Global Architecture Firm Invests in Continued Growth of China
SEATTLE -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --
With more momentum and growth available in emerging economies, commercial development is focusing on opportunities in China. As part of its international initiative, global architecture and design firm Callison is leveraging 20 years of experience in the market and directing more in-country staff and resources to its China efforts.
With an office in Shanghai, the 35-year old firm is concentrating on the ongoing urbanization of China's secondary and tertiary cities. Callison currently has more than 1.4 million square meters of space under construction in China including The MIXc in Hangzhou, developed by China Resources and Sun Hung Kai and 24 City in Chengdu, also developed by China Resources.
As an added resource to its China practice and in response to market demand, Callison Principal Bill Karst (and CEO until February 2009) is currently based in China. Recently Karst, who has worked in Asia more than 20 years, discussed why China is such an important market for the firm and for the industry at large:
Video clip: http://www.callison.com/news/Callison_BillKarst_ChinaV1.wmv
Areas of growth:
For the past four years, the Chinese government has encouraged a shift in the majority of investment developments moving to the second and third tier cities. While this was a national program, it has been embraced by every municipality as well as companies in the private sector. More than half of Callison's China projects are in second and third tier cities outside of Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
In these secondary and tertiary cities, there is a growing demand for vibrant mixed-use developments that can be catalysts for revitalizing older urban cores. Many of these new city centers are ancillary to the existing central business districts. As the urban population continues to grow, the need also expands for creating new destinations that resonate with the community - creating a new heart for the city.
Experience and relationships:
In the market since 1991, Callison has enjoyed a proven track record, solid relationships and a deep cultural understanding of how to do business in China. With the global economy, there is definitely a new run of international investors and developers that are running at China because their home opportunities are not as strong as they were before. But the novice enthusiasm wears off, particularly due to the unique and unexpected challenges of doing business in China. The relationships and the partnerships are what the business is all about.
There is such a depth of capabilities in China - the successful players that are just now entering the market benefit by seeking out the experienced in-country developers, investors and design experts as partners. Those that come in and try to operate independently have a tendency to have a strong competitive disadvantage. Anytime there's a new flood of interested parties, many find out the hard way that China is not as inexperienced as they might think at first blush.
Callison, the number one retail design firm in the world (World Architecture, 2003-2008), plans and designs retail, mixed-use, residential, corporate, hospitality and healthcare projects worldwide. With offices in Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Shanghai, London, Dubai, Mexico City and Mumbai, Callison is one of the largest architectural design firms based in the United States with 500 professional staff. Clients include China Resources, Sung Hung Kai, Hines, Shanghai Greenland, Nike and Seibu Department Stores of Japan. www.callison.com. Subscribe to our RSS feed by copying and pasting http://www.callison.com/rss/ into your RSS reader.
CONTACT:
Callison
Donita Dooley, Sr. Media Relations Specialist
Office: 206-623-4646
International Cell: 206-271-0330
donita.dooley@callison.com