Each year RECORD publishes the Top 150 Architecture Firms list, based on information collected by its sister publication, Engineering News-Record, for its Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook. According to the latest survey, 2006 was a good year for architects, who reported a combined $8 billion in revenues. (Incidentally, there was a five-way tie for the 147th spot, so 151 are listed.) The 15 firms at the top of the list earned 37 percent of that, about $3 billion. To put those figures in context, it is helpful to know that architects’ offices with more than 100 seats make up only 2 percent of all firms, and yet these firms place 34 percent of total billings, according to the most recent AIA Firm Survey.

The accompanying table lists the amount of revenue each firm reported from its domestic and international work, and provides a total for them. Because the list captures many firms that have sizable architecture practices but are also involved in engineering and contracting, the percentage of revenue the firms say was derived from architectural work only is noted in the table. This total includes revenue from interior architecture, and also revenue that is passed through to other design consultants.

Gensler holds the number one spot on this year’s list, with total revenue of $500.2 million. AECOM Technologies held the top spot last year [RECORD, July 2006, page 42]; however, while AECOM does own architecture firms, the questionnaire submitted by the company did not indicate how much of its revenue was earned by these businesses, so it is not on this year’s list.

Although publication of lists such as this often serve as a reminder that bigger is not always better, the cream of the crop must be doing something right. The AIA Firm Survey indicates that repeat business is the greatest source of new work, and these firms are steady earners—13 of last year’s top 15 remain on the list this year.

ARCHITECTURE FIRMS RANKED ACCORDING TO 2007 REVENUE
Rank Firms listed by 2006 architecture revenue as reported to ENR in its Top 500 Design Firms Survey Type of Firm Total Architectural Revenue Domestic Architectural Revenue International Architectural Revenue Percent of Design Revenue from Architecture Total Design Revenue
1
 Gensler San Francisco, Calif. A 500.20 444.40 55.80 100% 500.20
2
 URS San Francisco, Calif. EAC 420.00 348.00 72.00 12% 3574.70
3
 HOK St. Louis, Mo. AE 372.64 252.32 120.32 78% 475.77
4
 HKS Inc. Dallas, Texas AE 309.15 285.82 23.33 100% 309.15
5
 Perkins+Will Atlanta, Ga. A 268.30 235.40 32.90 100% 268.30
6
 Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP New York, N.Y. AE 195.00 100.00 95.00 78% 251.20
7
 HDR Omaha, Neb. AE 173.10 163.90 9.20 21% 812.50
8
 RTKL Associates Inc. Baltimore, Md. AE 146.06 101.30 44.76 72% 203.80
9
 Callison Seattle, Wash. A 129.50 99.00 30.50 100% 129.50
10
 Perkins Eastman New York, N.Y. A 122.00 111.00 11.00 100% 122.00
11
 SmithGroup Inc. Detroit, Mich. AE 113.90 112.90 1.00 79% 143.90
12
 Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC New York, N.Y. A 109.00 31.00 78.00 100% 109.00
13
 Cannon Design Grand Island, N.Y. AE 105.20 84.14 21.06 81% 130.35
14
 NBBJ Seattle, Wash. A 100.46 74.57 25.89 70% 143.60
15
 Leo A Daly Omaha, Neb. AE 100.32 96.32 4.00 70% 143.65
16
 Heery International Inc. Atlanta, Ga. AE 99.30 99.30 0.00 74% 134.20
17
 Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership Portland, Ore. A 92.06 89.00 3.06 100% 92.06
18
 KTGY Group Inc. Irvine, Calif. A 78.03 77.87 0.16 100% 78.03
19
 Gresham, Smith and Partners Nashville, Tenn. AE 75.00 74.25 0.75 65% 114.94
20
 Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) Honolulu, Hawaii AP 74.28 31.70 42.58 82% 91.07
21
 HMC Architects Ontario, Calif. A 73.81 73.81 0.00 100% 73.81
22
 HMC Architects Ontario, Calif. A 73.81 73.81 0.00 100% 73.81
23
 Arquitectonica Miami, Fla. A 72.62 37.66 34.96 100% 72.62
24
 Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Assoc. Inc. Atlanta, Ga. A 72.48 44.67 27.81 100% 72.48
25
 Carter & Burgess Inc. Fort Worth, Texas EA 71.80 69.40 2.40 16% 436.10
26
 Hillier Architecture Princeton, N.J. A 66.80 55.80 11.00 100% 66.80
27
 Parsons Pasadena, Calif. EC 65.90 65.90 0.00 4% 1508.44
28
 MulvannyG2 Architecture Bellevue, Wash. A 64.56 59.25 5.31 100% 64.56
29
 Burt Hill Washington, DC AE 64.27 44.41 19.86 70% 91.80
30
 DLR Group Omaha, Neb. AE 63.00 63.00 0.00 72% 88.00
31
 PageSoutherlandPage Houston, Texas AE 55.30 50.26 5.04 71% 77.40
32
 HNTB Cos. Kansas City, Mo. EA 53.93 53.93 0.00 10% 524.07
33
 LPA Inc. Irvine, Calif. A 53.22 53.22 0.00 100% 53.22
34
 SHW Group LLP Dallas, Texas AE 52.55 52.55 0.00 100% 52.55
35
 SchenkelShultz Fort Wayne, Ind. A 52.44 51.83 0.61 100% 52.44
36
 NTDSTICHLER Architecture San Diego, Calif. AE 52.30 52.30 0.00 100% 52.30
37
 PGAL Houston, Texas AE 51.50 51.50 0.00 89% 57.70
38
 Corgan Associates Inc. Dallas, Texas A 51.07 51.07 0.00 91% 56.20
39
 Perkowitz + Ruth Architects Long Beach, Calif. A 51.05 50.50 0.55 100% 50.50
40
 Ellerbe Becket Minneapolis, Minn. AE 50.54 40.32 10.22 79% 63.76
41
 STV Group Inc. New York, N.Y. EA 50.14 50.14 0.00 23% 216.60
42
 TranSystems Corp. Kansas City, Mo. EA 48.23 48.23 0.00 30% 162.58
43
 CUH2A Princeton, N.J. AE 47.78 38.95 8.83 65% 73.80
44
 Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates Inc. Atlanta, Ga. A 47.51 30.99 16.52 83% 56.94
45
 JCJ Architecture Hartford, Conn. A 46.50 46.10 0.40 100% 46.50
46
 PBK Architects Houston, Texas AE 46.30 46.30 0.00 100% 46.30
47
 Moseley Architects Richmond, Va. AE 46.20 46.20 0.00 100% 46.20
48
 Little Diversified Architectural Consultants Charlotte, N.C. AE 46.11 46.11 0.00 97% 47.30
49
 OZ Architecture Denver, Colo. A 46.00 44.50 1.50 100% 46.00
50
 Hammel Green and Abrahamson Inc. Minneapolis, Minn. AE 45.98 45.98 0.00 65% 70.75
51
 KlingStubbins Philadelphia, Pa. AEP 45.50 44.00 1.50 50% 91.00
52
 EwingCole Philadelphia, Pa. AE 45.00 43.50 1.50 72% 62.10
53
 Flad & Associates Madison, Wis. AE 44.48 41.50 2.98 81% 55.00
54
 LS3P Associates Ltd. Charleston, S.C. A 43.80 43.80 0.00 100% 43.80
55
 Morris Architects Houston, Texas A 43.48 41.29 2.19 100% 43.48
56
 Ware Malcomb Irvine, Calif. A 42.92 42.76 0.16 100% 42.92
57
 TRO Jung|Brannen Boston, Mass. AE 42.50 31.90 10.60 96% 44.50
58
 Chong Partners Architecture San Francisco, Calif. A 42.39 41.24 1.15 100% 42.39
59
 Swanke Hayden Connell Architects New York, N.Y. A 41.40 21.20 20.20 100% 41.40
60
 Elkus Manfredi Architects Boston, Mass. A 41.30 41.30 0.00 100% 41.30
61
 WDG Architecture Washington, D.C. A 41.27 41.27 0.00 100% 41.27
62
 Davis Brody Bond Aedas New York, N.Y. A 40.00 39.00 1.00 98% 40.90
63
 Nadel Architects Inc. Los Angeles, Calif. A 40.00 38.00 2.00 100% 40.00
64
 Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott Boston, Mass. A 39.90 39.53 0.37 100% 39.90
65
 VOA Associates Inc. Chicago, Ill. A 38.74 37.90 0.84 100% 38.74
66
 Dewberry Fairfax, Va. EA 38.50 38.50 0.00 12% 317.70
67
 R.G. Vanderweil Engineers LLP Boston, Mass. E 38.18 36.66 1.52 73% 52.47
68
 KKE Architects Inc. Minneapolis, Minn. A 38.00 38.00 0.00 100% 38.00
69
 Gould Evans Kansas City, Mo. A 37.57 37.57 0.00 94% 40.03
70
 Cooper Carry Atlanta, Ga. A 37.50 37.50 0.00 75% 50.09
71
 JMA Las Vegas, Nev. A 37.42 37.42 0.00 100% 37.42
72
 Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP New York, N.Y. A 37.32 36.47 0.85 99% 37.61
73
 Solomon Cordwell Buenz Chicago, Ill. A 37.20 37.10 0.10 100% 37.20
74
 Harley Ellis Devereaux Southfield, Mich. AE 35.10 35.10 0.00 50% 70.30
75
 HLW International LLP New York, N.Y. AE 35.00 31.00 4.00 100% 35.00
76
 FreemanWhite Inc. Charlotte, N.C. AE 34.00 34.00 0.00 100% 34.00
77
 Niles Bolton Associates Inc. Atlanta, Ga. A 33.82 33.07 0.75 100% 33.82
78
 MBH Architects Alameda, Calif. A 33.78 33.78 0.00 100% 33.78
79
 CO Architects Los Angeles, Calif. A 32.95 32.95 0.00 100% 32.95
80
 Opus Group Minnetonka, Minn. AE 32.73 32.61 0.12 74% 44.18
81
 Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering PC Albany, N.Y. A 30.80 26.50 4.30 68% 45.30
82
 WHR Architects Inc. Houston, Texas A 30.50 30.50 0.00 93% 32.90
83
 Fentress Bradburn Architects Denver, Colo. A 30.37 29.49 0.88 100% 30.37
84
 Cubellis Inc. Boston, Mass. AE 30.35 30.35 0.00 74% 41.28
85
 FXFOWLE ARCHITECTS, PC New York, N.Y. A 30.00 28.00 2.00 100% 30.00
86
 Paul Steelman Design Group Las Vegas, Nev. A 30.00 30.00 0.00 86% 35.00
87
 OWP/P Chicago, Ill. AE 29.72 29.72 0.00 64% 46.59
88
 Polshek Partnership Architects LLP New York, N.Y. A 29.63 29.40 0.23 100% 29.63
89
 Karlsberger Columbus, Ohio A 29.30 29.30 0.00 89% 32.90
90
 CDI Business Solutions Philadelphia, Pa. EC 29.10 3.00 26.10 5% 630.60
91
 Bechtel San Francisco, Calif. EC 29.00 3.00 26.00 1% 2145.00
92
 The S/L/A/M Collaborative Inc. Glastonbury, Conn. AE 28.60 28.40 0.20 100% 28.60
93
 MCG Architecture Pasadena, Calif. A 28.40 28.40 0.00 100% 28.40
94
 Ingenium Inernational Inc. Southfield, Mich. EA 27.80 2.80 25.00 38% 73.13
95
 Costas Kondylis and Partners LLP New York, N.Y. A 27.50 27.10 0.40 91% 30.10
96
 NAC|Architecture Seattle, Wash. AE 27.40 27.40 0.00 100% 27.40
97
 Eppstein Uhen Architects Inc. Milwaukee, Wis. A 26.60 26.60 0.00 100% 26.60
98
 Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz San Francisco, Calif. A 26.50 20.00 6.50 65% 40.50
99
 The Durrant Group Inc. Dubuque, Iowa AE 26.00 20.00 6.00 79% 33.00
100
 Tsoi/Kobus & Associates Inc. Cambridge, Mass. A 26.00 26.00 0.00 100% 26.00
101
 SB Architects San Francisco, Calif. A 25.81 15.17 10.64 100% 25.81
102
 Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP New York, N.Y. A 25.59 21.24 4.35 100% 25.59
103
 Dekker/Perich/Sabatini Ltd. Albuquerque, N.M. A 25.50 25.50 0.00 93% 27.40
104
 Hnedak Bobo Group Memphis, Tenn. A 25.22 25.18 0.04 100% 25.22
105
 A. Epstein and Sons International Inc. Chicago, Ill. AE 25.10 19.30 5.80 49% 51.40
106
 Cuningham Group Architecture PA Minneapolis, Minn. A 24.60 20.00 4.60 57% 43.00
107
 BSA LifeStructures Indianapolis, Ind. AE 24.07 24.07 0.00 47% 50.93
108
 Michael Baker Corp. Moon Twp., Pa. EA 23.40 23.40 0.00 7% 341.90
109
 Steffian Bradley Architects Boston, Mass. A 23.35 18.30 5.05 100% 23.35
110
 ASCG Inc. Anchorage, Alaska EA 23.30 23.30 0.00 24% 96.80
111
 BHDP Architecture Cincinnati, Ohio A 23.06 23.06 0.00 100% 23.06
112
 Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates, Architects Mechanicsburg, Pa. A 22.79 22.79 0.00 100% 22.79
113
 Fanning/Howey Associates Inc. Celina, Ohio AE 22.60 22.60 0.00 65% 34.77
114
 Looney Ricks Kiss Architects Inc. Memphis, Tenn. A 22.40 22.40 0.00 70% 31.83
115
 Astorino Pittsburgh, Pa. AE 22.00 22.00 0.00 81% 27.00
116
 GreenbergFarrow Atlanta, Ga. AE 22.00 22.00 0.00 47% 46.90
117
 SSOE Inc. Toledo, Ohio AE 21.82 21.82 0.00 24% 90.00
118
 Arrowstreet Somerville, Mass. A 21.80 21.00 0.80 100% 21.80
119
 H+L Architecture Denver, Colo. A 21.80 21.80 0.00 100% 21.80
120
 RBB Architects Inc. Los Angeles, Calif. A 21.80 21.80 0.00 78% 28.10
121
 EDI Architecture Inc. Houston, Texas A 20.50 18.20 2.30 100% 20.50
122
 RNL Denver, Colo. AE 20.20 16.50 3.70 66% 30.60
123
 CTA Architects Engineers Billings, Mont. AE 19.90 19.20 0.70 54% 36.90
124
 Carrier Johnson San Diego, Calif. A 19.85 19.85 0.00 87% 22.75
125
 Payette Boston, Mass. A 19.44 18.57 0.87 47% 41.31
126
 FKP Architects Inc. Houston, Texas A 19.35 18.88 0.47 59% 32.54
127
 Stevens & Wilkinson Atlanta, Ga. AE 19.30 19.30 0.00 98% 19.75
128
 S&B Holdings Ltd. and Affiliates Houston, Texas EC 19.24 19.24 0.00 4% 512.41
129
 HuntonBrady Architects Orlando, Fla. A 19.15 19.15 0.00 100% 19.15
130
 Teng Affiliated Cos. Chicago, Ill. EA 19.00 19.00 0.00 24% 78.00
131
 The Lawrence Group St. Louis, Mo. A 18.36 18.36 0.00 74% 24.90
132
 Westlake Reed Leskosky Cleveland, Ohio AE 18.13 18.13 0.00 100% 18.13
133
 Odell Associates Inc. Charlotte, N.C. AE 17.90 17.80 0.10 75% 23.85
134
 Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc. Miami, Fla. A 17.57 16.57 1.00 53% 33.33
135
 Langdon Wilson Architecture Planning Interiors Los Angeles, Calif. A 17.17 8.72 8.45 81% 21.27
136
 BRPH Architects-Engineers Inc. Melbourne, Fla. AE 17.00 17.00 0.00 59% 29.00
137
 L. Robert Kimball & Associates Inc. Ebensburg, Pa. AE 16.49 16.49 0.00 27% 60.73
138
 Gruzen Samton  LLP New York, N.Y. A 16.47 16.11 0.36 100% 16.47
139
 DES Architects & Engineers Redwood City, Calif. AE 16.40 16.40 0.00 72% 22.70
140
 Spector Group North Hills, N.Y. A 15.99 15.99 0.00 100% 15.99
141
 Ghafari Associates LLC Dearborn, Mich. AE 15.96 15.34 0.62 15% 106.38
142
 Parkhill Smith & Cooper Inc. Lubbock, Texas EA 15.86 15.86 0.00 50% 31.81
143
 Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc. Montgomery, Ala. EA 15.35 15.35 0.00 43% 36.11
144
 TSP Sioux Falls, S.D. AEC 15.30 15.30 0.00 `84% 18.12
145
 Johnson Fain Los Angeles, Calif. A 15.20 14.40 0.80 100% 15.20
146
 Wallace Roberts & Todd LLC Philadelphia, Pa. A 15.16 15.16 0.00 52% 29.32
147
 Lee Burkhart Liu Inc. Marina del Rey, Calif. A 15.00 15.00 0.00 100% 15.00
148
 Legat Architects Inc. Waukegan, Ill. A 15.00 15.00 0.00 100% 15.00
149
 Sasaki Associates Inc. Watertown, Mass. A 15.00 15.00 0.00 27% 55.00
150
 Shalom Baranes Associates, PC Washington, DC A 15.00 15.00 0.00 79% 19.00
151 The Neenan Co. Fort Collins, Colo. EC 15.00 15.00 0.00 100% 15.00