SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DLR Group today announced the acquisition of San Francisco design firm Kwan Henmi Architecture/Planning. Kwan Henmi is a pioneering design firm on the West Coast recognized for its modernist design in a variety of building types. Signature designs in San Francisco include the Arterra, Marlow, Rockwell, and Vida multifamily housing projects. The firm’s work includes innovative design of public spaces for clients in the Transportation sector including BART and San Francisco MTA, and AirTrain Stations and the Westfield Cargo Facility at San Francisco International Airport.
Kwan Henmi was founded by Sylvia Kwan, FAIA and Denis Henmi, FAIA. The firm employs 23 design professionals, and a total staff of 27 will join DLR Group. The firm will operate as DLR Group|Kwan Henmi and join with DLR Group offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Riverside to serve the interests of public and private sector clients throughout California.
Kwan and Henmi will continue to lead operations in San Francisco. Adrian Cohen, FAIA, will lead operations for the four DLR Group offices in California from Los Angeles.
“DLR Group is committed to being a global design leader,” said DLR Group CEO Griff Davenport, AIA. “As we strategically look to grow our geography and market sector diversity, our vision is to attract firms with a shared commitment to design excellence and sustainability. Kwan Henmi shares those beliefs.”
The addition of Kwan Henmi substantially elevates DLR Group’s design capabilities in California and in each of its 27 global locations. The DLR Group|Kwan Henmi office in San Francisco provides DLR Group with a base of operations to serve its national clients with interests in Silicon Valley and Northern California.
“Kwan Henmi’s design expertise will be of immediate benefit to our clients in Silicon Valley such as Google and Marriott, as well as our established public and private sector clients in Sacramento,” said Davenport. “For Kwan Henmi, this adds full-service, in-house engineering to the design services it can provide existing clients. As we fully integrate operations in the coming months, this also provides Kwan Henmi with access to a depth of global design expertise in Education, Hospitality, Justice, Retail, and Workplace to establish new practice areas in San Francisco and throughout Northern California.”
“When Denis and I started practicing in 1980, our desire was to create spaces that inspired people and to provide professional opportunity for people who shared our passion for design,” said Kwan. “We have accomplished that, and by joining DLR Group we will ensure the continuity and design legacy of Kwan Henmi.”
DLR Group is a 100 percent employee-owned firm. All Kwan Henmi professionals will have the opportunity to purchase stock and invest in the future of DLR Group.
“The opportunities available to our design professionals for personal and professional growth within DLR Group are virtually limitless,” said Henmi. “I am also very excited to provide our staff the value of employee-ownership and access to design and career opportunities in markets around the world.”
About DLR Group
DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients; local communities; and our planet. DLR Group is 100 percent employee-owned and fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge, and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.
About Kwan Henmi
Kwan Henmi Architecture/Planning, Inc. was founded in 1980 by Sylvia Kwan, FAIA, LEED AP and Denis Henmi, FAIA, LEED AP, NCARB. Kwan Henmi is a design firm based in San Francisco, dedicated to providing high quality architecture, interior design, and planning services with expertise in residential, educational, civic, transportation, and commercial market sectors. The firm believes in making a meaningful contribution toward a sustainable built environment in the communities we serve. Kwan Henmi designs thought-provoking, modern architecture utilizing the best contemporary building technologies and practices. A collaborative process is central to the firm’s design methodology. Kwan Henmi brings together the diverse experience of staff and consultants, and their extensive local knowledge, to deliver exceptional design and value to clients.
