The 2012 Architect 50

Here are the top firms of the year.

Practice makes perfect. Let’s be clear: Ranking architecture firms is equal parts art and science. We refine our methodology every year. But the goal of the Architect 50 remains the same: to reward accomplishment according to the broadest possible criteria.

The list is designed to celebrate practices of all kinds—practices that are as adept with building technology as they are in business, that can win design awards and also give back to their communities. Indeed, for the first time, this year we included pro bono work and water modeling in the survey. Given the impact that the economy, natural disasters, and drought are having around the country, how firms stack up in those categories seems especially relevant.

The overall winner? A big hand for DLR Group, which drew raves in 2011 for its Joplin Interim High School in tornado-ravaged Missouri.

Other firms that excelled: RBB Architects topped the business category; Westlake Reed Leskosky ranked first in sustainability; and perennial list-maker Skidmore, Owings & Merrill led the design/pro bono category. Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, meanwhile, was the biggest mover, finishing 5th after missing the top 50 last year. And Frank Harmon Architect showed that firms with only a handful of employees can compete with big multinationals.

We hope this year’s list will inspire energetic debates. Dig into the numbers. And don’t be afraid to tell us what you think.

The List

Additional Ranks

Rank	Firm	Business	Sustainability	Design
1	DLR Group Score: 100.0	41	11	5
2	William Rawn Associates Score: 99.98	4	4	81
3	HOK Score: 99.21	25	25	4
4	ZGF Architects Score: 99.12	49	10	2
5	Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Score: 96.22	20	13	21
6	Westlake Reed Leskosky Score: 95.39	59	1	27
7	SOM Score: 93.13	16	62	1
8	Payette Score: 92.61	24	6	41
9	SmithGroup Score: 91.52	64	15	10
10	Cannon Design Score: 90.93	42	10	8
11	HDR Score: 90.92	23	46	9
12	Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz Architects Score: 90.29	5	22	94
13	Centerbrook Architects and Planners Score: 89.8	19	43	14
14	Score: 89.43	51	31	6
15	Pearce Brinkley Cease + Lee Score: 89.12	32	3	80
16	BNIM Score: 87.45	118	8	3
17	Frank Harmon Architect Score: 87.34	103	7	12
18	HGA Score: 85.46	47	26	22
19	Mark Cavagnero Associates Score: 85.41	31	49	16
20	RNL Design Score: 83.79	76	5	46
21	EYP Score: 83.15	67	20	25
22	EHDD Score: 82.61	69	2	86
23	EskewDumezRipple Score: 82.4	57	42	15
24	NBBJ Score: 82.27	11	61	33
25	Sasaki Score: 81.94	37	54	18
26	The Miller Hull Partnership Score: 81.4	89	9	34
27	AECOM Score: 80.97	50	63	7
28	Lord Aeck & Sargent Score: 80.56	114	12	19
29	H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture Score: 80.48	28	34	55
30	RBB Architects Score: 79.88	1	117	74
31	LMN Architects Score: 79.56	79	21	28
32	Richärd+Bauer Architecture Score: 79.14	87	19	30
33	Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects Score: 78.6	85	24	31
34	Goettsch Partners Score: 77.55	6	68	98
35	Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture Score: 77.48	46	28	67
36	Score: 77.28	65	35	36
37	HKS Score: 77.25	38	52	39
38	Ratcliff Architects Score: 76.79	63	37	43
39	Studios Architecture Score: 76.54	45	40	49
40	Little Diversified Architectural Consulting Score: 76.24	120	17	17
41	Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects Score: 75.15	43	23	108
42	Good Fulton & Farrell Score: 74.94	8	89	54
43	Robert A.M. Stern Architects Score: 73.78	21	67	59
44	Ross Barney Architects Score: 73.31	27	111	26
45	Tsoi/Kobus & Associates Score: 73.14	35	47	77
46	FXCollaborative Score: 73.13	61	41	52
47	ARC/ Architectural Resources Cambridge Score: 73.0	74	16	97
48	Annum Architects (formerly Ann Beha Architects) Score: 72.91	36	72	42
49	PBK Architects Score: 71.19	17	59	104
50	Clark Nexsen Score: 71.01	58	36	93