US architecture and design materials marketplace Material Bank has acquired digital architecture database Architizer.
Architizer has been purchased outright in a move Material Bank claims will empower the industry “to work more effectively and efficiently by simplifying design decisions”.
“It is a winning proposition to bring together Material Bank’s unparalleled database of design products with Architizer’s robust database of architectural projects,” said Architizer CEO David Weber.
“We’re excited to combine our data and resources to build better tools that serve the global community of architects and designers.”
Material Bank also purchased Clippings
Material Bank purchased Architizer as part the company’s expansion into the architecture space. The acquisition comes less than a year after Material Bank bought UK interior design procurement firm Clippings.
“With an incredibly powerful database that provides seamless, curated access to building product information, Architizer allows for creativity and meaningful connections,” said Material Bank CEO Adam I Sandow.
Founded in 2019, Material Bank delivers samples of fabrics, woods, textiles and other materials to customers in the United States and Canada.
The materials are all stored in a warehouse in Mississippi, where an automated process allows for materials to be picked out by robots and humans and arrive at the destination overnight.
“This acquisition will benefit both our users and brand partners”
Last year, the company was able to raise over $100 million dollars as part of a fundraising run that began the string of purchases of other architecture and design resources.
Sandow is also at the helm of Sandow Media, which owns Metropolis Magazine and took over the management of New York design festival NYCxDesign in 2019.
Architizer, which was launched in 2009, is a digital forum for architects and designers to upload their own projects through personalised profiles to be seen by members of the profession and the public.
Moderated by a team of editors, the site has grown to accommodate more than 900,000 registered users, according to Material Bank, with 335,000 architects and 25,000 firms present.
“Architizer has built an extraordinary business with a team devoted to innovation in the architecture community – this acquisition will benefit both our users and brand partners, and together we will build an even more comprehensive platform for the industry,” said Sandow.
“Architizer’s integration into Material Bank’s ecosystem is a natural one”
Material Bank noted that Architizer serves as a case study with direct samples of what architects are actually using in the field.
“This deeply contextual content provides a key foundation for informed decision-making when it comes to requesting samples
and ultimately specifying materials and products,” said Material Bank in a release.
“Architizer’s integration into Material Bank’s ecosystem is a natural one, creating much-needed synergy between the research and action stages of the design process.”
Material Bank said that Architizer will continue to operate independently under Weber’s leadership as a subsidiary of the company, both of which are based in the United States.
The move is part of a wave of consolidation in the digital architecture and design space. Swiss products and materials platform Architonic bought architecture website Archdaily in 2020 and acquired design site Designboom in 2022.
Dezeen was bought by Danish media group JP/Politiken in 2021.
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