Perkins&Will is a global design practice founded in 1935. Since 1986, the group has been a subsidiary of Lebanon-based Dar Al-Handasah (Arabic: دار الهندسة).
History
The firm was established in Chicago by Lawrence Perkins (1907–1998)[1] and Philip Will Jr. (1906–1985).[2] Perkins and Will met while studying architecture at Cornell University.
Perkins&Will attracted national attention in 1940 with the Crow Island School in Winnetka, Illinois, designed in association with Eliel Saarinen and Eero Saarinen. In 1971, the American Institute of Architects named Crow Island School as the recipient of its Twenty-five Year Award, which annually recognizes "a building that has set a precedent for the last 25 to 35 years and continues to set standards of excellence for its architectural design and significance."[citation needed]
In 1986, Dar Al-Handasah (Arabic: دار الهندسة), a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy, purchased Perkins&Will.[3] Together with global engineering, management, planning, and energy firms TYLin, Currie & Brown, Introba, Landrum & Brown, and Penspen, Perkins&Will and Dar now form the Dar Group, which is registered in Dubai.
Starting in 2000, Perkins&Will began to acquire other firms in the U.S. and abroad. In August 2004, they merged with the Vancouver practice of architect Peter Busby.[4] In March 2014, Perkins&Will announced its planned acquisition of The Freelon Group, led by the late Philip Freelon. Freelon joined Perkins and Will's board of directors and became managing and design director of the firm's North Carolina practice.[5]In 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively, they acquired London-based consultancy Portland Design Associates,[6] U.S. transportation planning firm Nelson\Nygaard.[7] and architecture firm Sink Combs Dethlefs. Sink Combs Dethlefs.[8]
In February 2018, Perkins&Will acquired Danish practice Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. Known for their work in the cultural sector, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects were founded in 1986 with offices in Copenhagen and Shanghai.[9]In 2018, they acquired Dallas-based interiors firm Lauckgroup,[10] followed by San Francisco-based Pfau Long Architecture[11] and the London-based firm Penoyre & Prasad in 2019.[12]In July 2022, Perkins&Will acquired the Bainbridge Island, Washington, practice of architect Jason F. McLennan. McLennan became Perkins&Will's chief sustainability officer.[13]
Sustainable design
The firm's website claims to have more Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited professionals than any other design firm in North America.[14] In 2011, they announced the LEED-ND (Neighborhood Development) platinum level certification for their 100th sustainable building, the Dockside Green Phase Two Balance project, located in Victoria, British Columbia.[15]
^Fixsen, Anna (October 2020). "Living Off the Grid: Perkins and Will Prototypes a Secluded Alpine Retreat with Lofty Sustainability Goals". Metropolis. 40: 54–62.
