Abramson Architects, an architecture and design firm based in West Adams, merged with Perkins & Will, a 90-year-old global architecture and design firm headquartered in Chicago. Terms were not disclosed.
Both of Abramson’s L.A. and San Diego offices, along with Perkins & Will’s offices in each area, will come together to form a joint Southern California practice under the name Perkins & Will. Trevor Abramson, founder of his namesake firm, will serve as managing director of this regional practice.
In joining with Perkins & Will, Abramson said he looks forward to the firm’s “global platform, research-driven practice and structured business enterprise systems.”
As for what Abramson Architects brings to the table, he said his firm will add “an entrepreneurial, hands-on approach, reputation for design-forward thinking and a studio culture that pushes boundaries.”
Building upon that, Lindsey Peckinpaugh, president of Perkins & Will, said Abramson Architects was the right partner in terms of its agility and successful expansion in the Southern California market. Abramson first began with its L.A. practice in 1987 before adding a presence in the San Diego market in 2023. It focuses on sectors spanning commercial, culture, health care and residential.
With Perkins & Will’s portfolio of science and technology-based projects in the San Diego area, Abramson looks forward to combining expertise to integrate deeper into the market his firm semi-recently expanded into.
“We strongly believe that having a presence in a region is key to understanding its community and what makes each region dynamic,” Abramson said. “…With Perkins & Will’s experience in delivering highly technical buildings and our community-based reach, together we will be able to expand our design into more diverse market sectors.”
In L.A. specifically, Abramson is eager to leverage the practice to tackle the city’s housing crisis, noting that a “multifaceted approach” is needed to do so. One important aspect is “expanding the reach of transit-oriented development areas to maximize accessibility and reduce car dependency,” he said.
“Equally important is embracing community-centered design principles,” Abramson said. “… By actively engaging residents in the design process, projects not only become more successful but also face less resistance, as they authentically reflect local culture and community needs.”
This means incorporating amenities such as courtyards, rooftop gardens and community rooms.
Another design principle valued by both firms is sustainability. Peckinpaugh noted that three years ago Perkins & Will added a chief sustainability officer to its C-suite, and Abramson’s business model aligns with that priority.
“There is nothing more sustainable than starting with a building that already exists and that is why we are particularly interested in Trevor and his team’s adaptive reuse expertise,” Peckinpaugh said.
In addition to Abramson becoming managing director of the Southern California practice, Marco Marraccini, a partner at Abramson Architects, will become design director.
“For me, this is not about getting bigger. It’s about elevating our potential, expanding our reach, and deepening the impact we have on the people and places we serve,” Marraccini said in a statement. “… What excites me most is the opportunity to touch more communities across Southern California while staying deeply rooted in the craft of architecture.”