SmithGroup, one of the nation’s leading integrated design firms, has opened an office in Houston, its 17^th location worldwide. This new office strengthens the company’s network of talent and expertise in Texas, deepening the firm’s long-standing commitment to the state. The Houston location also expands upon SmithGroup’s successful relationships with colleges and universities across Texas and more recent growth in the region’s healthcare industry.

SmithGroup’s Houston office will be led by Jay Rambo, who also serves as director of the firm’s Dallas location. “While SmithGroup has been working on projects in Houston for 15 years and Texas for over 60 years, we could not be more thrilled to be officially expanding our presence in one of the largest and most diverse cities in the country,” said Rambo. “As an integrated design firm, we bring a unique blend of higher education, science and technology and healthcare expertise ideally matched to Houston’s market opportunities.” 

Clint Menefee, SmithGroup’s Higher Education studio leader in Texas, will also serve as a key member of the Houston leadership team. “In recent years, we have been honored to collaborate on several of Houston’s most impactful projects in Higher Education and look forward to fostering deeper connections with the educational needs of the region,” said Menefee. “Our team in Texas is excited to continue our expansion and further our mission to design inspiring learning environments at all scales, from campus to classroom, with a particular emphasis on environments for the health sciences, STEM and recreation and wellness.”

SmithGroup has extensive experience creating innovative design solutions for higher education institutions throughout Texas, including the Gulf Coast region. The firm recently designed and completed the University of Houston-Clear Lake Recreation and Wellness Center; the University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) STEM Building; and the master plan and first academic building for the new University of Houston at Katy campus. In addition to built work, higher education projects currently underway include the UHV Health & Wellness Center; University of Houston-Downtown Student Wellness and Success Center; and Texas A&M University South Campus Recreation Center. SmithGroup also has healthcare projects in progress in Houston including the St. Joseph’s Hospital renovation and Nexcore Gisela Houseman Medical Center Medical Office Building.

The opening of the Houston office is the latest milestone in a pattern of steady growth for SmithGroup. “Despite the pandemic-related challenges of the last two years, SmithGroup has continued to see extraordinary growth nationwide and particularly in Texas,” said Russ Sykes, chairman and managing partner at SmithGroup. “We look forward to growing our local staff in order to better serve clients in this region with a team of local experts that draw on the firm’s national depth.”

SmithGroup’s Houston office is located at 1801 Main Street, Suite 13.