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
| Aug 11, 2010
HDR, Perkins+Will top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 100 largest healthcare design firms
A ranking of the Top 100 Healthcare Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Steel Joist Institute announces 2009 Design Awards
The Steel Joist Institute is now accepting entries for its 2009 Design Awards. The winning entries will be announced in November 2009 and the company with the winning project in each category will be awarded a $2,000 scholarship in its name to a school of its choice for an engineering student.
| Aug 11, 2010
29 Great Solutions for the AEC Industry
AEC firms are hotbeds of invention and innovation to meet client needs in today's highly competitive environment. The editors of Building Design+Construction are pleased to present 29 "Great Solutions" to some of the most complex problems and issues facing Building Teams today. Our solutions cover eight key areas: Design, BIM + IT, Collaboration, Healthcare, Products, Technology, Business Management, and Green Building.
| Aug 11, 2010
Permanent tribute to Daniel Burnham and his Plan of Chicago proposed for Grant Park Museum Campus
The first-place winner of a design competition for a public memorial celebrating Daniel Burnham's impact on Chicago will be announced at a news conference Wednesday, July 8, at 10am CDT. The proposed site for the memorial is on the Museum Campus just north of The Field Museum. The announcement comes after nearly two years of planning by Chicago's architecture, design and urban planning community about how to best honor the legacy of Burnham and the Plan of Chicago he co-wrote with Edward Bennett.
| Aug 11, 2010
Arup, SOM top BD+C's ranking of the country's largest mixed-use design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Mixed-Use Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture billings index takes turn for the worse
After showing signs of stabilization over the last three months, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) plunged nearly five points in June. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the June ABI rating was 37.7, far lower than the 42.9 the previous month.
| Aug 11, 2010
International Living Building Institute established to advance 'living buildings'
The idea of a Living Building, a high-performance building that produces its own power and cleans and reuses all of its water, is gaining momentum around the world. In an effort to oversee the global development of Living Buildings, the International Living Building Institute (ILBI) has been established.