HOK also earned top honors in the Research & Development category for its leadership on regenerative design. The Planet Positive Awards recognize excellence in sustainable and healthy design within the built environment.
HOK earned two significant wins at the 2025 Metropolis Magazine Planet Positive Awards held Oct. 16 in New York City. The firm was named Firm of the Year and winner of the Research & Development category.
Firm of the Year
In recognizing HOK as Firm of the Year, the Metropolis judges pointed out HOK’s progress in reducing energy consumption across its design portfolio, lowering embodied carbon in structural systems and leading the interior design profession in sustainability.
From the judges:
“HOK has had a landmark year at the cutting edge of sustainable design, with 20 of its projects achieving LEED Gold, LEED Platinum, or BREEAM Excellent certification in 2024–25. This push for excellence is accompanied by progress across its portfolio, as the firm exceeds energy reduction targets set by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) well ahead of the 2030 deadline. HOK is also leveraging life cycle analysis assessments to optimize embodied carbon in structural systems for all new buildings over 5,000 square feet.
“Interiors have been a special focus at the firm. At the heart of this effort is a proprietary materials tracking tool. Over the past four years, the tool has enabled designers to collect and analyze data on key sustainability metrics for every project. The firm has set specific goals around embodied carbon, green chemistry, and sustainable sourcing for its 27 global offices. Last year alone, the firm tracked 139 projects—a 300% increase since 2021.”
Research & Development Award
HOK’s Regenerative Futures research project won the Research & Development category of the Planet Positive Awards. Led by HOK’s Director of Regenerative Design Sean Quinn, the research investigates how architecture and design can create an ecosystem that is healthier because of human intervention, with the built environment and nature co-evolving as one.
From the judges:
“HOK’s ‘Regenerative Futures’ research represents an effort to redefine the architecture, engineering and construction industry’s approach to ecosystem services, biodiversity and community connections to nature in the built environment. HOK’s approach is inspired by nature’s wisdom and driven by data. The methodology begins by benchmarking ecosystem services the site provides—soil, water, air, biodiversity, health and well-being, carbon sequestration and climate balancing.
“HOK has implemented this methodology across multiple projects, including modeling of built projects and/or those still growing for up to 10 years. Stanford’s Center for Academic Medicine was the first pilot project for this methodology, while the team has studied the progress of ecosystem services at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters (above image) in Washington, D.C., and LG North America Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Ultimately, Regenerative Futures aims to shift the development paradigm from ‘do less harm’ to ‘create abundance.'”
The Planet Positive Awards add to more than three dozen international and regional awards HOK has won thus far this year for architecture and design. View a full list at hok.com/awards.