BURT HILL

Burt Hill's mission is to be the premiere global American design firm, creating environments that inspire, that enhance, that impact experiences. Environments that improve lives.

At the root of our design process and practices is the one important element that drives our staff – passion. We care about the impact of the design and building industry on the environment, understanding the far-reaching implications of our work and the way it can change the lives of humans and other species that share the planet. We strive to make all of our decisions by considering the economic, social, and environmental consequences of each one.

We are a global American firm. We were founded in the US in 1936. However, almost half of our staff is working in offices outside of the United States. We have 37 nationalities working together in our Dubai office! Our overseas offices employ a unique mix of heritage experience gained in the US and cutting edge design that has grown out of a great deal of enthusiasm for what we design, harnessing years of expertise and combining it with a fresh energetic approach.

From climate change to population growth, the design of the built environment connects many of the ecological and human challenges facing the world. In 2007, Burt Hill established an Applied Research Group (ARG) to ensure we lead the world in meeting these challenges. With the mission to responsibly transform the built environment for the future while integrating curiosities, systematic inquiry, and innovation into the firm's design culture, the ARG bears primary responsibility for setting goals, benchmarking, and administering the various research programs within the firm. Currently, the group works in four main areas: Externally Funded Research, Industry and Academic Partnerships, our Internal Grant Program, and as a clearinghouse and resource for project-integrated research.

As designers, we believe that all humans are impacted substantially by their surroundings. Undertaking a responsibility for design of the human-made environment inherently extends a responsibility for protecting the natural environment for future generations and the species that cohabitate this planet with us. We understand that we must design in ways that reduce the amount of resources consumed by the building industry and the amount of potable water, a precious necessity, used in the operation of buildings and consumed by building occupants. Climate change is a reality, and the building industry has the greatest potential of all global market sectors for slowing and reversing the consequences of global warming.