The S/L/A/M Collaborative Completes Strategic Merger with Frank Webb Architects

Glastonbury, Conn., – The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM), a leading architectural firm with offices in Connecticut, Georgia, New York and Massachusetts announced today a merger with Frank Webb Architects (FWA), an award-winning firm located in Los Angeles, Calif.

The two companies share a passion for innovation, technology and creativity and have a strong culture rooted in delivering long-term value to their customers. The merger, which was finalized on Sept.1, is expected to deliver immediate results for clients and provide both firms with increased size, scope & reach.

“When we began speaking with the leadership team at FWA back in 2016, we were amazed at how many ways our two firms were aligned,” said Robert F. Pulito, AIA, President, SLAM. “We have wanted to expand on the West Coast for some time, but this wasn’t just about getting bigger. We were looking for a partner who saw the value in a cohesive team approach.”

The FWA leadership team will join SLAM’s executive team and together will immediately begin collaborating to provide existing and prospective clients with thoughtful and sustainable solutions.

“The marriage of these two great companies enables us both to grow in new and exciting ways,” said Gregory W. Coles, AIA, President, Frank Webb Architects. “FWA gains access to diversified geography and new resources, while SLAM gains a West Coast presence and our expertise in key markets. When you combine our talented teams, we are poised to take on even bigger and more complex projects.”

SLAM is a nationally recognized thought leader in the design of health care, education, corporate and sports facilities. The firm has been recognized for its groundbreaking work for leaders like University of Notre Dame, United Technologies, Pfizer and Yale.

 A mid-sized architecture, interior and planning firm located in Los Angeles, CA, Frank Webb Architects has built an excellent reputation as one of southern California’s prominent healthcare design firms. Since its founding in 1990 the firm has been partnering with leading health care and education organizations like Kaiser Permanente, City of Hope, UCLA and USC.

Both companies have a strong emphasis on growth through repeat business. Seventy-eight percent of SLAM’s projects and nearly 100 percent of FWA’s comes from their longstanding relationships with clients.

“That focus on cultivating strong client relationships is another reason why we’re compatible partners,” said Coles. “As our clients grow, we grow with them.”

“We aren’t looking at each design studio as a profit center,” said Pulito. “That often creates a competitive and divisive environment instead of a collaborative team whose collective goal is to identify the best possible solution for a client. Staying true to our ‘One Firm’ approach, we’re going to bring together the right blend of talent for each project, no matter where in the organization they’re geographically located.”

“We are committed to making sure that spirit of close cooperation continues post-merger,” said Coles. “That’s how you deliver better architecture—we all rise together.”

 

Featured

  • Anderson Brulé Architects Rebrands as ABA Studios

    Anderson Brulé Architects, based in San Jose, Calif., recently announced that it is celebrating 40 years of service by rebranding under a new name, according to a news release. The architectural, interior design, and planning firm will now be known as ABA Studios to refresh its identity underneath a new generation of leadership.

  • California Boarding School Opens New Inquiry Collaborative Facility

    Cate School, a boarding school in Carpinteria, Calif., for students grades 9–12, recently announced that it has finished renovating a historic dining hall into a new academic hub, according to a news release. The school partnered with Blackbird Architects and Tangram Interiors on the two-story, 16,000-square-foot Inquiry Collaborative.

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

Digital Edition