Egis acquires Qatar 2022 fame firm FIA

Article posted by Coliseum, November 19^th, 2024

Image: Egis

Egis, a world leader in engineering, architecture, consulting, maintenance and operation, has announced the acquisition of Fenwick Iribarren Architects (FIA) founded by architects Mark Fenwick and Javier Iribarren.

‘egis’ stated that this strategic acquisition strengthens Egis’ position and ambition in the sports and entertainment sector through consulting and design for major future global sporting events.

Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France)-based Egis is an international player active in the consulting, construction engineering and mobility service sectors. They design and operate intelligent infrastructure and buildings capable of responding to the climate emergency and helping to achieve more balanced, sustainable and resilient territorial development.

Madrid (Spain)-based the Fenwick Iribarren Architects (FIA), founded in 1990 by architects Mark Fenwick and Javier Iribarren, is a nationally and internationally recognized architectural design studio. Its most important projects are represented in all types of architecture. Through vast experience it has become one of the few recognized experts in the field of sporting construction and stadiums, including the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup™ stadiums (including the famous demountable 44,089-capacity Ras Abu Aboud Stadium).

The FIA is a Madrid-based design practice founded in 1990 specializing in the design, rehabilitation and consultancy of sports and events architecture. The FIA boasts an impressive track record through their innovative approach to low-carbon design and fabrication of iconic stadiums which has made it a reference designer for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan as well as the West Asian countries of Cyprus, Armenia and Israel. The UEFA consists of 55 national association members. Since 2022, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FIFA and UEFA suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.

Egis has extensive experience in sports infrastructure throughout the world and has provided more than 1,000,000 seats in sports facilities such as the 67,000-capacity Stade Vélodrome in Marseille (France), or the 60,000-capacity Olémbé Omnisport Stadium in Olembé (Cameroon).

‘egis’ further stated that this acquisition by Egis in Spain will not only allow Egis to expand its portfolio of services and offer its clients comprehensive solutions in the sports sector but will also strengthen its presence in Europe and worldwide by creating synergies with the competences of the Egis Group and the Egis Architecture line.

The FIA is one of the world’s top stadium design firms with more than 40 awards to its name. They designed and built three of the eight stadiums for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a true feat for any architectural firm in a World Cup.

With more than 20 years of experience in sports architecture their expertise led to the creation of the most innovative stadium ever built for a World Cup – the first demountable structure, made of reusable transport containers, the Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, and the first cooling system in an open-air stadium, the 44,667-capacity Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Maintained Mark Fenwick and Javier Iribarren, FIA Senior Partners, “Joining the Egis Group and Egis’ Architecture Line is a great opportunity to take our company to the next level and to develop the potential of our teams in synergy with the technical capabilities of Egis and its architectural firms, particularly in the world of sport with a sustainable approach: A shared vision of both companies.”

The Egis Architecture Line is a collaboration between the Egis engineers and the leading architecture and design firms to create sustainable and equitable designs.

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