New partnership good news for world design

Qin Yun, chairman of Shanghai Xian Dai Architectural Design Group, led a delegation from his firm to visit Los Angeles this week. Qin and his delegation, however, are not just a Chinese group touring the city for potential opportunities. They are there to meet their new staff, following the firm's recent acquisition of Wilson Associates, an international luxury design firm.

The new venture is between Dallas-based Wilson and East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co Ltd (ECADI), a company affiliated with Shanghai Xian Dai. Both describe the partnership as "mutually beneficial" because it combines "the best from both sides to create a dominant new force" in the architecture design industry, as Qin explained through a phone interview with a group of executives from both firms in Dallas.

The rapid economic and industrial growth in China has, in particular, created opportunities in the architecture and design industries. US architecture firms have been eyeing emerging projects in the world's No 2 economy - home to 60 of the world's 100 tallest buildings - hoping to land opportunities there.

The new partnership, as Qin puts it, is one of the very few in the architectural world in both the US and China. Shanghai-based ECADI brings architectural and engineering expertise to the table while Wilson contributes to interior, Qin added.

"It's a win-win strategy for both and can help open the door to many opportunities in both markets," said Qin.

With the achievements Xian Dai has made in China, having Wilson as a partner will strengthen the firm's "international footprint", said the chairman.

"In Wilson Associates, we have found a like-minded company that shares our passion for excellent design and desire to secure high-end market share," Qin noted, without disclosing the total amount of the acquisition.

Long Ge, vice-president of Shanghai Xian Dai, said the two firms have - for the past few months - been looking at about six or seven projects they can already work together on using their expertise as well as their connections in China and the US.

"Some of Xian Dai's projects in Shanghai already have Wilson's involvement," said Long, without giving the specific names of the projects.

The increasing volume of Chinese investment in the US is another reason why Xian Dai looked to partner with a US design firm. Long said Chinese companies' appetite in the US for sure helps create future projects in their industry.

But the potential is now really coming from both sides. The legacy of these two firms will give the new venture a boost to explore more opportunities in the world's two largest economies, said Olivier Chavy, president and CEO of Wilson Associates.

"We are excited by the opportunities that partnering with another global powerhouse will bring to the Wilson Associates team," said Chavy. "Together, we now offer an unmatched group of the industry's most innovative talent and can deliver a fully integrated design service to our clients."

Wilson is considered among the elite of the world's hospitality interior design firms. The firm's China projects include Shanghai's Four Seasons Hotel and Shenzhen's Grand Hyatt. The firm's international high-profile clients also include the Ministry of Presidential Affairs in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where Wilson Associates is involved in the design of the palace.

Founded in 1971, Wilson Associates specializes in interior architectural design, with 400 professionals in eight international offices including Los Angeles, New York and Shanghai.

The firm creates interiors for world-class hotels, resorts, restaurants, casinos and high-end residential properties, offering a full range of design services. So far, Wilson has designed and installed more than 1 million guestrooms in thousands of hotels worldwide, and has worked with more than 20 of the world's top 100 billionaires on projects.

ECADI's track record in architecture in China is as impressive. The company has completed more than 30,000 landmark design and consulting projects. Its portfolio has five of the world's tallest buildings in China.

"We speak the same language in terms of creativity in the field of design." Chavy said.

Contact the writer at yuweizhang@chinadailyusa.com.

(China Daily USA 03/06/2014 page2)