Clive Wilkinson
Encyclopedia
Clive Wilkinson is an architect
and interior designer. Acknowledged as a pioneer in workplace design, Wilkinson is best known for designing the Googleplex
, the headquarters of Google
in Silicon Valley
. He has also designed several top global advertising agencies, including JWT
in New York City, and Mother Advertising
in London. Wilkinson's introduction of urban planning concepts to organize and animate large office projects began with the design of TBWA\Chiat\Day's Los Angeles headquarters in 1998.
in South Africa
, Wilkinson finished his professional schooling in 1980 at the Architectural Association School of Architecture
(AA) in London
in 1980, studying under Rem Koolhaas
and Zaha Hadid
. He went on to work for Arup
and then Terry Farrell
, where he became a Design Director and collaborated on such urban renewal
projects as TVAM Studios and Alban Gate.
In 1990, after working in Sydney
, Australia
for six months, Wilkinson relocated from London
to Los Angeles
to work for Frank Gehry
as a Project Manager on the Disney Concert Hall and Chiat/Day’s Venice, Los Angeles offices. By 1991, Wilkinson had established his own firm in Los Angeles. His first project to win international acclaim was the headquarters for the world-renowned advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day. Wilkinson transformed an empty warehouse in Los Angeles
into an Advertising City where open offices co-exist with a basketball court and Main Street. The outwardly plain-looking structure was made visually dynamic by an addition of a dramatic yellow gatehouse entrance with tubular bridge structures.
, One Shelley Street, the recipient of multiple architectural awards. In 2010 and 2011, Clive Wilkinson Architects' portfolio of work was selected as a Finalist for the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
's National Design Award for "Excellence in Interior Design".
Current projects include the design of new offices for radio station and NPR
affiliate, KCRW
in Santa Monica, including a new facility for Santa Monica College's Academy of Entertainment Technology campus and designing new buildings for the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
in 2006. In 2008 The New York Times
featured an article about Wilkinson and the Norwich Drive Residence, a home he built for himself in West Hollywood.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and interior designer. Acknowledged as a pioneer in workplace design, Wilkinson is best known for designing the Googleplex
Googleplex
The Googleplex is the corporate headquarters complex of Google, Inc., located at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California, United States, near San Jose. "Googleplex" is a portmanteau of Google and complex, and a reference to googolplex, the name given to the large...
, the headquarters of Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
. He has also designed several top global advertising agencies, including JWT
JWT
JWT is one of the largest advertising agencies in the United States and the fourth-largest in the world. It is one of the key companies of Sir Martin Sorrell's WPP Group and is headquartered in New York. The global agency is led by Worldwide Chairman and Global CEO Bob Jeffrey who took over the...
in New York City, and Mother Advertising
Mother Advertising
- Mother Advertising is an advertising agency with offices in London, New York and Buenos Aires. Mother London is the UK’s largest independent advertising agency . The agency's philosophy is "To make great work, have fun and make money...
in London. Wilkinson's introduction of urban planning concepts to organize and animate large office projects began with the design of TBWA\Chiat\Day's Los Angeles headquarters in 1998.
Education and early career
Completing his first architectural degree at the University of Cape TownUniversity of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Wilkinson finished his professional schooling in 1980 at the Architectural Association School of Architecture
Architectural Association School of Architecture
The Architectural Association School of Architecture, more usually known as the AA, is an architectural school in London, United Kingdom...
(AA) in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1980, studying under Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
and Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
. He went on to work for Arup
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
and then Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell (architect)
Sir Terry Farrell, CBE, RIBA, FRSA, FCSD, MRTPI is a British architect.-Life and career:Farrell was born in Sale, Cheshire. As a youth he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, where he attended St Cuthbert's High School. He graduated with a degree from Newcastle University, followed by a Masters in urban...
, where he became a Design Director and collaborated on such urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects as TVAM Studios and Alban Gate.
In 1990, after working in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for six months, Wilkinson relocated from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to work for Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, is a Canadian American Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, California.His buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions...
as a Project Manager on the Disney Concert Hall and Chiat/Day’s Venice, Los Angeles offices. By 1991, Wilkinson had established his own firm in Los Angeles. His first project to win international acclaim was the headquarters for the world-renowned advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day. Wilkinson transformed an empty warehouse in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
into an Advertising City where open offices co-exist with a basketball court and Main Street. The outwardly plain-looking structure was made visually dynamic by an addition of a dramatic yellow gatehouse entrance with tubular bridge structures.
Clive Wilkinson Architects
With a practice in Los Angeles, California, Clive Wilkinson's eponymous firm, Clive Wilkinson Architects(CWa), completed a 330,000 Square Foot office in Sydney, Australia for Macquarie GroupMacquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited is a global investment banking and diversified financial services group, providing banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services to institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world...
, One Shelley Street, the recipient of multiple architectural awards. In 2010 and 2011, Clive Wilkinson Architects' portfolio of work was selected as a Finalist for the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
Cooper–Hewitt, National Design Museum, a subsidiary of the Smithsonian Institution, is the United States' national museum of design history and contemporary design and the only museum in the U.S. whose collection is solely focused on contemporary and historic design...
's National Design Award for "Excellence in Interior Design".
Current projects include the design of new offices for radio station and NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
affiliate, KCRW
KCRW
KCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
in Santa Monica, including a new facility for Santa Monica College's Academy of Entertainment Technology campus and designing new buildings for the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
Accolades
In 2005, Wilkinson was inducted into Interior Design Magazine's Hall of Fame, and selected as a "Master of Design" by Fast Company (magazine)Fast Company (magazine)
Fast Company is a full-color business magazine that releases 10 issues per year and reports on topics including innovation, digital media, technology, change management, leadership, design, and social responsibility...
in 2006. In 2008 The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
featured an article about Wilkinson and the Norwich Drive Residence, a home he built for himself in West Hollywood.