Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects announces the renaming of the award-winning firm to Pelli Clarke &Partners as it honors the firm’s legacy and continue its vision for the future. Together, Fred Clarke and Rafael Pelli along with ten other exceptional Partners are proud to lead Pelli Clarke & Partners into the bright future.
Pelli Clarke & Partners is known for designing some of the world’s most iconic buildings. The firm’s portfolio includes critically-acclaimed buildings such as Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the International Finance Center in Hong Kong, and Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco.
Pelli Clarke & Partners designs transformative buildings and public spaces that connect people and place – earning the firm hundreds of international awards for design excellence, as well as coveted awards from national, regional, and local chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Continuing their commitment to excellence by creating imaginative buildings that honor a city and energize its communities, Pelli Clarke & Partners has several new projects on the horizon. “We’re looking toward our bright future here at Pelli Clarke & Partners and are thrilled that a number of transformative projects will open their doors in 2022,” said Fred Clarke, Founder and Partner at Pelli Clarke & Partners. “We’re delighted that the coming year brings the grand opening of Texas Tower in Houston, Salesforce Tower Chicago, and the Chengdu Museum of Natural History in China. These projects celebrate the innovative spirit and contemporary ethos in the heart of their respective cities.”
Founded by Cesar Pelli with partners Fred Clarke and Diana Balmori in 1977, the firm began its legacy as Cesar Pelli & Associates at its first office in New Haven, Connecticut – the location that remains its flagship office today. In 2000, Rafael Pelli established the New York office. In recognition of the significant contributions of its senior designers, the firm name became Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in 2005. Over the next two decades, the firm further developed its international scope - opening offices in Tokyo, Shanghai and most recently, Shenzhen in 2020.
Always a visionary, Cesar Pelli laid the groundwork for growth and transition to occur organically. Inspired by his time working with Eero Saarinen, Cesar fostered a studio environment that encouraged active participation, sharing of ideas and complete collaboration across the entire firm. When Cesar Pelli passed away in 2019, the Partners were already carrying on Cesar’s vision as the next generation of leadership at the helm.
With five offices around the world, and a portfolio of current projects that will transform cities over the next decade, the firm is strengthened by its cohesive leadership and the team’s ability to work across geographic and cultural boundaries.
“All of us at Pelli Clarke & Partners are proud to carry our legacy forward, rooted in a rigorous, open, and responsive design process,” said Rafael Pelli, Partner at Pelli Clarke &Partners. “Our new name celebrates our deeply collaborative culture as we continue our legacy of creating sustainable and inspiring environments that transform communities around the world.”
The name, Pelli Clarke & Partners, introduces a new wordmark, website and energy that reflect the well-established, highly regarded reputation of the firm while continuing its technical proficiency and visionary perspective. Pelli Clarke & Partners is pleased to share their design heritage story with a video that can be viewed at www.pcparch.com/firm
Related Stories
Steel Buildings | Apr 6, 2023
2023 AISC Forge Prize winner envisions the gas station of the future
Forge Prize winner LVL (Level) Studio envisions a place where motorists can relax, work, play, shop, or perhaps even get healthcare while their vehicles charge.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
New tool from Perkins&Will will make public health data more accessible to designers and architects
Called PRECEDE, the dashboard is an open-source tool developed by Perkins&Will that draws on federal data to identify and assess community health priorities within the U.S. by location. The firm was recently awarded a $30,000 ASID Foundation Grant to enhance the tool.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design
The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.
Market Data | Apr 6, 2023
JLL’s 2023 Construction Outlook foresees growth tempered by cost increases
The easing of supply chain snags for some product categories, and the dispensing with global COVID measures, have returned the North American construction sector to a sense of normal. However, that return is proving to be complicated, with the construction industry remaining exceptionally busy at a time when labor and materials cost inflation continues to put pricing pressure on projects, leading to caution in anticipation of a possible downturn. That’s the prognosis of JLL’s just-released 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023
Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands
HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator.
Market Data | Apr 4, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending up 0.4% in February 2023
National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.4% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $982.2 billion for the month, up 16.8% from the previous year.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
ASHRAE releases Building Performance Standards Guide
Building Performance Standards (BPS): A Technical Resource Guide was created to provide a technical basis for policymakers, building owners, practitioners and other stakeholders interested in developing and implementing a BPS policy. The publication is the first in a series of seven guidebooks by ASHRAE on building decarbonization.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort
Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Education Facilities | Apr 3, 2023
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center opens academic center for affordable education and training
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center, which provides career-specific training to adults and high school students, has completed its Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus—a two-story, 155,000-sf academic building. The project aims to fill the growing community’s rising demand for affordable education and training.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023
New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.