SEATTLE – Callison, one of the nation’s largest architecture firms, got a new name on Tuesday, a little more than a year after the Seattle-based practice was added to a Netherlands company’s global stable of brands.
The new name, CallisonRTKL, formally cements the marriage between Callison and Baltimore-based RTKL, two well-known names in the architecture world. Architectural Record recently ranked the combined firms fifth in the nation, with $390 million in total architectural revenue last year.
The merged enterprises will be headquartered in Baltimore and led by Dallas-based CEO Lance Josal, formerly of RTKL. He said in an interview that the company, which employs about 350 in Seattle, doesn’t expect any layoffs as a result.
Big clients “are looking for fewer and fewer consultants to do larger and larger projects,” Josal said. With about 2,000 employees worldwide, he said, the combined firm offers both expertise and global reach.
Arcadis, based in Amsterdam, completed its purchase of Callison last October for an undisclosed amount.
Founded in 1975, Callison consults for top retail brands, including Nordstrom, Zara and Ikea, and built a thriving practice serving developers and retailers in the United States, China, Europe, the Middle East and Mexico.
Callison’s most well-known projects include Nordstrom’s flagship Seattle store, the Burberry flagship store in Chicago and the 892-foot-high Lotte Center Hanoi completed last year.
RTKL, which traces its founding to 1946, was bought by Arcadis in 2007. Its portfolio includes projects in the Middle East, China and South America.
Arcadis now has more than $3.4 billion in revenues and 28,000 employees in some 70 countries.
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