CannonDesign to strengthen Southeast presence with addition of Charlotte-based Jenkins•Peer Architects

This milestone is made possible through our upcoming acquisition of Charlotte-based Jenkins•Peer Architects, whose team will be joining CannonDesign on December 31. For the near term, our Charlotte office will operate as Jenkins•Peer Architects, a CannonDesign company. 

Founded nearly 50 years ago, Jenkins•Peer Architects has built a reputation for thoughtful, context-driven design that enriches communities and delivers lasting value for clients. Their practice spans planning, architecture and interior design across higher education, science and technology, sports, civic and cultural markets, with deep expertise in adaptive reuse and historic preservation. 

“Jenkins•Peer Architects has a long and rich history of creating spaces and places for their community,” says CEO Bradley Lukanic. “We welcome the entire team to the CannonDesign family, where together we will craft more impactful design solutions throughout the Carolinas and the Southeast. Our firms have worked together on past projects, and our new partnership is an exciting opportunity for both of us.” 

In 2021, Jenkins•Peer Architects was named Firm of the Year by both the American Institute of Architects (AIA) North Carolina Chapter and AIA Charlotte, recognizing its contributions to the state and city it calls home. 

Notable recent projects include the renovation and expansion of the historic Charles R. Jonas Federal Courthouse, the transformation of the Foundation for the Carolinas Headquarters, the North Carolina Transportation Museum, the Clemson University Williamson Road Parking Garage and the award-winning University Recreation Center at UNC Charlotte, designed in partnership with CannonDesign. 

The firm is also known for designing contextually responsive campus architecture, reflected in work for Appalachian State University, NC State University, UNC Pembroke, UNC Charlotte, UNC Chapel Hill and the University of South Carolina, among others. Over the years, our firms have collaborated on numerous college and university projects, strengthening our relationship and helping pave the way for this next chapter. 

Benjamin continues, "From the start, those partnerships felt natural and laid the groundwork for this next chapter. By joining forces, we gain access to new ideas, talent and tools that will elevate what we can offer clients. We look forward to expanding the impact we provide for our clients as well as the growth opportunities for our staff.” 

For CannonDesign, this marks an exciting expansion in a region where we have strong client relationships and a meaningful body of work. Recent projects include North Carolina A&T State University’s Student Center in Greensboro; the University of South Florida's Student Health and Wellness Center in Tampa; The Mill office development in Atlanta; CAA Music Group's new workplace in Nashville; and multiple projects with Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, including the in-construction Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

This acquisition is the latest in a series of strategic investments advancing our firm’s evolution into a new kind of design firm, one capable of helping clients solve challenges of nearly any type across the built environment and beyond. Other acquisitions this year include Christner Architects, a St. Louis-based design firm; Yellow Brick Consulting, a leader in healthcare transition and activation; and The Clarient Group, experts in smart building consulting.