Company Profile
HOK
Company Overview
HOK is a global architectural firm that specializes in planning, design and delivery solutions for buildings and communities.
Through its collaborative network of 23 offices worldwide, the firm serves diverse clients within the corporate, commercial, public and institutional markets. HOK is committed to developing resources and expertise to help lead the world toward sustainable communities and building environments. Founded in 1955, the firm’s expertise includes architecture, engineering, interiors, lanning, lighting, graphics, facilities planning and assessment, and
construction services.
Company History
HOK traces its roots back to 1949, when Co-Founder George Hellmuth left Smith, Hinchman & Grylls with two partners to form
the architectural firm Hellmuth, Yamasaki and Leinweber. When that partnership dissolved in 1955, Mr. Hellmuth recruited two of his star employees – design deputy Gyo Obata and production deputy George Kassabaum – to lead a new fledgling practice based in St. Louis, Missouri, and bearing the names of the three gentlemen. In 1944, Mr. Hellmuth drew from his career experience to draft a 22-page treatise on how architectural firms could organize themselves o thrive through the inherent peaks and valleys of design and construction markets. The fundamental ideas of that pre- HOK “manifesto” advocate pursuing diversity in terms of clients, building types, services and locations. Also critical is the emphasis on dividing responsibility for design (Mr. Obata),
operations (Mr. Kassabaum) and marketing (Mr. Hellmuth).
While these gentlemen could not have foreseen all of the challenges and complexities that lay ahead for design firms,
their vision positioned HOK remarkably well to adapt to the changing global landscape.