Who we are —

Informed by research, we innovate design solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. We do this by collaborating with design professionals, academics, research institutions, nonprofits, and the private sector.

How we work —

Our process is immersive, engaged, data-driven, imaginative, and disruptive. We:

Tackle real-world problems.

We take a holistic approach, prioritizing the human experience, resource circularity, performance optimization, construction innovation, and digital innovation.

Let expertise lead the way.

We build strategic partnerships to assemble the best team for the problem.

Believe everything is connected.

We immerse ourselves in the problem and consider multiple solutions through a whole-system-thinking approach.

Focus on action.

We take into account short-, mid-, and long-term planning and implementation.

Know there’s always a better way.

We reiterate concepts and ideas to continuously enhance our solutions.

Empower others.

We position community leaders to own transformative outcomes with authenticity.

Transform communities, sustainably.

We educate each other and the community for lasting positive impact.

Top Left: resilientSEE collaborative workshop with MIT Urban Risk Lab, the Toa Baja Muncipality and Environmental Protection Agency of Puerto Rico.

Bottom Left: Workshop testing the Hazel modeling tool for the Latrobe Drylands Resilieance Initative.

Our History ―

AREA Research was founded in 2012 by Perkins&Will, an international architecture and design firm, to advance knowledge and seek solutions to complex problems through community partnerships.

Since then, AREA has evolved to become a much broader and inclusive platform. Today, AREA provides multi-disciplinary teams from a variety of industries with space, time, and resources to address some of the most pressing issues affecting the built environment. These include everything from climate change and social justice to technology and new construction methodologies.

Right: resilientSEE collaborative workshop with MIT Urban Risk Lab, the Toa Baja Muncipality and Environmental Protection Agency of Puerto Rico.