Perkins Eastman

American architectural firm

Perkins Eastman
IndustryArchitecture
Founded1981; 43 years ago (1981)
in New York City
FoundersBradford Perkins and Mary-Jean Eastman
Headquarters
New York City
Number of locations
23 studios worldwide
Key people
Co-CEOs:
Andrew Adelhardt III
Shawn Basler
Nick Leahy
Number of employees
1,100
Websitewww.perkinseastman.com

Perkins Eastman is an international architecture, urban design, planning, strategic consulting, and interior design firm. Headquartered in New York City, the firm is led by founding Principals Bradford Perkins and Mary-Jean Eastman.

History

The history of Perkins Eastman goes back more than a century, when Co-Founder and Chairman Brad Perkins' grandfather, Dwight Heald Perkins, started an architecture firm in the late 19th century.[1] Dwight later received commissions for the design of two universities in China. Brad's father, Lawrence Bradford Perkins, would go on to form to the global firm Perkins&Will.[2] Bradford Perkins met his future Perkins Eastman co-founder, Mary-Jean Eastman, in the late 1970s when they were both working on New York City's bid to host the 1984 Summer Olympics—Perkins was with the joint venture of Davis Brody and Llewelyn-Davies International while Eastman was working in tandem for the State of New York. When Los Angeles won the bid, Eastman went to work for Davis Brody briefly, while Perkins joined Perkins&Will in 1977 as the managing principal of its East Coast offices. Eastman followed Perkins there in 1978 as the studio leader of its New York office.[3]

In 1981, Perkins and Eastman left Perkins&Will and partnered with Eli Attia to form Attia & Perkins.[4] Attia left during that decade, and the firm was renamed to Perkins Geddis Eastman when Barbara Geddis joined the leadership. Geddis stepped down in 1991, and the firm became Perkins Eastman[5].

Leadership

In addition to the co-founders, Chairman Bradford Perkins and Vice Chair Mary-Jean Eastman, the company named Shawn Basler, Nick Leahy, and General Counsel Andrew Adelhardt III as co-CEOs on Jan. 25, 2019.[6] The five leaders comprise an executive committee that also includes principals Hilary Bertsch, Jeffrey Brand, Jason Haim, Stephanie Kingsnorth, Barbara Mullenex, Supriya Thyagarajan, Jeff Young, Chief Financial Officer Paul Grillo, and Human Resources Director Salema Gumbs.[7]

Growth and expansion

As of 2024, Perkins Eastman has over 1,100 employees and 23 studios.[8] According to the Architectural Record, It is the 14th largest architectural firm in the United States[9], Internationally, the firm operates studios in Dubai; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Mumbai; Shanghai; Singapore; Toronto; and Vancouver.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Dwight Perkins". www.prairiestyles.com. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  2. ^ Reports, Staff (December 4, 1997). "LAWRENCE B. PERKINS, ARCHITECTURAL PIONEER". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Improving Lives: Mary-Jean Eastman on Firm Growth, Depth of Expertise, and Assets". Madame Architect. November 18, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  4. ^ Greer, William R. (March 7, 1982). "A New Style Making its Mark". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "News Notes: What the usual suspects are up to" (PDF). Oculus: The journal of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. 54 (4): 3. December 1991 – via US Modernist.
  6. ^ Keane, Katharine (January 25, 2019). "Perkins Eastman Announces Leadership Transition". Architect Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  7. ^ Barlow, Words: Wilson. "On the Move: December Design Industry News". Interior Design. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  8. ^ "Timeline". Perkins Eastman. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  9. ^ "Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms of 2024 | Architectural Record". www.architecturalrecord.com. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  10. ^ "Studios". Perkins Eastman. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  • Official website