San Francisco, Calif., Dec. 5, 2018 – FORGE, a full-service architectural and interior design firm based in San Francisco, is pleased to announce the addition of Christopher Blackadder as a managing director, serving as part of the three-person executive leadership team. He will oversee the firm’s growth and overall operations in the Interiors division with an emphasis on continuing to elevate stakeholder experiences.
“Chris’ addition to the firm is reflective of our top priorities, which are how we can best serve our clients and contribute to their business success,” said Eric Ibsen, FORGE’s chief design officer and a member of the executive team. “How we work is as important as the work we do. His leadership and industry knowledge allow us to take a giant leap forward by bringing true innovation to our approach both internally and externally. Aided by his global perspective and high-level project expertise, we are poised to bolster the services FORGE offers in the Bay Area and beyond.”
Blackadder will lead the Interiors team toward a more thoughtful and progressive design strategy. His insight into how people work comes from his own innovations in the discovery process. To accelerate the understanding of end-user needs and goals, Blackadder applies tactics that permit concurrent design and strategic investigations. From this deeper understanding, the project teams can maximize the true potential of design, creating environments that not only achieve stakeholder goals, but also set them up for current and future uses.
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Blackadder touts a background in architecture, interior design and workplace consulting with emphasis on the corporate office, hospitality and residential arenas. He draws on expertise gleaned from a career centered around work with international companies and clients with multiple locations.
Blackadder’s notable professional accomplishments have included the creation and launch of multiple Americas practices for international architectural firms and the development and implementation of a design strategy approach to deliver evidence-based solutions to corporate client workplaces. He has been responsible for handling millions of dollars in revenue and working closely with high-profile clients, including Barclays, JLL and Nokia Siemens Networks.
“FORGE has enjoyed an indelible reputation as the go-to firm for handling projects with complex issues requiring exceptional flexibility and communication,” said Blackadder. “In addition to working on inspired projects like the Battery and 100 Hooper, FORGE mirrors my own personal values and understands the importance of positive stakeholder experiences. I’m thrilled to be part of a team with such strong abilities and culture.”
Active in the community, Blackadder is a frequent speaker on the latest design concepts and trends that cover workplace technology and the future of work and the workplace. He is a member of Corenet Global, the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He earned a B. Arch and a B.A from the University of Technology, Sydney.
About FORGE
FORGE is an architectural and interior design firm that has been serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1980. FORGE’s 35-person staff delivers a wide range of talent and experience while maintaining the personalized service of a smaller firm. By adapting our approach and processes to suit the needs of our clients, we produce large and small-scale projects in equal measure. We offer full-service architectural design and documentation for ground-up construction, adaptive reuse and retrofit, and expansion of existing facilities as well as comprehensive interior design for both building owners and end-users.
