Perkins and Will (architecture firm)

Perkins and Will (architecture firm)
Name	Perkins and Will
Type	Private
Founded	1935
Founders	Lawrence Perkins, Philip Will Jr.
Headquarters	Chicago
Key people	Phil Harrison (architect), Jim Stephenson (architect)
Industry	Architecture

Perkins and Will (architecture firm) is an international architecture and design firm founded in 1935 by Lawrence Perkins and Philip Will Jr.. The firm grew from a regional practice in Chicago into a global network with studios in New York City, Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, and Toronto. Known for projects across healthcare, education, workplace, and civic sectors, the firm has been associated with high-profile commissions, research programs, and sustainability efforts.

History

Perkins and Will was established during the interwar period by Lawrence Perkins and Philip Will Jr., contemporaries of figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, and Le Corbusier. Early commissions in Chicago aligned the firm with regional modernist trends similarly pursued by Holabird & Root and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Through the mid-20th century the firm expanded under partners like John Perkins (architect) and Philip Will (architect), competing for institutional work alongside firms such as HOK and Gensler. In the 1970s and 1980s Perkins and Will diversified into healthcare and education, designing facilities for Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Globalization in the 1990s and 2000s led to studios in London, Shanghai, and Toronto, while the firm engaged with international clients including World Bank projects and commissions in collaboration with Arup and Buro Happold.

Notable Projects

Perkins and Will's portfolio includes educational buildings for Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and University of California, Los Angeles; healthcare projects like facilities for Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Mayo Clinic; and civic works such as municipal centers in Seattle and cultural projects for institutions like the Brooklyn Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Commercial and workplace projects include headquarters designed for Google (company), Microsoft, and Amazon (company), often executed alongside engineering firms such as Buro Happold and Arup. Internationally, the firm completed master plans and mixed-use developments in cities including Dubai, Singapore, Toronto, and Shanghai, working with developers such as Hines and Tishman Speyer. Notable adaptive reuse projects involved collaborations with preservation groups like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and municipal agencies such as New York City Department of Buildings.

Design Philosophy and Practice

Perkins and Will emphasizes evidence-based design practices linked to clients including Harvard University, Stanford University, and University of Toronto. The firm's approach integrates research from partnerships with institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, and the National Institutes of Health to inform healthcare environments. Influences cited include modernists like Mies van der Rohe and Louis Kahn, while contemporary collaborations involve firms such as Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners on select projects. Practice areas include master planning, interior design, landscape architecture, and graphic design, coordinated with consultants like SOM and WSP Global. The firm publishes research and design guidelines that reference standards promulgated by organizations such as LEED and WELL Building Standard advocates including International WELL Building Institute.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

Perkins and Will operates as a private design firm with a partnership and executive leadership structure comparable to firms like Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Gensler. Leadership has included design directors and CEOs who previously held roles at practices such as Kohn Pedersen Fox and Perkins+Will Australia. Regional studios report to a global executive committee that liaises with practice leaders for sectors including healthcare, education, workplace, and civic work. The firm has recruited leaders from academic institutions such as Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Yale School of Architecture, and Harvard Graduate School of Design, and participates in professional organizations including American Institute of Architects and Royal Institute of British Architects.

Sustainability and Research Initiatives

Perkins and Will is known for sustainability programs that intersect with certification systems like LEED, WELL Building Standard, and initiatives from US Green Building Council. The firm maintains an internal research arm that collaborates with institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, University of Michigan, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology on topics including energy modeling, biophilic design, and material health, and has contributed to dialogues at conferences hosted by C40 Cities and World Green Building Council. Projects often incorporate passive design strategies, renewable energy systems developed with firms like Tesla (company) energy teams and Siemens consultants, and lifecycle assessments aligned with standards from ISO bodies.

Awards and Recognition

Perkins and Will has received awards from organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the Royal Institute of British Architects, and the Urban Land Institute. The firm and its projects have been honored with AIA COTE Top Ten recognitions, LEED Platinum certifications, and awards from the Chicago Architecture Foundation and World Architecture Festival. Individual partners have been elected to the AIA College of Fellows and received lifetime achievement honors comparable to awards given by Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and RIBA Fellowships.

Controversies and Criticisms

Perkins and Will has faced criticism common to large firms, including debates over project scale and community impact raised by groups such as Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Preservation Chicago. Controversies have included disputes over development approvals involving municipal bodies like City of Chicago planning commissions and criticisms from advocacy organizations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth regarding sustainability claims. Labor and diversity critiques echo broader industry discussions led by organizations like AIA and NCARB, prompting internal reviews and initiatives aimed at equity and transparency.

Category:Architecture firms of the United States Category:Companies based in Chicago