Bjarke Ingels moves firm to huge new headquarters in ‘Scandamerican’ DUMBO

Architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has just added heft to the big-name design, media and technology shift that has been setting up shop in Brooklyn. BIG, founded by noted Danish architect–and DUMBO resident–Bjarke Ingels, just signed a lease for 50,000 square feet at Two Trees’ 45 Main Street building in the Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood, with plans to relocate their Manhattan office at 61 Broadway to the new space, which is twice the size of the company’s current NYC headquarters. As 6sqft previously reported, Ingels purchased a $4 million penthouse home at 205 Water Street with views of 2 World Trade Center back in 2015.

Though the neighborhood has been attracting artists, designers and creators since the 1990s due to its outsized lofts and industrial buildings and stunning bridge views, the move represents one of the largest-ever relocations from Manhattan to DUMBO. Even more notable, perhaps, is the reason behind the move: Ingels told Two Trees, “With the majority of my colleagues, myself included, living in Brooklyn and the continuous enhancement of the neighborhood through the expansion of Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Two Trees community, DUMBO is an obvious choice for BIG in NYC. The visual excitement and physical proximity to downtown Manhattan combined with DUMBO’s artistic spirit and access to public space feels like our native Copenhagen, making it as Scandimerican as any place I can think of.”

Built in 1912, the 12-floor 45 Main Street boasts 475,000 rentable square feet and is situated within walking distance of five subway lines. Two Trees said in a press release, “BIG’s move to 45 Main Street is just the latest proof that the primary sphere of influence in the creative, media and design world is crossing the East River, from Manhattan to Brooklyn. At 45 Main Street, BIG will be joining some of the world’s top creative brands.”

The Copenhagen-based BIG, led by the urban visionary Ingels, has contributed to the city’s architectural landscape with innovative buildings like the tetrahedron-shaped VIA 57 West, and a new pair of hotel and residential towers at 76 11th Avenue, and, of course, the redesign of 2 World Trade Center.

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