Sport and entertainment architects, Populous, have announced a merger with Jump Studios, a London-based practice which specialises in high-concept interiors, installations and architectural design. The merger was unveiled at a press conference in London on the evening of 1 June.

Jump Studios were established in 2001 and specialise in retail, workspace, exhibition, brand experience, pop-up, restaurant and bar design. It has clients ranging from Nike and Levi Strauss to Red Bull, Bloomberg and Starwood Hotels. The practice was named Interior Architect of the Year by Building Design magazine in 2013.

Populous, with over 2,000 completed projects to its name, has a portfolio which includes 90 global events venues, such as Wembley, Yankee and the 2012 London Olympic stadium. It has offices in London, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Singapore, Auckland, Boston, Knoxville, Norman, Denver, San Francisco and Kansas City.

Populous were formed in 2008 when the sports division of HOK did a management buyout from the main HOK practice. The buyout imposed non-compete clauses on HOK which were recently lifted, enabling them to move back into the sports market. HOK marked the milestone by acquiring 360 Architects and jumping straight back into the sports market.

Now Populous has followed suit, strengthening its position with a new deal.

Populous and Jump will continue to operate independently, but will collaborate on projects which require both skill sets.



Jump Studios' director and co-founder, Simon Jordan said: “‘There are clear synergies between Jump Studios and Populous with regard to how we see the role of architecture in elevating experiences. We have strong competencies in our respective fields and by joining forces these can be leveraged to the greater benefit of our clients.”

Nick Reynolds, senior principal at Populous added: “This is a strategic opportunity for both companies, and more importantly, for our clients. A shared belief in the power of design to elevate everyday experiences and creating places where people love to be together, has been the catalyst for the union of the two companies,” he added.

The merger with Populous will enable Jump Studios to extend both the geographical reach and scale of the projects it targets. Its expansion will be led by its founding principals, Simon Jordan and Shaun Fernandes.