Our Mission
"To design buildings and environments that elevate human experience — measured not in awards, but in outcomes."
Our Vision
"A world where every person, regardless of geography or circumstance, inhabits built environments that support their health, productivity, and dignity."
Our Method
"Evidence-based design informed by ongoing post-occupancy research, tested against real-world performance data, and relentlessly refined."
Built on Research. Driven by Purpose.
HKS Architects was founded in 1939 by Herbert Kumpf Smith in Dallas, Texas. What began as a regional practice focused on civic and educational work evolved through deliberate expansion into the healthcare sector in 1972 — a strategic decision that would define the firm's trajectory for the following five decades.
By 1995, HKS had established itself as one of North America's leading healthcare architecture firms, supported by a growing internal research function that tracked patient outcomes, staff performance, and operational efficiency in completed facilities. That research culture permeated every practice area the firm subsequently entered.
Today, HKS maintains dedicated research labs in Dallas (established 2008) and London (established 2011), publishing approximately 12 peer-reviewed studies annually on topics ranging from biophilic design effects on hospital recovery rates to the impact of daylighting on cognitive performance in office environments — with 87 peer-reviewed publications in total between 2008 and 2024. We're not just architects — we're an evidence-generating institution.
