INDIANAPOLIS — March 2011 — RATIO Architects, Inc. with studios in Indianapolis and Champaign, Ill., recently announced it has merged with prominent Raleigh, N.C., firm Cherry Huffman Architects. Principals of both firms are calling the business transaction a merger of equals given the firms’ expertise and their similar design philosophies. Louis Cherry, FAIA, LEED AP, principal of Cherry Huffman, has been named the sixth RATIO principal.
“We know the time is right for this merger and our continued national expansion,” says RATIO’s Founding
Principal and President Bill Browne, FAIA, LEED AP. “As the economy shows signs of rebounding, we are anticipating increased client needs at the national level. Providing geographic reach and breadth of talented work teams is a win for our clients as we eye larger and more complex projects.”
RATIO principals became aware of Cherry Huffman about two years ago. “We’ve worked in the North Carolina market and completed various projects for Duke University, observing many of the architectural teams in the area along the way. Simply stated, we are impressed with Louis Cherry’s leadership and his creative and innovative team. Our design philosophies, work cultures and styles are very similar,” says Browne.
RATIO and Cherry Huffman are privately held firms, and terms of the transaction will not be publicly disclosed.
About RATIO’s Growth Strategy
The merger with Cherry Huffman is the next step in RATIO’s strategy to grow to national design firm status. In 2004, RATIO completed a merger with a Champaign, IL-based architecture firm, bolstering the firm’s life sciences and higher education work. The expansion to the southeast with a fully functional studio allows RATIO’s leadership to offer regional businesses its strong experience and expertise in the landscape architecture, urban design and planning disciplines. RATIO will integrate work teams regardless of geographic and studio boundaries, a model that provides complementary skill sets that benefit the client and project.
Similar Firm Cultures and Design Approach
RATIO and Cherry Huffman have similar contextual design philosophies, which means team members bring their collective intellect together to design projects that reflect their environment and blend into the existing fabric of the community. Employees at both firms embrace the concept of sustainability.
RATIO and Cherry Huffman also are committed to the communities where they work and live, giving time, treasure and talent to various community projects. The Cherry Huffman team will continue to support various nonprofit organizations and needs in the Raleigh community.
About RATIO Architects, Inc.
RATIO is an award-winning design and planning firm currently with studios in Indianapolis, Ind., and Champaign, Ill., offering services in architecture, preservation, interior design, landscape architecture, urban design and planning, and graphic design. Founded in 1982, its collaborative studios combine professionals from all architectural disciplines to work on higher education, community, life science, workplace, lifestyle and cultural projects.
To date RATIO has completed work in more than 20 U.S. states. The design firm has managed and completed a variety of projects with Duke University as well as several high-profile projects: Engineering II Building, Colorado State University / Fort Collins, CO; The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Welcome Center, Dinosphere, Dale Chihuly Fireworks of GlassExhibit and Parking Garage / Indianapolis, IN; NCAA Hall of Champions and Headquarters Expansion / Indianapolis, IN; Simon Property Group Corporate Headquarters / Indianapolis, IN.
About Cherry Huffman Architects
Cherry Huffman Architects is one of the most respected firms in North Carolina. In 2009 the firm received the American Institute of Architects North Carolina Chapter Firm of the Year Award, presented to a team that has established presence in the state and consistently produced quality architecture with a verifiable level of client satisfaction for a period of 10 years.
The firm has completed architectural and interior design projects for various municipal clients at city, county and state levels; public and private K-12 schools; university; public libraries; select residential projects; and various private sector projects that build long-term relationships and improve the community. Cherry Huffman’s leadership has helped shape a more sustainable region in North Carolina. Key projects completed include: Broughton High School / Raleigh; Burning Coal Theatre Company / Raleigh; Cameron Village Library / Raleigh; Kraft Family YMCA / Apex; McSwain Education Center at the Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University / Raleigh; Unitarian Universalist Fellowship / Raleigh; and Wake County Human Services Center / Raleigh.
Related Stories
| Oct 8, 2010
Union Bank’S San Diego HQ awarded LEED Gold
Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building located at 530 B Street has been awarded LEED Gold certification from the Green Building Certification Institute under the standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gold status was awarded to six buildings across the United States in the most recent certification and Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building is one of only two in California.
| Oct 6, 2010
Windows Keep Green Goals in View
The DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has almost 600 window openings, and yet it's targeting LEED Platinum, net-zero energy use, and 50% improvement over ASHRAE 90.1. How the window ‘problem’ is part of the solution.
| Oct 6, 2010
From grocery store to culinary school
A former West Philadelphia supermarket is moving up the food chain, transitioning from grocery store to the Center for Culinary Enterprise, a business culinary training school.
| Sep 30, 2010
Luxury hotels lead industry in green accommodations
Results from the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s 2010 Lodging Survey showed that luxury and upper-upscale hotels are most likely to feature green amenities and earn green certifications. Results were tallied from 8,800 respondents, for a very respectable 18% response rate. Questions focused on 14 green-related categories, including allergy-free rooms, water-saving programs, energy management systems, recycling programs, green certification, and green renovation.
| Sep 22, 2010
Michael Van Valkenburg Assoc. wins St. Louis Gateway Arch design competition
Landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh and a multidisciplinary team of experts in “urban renewal, preservation, commemoration, social connections and ecological restoration” have been picked for the planning phase of The City+The Arch+The River 2015 International Design Competition.
| Sep 22, 2010
Satellier, Potential + Semac close investment deal
Satellier, a world leader in providing CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) outsourced services to the architecture, engineering and construction industry, announces a strategic minority investment from India-based top engineering firm Potential + Semac, ushering in the next evolution of the global architecture support industry.