Texas Strong

Responding design firms in the newly combined regions report a total of $21.6 billion in revenue for 2024, up from $19.74 billion in 2023—a 9.4% increase. The collective boost can be credited to strength in the former Texas & Louisiana region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Combined, firms in those states report $10.63 billion last year, up 21% from $8.74 billion in 2023. For the top 10 firms specifically the total is $4.41 billion—up 9% from $4.03 billion in 2023.

Survey results show revenue rose in every state in 2024 from 2023, with Arkansas at $265.89 million, up from $219.08 million; Louisiana at $817.26 million, well up from $493.05 million; Mississippi at $216.7 million, up from $167.32 million; Oklahoma at $380.15 million, up from $248.94 million; and Texas $8.95 billion, up from $7.61 billion. Louisiana saw the largest spike by percentage—up 66%—while Texas had the largest dollar increase at $1.34 billion.

Pape-Dawson is among the firms working on the $2.1-billion Titans Stadium in Nashville.
Rendering by MANICA, courtesy of Tennessee Titans

Steady in the Southeast

Meanwhile, revenue was essentially flat in the former Southeast region, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Puerto Rico. Last year, design firms in that region tallied a combined $10.97 billion, compared with $11 billion in 2023.

The top 10 firms, however, fared much better, combining for $4.76 billion in revenue last year, up from $3.47 billion in 2023. The overall revenue decrease in the former Southeast region can be largely attributed to activity in Alabama. The state's total for ranked firms dropped to $665.84 million last year from a strong $1.7 billion in 2023.

However, 2023 was an outlier, as revenue nearly quadrupled that year from 2022’s $466 million. Puerto Rico also saw combined revenue drop last year—from $87.69 million in 2023 to $58.52 million in 2024. All other states in the region reported increases, with Georgia rising to $1.86 billion from $1.55 billion in 2023; North Carolina at $2.23 billion, up from $2.1 billion; South Carolina increasing to $908.95 million from $773.6 million; and Tennessee at $832.13 million, up from $645.8 million.

Aviation, Data Center Opportunities

Corgan, ranked at No. 19, continues to leverage its experience in aviation and data centers to land work in the region. Lindsay Wilson, firm president and interiors sector leader, still sees pent-up demand in aviation from 2020. Corgan now is designing San Antonio International Airport’s new 900,000-sq-ft terminal, with Lake|Flato Architects that is set to finish in 2028. In the data center market, Wilson sees unprecedented data demand with the rise of AI. “We have the largest team of architects [nationally] that specialize in data centers, so we’re well-positioned to support these projects,” she adds.

Burns & McDonnell, which is No. 4 in this year’s Top Design Firms list, also saw sustained growth in the data center market last year, along with gains in advanced manufacturing; oil, gas and chemical; power generation, transmission and distribution transportation; environmental services; and water infrastructure

“States such as Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas continued to attract significant investment in hyperscale data centers, industrial manufacturing and logistics infrastructure,” says Allen Xi, executive vice president for its South region.

Burns & McDonnell also has ongoing work with utility Santee Cooper in South Carolina that Xi says “illustrates the scale and urgency of transmission development across the Southeast.” At Orlando International Airport, it is the design-build contractor for a maintenance repair overhaul hangar complex. “We are also seeing strong momentum in the aerospace sector, particularly in Houston and Florida’s Space Coast,” he adds. “These regions are becoming hubs for innovation and investment in next-generation flight, space systems and advanced manufacturing tied to both commercial and defense sectors.”

Xi expects continued infrastructure and manufacturing growth across the South. “In Georgia, expansion of advanced automotive and battery production facilities is creating sustained demand for industrial development, power infrastructure and workforce housing,” he says. “In Texas, ongoing investment in data centers, petrochemicals and grid modernization will remain strong.”