Global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will announced today that they have signed an agreement which will result in The Freelon Group joining forces with Perkins+Will.
Founded by Phil Freelon, FAIA, LEED AP in Research Triangle Park, N.C., The Freelon Group is world renowned for design excellence and consulting work with museums, libraries, universities, and other civic and institutional clients.
Perkins+Will offers a full range of architectural expertise from its offices in Charlotte and RTP, notably to healthcare, science and technology, education, corporate, commercial, civic, and cultural clients. These capabilities will be enriched by The Freelon Group’s similar work, expanding the firm’s portfolio in these sectors. The combined practice will have nearly 80 professionals creating one of the largest and most award-winning architecture and design practices in North Carolina.
The Freelon Group will bring a portfolio of design achievements on behalf of some of America’s most respected cultural institutions including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, the Emancipation Park in Houston, the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, and multiple projects for the Washington, D.C. Public Libraries.
The Tenley Library, a Washington, D.C. Public Library designed by Freelon. Photo credit: Mark Herboth Photography
“By joining Perkins+Will, we can offer our clients in North Carolina and around the world a full spectrum of services for just about any type of project,” said Freelon. “The firms are ideally matched as we share a dedication to design excellence and commitment to social responsibility.”
Upon completion of the transaction, Freelon will assume a key leadership role at Perkins+Will in both North Carolina and globally. As the Managing and Design Director of the North Carolina practice, he will lead both Perkins+Will North Carolina offices in RTP and Charlotte. Freelon will come to Perkins+Will as an important member of the firmwide leadership team and will join the Board of Directors. He will also be a key leader for the firm's cultural and civic practice.
Freelon founded The Freelon Group in 1990. He is the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a member of the AIA College of Fellows.
He was appointed by President Obama to serve on the National Commission of Fine Arts and earned the academic appointment of Professor of Practice at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Architecture and Planning, where he will continue to be a member of the faculty.
Freelon has lectured at more than 30 major universities, museums, and other prominent venues, and his work has been published globally. A native of Philadelphia, Freelon earned his Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture degree from North Carolina State University and his Master of Architecture degree from MIT. He also received a Loeb Fellowship and spent a year of independent study at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
“With Phil Freelon, his experienced team of 40 designers, and other professionals who intend to join Perkins+Will, we look forward to offering clients a deeper level of cultural design expertise,” said Perkins+Will President and Chief Executive Officer Phil Harrison, FAIA, LEED AP. “Phil will further strengthen our leadership team and is a natural complement to the design excellence culture at Perkins+Will.”
Perkins+Will employees in the RTP office intend to relocate to The Freelon Group’s RTP office space. This office will work collaboratively with the Perkins+Will Charlotte office to service clients throughout North Carolina, nationally, and globally. Under Freelon’s direction, current Perkins+Will leadership will continue to serve the North Carolina practice, with David Brownlee in the role of Director of Operations in the RTP office and David Gieser as Director of Operations in the Charlotte office.
Related Stories
Building Team | Apr 22, 2022
EarthCam Adds Senior Leadership Roles to Facilitate Rapid Growth
EarthCam today announced several new leadership positions as it scales up to accommodate increasing demand for its webcam technology and services.
Architects | Apr 22, 2022
Top 10 green building projects for 2022
The American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced its COTE Top Ten Awards for significant achievements in advancing climate action.
Mixed-Use | Apr 22, 2022
San Francisco replaces a waterfront parking lot with a new neighborhood
A parking lot on San Francisco’s waterfront is transforming into Mission Rock—a new neighborhood featuring rental units, offices, parks, open spaces, retail, and parking.
Legislation | Apr 21, 2022
NIMBYism in the Sunbelt stymies new apartment development
Population growth in Sunbelt metro areas is driving demand for new apartment development, but resistance is growing against these projects.
Architects | Apr 21, 2022
A conversation with architect Robert A.M. Stern
The architect Robert A.M. Stern discusses his newly published memoir that touches on his childhood in New York and 50-plus-year career.
Building Team | Apr 20, 2022
White House works with state, local governments to bolster building performance standards
The former head of the U.S. Green Building Council says the Biden Administration’s formation of the National Building Performance Standards Coalition is a “tremendous” step in the right direction to raise building performance standards in the U.S.
Market Data | Apr 20, 2022
Pace of demand for design services rapidly accelerates
Demand for design services in March expanded sharply from February according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Multifamily Housing | Apr 20, 2022
A Frankfurt tower gives residents greenery-framed views
In Frankfurt, Germany, the 27-floor EDEN tower boasts an exterior “living wall system”: 186,000 plants that cover about 20 percent of the building’s facade.
AEC Tech | Apr 19, 2022
VDC maturity and the key to driving better, more predictable outcomes
While more stakeholders across the AEC value chain embrace the concept of virtual design and construction, what is driving the vastly different results that organizations achieve? The answer lies within an assessment of VDC maturity.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 19, 2022
6 trends to watch in healthcare design
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, IMEG’s healthcare leaders from across the country are seeing several emerging trends that are poised to have wide-ranging impacts on facility design and construction. Following are six of the trends and strategies they expect to become more commonplace in 2022 and the years to come.