Perkins and Will


Perkins and Will is a global design practice founded in 1935. Since 1986, the group has been a subsidiary of Lebanon-based Dar Al-Handasah. Phil Harrison has been the firm's CEO since 2006.

History

The firm was established in by Lawrence Perkins and Philip Will. Perkins and Will met while studying architecture at Cornell University. The company was founded in Chicago.
The company attracted national attention in 1940 with the Crow Island School in Winnetka, Illinois, designed in association with Eliel Saarinen and Eero Saarinen. In 1986, Dar Al-Handasah, a Lebanese consulting firm, purchased Perkins and Will. In 2016, the company had 24 global offices and 2,000 employees.
In March 2014, Perkins and Will announced its planned acquisition of The Freelon Group, led by Philip Freelon. After the close of the transaction, Freelon joined Perkins and Will's board of directors and became managing and design director of the firm's North Carolina practice.
In October of 2017, Perkins and Will acquired sports and recreation architecture firm Sink Combs Dethlefs. Sink Combs Dethlefs, founded in 1962, operated offices in Denver and Chicago.

Sustainable design

The firm's website claims to have more Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accredited professionals than any other design firm in North America. In 2011, Perkins and Will announced the LEED-ND platinum level certification for its 100th sustainable building, the Dockside Green Phase Two Balance project, located in Victoria, British Columbia.
Notable LEED projects: