Perkins&Will

From a declining 1970s mall to an educational anchor.

Today, the 700,000-square-foot campus for the Austin Community College District Highland Campus brings together specialty programs in health sciences, culinary arts, advanced manufacturing, performing arts, and digital media. From nursing simulation suites and teaching kitchens to manufacturing labs, theaters, recording studios, and dance studios, these industry-caliber learning environments prepare students for the region's high-demand careers.

The adaptive reuse project was recently recognized with an Americas Award for Excellence from Urban Land Institute. As one of just nine winners across the Americas, the LEED Gold-certified campus demonstrates how reimagining existing buildings can create lasting value for communities while advancing sustainability.

Thank you to Austin Community College District, BGK Architects, Flintco, and every member of the project team whose years of commitment helped bring this campus to life. Learn more: https://perkinswill.com/news/uli-americas-honors-our-mall-to-college-campus-transformation/

The William E. Carter School sets a new precedent for accessible design, serving students with developmental and physical disabilities in the heart of Boston.

Conceived like a musical instrument, the design is tunable, precise, and responsive to the human body. Every layer is designed with students' specific needs in mind, carefully considering glare, auditory stimuli, visual range, and color recognition. The school hums in harmony with its surroundings, embracing the ethos of Living Design. Outside, sensory gardens enlivened with native plantings connect students to nature through proprioceptive stimulation, while inside, acoustically calibrated spaces and glare-free, indirect lighting foster an environment where students can learn, grow, and thrive.

Thank you to Joann Gonchar for the thoughtful feature in Architectural Record. Read it here: https://bit.ly/4bZUiZL

Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts School Building Authority |

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) offers a new vision for transportation—one that is sustainable and strengthens resilient, connected communities. Our recently unveiled vertiport concept for Langley Regional Airport frames AAM as a valuable addition to the transportation ecosystem, integrating seamlessly through familiar infrastructure to enhance regional connectivity and unlock new economic opportunities.

We're excited to help advance these technologies across Canada as members of Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM). Learn more: https://perkinswill.com/project/advanced-air-mobility-vertiport/

The spaces where life's most important moments begin deserve exceptional care in every detail.

As the first multi-hospital, multistate children's health system in the nation to provide advanced maternal and fetal health services, Nemours Children's Health continues to advance care with the opening of its new Advanced Delivery Unit (ADU). Delivered in just 18 months, the facility combines leading-edge clinical care with a welcoming, family-centered environment.

Inspired by the neighboring historic Nemours estate, the design uses natural tones and textures to create a calming, familiar setting. Sustainability is woven throughout the project, with responsibly selected materials, resource conservation, and operational efficiencies.

“For families, their earliest memories with their child take place within these walls,” says Julie S. Moldenhauer, Executive Director of the Nemours Institute for Maternal Fetal Health. “They deserve a space that is both beautiful and capable of supporting the highest level of clinical care.”

Read more: https://perkinswill.com/project/nemours-childrens-health-advanced-delivery-unit/

Breakthroughs begin where people connect.

Element Labs at University Research Park is designed to spark the conversations and discoveries that move science forward. As the gateway to Madison's growing innovation district, the five-story building brings research, collaboration, and community together under one roof.

Flexible lab and office spaces are paired with welcoming public amenities, including informal lounges, an event hall, and a restaurant. Expansive glass, restored wetlands, and connections to regional trails strengthen the relationship between scientific discovery and the surrounding landscape.

Read more about the project: https://perkinswill.com/project/element-labs-university-research-park/

Three campuses. One bold vision.

In collaboration with the National Guard Health Affairs, we planned, programmed, and designed three university campuses in Saudi Arabia for King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Together, they span nearly 15 million square feet and support the goal of creating world-class institutions for medical education, research, and patient care.

𝐉𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐚𝐡: Drawing inspiration from the surrounding rocky landscape, the design pairs a protective concrete exterior with bright interior buildings, gardens, and courtyards. A connected master plan links academic, research, and healthcare facilities to encourage interdisciplinary learning. (photos 1-2)

𝐑𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐝𝐡: This campus brings together education, research, clinical care, and student life in one fully integrated academic and medical environment. It includes a pediatric specialty hospital, biomedical research center, simulation labs, and a wellness-focused recreation complex that supports learning beyond the classroom. (photos 3-4)

𝐀𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐚: Climate-responsive design shapes every aspect of the Al Hasa campus, taking cues from the region's historic desert oases. A dramatic cantilevered roof and shaded central courtyard create comfortable spaces for learning, collaboration, and connection. (photos 5-6)

Eight of our projects have been shortlisted for this year's World Architecture Festival! Spanning completed and future projects, each reflects the vision, expertise, and purpose that define our approach to design. Later this year, our teams will present the work in Fort Lauderdale. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Shortlisted Projects:
1. Terminal BTG Pactual in Guarulhos, São Paulo
2. Museum House in Seattle, Washington
3. Grenada Smart Hospital, Project Polaris in Grenada
4. Antares Capital in Chicago, Illinois
5. Western Washington University Kaiser Borsari Hall in Bellingham, Washington
6. Al Rajhi Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
7. Confidential Law Firm in Austin, Texas
8. Moody Children's Hospital in Dallas, Texas

: Inclusive Design.

The most impactful spaces don't ask people to adapt to them. They're designed to adapt to people.

Inclusive design goes beyond accessibility. It's a design philosophy that considers the widest range of people, abilities, and experiences from the very beginning—a mindset that shapes how spaces are conceived, designed, and experienced.

From intuitive wayfinding and sensory-aware spaces to actively involving the people most impacted throughout the design process, inclusive design strengthens both individual experiences and collective belonging.

Featured Projects:
1. Whitman-Walker Health Max Robinson Center in Washington, D.C.
2. Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa, California
3. West Lafayette - City Government Wellness Center in West Lafayette, Indiana
4. Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlestown, Massachusetts
5. Park District of Oak Park Community Recreation Center in Oak Park, Illinois
6. University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio
7. Charlotte Douglas International Airport - CLT Concourse A Expansion in Charlotte, North Carolina
8. New Castle County Route 9 Library and Innovation Center in New Castle, Delaware

An old high school transformed into a living lab for architecture and design.

After sitting vacant for more than 20 years, this historic building was reimagined as our Dallas studio. The former auditorium now serves as a welcoming reception and lobby, while an old classroom has been converted into a flexible multipurpose space for daily collaboration, continuing education, and large events. Throughout the studio, a variety of work settings and collaborative spaces support the practice of high-performance architecture and design.

“Our office integrates the firm’s brand, the culture of the local practice and people, the Dallas community, and the history of the building into a destination that is sure to engage all who visit or work here,” says Tom Reisenbichler, Managing Principal at our Dallas studio.

Read more: https://perkinswill.com/project/old-dallas-high-school/