Architects and interior designers are among those who will benefit from this new compilation. Hotel & Restaurant Design 3 showcases the most current, inspirational design solutions gathered from ...
It’s Bauhaus on a grand scale as the practice integrates its Canadian operations and adds a new name in Seattle.
By Mary Scoviak
In the world of hotels and hotel design, small is beautiful. Boutique hotels, boutique design firms, boutique suppliers—they’re the trendsetters. That’s been a good thing for bringing in fresh eyes and new ideas. But it’s also made us lose sight of the fact that creativity comes in all sizes.
Perkins+Will’s recent expansion is a good wake-up call. At a time when so many firms are slicing and dicing themselves as baskets of specialty divisions so as to look more artisanal, this 75-year-old interdisciplinary design firm is growing its presence with acquisitions that build out its comprehensive skill set. In late April, the firm rolled out Perkins+Will Canada launches today as a unified national practice. The launch saw Ottawa and Hamilton (Dundas)-based Vermeulen Hind Architects, one of Canada’s leading healthcare architectural firms, merge with Shore Tilbe Perkins+Will, celebrated for its focus on civic and recreation architecture, and Vancouver-based Busby Perkins+Will, widely regarded as one of North America’s leading green practices. Earlier this week, the practice deepened its Pacific Coast network with the acquisition of Seattle-based Hinthorne Mott Architects.
Here’s the rationale: "We are all very excited about our two firms combining skills and resources to broaden our design portfolio," says Kay Kornovich, Perkins+Will managing director. "Our values, skill sets and cultures align nicely to make a stronger office in the Pacific Northwest." According to Erik Mott, associate principal with Hinthorne Mott Architects, “We believe that our strategic integration with Perkins+Will is a natural and compelling next step for both organizations.”
There’s also the benefit of shared best practices, which benefits the design staff and clients alike. Being in an environment like HBA Design or Wilson & Associates, Gensler or DiLeonardo enables staff members to tap into the widely varying processed for a full menu of hospitality projects. It’s not Bauhaus in the purest sense, but it is inventive and collaborative. It will be interesting to see if other firms join Perkins+Will in defining the new mega-practice.
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