Perkins and Will Opens Studio in Monterrey, Mexico

The following is a press release from Perkins and Will announcing the opening of its studio in Monterrey, Mexico.

Perkins and Will, one of North America’s most successful research-driven architecture and design firms, has opened a studio in Monterrey—the third-largest city in Mexico and a growing economic hub for the country’s commercial, industrial, educational, and transportation sectors.

The studio—a short flight away from Mexico City, the nation’s capital, and just over the border from the firm’s three Texas studios in Austin, Houston, and Dallas—is ideally situated, ensuring that clients throughout Mexico and Latin America have access to top design talent and global resources.

“Our investment in Monterrey reflects our commitment to clients in this important part of the world, and to diversifying our talent firmwide,” says Phil Harrison, CEO of Perkins and Will. “The more diverse our global teams, the more innovative our work, the better we can serve our clients and communities.”

“The most important thing for our clients to know is that, from our Monterrey studio, we will offer them the best of both worlds: a seamless blend of local and international designers, and the research, technology, and expertise of a global firm with award-winning work on nearly every continent,” says Antonio Perez Vazquez, an architect in the Perkins and Will Dallas studio who was born and raised in Mexico. Perez Vazquez relocated to Monterrey in December 2019 to help oversee the studio’s growth and operations.

A Historical Partnership
While the Monterrey studio is the first physical design center in Mexico to be established by Perkins and Will, the firm has been doing work in the country since the late 1950s. The 1962 opening of the Escuela Nacional de Agricultura—the National College of Agriculture—marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship between the firm and much of Latin America, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil and the Caribbean.

“By opening a brick and mortar studio in Mexico, we’re ‘cementing’ our long-standing relationship with our neighbors to the south of the U.S.,” says José Gelabert-Navia, a principal in the Perkins and Will Miami studio and the firm’s Latin America regional leader. “Additionally, Monterrey is an economic powerhouse where major international companies—many of whom are our clients—have regional headquarters. It’s the perfect fit.”

Those clients include BTG Pactual, Bloomberg, Covidien, Hines, Marriott, and the Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tec de Monterrey), among others.

“As a global firm, we look to grow where we know we can have the greatest positive impact on our clients and communities. Establishing a permanent presence in Mexico feels natural to us—and like the right thing to do,” says Vandana Nayak, a principal and education practice leader. “We’re all really excited for the future.”

More recent and ongoing Perkins and Will projects in Latin America include:

• San Vicente de Paul University Hospital in Rionegro, Colombia;
• L’Oréal Research and Innovation Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
• Center for Obesity and Diabetes in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic;
• Vijosa Pharmaceuticals Headquarters and Manufacturing Facility in Santa Tecla, El Salvador;
• Bahia Urbana Master Plan in San Juan, Puerto Rico;
• Vitacon Capote Valente mixed-use residential tower in São Paulo, Brazil;
• Student residences on multiple campuses of a renowned higher education institution in Mexico; and
• The Latin American headquarters of one of the world’s largest financial services company in Mexico City, Mexico.

A Committed Team
The new Monterrey studio is staffed by full-time local team members who are supported by talent from Perkins and Will studios worldwide. Plans to expand the team in 2020 through domestic and international recruitment promise even greater responsiveness to local clients. Tom Reisenbichler, member of the Perkins and Will board of directors, will serve as the Monterrey studio’s leader for a period of time while the practice gets up and running, with Perez Vazquez handling the day-to-day business.

“Exciting things are happening in Mexico and greater Latin America as we speak,” Reisenbichler says. “We look forward to being at the forefront of that action so that we can have an even greater positive impact on people’s lives.”