Design Led-Design Build Construction with Mark Wight, CEO of Wight & Company

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover chats with Mark Wight, Chairman and CEO of Wight & Company, about the intricacies and challenges of architectural design and construction and the efficiencies to the client of a vertically integrated design-led firm that handles design to delivery all in one shop. They discuss some current Wight & Company projects, including the Will County courthouse where the focus is transparency. Phil and Mark also discuss how the COVID-19 global pandemic and the shift to remote working have impacted design and workplace trends and how the company is handling the pandemic. Mark Wight is Chairman and CEO of Wight & Company, an award-winning architecture, engineering and construction firm that has been in business for more than 80 years. Originally founded by Col. Raulin B. Wight as a civil engineering firm, Wight & Company continues the tradition with a highly acclaimed group of transportation and infrastructure professionals. When Mark took the helm in 1987, he disrupted the industry by pioneering Design Led-Design Build, an integrated model of project delivery promising design and delivery excellence at unrivaled schedule and cost savings. This multidisciplinary approach connects architects to the cost implications of their design decisions and centers the collaborative process as the key to discovering the most creative and responsible solutions. Wight & Company is known for innovative ideas, technologies and responsible solutions ahead of their time. As a result, our company has been at the forefront of delivering environmental solutions that were once unorthodox but eventually became mainstream. The company’s culture of sustainability was integral to the successful completion of the first LEED Pilot Project. The construction value of the firm’s work in progress is over $1B annually and is continually ranked among the top firms in the country. The company has won numerous awards for its work from the American Institute of Architects, Landmarks Illinois, Design-Build Institute of America, U.S. Green Building Council, and many others. The greatest reward for Mark is working with the brightest people in the industry. Today, the firm boasts a visionary and vibrant culture of around 200 design, engineering, and construction specialists, dedicated to creating meaningful impact in the world today and in perpetuity. Mark earned a B.A. from Reed College and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. While never formally trained in architecture, engineering or construction, Mark has been a determined student of the industry for more than 32 years. Learn more at: https://www.wightco.com/