Global architecture firm Perkins+Will, which recently increased its presence in Dallas, announced March 27 it has acquired Dallas’ The Lauck Group Inc., which specializes in corporate interiors.
The combination strengthens Perkins+Will’s presence in the Texas and Southwest markets, while giving Lauck Group, access to national and global markets.
“With Perkins+Will’s strengths in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, lauckgroup can offer its clients a more comprehensive suite of services that extend beyond the exceptional interior design they’re already known for,” said Tom Reisenbichler, managing director of Perkins+Will’s Dallas office. “The same holds true for our clients. While we’ve made great strides in recent years growing our corporate interiors practice in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, the addition of top-notch talent from lauckgroup brings us to a whole new level.”
Under the merger, lauckgroup will adopt the Perkins+Will brand, and lauckgroup staff will join Perkins+Will staff in consolidated studios in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Anne Kniffen, president and co-owner of lauckgroup, will oversee the combined 90-person corporate interiors practice in the Southwest. Kniffen’s colleague and lauckgroup co-owner, Brigitte Preston, will provide interior design leadership for all Perkins+Will projects in the Southwest. And Courtney Johnston continues to provide leadership to her team and clients as interior design director for the Dallas studio of Perkins+Will, a position she has held for seven years.
“As a majority women-owned firm with a melting pot of staff, we’ve long made it a priority to seek talent from all walks of life. After all, our clients come from all walks of life,” Kniffen said. “We’re thrilled to unite with such an innovative, design-forward firm as Perkins+Will because they truly understand what it means to deliver excellence to their clients. Our clients will appreciate having access to the best and brightest talent, in-depth research, and exponentially greater resources—from big data to digital technology—no matter where their projects are located.”
Perkins+Will already has a big presence in the area, recently doing work for Tarleton State University on the new campus in southwest Fort Worth, Van Zandt Guinn Elementary and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in Fort Worth. Lauckgroup has done work in Fort Worth at 777
Perkins+Will’s investment in corporate interiors in the Southwest is partially a response to the growth of a design phenomenon known as “convergence,” the company said in a news release. “Convergence is the crossover of design typologies. It happens when the lines between project types blur: The design of a start-up tech company, for example, may draw design inspiration from scientific centers for research and innovation; or, the design of a clinician’s workspace in a hospital may borrow a certain look and feel associated with a modern, flexible, corporate office environment,” according to the news release announcing the combination of the two firms.
“With a strong foundation in corporate interior design excellence, we are naturally and easily able to respond to the interior design needs of any kind of client, in any kind of industry,” said Perkins+Will CEO Phil Harrison.