Fulton East is a $26 million, 12-story office tower in Chicago’s West Loop. This was one of the first projects that two architectural firms, Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) and BatesForum, worked on jointly.
This week, the firms announced that they had combined to create one business entity with 240-plus professionals and five offices. But the firms had a previous connection in that St. Louis-based BatesForum was 50%-owned by the contracting company Clayco after Clayco merged Bates with its Forum Studio subsidiary in March 2018; and Chicago-based LJC is a Clayco subsidiary, which the contractor acquired in October 2018.
“The future of design is integrated,” says Clayco CEO and founder Bob Clark. “Our integrated delivery model will set a new standard by completely disrupting the inefficiency of the traditional paradigm of design-bid-build.”
Lamar Johnson, CEO of his eponymous firm, adds that this combination is a response to a design-bid-build construction model “that needs to change.” Johnson believes that the combined firm will be better able to draw upon Clayco’s “deep bench of resources and industry leading technology.”
Among the expanded firm’s capabilities are its Technical Assurance Group (TAG), which consults with project teams to apply lessons from the built environment to projects still on the drawing board; and the Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team, which provides BIM support for the use of integrated models and provides collaboration space for real-time decision-making by owners.
The combined firm exceeds 200 active architecture and design projects in 24 states. Together with Clayco, the overall construction value of active integrated delivery projects exceeds $4 billion. Its client list includes Farpoint Development, Pfizer, Mercy, Brookfield Properties, Blackstone Realty, Levy Restaurants, Lennar Multifamily Communities, Sterling Bay, and The John Buck Company.
The larger LJC will also continue the tradition of civic and community engagement practiced by the firm and Clayco. In the past, it has lent financial support to such organizations as the United Way and Cristo Rey High School.
Related Stories
| May 8, 2013
NBBJ appoints Tim Leberecht Chief Marketing Officer
NBBJ, a global architecture and design firm, today announced that it has appointed Tim Leberecht as its Chief Marketing Officer. Leberecht joins NBBJ from Frog Design where he led the marketing organization from 2006 to 2013 and helped transform the company into one of the world’s foremost design and innovation consultancies.
| May 7, 2013
First look: Golden State Warriors stadium by Snøhetta, AECOM
Architects Snøhetta and AECOM have revealed their latest renderings of a new stadium for NBA basketball team the Golden State Warriors on the waterfront in San Francisco.
| May 7, 2013
Renovated bridge building will anchor Nashville riverfront master plan
Renovations to the former Nashville Bridge Company building were recently completed, including a newly-built modern wing. The facility has been re-dubbed The Bridge Building and now offers spaces for meetings, parties, weddings, and other events.
| May 7, 2013
First look: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill skyscraper designed to 'confuse the wind'
The 400-meter-high, 116-story Imperial Tower in Mumbai will feature a slender, rounded form optimized to withstand the area's strong wind currents.
| May 6, 2013
SAFTI FIRST announces 3D Autodesk Revit models for fire rated wall, window, and door systems
SAFTI FIRST, leading USA-manufacturer of fire rated glass and faming systems, is proud to announce that Autodesk Revit models are now available for its fire rated walls, window and door systems via www.safti.com and Autodesk Seek.
| May 6, 2013
7 major multifamily residential projects in the works
A $140 million redevelopment of a landmark, 45-building apartment complex in Los Angeles is among the nation's significant multifamily developments under way.
| May 3, 2013
5 common failures in paints and coatings
As experienced designers, contractors, and owners know, most paint and coating problems are correctable, but some are especially stubborn to address. Here is a partial compendium of typical failure modes and methods for addressing the problem.
| May 3, 2013
'LEED for all GSA buildings,' says GSA Green Building Advisory Committee
The Green Building Advisory Committee established by the General Services Administration, officially recommended to GSA that the LEED green building certification system be used for all GSA buildings as the best measure of building efficiency.
