Transit, aviation, industrial and manufacturing; single- and multifamily housing; and efforts to help alleviate climate change are among the expected growth areas for design firms in the Mountain States. Meanwhile, the firms themselves are experiencing rapid changes, including adjustments to remote and hybrid work, ongoing staff shortages and a wave of mergers and acquisitions.
In 2020, architecture, engineering and geospatial firm Woolpert acquired Jviation Inc., an aviation-centric firm based in Denver. The acquisition allowed Woolpert to expand its nationwide footprint and contributed to an increase in regional revenue for 2021, says JD Ingram, aviation market director in the company’s Denver office. Woolpert reported $21.2 million in regional revenue last year.