018. In China, SHL also partners with leading tech companies, with clients including Xiaomi and NIO, and has designed two co-working spaces in the Shanghai Caohejing Hi-Tech Park. In 2016, SHL won the international competition for the Shenzhen East Waste-to-Energy Plant—the world’s largest waste-to-energy facility—scheduled for completion in 2020. Click here to learn more.
This article was written by 韩爽. The translation is powered by AI.
