What does it take to become a top firm? During the prolonged recession, merely staying above water is an accomplishment. Of the nearly 100 firms participating in this year’s Top Design Firms of the Southwest ranking, only a handful saw revenues increase from 2009 to 2010.

But it takes more than fiscal success to make a truly meaningful impact in the A/E/C community. A firm must excel at embodying the triple-bottom line: economic, ecological and social success.

Taking this into consideration, the editors of ENR Southwest, with input from editors with other regional publications and Engineering News-Record, have selected AECOM Technology Corp. as the Design Firm of the Year for the Southwest region for 2011.

Based in California, AECOM has a strong presence in the Southwest with offices throughout the region. The firm’s most headline-grabbing project is taking place in the middle of New Mexico. Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, is benefiting from the firm’s expertise as an architectural, engineering and sustainability consultant.

AECOM is accustomed to building in urban environments as well, such as with the $65-million GSA Phoenix Professional Office building in north Phoenix, to house the area’s FBI officers. The firm won a number of awards for its urban revitalization at Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix, including a Best of 2009 award from ENR Southwest and a national Best of the Best award from ENR.

You can read much more about the firm’s accomplishments, including its award-winning commitment to sustainability and diversity in the workplace, in the May 16th issue of ENR Southwest. The same issue will feature our long-running ranking of the Top Design Firms of the Southwest, featuring in-depth analysis and insight from the region's leading firms.
 
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