Watertown and Boston, Ma- Sasaki, an inter-disciplinary design firm with a staff of 230 people, and Hacin + Associates (H+A), a boutique architectural and interior design practice, are pleased to announce the formation of a “strategic partnership.” This formal relationship—which is not a merger—will allow the two firms to extend their design capabilities and strengthen their presence in core markets. This partnership has grown from the successes of recent collaborations and the realization that both firms share a similar focus on finding innovative, client-focused design solutions. The two firms, which will retain their own identities and operations, will look for opportunities to combine forces to pursue new work together and offer their existing clients additional services.
Earlier this year, Sasaki and H+A collaborated on the development of housing prototypes and a new hotel for the master plan of Lulu Island’s Neighborhood 3, one of several new neighborhoods proposed for a man-made island off the coast of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Additional collaborations include a new boutique hotel and residential community currently being planned for Boston’s North Shore as well as several on-going design competitions.
“There is such compatibility between our two firms,” says David Hacin, FAIA, President and founder of H+A. “When we work together there is a shared passion for new ideas and innovative thinking. I look forward to bringing the relative strengths of our two firms together to create new opportunities. These sentiments are shared by Dennis Pieprz, President of Sasaki. “David’s understanding of the urban context is a perfect match for Sasaki’s integrated design approach. David’s contributions in the area of residential and commercial design will complement our efforts in many ways, from our urban design and master planning efforts overseas to new architectural and interior design projects here in Massachusetts.”
With this partnership, H+A will gain direct access to the extensive resources and design capabilities of an inter-disciplinary, internationally-acclaimed firm. On larger, multi-family or mixed use development projects, H+A can now easily integrate additional disciplines such as planning and urban design, landscape architecture, civil engineering, and environmental graphic design. H+A will also be able to draw on Sasaki’s strong market presence in the academic, civic and corporate realms to grow its practice in these areas.
Sasaki will benefit from H+A’s connections to the New England region by deepening its local market presence and leveraging H+A’s award-winning portfolio of innovative architecture and interior design projects. Additionally, David Hacin will serve as a principal of Sasaki, adding his housing and commercial expertise to Sasaki’s efforts to grow its civic and corporate market presence nationally and internationally. This partnership represents a significant opportunity for both firms that will not require either to alter its approach to existing markets. Apart from its partnership with Sasaki, H+A will maintain and continue to build its celebrated private residential practice, and Sasaki will continue to partner with other design firms across the country and internationally as required to assemble the most effective teams possible to meet the needs of its clients.