Bercy Chen Studio LP is an Architecture & Planning firm with Design/Build capability based in Austin, Texas with offices in Los Angeles & Taipei. Bercy Chen Studio LP was profiled in Architectural Record's December 2006 Design Vanguard issue, selected as one of ten noted emerging design firms in the world. In 2007 the firm was part of the Young Americans exhibition at the Deutsche Architektur Museum in Frankfurt, Germany. The firm's work has been published and in over 20 countries including The New York Times, Milan Daily News & Business Week...etc for design innovation. Thomas & Calvin have also been invited guest speakers at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. Thomas is from Belgium and Calvin is from Taiwan by way of Australia; the partners' European and Asian backgrounds form a design philosophy of unique perspectives. The work is influenced by vernacular precedents from various cultures- whether Islamic, Indian, African or Pre-Columbian, while maintaining respect for the particular contemporary contextual conditions. The firm has collaborated closely with both the private and the public sector. Current projects include master planning for an 800 acre sustainable development near Mulege in Baja California Sur, Nahua Museum Tower, a 45 story luxury residential tower on town lake, downtown Austin; and Skybridge, a 120 unit, 140,000 sq. ft. town home project. In 2008 Bercy Chen Studio LP collaborated with Foster & Partners on 3 design proposals including the San Antonio Aviation Museum, the Austin Central Library, and the $ 700 million Green Water Redevelopment project. In 2006, the firm won a competition for the masterplanning of the Asian American Resource Center in Austin ($32 million, 120,000 SF ). Developed in four phases, the project will eventually include education facilities, offices, a conference center and hotel on 15 acres for the NAAO. Bercy Chen Studio successfully worked with a team of economic and engineering consultants including Broaddus Associates to produce a detailed masterplan and economic impact study which helped secured AARC's initial $ 3 million bond election funding in 2007. In 2005, Bercy Chen Studio also won 1st place in a national competition for Urban Reserve, one of the first sustainable modernist residential developments in the US. In 2006 the Beverly Skyline Residence was shortlisted as a finalist in the Best Plot in the World competition in Vienna, Austria. Bercy Chen Studio was recently featured in the leading San Francisco based publication on creative modern design: Dwell magazine- Culminating in a special television episode on the Fine Living Television Network program which discussed Bercy Chen Studio's design approach in depth. In addition HGTV also featured the firm's work in June of 2006. In June 2008, Bercy Chen Studio LP was short listed for the Giorgio Armani resort on Lombok Island, Indonesia on invitation from Emaar Properties, developer of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai. In August 2008, the firm was invited by The Qatar Foundation to participate in The Qatar Design Zone project located on 50 acres in Doha, Qatar. The Design Zone will be the world's first working resort. Other architects invited for the Qatar Foundation includes Rem Koolhaas/ OMA for a new library, Jean Nouvel for the Qatar National Museum and I M Pei for the National Islamic Museum. Bercy Chen Studio LP is committed to collaborating with clients in identifying design solutions and planning strategies to create innovative designs based on environmentally sustainable and financially viable business models. Having experience as a design/build operation, the firm's first hand knowledge of construction & finance is crucial in ensuring successful project implementation. The firm has been a member of the City of Austin's Green Building Program and USGBC with certified 4 Star projects. The firm was established in 2001 by partners Thomas Bercy and Calvin Chen, both graduates of the University of Texas at Austin. Calvin & Thomas are both active participants of the community. Calvin served on the City of Austin's Design Commission and participated on several initiatives, including the Create Austin Cultural Masterplanning project. They both serve on the board of advisors for the Austin Museum of Art.