Publications
Publications
- July 2019
- HBS Case Collection
Bjarke Ingels Group
By: Boris Groysberg and Aldo Sesia
Abstract
Danish-born Bjarke Ingels is regarded as a giant in the field of architecture. He started his firm—the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)—in 2005 in Copenhagen. Fourteen years later, the firm has additional offices in New York City, London, and Barcelona and employs over 500 people. BIG is known for what Ingels calls “hedonistic sustainability,” and its designs include a waste-to-energy treatment plant replete with a ski slope, and a multi-storied residential building where residents can bike to their apartments. In 2019, the firm is experiencing growth pains. Demands on Ingels and the firm’s infrastructure are intensifying. Ingels and BIG’s CEO Sheela Maini Søgaard, along with the firm’s other partners, know the firm needs to adapt—organizationally and operationally—to be successful in the future. The case study provides background on Ingels, the creation and evolution of BIG, and the challenges the firm and its leadership face.
Keywords
Buildings and Facilities; Design; Growth Management; Leadership; Organizational Culture; Talent and Talent Management; Urban Development; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Construction Industry; Service Industry; Real Estate Industry; Denmark; Spain; United Kingdom; United States; New York (city, NY)
Citation
Groysberg, Boris, and Aldo Sesia. "Bjarke Ingels Group." Harvard Business School Case 420-026, July 2019.
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