Article toolbar Thanks to a wave of California acquisitions plus internal growth, Stantec, headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, has achieved a position as one of the state’s major design firms, working in a range of markets. Photo courtesy of Stantec LEED Silver Working with Anshen + Allen, which it has since acquired, Stantec saw the completion of the LEED-certified Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco. Related Links: Designers See Encouraging Signals in the Road Ahead Top Design Firms Main List Top Design Firms List by Market Sector Editors of ENR regional publications have chosen Stantec as the Top Design Firm of
Article toolbar Engineering and architectural firms took some hits last year, as ENR California’s Top Design Firms ranking indicates, but a big-picture look at the data provides some reason for optimism. Rendering courtesy of Smithgroup Downtown SF Medical Center SmithGroup, No. 14 on this year�s Top Design Firms list, designed the California Pacific Medical Center campus at Cathedral Hill. Related Links: Top Designer of the Year Top Design Firms Main List Top Design Firms List by Market Sector California revenue for major design firms declined just 1.2% in 2010 to $3.23 billion, compared with $3.27 billion in 2009. Lists for
“If we’ve done our job, nobody knows about us,” he says. “If the building stands up, if it’s attractive and comfortable and everything is performing as it should, you’re not going to be thinking about the engineering.”
Building Bridges Large transportation projects such as the Miami and Glasgow bridge replacements in Missouri are helping to sustain Omaha-based architect/engineer HDR Inc.
The steady slide in revenue among the Southwest's leading design firms continued for the fourth straight year in 2010, according to figures provided by the firms participating in this year's survey. Design revenue from projects located in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico totaled $1.24 billion in 2010, down 5% from the previous year and 29% below the peak of $1.74 billion in 2006. “The economic downturn has been a sobering experience and has reinforced our focus on being a company that provides diverse service offerings across a range of sectors,” says Tim Lines, managing vice president of the desert/mountain regions
To industry giant AECOM, one is an important number. Not only is it the company's rank on ENR's 2011 list of top U.S. design firms, it also is part of the firm's new mantra, “One AECOM,” which represents its efforts to unite employees under a single identity. photo by Patti Reznik Photography Wrapping Up Crews finish the exterior skin of the 14-story, $263-million Maricopa County Court Tower, which AECOM co-designed. Photo by Daniel Watts Dominated by an amoeba-like art piece, Civic Space packs a wide array of functions and sustainable design principles into 2.5 acres in downtown Phoenix. Related Links:
Article toolbar Design firms throughout the region continue to suffer the pains of the recession, but some see signs of relief on the horizon. As with 2009, designers saw a dribble of work flow from private-sector clients last year as financing remains elusive. But ongoing public-sector and institutional clients continue to buoy the market for many firms. Public money is drying up fast, but some executives at local design firms are hopeful that a surge in private work could keep revenue flowing. Rendering courtesy of Shop Architects Barclays Center Thornton Tomasetti is part of the design team on the $350-million
Article toolbar When HNTB Corp. started a study of the Lake Champlain Bridge for the New York State Dept. of Transportation in 2009, everyone involved expected a standard environmental and design engineering review. But an inspection of the 80-year-old bridge's piers showed the structure was in danger of crumbling. Image courtesy of HNTB Critical Connections HNTB is handling preliminary engineering on the $1-billion Goethals Bridge replacement between New Jersey and Staten Island. Related Links: Public Projects Helped Firms Stay Stable in 2010 Top Design Firms Main Ranking List Top Design Firms Rankings by Sector HNTB soon found itself in the
This year’s ranking is based upon 2009 revenue as voluntarily reported by the 100 largest architects and engineers of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. Image: Orcutt | Winslow Youngker High School Performing Arts Center, Buckeye, Ariz. Related Links: Top 100 Design Firms of the Southwest Top Design Firms By Specialty Top Design Firms By State The top 100 firms reported $1.3 billion in design work for 2009, a 10.7% drop from 2008. Arizona firms fell more than 20% to $675 million while Nevada dropped 14% to just over $300 million. New Mexico was the lone bright spot: design revenue for
