World Architecture 100 practice looks to expand life-sciences, commercial and fit-out offer

WilliamPW, ThereseBak, JohnDrew, StuartRough, IanApsley

Source: Broadway Malyan

William Poole-Wilson, Therese Bak, John Drew, Stuart Rough and Ian Apsley

Broadway Malyan has announced a “merger” with architecture practice DC3 and workplace-design specialist WILL & Partners in a bid to “broaden and diversify” the client base served from its London studio.

The global firm, which ranked at No.73 in Building Design’s latest World Architecture 100 league table, said initial targets for its expanded offer would be work in the life sciences and commercial sectors, corporate real estate fit-out and projects for City-based companies.

Under the merger, DC3 founders John Drew and Therese Bak will join Broadway Malyan as principals and directors.

Drew is a former partner at Foster & Partners. Bak has worked for SOM in New York and London. The pair worked together at Rafael Viñoly Architects.

WILL & Partners will continue to operate under its existing brand, but director William Poole-Wilson – who was also a co-founder of DC3 – will join Broadway Malyan’s executive board and lead workplace design accounts.

The DC3 and WILL & Partners teams will relocate to Broadway Malyan’s London studio near Waterloo Station.

Broadway Malyan group managing director Ian Apsley said the firm was “hugely excited” to welcome Poole-Wilson, Drew and Bak as principals and directors.

“Their skills and experience will be hugely valuable in helping us broaden our client base particularly strengthening our commercial and research offers in the UK,” he said.

“We are also looking forward to getting them involved in current projects, adding their design flair and knowledge of highly complex schemes to our existing team.”

Broadway Malyan chairman Stuart Rough said the business hoped the acquisition of DC3 and WILL & Partners would enable the business to “replicate” the “fantastic client list for offices and commercial development” that it had across Europe and Asia.

The most-recent WA100 ranking, published in January, lists Broadway Malyan as employing 156 architects and boasting a global fees income of US$40m-49m. It was placed at No.69 in 2021’s ranking.