RATIO Architects Pursuing National Presence
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based RATIO Architects Inc. has merged with Humphries Poli Architects P.C., in Denver. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, however the firm says the combined entity, which will operate as RATIO nationwide and be headquartered in Indianapolis, will create a "unified and innovative design force on the national design landscape." RATIO also has locations in Illinois and North Carolina.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business Reporter Mary-Rachel Redman, RATIO Principal and Executive Vice President Tim Barrick said the firm was looking to establish a western presence.
"Our whole goal was to be a national practice and we currently work in about 42 states, so it seemed only natural to have an office out west and Denver was logical as we’d had quite a bit of work out there already," said Barrick. "We think Denver will give us an outpost, if you will, out west that will allow us to extend our design expertise with the addition of the folks at (Humphries) Poli. They’re an award-winning firm in their own right, so we think it’s a merger of two firms that share values, intellect and culture. What we hope to get out of it is more opportunities. It really enriches the firm’s capability overall."
Barrick says the merger will allow Humphrey Poli to expand its services and build on its existing capabilities.
"They actually have a practice much like ours in terms of the work that they do. They do a lot of K-12 education projects; They do mixed-use housing commercial projects; They do public libraries. A lot of the things that we do on a civic and public project type, they do. What they’re not as active in as we are is higher education. We do lots of university work; it’s usually about 40 percent of our annual revenue. So what this will do will allow them to pursue higher education work and allow us to extend that experience that we have to the Denver market."
Barrick estimates the initial merger will bring the number of staff to 160-170, but the firm anticipates additional growth.
"Since Joe Poli and I founded our acclaimed design firm in 1994, the practice of architecture has grown into an extraordinarily complex industry. By fusing our resources with a highly visionary firm like RATIO, we will better empower our talented team members to navigate today’s challenging architectural landscape," Dennis Humphries, principal at Humphries Poli Architects, said in a news release. "Most important, we’ll also be able to bring significantly enhanced value to our clients."
RATIO says Dennis Humphries and Joe Poli will continue to serve in their positions as principals of the practice and key partners in the combined firm.