Civic Innovator Perkins+Will: An Interview with President and CEO Phil Harrison

National Building Museum Online: Your firm’s motto is “Ideas and buildings that honor the broader goals of society.” It’s interesting that an architecture firm would place the word “ideas” before “buildings.” What does this reveal about the office culture and design process at Perkins+Will?

Phil Harrison: Perkins+Will is an idea-driven firm. Virtually all of our work consists of the design of human-centered environments.  Our deep expertise in program elements where people learn, heal, work, and live, is a critical part of our design process. Our projects are not based on pre-conceived ideas of style, nor are they formula-driven. Rather, each of our projects receives a deep level of consideration—thoughtful integration of programmatic knowledge, regional site differences, broader cultural concerns and more, along with spontaneous and creative design vision. So, in the simplest sense, ideas are the precursor to our designs, and therefore “Ideas” comes first when we say “Ideas and Buildings.” In practice, however, intellectual rigor and design are in fact inextricably woven together throughout the design process.

NBM Online: The last part of your motto is also telling in its emphasis on the societal obligations of architects and designers—a vital but complex issue. How does Perkins+Will assess the needs of society and apply them in practice?

Harrison: Social relevance is at the heart of what we do. At the most basic level, our work is about the people who occupy the spaces we design and the mission of those organizations they house—schools, hospitals, corporations, government institutions to name a few. At a larger level, the environments we design have a broader impact on society. These environments are part of their urban context, defining the public realm we all occupy. In addition, these environments use significant natural resources—materials, energy, and water—and so environmental stewardship is a critical part of what we do. Finally, for those who cannot otherwise afford the services of design professionals, we have a significant pro bono effort in place to serve these community groups.

We are often asked “what are the broader goals of society” that we refer to in our motto. The most basic goal is to improve the quality of life of all people. With this in mind we are focused on learning, advancing knowledge, healing, economic prosperity, wellness, and environmental stewardship. Our work is about these elements of societal well being.

NBM Online: Perkins+Will established its initial reputation 75 years ago by designing innovative schools, and today, despite the firm’s phenomenal growth and diversification, educational facilities remain one of your core practice areas. Few project types entail more intensive community involvement than schools. Has that fact influenced the firm’s civic-minded spirit, and if so, how?

Harrison: Designing schools for younger learners has always been core to our practice, and the sensitivities necessary for school design are applied to all of our work in some way. Schools are humble buildings in many ways. They need to be cost effective, durable, efficient, and respectful of their communities. Finding inspiration and vision in these humble environments is as challenging as any other design problem, and our teams welcome, indeed thrive in, these opportunities.

NBM Online: Your firm’s roots are firmly planted in the Midwest; indeed, founders Larry Perkins and Philip Will were closely connected to some of the icons of early modern architecture in that region, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, and even Daniel Burnham. How does that legacy meld with Perkins+Will’s current status as a very large, global firm?

Harrison: We are indeed evolving into a global firm from our Midwest roots. As we do so, we are taking great care to adapt to the geographic areas in which we practice in order to respect regional differences and to gain the benefits of these differences. Meanwhile, even as we adapt, there is a thread of our culture which perseveres: these are the Midwestern values of humility, honesty, optimism, and graciousness that we believe are globally relevant.

NBM Online: Perkins+Will has been recognized as having the largest number of LEED-accredited professionals on staff, and you recently released—for the benefit of the entire building industry and the public—a “Precautionary List” of harmful chemicals found in building materials. In what other ways are you exercising leadership in sustainable design?

Harrison: The environmental movement in the design and construction industry is one of the most exciting phenomena in [its] history. What is making the movement so effective is the highly collaborative nature of innovation. Perkins+Will, along with most companies, recognizes that a proprietary approach to solving global environmental challenges will not be nearly as effective as a collective approach. This is why we are actively engaged with the AIA, USGBC and other industry organizations to advance the state of practice; and this is why we have released to the public several tools that we have developed including our “2030e2 Energy Estimating Tool”, our “Precautionary List” for environmental toxins, and our upcoming water use calculator.

NBM Online: What does receiving the National Building Museum’s 2010 Honor Award mean for Perkins+Will?

Harrison: The National Building Museum is a remarkable organization on several levels. Most important to us, it is an independent national organization with a mission to teach the public about the importance of design and construction in our country. As the built environment becomes more and more important on our country’s national agenda, we see the National Building Museum as a critical forum for dialogue on topics such as sustainable design, the civic role of public buildings, urbanization, and quality of life. As such, we are deeply honored to be considered by the Museum in its recognition of “Civic Innovators” and look forward to participating in this national dialogue.
 

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