White Arkitekter is Scandinavia’s leading architectural practice and the third largest in Europe, with projects across Europe, America and Africa. As an employee-owned company, we live by our values of sustainability and innovation; they permeate our entire organisation and every assignment we pursue. Exploring the field of architecture with dedicated applied research, and challenging ourselves to improve the ways in which we practice, are two key factors that help us to create engaging, lasting architecture.
About us
White Arkitekter is an interdisciplinary practice for architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and interior design. Embedded in our work is a commitment to sustainability in all its forms, underpinned by practice-based research. As a collective of 900 employees organised in networks across 13 offices in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom, we work with clients, communities and consultants to create inclusive, resilient architecture that inspires sustainable ways of life.
Our vision is to design a better built environment with people in focus, and to innovate sustainable ways of living.
Management and Board
Do you want to get in touch or know more about us? Find our management and board here.
The power of the collective
In 1951, White Arkitekter was founded in Göteborg by Sidney White with the aim to improve society through architecture. His legacy lives on in our ambition to contribute towards a more sustainable world. The ideals of collective thinking and employee ownership are as strong as ever today. We are collectively owned by 616 staff members, 122 of whom are partners; working together to benefit society as a whole.
Participatory practice
Diverse thinking and experiences is crucial to tackle the challenges that we face as a society. This diversity is reflected in our workforce; we have built our organisation from multiple disciplines, with balanced gender representation at every level. Like all companies, we have a CEO, an executive management team and a board of directors who set the overarching agenda. What sets us apart is our partner system; allowing offices to operate locally, while sharing and contributing to a vast body of collective knowledge, expertise and resources. We measure our success by the quality of our projects and ultimately, the difference we make for people.
Taking action!
The world faces enormous challenges of social inequality, climate change and diminishing resources; architecture and urban design plays a vital role in tackling this. Our responsibility is to help create inclusive, equitable communities as our cities face the pressures of greater densification and diversity. Investigations into resource efficiencies and the circular economy helps us make the best use of light, energy, materials and nature to achieve the changes needed in society.
Our employees are our most valuable asset. There isn’t one star at White; there are close to nine hundred.
We are driven by the power and beauty of the natural environment around us – and the capacity of people to effect change.
Thinking long-term
Sustainability is a driver for creativity and the backbone for meaningful architecture. For us, it means taking a holistic approach and a long-term perspective – a combination of environmental, economic and social sustainability principles. Our focus, first and foremost, is to create value for people. This means improving the quality of life, health and wellbeing for all.
Good architecture makes people grow. From furniture and homes, to parks and cities; we provide the framework for sustainable lifestyles.
Challenging expectations
From the beginning, White has sought to better understand the world. We are curious and investigative; through asking questions, we can stay true to our ethos of making the world a better place. By understanding stakeholder interests and opinions; we can ensure their needs are met through architecture to create well-loved, well-used places for decades to come. Our in-house social anthropologists involve our stakeholders in many ways; from primary end-user dialogues through workshops or interviews, to enhancing participation through digital technologies, such as virtual or augmented reality simulations. Our client and community stakeholders are the co-designers in our process.
Good design requires many perspectives. We believe in the power of the collective to benefit society as a whole.
Democratic architecture
Taking a people-centric perspective towards public realm and building design is the key to long-term sustainability. We must ensure that each citizen has a place to call home and a place where they belong. Certain macro-environmental factors fall outside of our control; war, famine, natural disasters and political instability, to name a few. By strengthening our commitment to democratic values through equitable architecture, resource efficiency and informed design are ways that we can influence society for the better. It is our privilege and duty to help create the best conditions for life – today and tomorrow.
We support human rights by promoting open access and designing healthy environments for all.