Ning Gao

SmithGroup

Founded by architect Sheldon Smith in 1853, our "born on" date might suggest that we're a traditional design and engineering firm, but we left old-fashioned mindsets behind decades ago. Today, SmithGroup is an award-winning, multi-national organization that employs research, data, advanced technologies and design thinking to help clients solve their greatest challenges. Working across 19 offices in the U.S. and China, our network of 1,300 experts is committed to excellence in strategy, design and delivery—giving rise to new and innovative processes and methodologies that are redefining the way we work. Our integrated practice offers depth in all disciplines serving the built and natural environment, including architecture, engineering (coastal, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing), landscape architecture, urban design and environmental science. Our specialists—from artists and engineers, to nurses, workplace strategists and beyond—develop beautiful, sustainable, future-focused solutions for healthcare providers, science and technology organizations, higher education and cultural institutions, urban environments, diverse workplaces, mixed-use and waterfront developments, and parks and open spaces. Blending artistry, technology, planning, research and strategy, we partner with clients to up-end disruptors redefining their businesses and solve challenges impacting their worlds. Whether tasked to develop a business model, workflow processes, a campus master plan, a building, an energy model, or a strategic plan, our integrated team of experts relentlessly explores and refines until they arrive at a solution that realizes success at every scale of a project. Our ability to blend aesthetics with performance, sustainability, and resiliency to create a better tomorrow—for clients, employees, the community, the environment, and our collective future—has earned recognition from top-ranking institutions, publications and design authorities the world over.