Bjarke Ingels Group, often referred to as BIG, is a Copenhagen and New York based group of architects, designers, and builders operating within the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development. The office is currently involved in a large number of projects throughout Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. As of 2016, the office has over 400 employees from 25 countries
Bjarke Ingels and Julien De Smedt established PLOT in Copenhagen in January 2001, as a focus for their architectural practice. Ingels established BIG in late 2005 after he and De Smedt closed down PLOT. This drew acclaim for its first completed commission, the Mountain, a residential project in Copenhagen which had been started by PLOT.
Over the next couple of years, BIG's projects included a waste-to-energy plant which doubles as a ski-slope in Copenhagen, Denmark; the West 57th Street mixed-use tower in midtown Manhattan for Durst Fetner Residential; the National Art Gallery of Greenland in Nuuk; the headquarters for the Shenzhen Energy Company in Shenzhen; and the Kimball Art Center in Utah.
To prepare for the arrival of two giant pandas, Copenhagen Zoo asked BIG to create a home for them. The layout and configuration seek to create ideal mating conditions. The layout mimics the Chinese yin-yang symbol that represents opposite but balanced forces within a circle. The wooden figure Panda is available in two sizes. The upper body rotates on the lower body and the panda has moveable arms and legs.
Materials walnut and maple wood
Dimensions small H10 cm, large H15 cm