HOK marked a rare milestone in 2025: our 70th anniversary of shaping cities and the public realm in partnership with our clients. While the anniversary invited its fair share of reflection, it also coincided with a year defined by forward motion. New projects opened their doors, major commissions took flight and teams across the firm continued to push the boundaries of what thoughtful, sustainable design can achieve in response to evolving client needs.
As we look back on 2025, three themes stand out: the impact of our people, the momentum of our project work and the industry recognition reflected through a slate of design awards. Together, they tell the story of a firm honoring its legacy by continuing to shape the future.
Members of our Atlanta studio accept AIA Georgia’s 2025 Firm of the Year Award.
People News
A defining strength of HOK throughout its 70 years has been our people—and the expertise they bring to clients. This past year was no exception. Across studios and disciplines, HOK promoted employees, welcomed new leaders and celebrated the professional accomplishments of our people.
Promotions
2025 saw numerous HOK employees take on new and expanded roles including:
- Amy Chase was promoted to director of strategic development for our Sport + Recreation + Entertainment (SRE) practice.
- Brian Connolly stepped into the role of regional leader of Science + Technology, bolstering our lab and research practice in the UK and Europe.
- Jodie Crohn was promoted to director of Interiors for the St. Louis studio.
- Anton Foss, managing principal of our San Francisco studio, joined our Executive Committee, filling the sizeable shoes of COO Tom Robson who retired in May after a remarkable 37-year career with HOK.
- Brad Liebman became marketing principal in St. Louis.
- Kelly Lott took over as director of design,Interiors, in St. Louis.
- John Rhodes expanded his global role by taking on the title of international director of SRE.
- Rashed Singaby joined senior leadership as a director of SRE.
Strategic Hires
HOK also made multiple strategic hires in 2025, aligning expertise with the challenges our clients face across markets and geographies. New leaders included:
- Doug Barraza returned to HOK as regional leader of SRE based in Kansas City.
- Michel Borg, principal-design for our Tampa studio.
- Jonathan Cantor, regional leader of Healthcare for the Southeast U.S.
- Peter Cavaluzzi, director of Planning + Urban Design based in our New York studio.
- Paul Harrison, design principal for the Canadian practice.
- Helen Jones, principal-design in Denver.
- Emily Lawson, regional leader of Civic + Justice in San Francisco.
- Guillermo Murcia, principal-design in Atlanta.
- Hoang Nguyen, regional leader of Aviation + Transportation in Los Angeles.
- Amber Nolan, practice leader of interiors in Austin.
- Francesca Oliviera, technical principal for the Southeast based in Washington, D.C.
- David Pugh, technology sector practice leader (a new role) based in San Francisco.
- Scott Schiamberg, regional leader of SRE based in New York.
- Elizabeth Sullivan, co-leader of our Northeast Healthcare practice based in New York.
- Julie Villa, regional leader of planning in St. Louis.
- Amber Wernick, director of interiors in Dallas.
Personal Achievements
Our people also excelled beyond HOK, earning recognition for their leadership within the design profession.
- Thomas Bayer, technical principal in our Houston studio, was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows.
- Interior designers Ashley James (St. Louis) and Emma Lawrie (Toronto) were honored as ASID’s Ones to Watch.
- Dina Lamanna, director of hospitality interior design in New York, was named an ASID Designer of the Year.
- Anica Landreneau showcased HOK’s leadership in sustainable design in multiple ways in 2025. She was named a 2025 LEED Fellow, represented the design industry at the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil and kept HOK on pace to achieve a net-zero portfolio by 2030.
- Ralph Raymond, a project architect in Atlanta, continued his professional leadership by stepping in as co-chair of HOK’s Diversity Advisory Council.
- Kay Sargent, director of thought leadership, Interiors, published her influential new book Designing Neuroinclusive Workplaces, which shares a decade of HOK research and leadership in inclusive design. ASID also honored Kay this year with its Luminary of Distinction Award for her contributions to interior design through education, advocacy and research.
- Autumn Visconti, regional design leader – landscape architecture in New York, took on a new professional leadership role with the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) Board of Directors.
Roig Arena opened in September in Valencia, Spain. The building’s dynamic facade is comprised of 8,600 illuminated ceramic fins.
Project Milestones
Clients across sectors turned to HOK in 2025 to help address urgent challenges—from aging infrastructure and healthcare access to fan experience and scientific innovation. The result was a remarkable range of built work, project milestones and new commissions.
New Wins
The year began with HOK selected to lead the top-to-bottom modernization of St. Louis Lambert International Airport to improve the airport’s long-term competitiveness and passenger experience.
Other significant project wins in 2025 included HOK being named the lead designer for Detroit City FC’s new soccer stadium and Kansas City Current’s new practice and performance center, projects rooted in community identity. In the UK, HOK and WSP were chosen to design the National Biosecurity Centre for DEFRA, supporting national preparedness and advanced research.
Project Openings
Several HOK-designed projects opened their doors in 2025, delivering on our clients’ vision. Notable openings included:
- KPMG debuted its New York City headquarters for which HOK led interiors and workplace design to support evolving work patterns.
- Miami-Dade County added to its skyline with the opening of the 23-story Osvaldo N. Soto Justice Center.
- Rhode Island opened its new Public Health Lab that features the state’s first life science incubator and biotechnology space for lease.
Healthcare
Healthcare projects continued to reflect clients’ commitment to access, integration and community impact. Bon Secours Health welcomed patients to its new HOK-designed hospital in Limerick, Ireland. RWJBarnabas Health and the Rutgers Cancer Institute celebrated the opening of the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, one of only 13 freestanding cancer hospitals in the United States.
Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW opened as the first full-service hospital built in Washington, D.C. in over 25 years. On the West Coast, City of Hope opened its cancer specialty hospital, the first of its kind in Orange County, and in Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Health opened the 264-bed D. Dan and Betty Kahn Healthcare Pavilion.
Aviation + Transportation
Airports remained a defining practice area for HOK in 2025. DFW Airport completed the cross-airfield move of megastructure modules for Terminal C, a modular approach later highlighted by Fast Company. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport opened the first phase of its new International Central Processor, setting the stage for improved passenger flow and a more seamless travel experience. In October, the Salt Lake City International Airport celebrated the opening of Phase 3 of its massive redevelopment program. This latest milestone added 10 new gates and multiple local concessions to the terminal.
Sports + Recreation + Entertainment
New and refurbished arenas in Europe showcase HOK’s innovative approach to sport design and technology. Roig Arena in Valencia, Spain, captures attention and inspires wonder with its dynamic ceramic skin. In Sweden, a modernized Avicii Arena features a first-of-its-kind retractable ceiling that breathes new life into the iconic Stockholm venue.
In North America, 2025 saw the Salt Lake City Bees celebrate their inaugural season at the HOK-designed The Ballpark at America First Square while the Jacksonville Jaguars continue to make progress on their reimagined Stadium of the Future.
HOK celebrated 30 years in Chicago with the opening of a new studio in downtown’s iconic One Prudential Plaza.
Firm Awards and Achievements
Recognition in 2025 reflected not only design excellence, but the trust clients place in HOK to deliver lasting impact.
Studio + Firm News
HOK opened a new studio in Salt Lake City (our 27th global office) and moved into new offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto and St. Louis, which showcase the latest in workplace design and reiterate our belief in the power of in-person work and collaboration.
Our colleagues in Atlanta were recognized for their design impact with the studio being named AIA Georgia’s Firm of the Year, the organization’s highest accolade for an architectural practice. While in Kansas City, staff celebrated the 10th anniversary of the HOK and 360 Architecture merger that has yielded dozens of award-winning sports and entertainment projects across the globe. Our Philadelphia studio also recognized its 10th anniversary in 2025.
Firmwide, Metropolis magazine named HOK its Firm of the Year in its Planet Positive Awards, recognizing our leadership in climate-responsive design and progress toward carbon-neutral delivery.
Project Awards
HOK projects also earned peer recognition across architecture, interiors, sports, healthcare and sustainability. A few of those honors include:
Stanford Center for Academic Medicine earned two national AIA awards for education facilities and healthcare design.
Emory University Health Sciences Research Building II continued to set the standard for research and innovation, earning a Lab of the Year Award and I2SL Sustainable Laboratory Award.
The KAPSARC School of Public Policy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, won an International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum and European Center for Architecture. Those same organizations awarded four of our North American projects with American Architecture Awards.
HOK’s Engineering practice continued its strong showing in the Structural Engineering Excellence Awards, earning top honors for Energizer Park and Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 5.
In landscape architecture, HOK’s Forest Park restoration received the prestigious ASLA Landmark Award, celebrating the longevity and success of a project that has become a treasured part of St. Louis’s civic identity.
The year also brought a celebratory moment for one of HOK’s most high-profile aviation projects: LaGuardia Airport was named the Best U.S. Airport by Forbes, underscoring the long-term impact of its transformation.
Looking Ahead
As we close out this milestone year, HOK carries forward not just a list of achievements, but the collaborative spirit that has defined our first 70 years. The accomplishments of 2025 reflect a continued commitment to helping clients realize their aspirations and shape healthier, more resilient and more connected communities.
Here’s to the next chapter—and to the people, partners and clients who make the work possible.