Consolidation among architectural firms across the country marches forward, as Eppstein Uhen Architects, a 110-year-old firm based in Milwaukee, expanded its national reach with its acquisition of Denver-based Burkettdesign.
As a result of this transaction, whose terms were not disclosed, Burkettdesign, which was founded in 1990, will change its name to BurkettEUA. The combined firm now has licensed architects in 35 states, up from 25. Burkettdesign’s 27-person staff increases EUA’s employee count to more than 200.
Burkett’s leadership team—including owner Rick Burkett, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP; and principals Catherine Quintero, NCIDQ, ASID, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C; Michele Ponicsan, AIA, LEED AP; Gillian Hallock Johnson, Associate IIDA, LEED AP ID+C; and Kitty Yuen, AIA, NCIDQ, CDT, LEED AP—will become shareholders in Eppstein Uhen. Associate Principal Ben Niamthet, Associate AIA, also joins the other principals as a member of the core leadership team of BurkettEUA, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
“The fact that five principals are investing and becoming shareholders in EUA demonstrates our mutual long-term commitment to our clients and each other,” says Rich Tennessen, EUA’s president.
EUA specializes in designing schools, offices, health care facilities, senior living facilities and science and technology facilities. Its clients include a range of private and public organizations, such as GE Healthcare, Ascension, Baird, Northwestern Mutual and Johnson Controls.
BurkettEUA’s practices encompass healthcare, offices, financial institutions, education, hospitality, and culture. Its services include interior design and urban master planning.
Greg Uhen, AIA, NCARB, EUA’s chief executive, says his firm decided to expand into Denver based on that region’s growth projections. One of the plusses of merging with Burkett, he explains, is that the geographic overlap between the two firms is limited.
Related Stories
| Feb 23, 2011
London 2012: What Olympic Park looks like today
London 2012 released a series of aerial images that show progress at Olympic Park, including a completed roof on the stadium (where seats are already installed), tile work at the aquatic centre, and structural work complete on more than a quarter of residential projects at Olympic Village.
| Feb 23, 2011
Call for Entries: 2011 Building Team Awards, Deadline: March 25, 2011
The 14th Annual Building Team Awards recognizes newly built projects that exhibit architectural and construction excellence—and best exemplify the collaboration of the Building Team, including the owner, architect, engineer, and contractor.
| Feb 23, 2011
The library is dead, long live the library
The Society for College and University Planning asked its members to voice their thoughts on the possible death of academic libraries. And many did. The good news? It's not all bad news. A summary of their members' comments appears on the SCUP blog.
| Feb 23, 2011
Data center trends: green design, technology upgrades
While green data centers will continue to be a trend within the industry, technology is also driving infrastructure upgrades that have never been seen before, according to the 2011 Data Center Technical Market Report from Environmental Systems Design. The report also includes an overview of the national data center market, construction costs, blackouts and disaster prevention, and site selection.
| Feb 23, 2011
“School of Tomorrow” student design competition winners selected
The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and Kawneer Company, Inc. announced the winners of the “Schools of Tomorrow” student design competition. The Kawneer-sponsored competition, now in its fifth year, challenged students to learn about building materials, specifically architectural aluminum building products and systems in the design of a modern and creative school for students ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade. Ball State University’s Susan Butts was awarded first place and $2,500 for “Propel Elementary School.”
| Feb 23, 2011
Barbie's newest career: Architect
Mattel is introducing Architect Barbie this fall, following a campaign that started in 2002 to give the iconic blond a design job. The doll comes in a signature pink outfit, but if she's truly hoping to pass an an architect, shouldn't she be wearing all black?
| Feb 23, 2011
Green building on the chopping block in House spending measure
Bryan Howard, Legislative Director of the U.S. Green Building Council, blogs about proposed GOP budget cuts that could impact green building in the commercial sector.
| Feb 23, 2011
Architecture Billings hold steady after two months of improving conditions
After showing positive momentum during the fourth quarter of 2010, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) slipped almost four points in January. The January ABI score was 50.0, which is down from a reading of 53.9 the previous month, but still reflects stable demand for design services. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.
| Feb 22, 2011
LEED Volume Program celebrates its 500th certified Pilot Project
More than 500 building projects have certified through the LEED Volume Program since the pilot launched in 2006, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED Volume Program streamlines the certification process for high-volume property owners and managers, from commercial real estate firms, national retailers and hospitality providers, to local, state and federal governments.
| Feb 22, 2011
HDR Architecture names four healthcare directors
Four senior professionals in HDR Architecture’s healthcare program have been named Healthcare directors.
