With more than 250 employees and seven offices across the Nordic region, AART brings the architecture collective to more than 500 employees. AART adds not only scale to the collective, but also strong expertise in areas including architecture, transformation and conservation, urban development, and the systematic integration and documentation of the added value that architecture creates for people, organisations and society.
The ambition for Verka Collective is to build a significant European collective of architecture firms while preserving the strength of the individual brands. With AART, that model gains new professional and commercial weight.
“AART changes both the scale and reach of Verka Collective. We are gaining a company that already operates across markets, offices and disciplines, and that has first-hand experience of developing a large architecture firm. AART will therefore become a central part of the collective and of the next phase of our European development,” says Frants Nielsen, CEO of Verka Collective.
AART joins the collective from a position of strength
AART is one of the Nordic region’s largest partner-owned architecture firms, advising clients on developing organisations and society with architecture as a catalyst. The company is currently involved in the development of more than two million square metres across scales and sectors. Current landmark projects include the new treasury at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, the Museum of the Viking Age in Oslo, the transformation of Universitetsbyen in Aarhus, Grundfos’ global headquarters in Bjerringbro and Postbyen in Copenhagen.
“For us, this is about creating an even stronger platform for what we fundamentally believe in: that architecture can and should be used as a tool to make a positive difference for people, organisations and places. We call it Redefining Architecture, and we now have even greater capacity to invest in and develop that ambition,” says Torben Skovbjerg Larsen, founding partner and CEO of AART.
“AART will continue as AART – with our own identity, professional ambition and position – but now with access to a larger European architecture community, broader expertise and new opportunities for collaboration. This gives us greater scope to develop architecture, strengthen our influence and create an even greater impact – for our clients and for society as a whole,” he says.
For AART, Verka Collective provides an opportunity to accelerate its strategy, with a focus on areas including the green transition, the circular economy, and AI and new technology in design, consultancy and business. At the same time, the collective creates opportunities to apply AART’s expertise in new markets and develop it in collaboration with other strong professional environments. One concrete example is NORDFY, which recently joined the collective and specialises in strategic and applied AI tailored to the needs of architecture firms.
Scale has a purpose
A key ambition for Verka Collective is to create greater collective capacity to develop the architectural profession and, in doing so, strengthen the quality of urban development across Europe.
The collective model makes it possible to bring together the different expertise, knowledge and capacity of its companies when a project requires it, while responsibility for the architecture and client relationships remains with the individual company.
“With AART, we can build stronger teams and deliver regardless of geography. At the same time, we can invest more in development, innovation, transformation, and documenting architecture’s impact and value. This strengthens the architectural profession’s ability to take responsibility for the major changes taking place in the built environment amid a climate crisis. We need to be small and large at the same time. Close to our clients, culture and local markets, while having the capacity, expertise and experience to tackle the most complex projects together. That is the essence of Verka Collective,” says Sonja Stockmarr, CCO of Verka Collective.
