Perkins+Will

Perkins+Will
Name	Perkins+Will
Founded	1935
Founders	Lawrence Perkins; Philip Will
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Industry	Architecture; Interior Design; Urban Design; Masterplanning
Key people	Phil Harrison; Amy Park; Elaine Molinar; David Dixon
Employees	1,400+

Perkins+Will

Perkins+Will is an international architecture and design firm founded in 1935 in Chicago, Illinois. The firm emerged during the interwar period alongside firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Holabird & Root, Burnham and Root, SOM practitioners, and has contributed to projects spanning academic campuses, healthcare complexes, corporate headquarters, and civic masterplans. Its work intersects with institutions like Northwestern University, University of Toronto, Johns Hopkins University, and clients including Google, Microsoft, Pfizer, and University of California campuses.

History

Perkins+Will was established by architects Lawrence Perkins and Philip Will in 1935, contemporaneous with movements led by figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, and practices like Mies van der Rohe's circle. The firm's early commissions involved residences and institutional work in the American Midwest during the Great Depression, paralleling federal projects under the Works Progress Administration. In the postwar era Perkins+Will expanded alongside client growth similar to General Motors and academic building booms at institutions such as Harvard University and Yale University. By the late 20th century the firm participated in international projects influenced by global events including the Cold War urbanization and the rise of multinational corporations like IBM. Leadership transitions integrated principals with ties to practices such as Foster + Partners and Gensler, enabling expansion into healthcare and sustainable design in the 1990s and 2000s. Strategic mergers and acquisitions connected the firm to networks including HOK competitors and collaborators on large-scale masterplans for cities like Toronto and regions affected by policies from entities such as the World Bank.

Notable Projects

Perkins+Will's portfolio includes academic, healthcare, workplace, and civic projects. Academic examples link the firm with campuses like Northwestern University and University of Toronto, and projects adjacent to facilities at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University. Healthcare work associates the firm with complexes such as Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic campuses, while laboratory design ties to clients including Pfizer and Genentech. Corporate and workplace commissions situate the firm in projects for Google, Microsoft, and financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and Bank of America. Civic and cultural projects connect to commissions near landmarks such as Museum of Modern Art, performing arts centers comparable to Lincoln Center, and urban revitalization in cities like Chicago, San Francisco, London, and Shanghai. Large-scale masterplans and transit-oriented developments align Perkins+Will with infrastructure programs by agencies such as Metropolitan Transportation Authority and urban strategies from organizations like UN-Habitat.

Design Philosophy and Practice

The firm’s design approach synthesizes influences from modernists including Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, and contemporaries such as Norman Foster and Richard Rogers. Practices emphasize contextual response to sites like Chicago River corridors, waterfronts in Vancouver, and campus quadrangles at Yale University. Interdisciplinary collaboration brings together specialists comparable to teams at Arup, WSP, and Buro Happold for engineering integration. Perkins+Will engages with users and stakeholders drawn from institutions such as Johns Hopkins University Hospital, development partners like Related Companies, and municipal authorities such as City of Toronto. Design strategies prioritize programmatic flexibility as seen in projects adjacent to facilities operated by National Institutes of Health and research centers tied to Harvard Medical School.

Global Presence and Offices

Perkins+Will maintains a global network of offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. North American offices reflect activity in cities like Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Toronto, and Seattle. International offices position the firm in global markets including London, Dubai, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, enabling collaboration with regional authorities such as Greater London Authority and entities like Dubai Municipality. Project delivery often involves partnerships with local firms analogous to Atkins and Perrault Architecture, and coordination with multinational clients including UNESCO and corporations headquartered in Tokyo and Frankfurt.

Awards and Recognition

Perkins+Will has received awards and recognition from institutions such as the American Institute of Architects, Royal Institute of British Architects, and sustainability organizations like LEED and the WELL Building Standard administrators. The firm’s projects have been cited by publications including Architectural Record, Dezeen, The New York Times, and The Guardian. Honors include awards from bodies such as the Chicago Athenaeum and professional competitions overseen by juries featuring figures from Harvard Graduate School of Design and Columbia University faculties.

Sustainability and Research Initiatives

Sustainability at Perkins+Will aligns with certification systems like LEED, WELL Building Standard, BREEAM, and climate initiatives promoted by organizations such as the World Resources Institute and C40 Cities. The firm operates research groups that publish studies akin to work from MIT Media Lab and collaborate with academic partners including University of British Columbia and Stanford University on topics spanning resilience, carbon reduction, and biophilic design. Initiatives connect to funding programs and standards from entities like the US Green Building Council and the International WELL Building Institute for occupant health metrics, while contributing to policy dialogues involving the United Nations Environment Programme.

Category:Architecture firms Category:Companies based in Chicago