DLR Group expands Southeast presence with Atlanta-based design firm

The global integrated design firm DLR Group announced today that Atlanta-based Collins Cooper Carusi Architects (CCCA) has joined the firm. The addition of CCCA marks a strategic expansion of DLR Group’s presence in the Southeast, establishing a permanent operation in Atlanta that complements its existing offices in Charlotte, Durham, Nashville, and Orlando.

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As experts in on-campus student housing, Collins Cooper Carusi Architects (CCCA) fulfills a strategic growth initiative for DLR Group’s Higher Education sector. Pictured here is Kennesaw State University's new residence hall for first-year students, The Summit, for which CCCA provided architectural design services. Image © Rion Rizzo-Creative Sources Photography.

Founded in 1987, CCCA is a community focused design firm with expertise in early learning and K-12 education, higher education, on-campus student housing, recreation centers, and design for public and private sector clients. In addition to receiving recognition for design from the AIA, IIDA, ALA, and other industry organizations, CCCA was honored as Georgia AIA Firm of the Year in 2020.

CCCA’s design philosophy is grounded in active listening and creative visioning which inspires innovative design solutions for clients. The firm’s recent projects include Emory University’s Convocation Hall; Kennesaw State University’s The Summit First Year Student Housing residence; Joseph W. Jones’ Ecological Research Center at Ichauway in Baker County, Georgia; the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wormsloe State Park Visitor Center in Savannah; and additional work for elite public and private school clients in the Southeast.

“Collins Cooper Carusi’s passion for thoughtful, responsive design and its strong connections in education and civic work in the region make it an ideal cultural and strategic fit,” said DLR Group CEO Steven McKay, AIA, RIBA. “CCCA immediately strengthens our expertise in on-campus student housing and our entire higher education portfolio. An established office in Atlanta also gives us a base to meet the design needs of our civic, cultural, federal, healthcare, sports, and private market clients throughout the Southeast.”

The firm’s 40 design professionals will operate as DLR Group|Collins Cooper Carusi from its existing office at 3391 Peachtree Road NE, in Atlanta. Eric Richardson, AIA; Sandy Cooper, AIA; Fiona Grandowski, AIA, IIDA; Jeff Juliano, AIA; and Clayton Daspit, AIA, LEED AP, will join DLR Group as Principals, ensuring leadership continuity and a seamless transition for clients and staff.

“Joining DLR Group will bring significant advantages to our clients. We gain access to more design resources and expertise to keep us at the forefront of design and allow us to compete as true peers with the largest firms,” said Richardson, president of CCCA. “Just as exciting, our team members can become employee owners and tap into the strength of DLR Group’s multidisciplinary, global platform—an opportunity that will be truly career-defining.”

About DLR Group

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients, local communities, and our planet. DLR Group is 100 percent employee-owned, fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

About Collins Cooper Carusi Architects

Collins Cooper Carusi Architects is a mission-driven Atlanta firm specializing in educational, spiritual, institutional, and community design. With a focus on creative vision, client immersion, and technical rigor, CCCA’s practice has been recognized for elevating the standards of impactful, purpose-built environments across the region.

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“Collins Cooper Carusi’s passion for thoughtful, responsive design and its strong connections in education and civic work in the region make it an ideal cultural and strategic fit,” said DLR Group CEO Steven McKay, AIA, RIBA.