Cuningham Group acquires NTD's healthcare practice, expands into key markets

The international design firm Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc. has announced that NTD Healthcare has the joined the company in a strategic expansion. A practice of NTD Architecture, NTD Healthcare joins Cuningham Group with three principals: Wayne Hunter, AIA, NCARB, ACHA and Phillip T. Soule, III, AIA, ACHA in San Diego, along with Maha Abou-Haidar, AIA in Phoenix.

These principals, along with the entire healthcare staff and their healthcare portfolio, expand Cuningham Group’s reach, adding San Diego and Phoenix to the firm’s locations which already include Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, Biloxi, Seoul and Beijing. 

This new team will practice healthcare architecture in collaboration with Cuningham Group’s healthcare principal and market group leader Lee Brennan, AIA, based in Los Angeles. The move reinforces Cuningham Group’s reputation as a global thought leader designing healthy communities for a more beautiful and balanced world.  

“This is a major expansion of Cuningham Group’s geographic markets with a team very much devoted to our focus on designing healthy communities through research, innovation and experienced-enhanced solutions,” said Brennan. “This is also a fruitful opportunity to combine both firm’s healthcare experience with Cuningham Group’s expertise in multiple markets, including hospitality, retail, entertainment, workplace, corporate, housing, urban design and landscape architecture. These combinations allow us to meet new performance measures demanded by hospital systems based on their Press-Ganey scores, the recognized guide for healthcare providers to measure and improve the patient experience.”

Among Cuningham Group’s recent projects that represent healthcare innovation is the International Health Sciences Campus at Knowledge City in Guangzhou, China, while recent experience-enhanced design solutions include the master planning for the Kaiser Baldwin Hills Medical Office Building campus, in Los Angeles.

NTD President Jay Tittle, AIA said, “We are grateful that we were able to achieve a win-win scenario with Cuningham Group in regards to the acquisition of our healthcare group. We feel that our team will prove to be a tremendous asset to their practice and are excited for the opportunities that this will provide the healthcare staff.”

The three NTD principals joining Cuningham Group combine 82 years of healthcare work between them and count among their recently completed projects: Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona; Methodist Hospital of Southern California, in Arcadia, California; and the Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, California; and the Diamond Children’s Medical Center at the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.

“With the continuing explosive growth in healthcare, Cuningham Group is excited to expand our reach even further, and to continue to unite healthcare with our focus on research, design leadership, marketplace knowledge and geographic presence,” said Cuningham Group President Timothy Dufault, AIA. “We are committed to serving our expanded client base with a dedication to service and innovation.  It is so satisfying to be able to work with the equally committed team of professionals from NTD Healthcare who are joining us today.”

About Cuningham Group®Cuningham Group® transcends tradition with architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, urban design and planning services for a diverse mix of client and project types.  The firm’s client-centered, collaborative approach incorporates trend-setting architecture and environmental responsiveness to create projects that weave seamlessly into the urban fabric. Consistently recognized as a leader in a variety of markets, Cuningham Group and has grown to over 250 employees in the United States, Korea and China. For more information, please visit www.cuningham.com.