BOSTON – Shepley Bulfinch announced its acquisition of PARC design lab, a boutique architecture firm based in Durham, North Carolina. The move aligns with Shepley’s goals of expanding its science and technology portfolio, commitment to national growth and establishing a physical presence in key areas of the country.
“Over the past few years, PARC has attracted attention for its commitment to functional and inspiring design,” said Angela Watson, president and CEO of Shepley Bulfinch. “PARC’s leadership shares our vision and willingness to explore, look beyond and do great work. This coming together is a natural fit for both firms and will allow Shepley to strengthen the relationships leadership and principals have with existing clients in the region and explore a broader range of opportunities in North Carolina and beyond.”
PARC design lab was founded in March 2019. Some of the firm’s most notable clients include: Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Longfellow Real Estate Partners. The team brings 20 years of design leadership in NC to Shepley, including: Biogen’s B26, Wake Technical Community College’s Building 2, NetApp Global Dynamics Lab 2, the City of Durham Police Headquarters and E911, and the State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) Tower.
PARC design lab’s co-founder Jeffery Bottomley will join Shepley Bulfinch as a principal, and co-founder John Jarvis will join as a director. A well-respected and award-winning architect, Bottomley brings emotional intelligence to his design talent and a broad overview of the community he serves. During his 20 years of architectural experience honing specialty skills in sustainable and high-performance design, Jarvis was responsible for a wide array of award-winning buildings, ranging from residential to historic renovations to large scale corporate projects. Additional members of the PARC team will also join Shepley in a variety of roles.
“We were attracted to Shepley as the firm continues engaging in challenging and defining projects that result in exceptional outcomes for their clients,” said Bottomley. “Joining forces will allow us to create an even more robust, competitive, and geographically diverse offering. It means additional resources and the ability to compete for more complex projects at the national level as part of a leading firm in the industry.”
Shepley has a long history of designing spaces for projects in North Carolina, primarily in the field of higher education for clients including: Duke University, Davidson College, Elon University, and UNC Charlotte. The firm is currently engaged on several pieces of work at Duke University Medical Center’s (DUMC), including expansion of the NICU and renovation options to the Anlyan Bed Tower, an important project that will play an integral role in bringing some of the oldest clinical facilities up to contemporary standards.
The Durham office expands Shepley to five locations, including Boston, Hartford, Conn., Houston, and Phoenix, all serving national clients.
