In a deal announced this morning, Houston-based healthcare and S+T design specialist FKP has merged with design giant CannonDesign (#8 on BD+C’s Giants 300 Top 100 Architecture/Engineering Firms ranking). The merger forms a 19-office, 960-employee practice that produced more than $220 million in combined design revenue in 2016.
Led by CEO Diane R.K. Osan, FAIA, ACHA, FKP is an internationally recognized design firm with offices in Houston, Dallas, and Columbus. Known for its expertise in pediatric healthcare, the firm has designed children’s facilities throughout the U.S., including Nemours’ A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care in Philadelphia, and numerous projects for Texas Children’s Hospital.
“CannonDesign’s five-year strategic framework focuses on proactive strategies for strengthening our client partnerships through personal and firm growth by office expansions, new hires, and mergers,” said CannonDesign’s CEO Brad Lukanic, AIA, in a statement. “Today’s merger with FKP intentionally increases CannonDesign’s commitment to total health solutions with a focus on children’s health, while advancing our design impact, being a top-tier employer, and taking a stronghold in key geographic areas like Texas and Ohio.”
Reflecting on the shared benefits of the merger, Osan notes the opportunity to profoundly impact community health. “In order to effectively improve the conditions of our communities, we have to start by addressing the needs of children. Not just healthcare for children, but education, research, recreation, nutrition and that list goes on. All of these factors are critical in setting the path for a child’s future, and our firms’ combined expertise will allow us to address these factors and set children and communities up for success.”
Osan will assume the role as leader of CannonDesign’s Pediatric Health Practice. Looking beyond the traditional definition of healthcare, she will lead the practice in exploring ways to support the health and wellbeing of children across numerous environmental settings. She’ll also be joining the firm’s board of directors.
“Both of our firms have solid foundations,” added Lukanic. “Now we can expand in key areas to further serve our clients and create partnerships to evolve our design practice.”
Going forward, FKP will conduct business as FKP | CannonDesign.
Related Stories
| Jan 19, 2011
Architecture Billings Index jumped more than 2 points in December
On the heels of its highest mark since 2007, the Architecture Billings Index jumped more than two points in December. The American Institute of Architects reported the December ABI score was 54.2, up from a reading of 52.0 the previous month.
| Jan 19, 2011
Large-Scale Concrete Reconstruction Solid Thinking
Driven by both current economic conditions and sustainable building trends, Building Teams are looking more and more to retrofits and reconstruction as the most viable alternative to new construction. In that context, large-scale concrete restoration projects are playing an important role within this growing specialty.
| Jan 10, 2011
Architect Jean Nouvel designs an island near Paris
Abandoned by carmaker Renault almost 20 years ago, Seguin Island in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, is being renewed by architect Jean Nouvel. Plans for the 300,000-square-meter project includes a mix of culture, commerce, urban parks, and gardens, which officials hope will attract both Parisians and tourists.
| Jan 10, 2011
Michael J. Alter, president of The Alter Group: ‘There’s a significant pent-up demand for projects’
Michael J. Alter, president of The Alter Group, a national corporate real estate development firm headquartered in Skokie, Ill., on the growth of urban centers, project financing, and what clients are saying about sustainability.
| Jan 7, 2011
BIM on Target
By using BIM for the design of its new San Clemente, Calif., store, big-box retailer Target has been able to model the entire structural steel package, including joists, in 3D, chopping the timeline for shop drawings from as much as 10 weeks down to an ‘unheard of’ three-and-a-half weeks.
| Jan 7, 2011
How Building Teams Choose Roofing Systems
A roofing survey emailed to a representative sample of BD+C’s subscriber list revealed such key findings as: Respondents named metal (56%) and EPDM (50%) as the roofing systems they (or their firms) employed most in projects. Also, new construction and retrofits were fairly evenly split among respondents’ roofing-related projects over the last couple of years.
| Jan 7, 2011
Total construction to rise 5.1% in 2011
Total U.S. construction spending will increase 5.1% in 2011. The gain from the end of 2010 to the end of 2011 will be 10%. The biggest annual gain in 2011 will be 10% for new residential construction, far above the 2-3% gains in all other construction sectors.
| Jan 7, 2011
Mixed-Use on Steroids
Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.
