The firm’s 30th studio will serve a growing number of clients in the U.S. Midwest, providing comprehensive design solutions across multiple sectors.
In response to growing demand from clients in the U.S. Midwest, Perkins&Will, a global leader in architecture and design, has opened a full-service studio in Kansas City. The firm’s newest practice will deliver local services in sports, recreation, and entertainment; healthcare; higher education; science and technology; and sustainability consulting.
“We’re as ready as ever to help companies and clients grow in the Kansas City area,” says Lindsey Peckinpaugh, regional director for the Midwest. “Our firm is excited for the opportunity to help this city grow, and I cannot wait to see how our team applies our Living Design values in the region and throughout the thriving markets Kansas City has to offer.”
Leadership of the Kansas City studio will include Peckinpaugh as regional director; Ernest Joyner as managing director; Dale Duncan as operations director; Jeff Sittner and Erica Muhlenbruch as leaders in the sports, recreation, and entertainment practice; and Phaedra Svec as director of regenerative design.
Why Kansas City?
The 36th most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. is famously known for its professional sports teams—and for its influence on national sports arena and stadium architecture. But it is also home to one of the most diverse economies in the country and is a recognized leader in the biosciences and technology industries. In fact, according to CBRE, Kansas City has the world’s largest concentration of animal health companies—more than 300—and jobs in computer and mathematics are 41% more concentrated here than anywhere else in the country.
Additionally, the metro area has experienced some of the highest population growth rates in the Midwest in the last two decades, contributing to a post-pandemic boom in real estate development across the corporate and commercial, hospitality, science and technology, and sports and entertainment sectors.
“As companies and industries grow their presence in Kansas City and the broader region, we see a need for design solutions that help them respond to rapidly evolving markets,” says Joyner. “Whether it’s breathing new life into existing spaces, contributing to resilient infrastructure, or designing regenerative, sustainable environments that improve community life, we stand ready to help with local expertise and world-class service.”
New Studio, Enduring Legacy
Perkins&Will has worked in the Kansas City region for decades. The firm’s portfolio includes the Ewing Marion Kauffman School, The Students in Academically Gifted Education (SAGE) School, The University of Kansas Integrated Sciences Building and Campus Master Plan, Kansas State Engineering Complex, the HCA Research Medical Center, the Saint Louis University Chaifetz Arena and Champions Center, the University of Iowa Jacobsen Athletic Center, and the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Elsewhere in the Midwest, the firm is currently working on projects like the Bismarck State College Multipurpose Athletic Center in North Dakota, the Middletown Arena in Ohio, the Missouri Protoplex in Rolla, Missouri for Missouri University of Science & Technology, and the Washington University School of Medicine, Neuroscience Research Building in St. Louis to name a few.
The new Perkins&Will Kansas City studio is located at 1475 Walnut Street, only a block away from the vibrant Power & Light District, home to some of the city’s best restaurants, shopping, and sports and entertainment venues.
“Our world is rethinking the way places and spaces are designed, and here in Kansas City, we are excited to push the envelope even further,” says Duncan. “We’ve got a track record of excellence at Perkins&Will, and we look forward to continuing to deliver the very best solutions to our clients.”
About Perkins&Will
Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm, was founded in 1935 on the belief that design has the power to transform lives. The firm is committed to creating a better, beautiful, more equitable world through Living Design, an approach that integrates environmental, social, and design considerations to advance ecological health and well-being. Architizer named Perkins&Will the world’s “Best Sustainable Firm” in 2023, and Metropolis named it “Firm of the Year” in 2022 for its industry leadership in advancing climate action and social justice. Fast Company named Perkins&Will one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture three times, and in 2021, it added the firm to its list of Brands That Matter—making Perkins&Will the first architecture practice in the world to earn the distinction. With an international team of more than 2,500 professionals, Perkins&Will has 30 studios worldwide, providing integrated services in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Partners include Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects; Portland; Nelson\Nygaard; and Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.