flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Global entertainment design firm WATG acquires SOSH Architects

Designers

Global entertainment design firm WATG acquires SOSH Architects

The two firms will combine to provide design for the hospitality, entertainment, and gaming sectors.


By Quinn Purcell, Managing Editor | October 1, 2024
Black Rock Casino, Kazakhstan
Black Rock Casino, Kazakhstan, designed by SOSH. Photo courtesy WATG

Entertainment design firm WATG has acquired SOSH Architects, an interior design and planning firm based in Atlantic City, N.J. The former SOSH office will now begin operating as the ninth regional office in WATG’s global framework.

Both firms are known for specializing in architecture and interior design for the hospitality and entertainment sectors. SOSH has received acclaim for its role in the gaming industry, namely casino and hotel design, through several notable partnerships: Hard Rock International, Caesars Entertainment, Ocean Casino Resort, and Bally's Corp., to name a few.

Growth of Entertainment Design Firm WATG

“SOSH has been recognized as a leader in gaming industry design, and WATG the leader in hospitality,” said David Moore, Chief Executive Officer, WATG. “As we come together, we’re excited by the opportunity to elevate our offering to our clients, helping them to differentiate, grow and succeed.”

01_SOSH-Hard Rock Casino-Northern Indiana-Exterior
Hard Rock Casino, Gary, Ind., exterior design by SOSH. Photo courtesy WATG

This news comes off the heels of WATG's expansion into the south central region of the U.S. with a new office in Dallas, Texas. With the addition of SOSH's Atlantic City office, the firm now holds space in Honolulu, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Calif., Tustin, Calif., Dallas, Texas., New York, N.Y., London, Singapore, and Shanghai.

The acquisition will expand WATG's reach of gaming and entertainment services, supplementing the firm's presence in hospitality, senior living, luxury multifamily, and mixed-use developments. Demand for casinos have grown; the global casino hotel industry held a market worth $191 billion in 2022—around 36% of the global gaming market altogether.

“We’re proud to come together now and look forward to the opportunity to work as a collaborative, multidisciplinary team, sharing our expertise in the gaming industry and gaining from WATG’s elite and global presence,” said Tom Sykes, Founding Principal, SOSH.


RELATED:

Related Stories

MFPRO+ News | Mar 1, 2024

Housing affordability, speed of construction are top of mind for multifamily architecture and construction firms

The 2023 Multifamily Giants get creative to solve the affordability crisis, while helping their developer clients build faster and more economically. 

K-12 Schools | Feb 29, 2024

Average age of U.S. school buildings is just under 50 years

The average age of a main instructional school building in the United States is 49 years, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). About 38% of schools were built before 1970. Roughly half of the schools surveyed have undergone a major building renovation or addition.

MFPRO+ Research | Feb 28, 2024

New download: BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Amenities report

New research from Building Design+Construction and Multifamily Pro+ highlights the 127 top amenities that developers, property owners, architects, contractors, and builders are providing in today’s apartment, condominium, student housing, and senior living communities.

AEC Tech | Feb 28, 2024

How to harness LIDAR and BIM technology for precise building data, equipment needs

By following the Scan to Point Cloud + Point Cloud to BIM process, organizations can leverage the power of LIDAR and BIM technology at the same time. This optimizes the documentation of existing building conditions, functions, and equipment needs as a current condition and as a starting point for future physical plant expansion projects. 

Data Centers | Feb 28, 2024

What’s next for data center design in 2024

Nuclear power, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, and data centers as learning destinations are among the emerging design trends in the data center sector, according to Scott Hays, Sector Leader, Sustainable Design, with HED. 

Windows and Doors | Feb 28, 2024

DOE launches $2 million prize to advance cost-effective, energy-efficient commercial windows

The U.S. Department of Energy launched the American-Made Building Envelope Innovation Prize—Secondary Glazing Systems. The program will offer up to $2 million to encourage production of high-performance, cost-effective commercial windows. 

AEC Innovators | Feb 28, 2024

How Suffolk Construction identifies ConTech and PropTech startups for investment, adoption 

Contractor giant Suffolk Construction has invested in 27 ConTech and PropTech companies since 2019 through its Suffolk Technologies venture capital firm. Parker Mundt, Suffolk Technologies’ Vice President–Platforms, recently spoke with Building Design+Construction about his company’s investment strategy. 

Student Housing | Feb 28, 2024

Mary Cook Associates completes interiors for luxury student housing community

Chicago-based interior design firm Mary Cook Associates announced it has completed the interiors of Lapis, a new 1,086-bed off-campus luxury student housing community near Florida International University. 

Performing Arts Centers | Feb 27, 2024

Frank Gehry-designed expansion of the Colburn School performing arts center set to break ground

In April, the Colburn School, an institute for music and dance education and performance, will break ground on a 100,000-sf expansion designed by architect Frank Gehry. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the performing arts center will join the neighboring Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Grand by Gehry, forming the largest concentration of Gehry-designed buildings in the world.

Construction Costs | Feb 27, 2024

Experts see construction material prices stabilizing in 2024

Gordian’s Q1 2024 Quarterly Construction Cost Insights Report brings good news: Although there are some materials whose prices have continued to show volatility, costs at a macro level are returning to a level of stability, suggesting predictable historical price escalation factors. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021