July 16, 2021

VIA merges with global firm Perkins Eastman

Global architecture firm Perkins Eastman and VIA Architecture of Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. merged July 1, they said in a press release.

Perkins Eastman said this allows it to significantly bolster its West Coast and Canadian presence and expand its infrastructure, urban planning and market-rate housing services.

Additionally, it said VIA can draw on Perkins Eastman's market credibility, resources and geographic reach.

VIA Architecture was established in 1984 and now has over 70 employees. The firm, now known as VIA – A Perkins Eastman Studio, will continue working from its studios in Seattle, Oakland, California and Vancouver.

VIA has experience in infrastructure architecture, transit systems alignment design, mobility-oriented development and urban planning. It also works on housing and mixed-use, including senior living, multifamily and affordable housing.

New York City-based Perkins Eastman was established in 1981. The architecture and design firm has 1,100 employees and 22 studios. It has worked on projects on five continents in 60 countries. Its portfolio includes healthcare, senior living, large-scale mixed use, higher education, K-12, hospitality and workplace design projects as well as planning, urban design and strategic consulting.

VIA has been working with Perkins Eastman on projects for several years.

Bradford Perkins, chairman of Perkins Eastman, said, “During that time we have come to appreciate the unique skills and capabilities that VIA brings to a merged firm, and we are very happy that they too saw how mutually beneficial a merger would be. Moreover, this merger fulfills a long-time goal to have a high quality established presence in two of our favorite cities, Seattle and Vancouver.”

VIA Architecture was established as Baker McGarva Hart in Vancouver in advance of Expo '86. The firm's earliest projects include system-wide design guidance and lead architecture for Expo Line SkyTrain Rapid Transit (1986), Millennium SkyTrain extension (2002), and community planning and design for downtown Vancouver's waterfront neighborhoods at Concord Pacific, and South East False Creek (2004).

The firm opened its office in Seattle in 1999 to support transit system planning and design. In 2011, VIA expanded to California. Its three offices continue to work in mid- and high-rise multi-family residential architecture, mixed-use development, transit and infrastructure architecture and urban design and planning services.

Locally, VIA was the architectural lead of a design-build team comprised of partners PCL as lead contractor and HDR as lead engineering consultant on the Angle Lake light rail station. Completed in 2016, the project is now certified LEED Gold.

The firm also designed Cedar Crossing, a 254-apartment affordable housing development at 6600 Roosevelt Way N.E. over the new Roosevelt light rail station in Seattle. Walsh Construction Co. is the general contractor on the $105 million project, which also includes community services and retail. Bellwether Housing will own and manage Cedar Crossing and Mercy Housing Northwest will provide on-site resident services. They have previously said that completion is slated for 2022.