Global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will announced today that it has acquired the London-based branding, retail strategy, and design consultancy Portland Design Associates.
Portland, whose clients include British Land, Heathrow Airport, St. Pancras International, Diageo, HMS Host, CNN, and TDIC, is best known for crafting brand and retail strategies that “future proof” their clients’ business by anticipating changes in how customers shop in, and interact with, places.
Portland will become the latest creative services business to join the Perkins+Will group of companies. While Portland will maintain its own brand and operate as an independent entity, the two enterprises will work closely together to deliver “future-proofing” insights to clients. This includes a mix of physical and digital brand experiences for projects ranging from retail, entertainment, and mixed-use to transportation and urban regeneration.
“Our clients will benefit from Portland’s consumer insights, creativity, and strategic thinking, and Portland’s clients will benefit from Perkins+Will’s global reach and broad architectural, design, and planning expertise,” says Perkins+Will President and CEO Phil Harrison.
While Perkins+Will has already engaged Portland as a strategy consultant on various projects in the past, the permanent union of the two companies will strengthen and expand both of their service offerings. It will also allow Portland to work closely with Perkins+Will’s Branded Environments practice to service a greater number of clients globally.
Founded in 1987, Portland and its 40 employees have been under Ibrahim’s leadership since 2007. Ibrahim will continue to serve as Managing Director.
Related Stories
K-12 Schools | Feb 26, 2015
Construction funding still scarce for many school districts
Many districts are struggling to have new construction and renovation keep pace with student population growth.
K-12 Schools | Feb 26, 2015
D.C.'s Dunbar High School is world's highest-scoring LEED school, earns 91% of base credits
The 280,000-sf school achieved 91 points, out of 100 base points possible for LEED, making it the highest-scoring school in the world certified under USGBC’s LEED for Schools-New Construction system.
K-12 Schools | Feb 25, 2015
Polish architect designs modular ‘kids city’ kindergarten using shipping container frames
Forget the retrofit of a shipping container into a building for one moment. Designboom showcases the plans of Polish architect Adam Wiercinski to use just the recycled frames of containers to construct a “kids city.”
Cultural Facilities | Feb 25, 2015
Bjarke Ingels designs geodesic dome for energy production, community use
A new building in Uppsala, Sweden, will serve as a power plant during the winter and a venue for shows, festivals, and music events during the warm months.
Cultural Facilities | Feb 25, 2015
Edmonton considering 'freezeway' to embrace winter
If the new Edmonton Freezeway is constructed, residents will have an 11-km course that winds through the city and allows them to skate to work, school, and other city activities.
Building Team | Feb 24, 2015
Call for entries: 2015 Giants 300 survey
The annual Giants 300 Report ranks the top AEC firms in commercial construction, by revenue.
Industrial Facilities | Feb 24, 2015
Starchitecture meets agriculture: OMA unveils design for Kentucky community farming facility
The $460 million Food Port project will define a new model for the relationship between consumer and producer.
University Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
Future-proofing educational institutions: 5 trends to consider
In response to rapidly changing conditions in K-12 and higher education, institutions and school districts should consider these five trends to ensure a productive, educated future.
Office Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
The importance of quiet and the consequences of distraction
Recent work style studies show that the average knowledge worker spends 25-35% of their time doing heads-down focused work. Once thrown off track, it can take some 23 minutes for a worker to return to the original task.
Modular Building | Feb 23, 2015
Edge construction: The future of modular
Can innovative project delivery methods, namely modular construction, bring down costs and offer a solution for housing in urban markets? FXFOWLE’s David Wallance discusses the possibilities for modular.