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
| Dec 28, 2014
7 fresh retail design strategies
Generic ‘boxes’ and indifferent service won’t cut it with today’s savvy shoppers. Retailers are seeking a technology-rich-but-handmade vibe, plus greater speed to market and adaptability.
| Dec 28, 2014
Workplace design trends: Make way for the Millennials
Driven by changing work styles, mobile technology, and the growing presence of Millennials, today’s workplaces are changing, mostly for the better. We examine the top office design trends.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA: Commercial glass façade and door systems
When it comes to selecting fenestration systems—particularly glass facades and door systems—a number of factors come into play, requiring a thorough evaluation of a project’s individual requirements.
| Dec 28, 2014
10 essential habits of successful architects
Want to take the next step as a design processional? John Gresko, Senior Project Architect with HDR, explores the traits that many great architects possess.
| Dec 28, 2014
10 unglamorous things architects do
An acquaintance recently asked me about the kinds of things I did on a day-to-day basis at work, anticipating a response loaded with enviable activities. She was wrong, writes HDR's John Gresko.
| Dec 28, 2014
New trends in ceiling designs and materials [AIA course]
A broad array of new and improved ceiling products offers designers everything from superior acoustics and closed-loop, recycled content to eased integration with lighting systems, HVAC diffusers, fire sprinkler heads, and other overhead problems. This course describes how Building Teams are exploring ways to go beyond the treatment of ceilings as white, monolithic planes.
| Dec 27, 2014
7 ways to enhance workplace mobility
The open work environment has allowed owners to house more employees in smaller spaces, minimizing the required real estate and capital costs. But, what about all of their wireless devices?
| Dec 27, 2014
'Core-first' construction technique cuts costs, saves time on NYC high-rise project
When Plaza Construction first introduced the concept of "core first" in managing the construction of a major office building, the procedure of pouring concrete prior to erecting a steel frame had never been done in New York City.
| Dec 23, 2014
5 tech trends transforming BIM/VDC
From energy modeling on the fly to prefabrication of building systems, these advancements are potential game changers for AEC firms that are serious about building information modeling.
| Dec 22, 2014
What Building Teams can learn from home builders' travails
Commercial and residential construction can be as different as night and day. But as one who covered the housing industry for nearly a decade, I firmly believe AEC firms can learn some valuable lessons from the trials and tribulations that home builders experienced during the Great Recession, writes BD+C's John Caulfield.
