design

matters
Club Industrial de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
design as a
differentiator
Even as the economy has floundered, the value of design work within their environment. It takes large, empty
has soared. No longer an afterthought, design increasingly spaces and infuses them with vibrancy and personality.
is recognized as a powerful force in building opinion and It exploits the innate treasures of even the smallest,
solving complex problems. Today's most remembered, most most difficult plots.
celebrated places are positioned above the fray not only for
exceptional functionality, but for what they say—about the But in the end, architecture reigns. It defines us as much
environments they inhabit, the people they serve and the as we define—it elevates the soul and offers new ways of
time in which they exist. thinking about old things. From specialized museums to
the new World Trade Center site, the public is taking a
Together, contemporary architects, developers and renewed interest in places designed with architectural
designers are ensuring the future of well-designed exuberance and imagination.
government buildings, hotels, shopping centers and public
spaces. And at the core of every well-designed place, This book represents a small portfolio of RTKL’s work.
there's a master plan that takes a holistic approach to We hope it captures our passion for great architecture
urban design. Transcending the walls of buildings, urban and illustrates our talent for expressing our vision and
design looks at the spaces between them and how they our clients’ vision for the future.

imaginative places
challenge the mind
and elevate the soul

design
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai, China
 creating a landmark

Architecture in the 21st century should reflect the fluidity

and development of society, the arts and government. It from daily operation
should reveal, as much as foster, the culture in which it
exists. It should represent the future without losing sight to international
of the past. And, most importantly, it should provide
landmarks, sources of pride and national flavor that
recognition
are both highly relevant to their locales and easily
communicable to the world.

Architecture happens from the inside out—and the outside

in. The extension must express the vitality and spirit of a
place and offer a glimpse of what awaits within. And no
matter how prominent a building is in its skyline, it must
also be functional, providing the space, technology and a
mix of amenities integral to its daily operation.

design
Príncipe Pío, Madrid, Spain
 learn from our cities

After 50 years of flocking to the suburbs, people are

returning to cities. They want the convenience and vibrancy at the heart of good
of urban life. They want animated streets and populated
parks, shops on the doorstep and communities made up design lies smart
of retail, office and residential buildings. As this trend
continues, planners are taking note, garnering the best
connections
lessons in high-quality, long-lasting design from urban
settings and applying them to new downtown hubs,
suburbs, neighborhoods and corporate campuses.

At the heart of today's high-quality, holistic urban design

lie strong connections between people and places. These
links are achieved with pedestrian-friendly frameworks of
streets, open public spaces that emulate traditional town
squares, busy public transportation hubs and a mix of uses
that logically interact. By establishing these connections,
developers can achieve goals beyond the daily functions of
their projects: cutting back on sprawl, lowering pollution
levels, providing a spectrum of housing and jobs, and
ensuring an everlasting, cooperative bond between a
project and its surroundings.

design
Shanghai Center, China
 make it new

Like music, architecture can define a generation. Our

buildings can echo our beliefs, express what we think is standing at the cusp
important, and mirror our aspirations.

As we progress into the new millennium, we stand at a

cusp, armed with the challenge of finding a clear voice and
elegant style that captures our moment in time, respects
the past but also passionately embraces a timeless
quality—a curiosity for what’s next. With all we know,
we must make it new.

design
Bond Street Wharf, Baltimore, Maryland
 taking care of
what’s ours

For far too long, building has continued at the expense Responding to the challenge requires careful consideration
of the environment, endangering the needs of future at every step of the design process. The overall design
generations and the capacity of our resources. Today, should reflect not only a "green" awareness, but should
sustainable design means taking responsibility for our also encourage environmentally responsible decisions from
planet through the implementation of practices that will its users. The final solution should be a formula that best
make the best use of energy, physical resources and land. fits your project without impeding function and aesthetics.

Building "green" is increasingly providing public and private

developers with financial and productivity paybacks. In
addition to a growing number of government-sponsored
programs, businesses are paying premiums for spaces
that connect with nature and take additional measures
toward comfort and flexibility. Mixed-use and smart-growth
projects are reaping profits from synergistic uses and
established infrastructure. And alternative building products
and practices, like better insulation, solar shading, natural
lighting and waste control, as well as reused materials,
buildings and sites promote sensibility based
on stewardship.

sustainable design is
responsible business

design
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Washington DC
 above all:
timelessness

Timelessness sets great architecture apart from good

architecture. Though it might flawlessly capture the essence in a changing world,
of its environment, influences and even its past, a highly
effective design is only as strong as its future. By reflecting ensure your future
universal themes, inherently understood concepts and the
desires and beliefs of humanity across space and time, a truly
significant place will work and inspire and captivate a century
down the road, even if its role in that environment changes.

With accessibility to technology and travel, the world is

ever-changing and truly getting smaller. Ideas flow freely
among cultures, challenging products and places to reinvent
themselves in order to stay relevant. But by reaping the best
of global innovation, local tradition and a responsible grasp
of budget, we can create a design that can withstand—and
even anticipate—changes in the world. With the integration
of functional amenities such as flexible spaces, multiple uses
and authentic public settings, and aesthetic considerations
such as high-quality, natural materials, a design will appeal to
the intrinsic integrity of generations to come.

design
Westfield San Francisco Centre, California
 a future made
stronger by the past

By extending the useful life of a building through the

sensitive modernization or adaptive reuse of a structure, historic preservation
we can preserve the urban fabric, while also increasing the
site's diversity and function. Historic preservation uses the is about collaboration
old building's emotional connection to the community, the
nation and the world as a foundation for modernization.

Effective preservation requires continuous collaboration

with residents and agencies, archival research to assemble
all pertinent historical and architectural information, state-
of-the-art documentation methods and a commitment to
preserving the historic character of the site. The result often
means better space utilization; a safer, healthier and more
comfortable working environment; and a new public place
infused with the past.

design
New Jiang Wan Cultural Center, Shanghai, China
 AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE AT U.S. EMBASSY IN KUWAIT

ARIEL RIOS

british embassy, rabat, morocco

CHINESE MUSEUM OF FILM

CLUB INDUSTRIAL de monterrey

CSC european HEADQUARTERS

THE GATEWAY

MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL

Maryland MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Moscow Sports and Entertainment Complex

new jiang wan cultural center

oceaneering advanced technologies

PRINCIPE PIO

SHANGHAI SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY Museum

U.S. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER

U.S. EMBASSY, KAMPALA, UGANDA

OUR WORK
it’s great for business Your business thrives on what you know. Similarly, our
success thrives on knowing your industry, your goals and
your back-of-house issues. And we go further. Like good
anthropologists, we dig deep to places where different
ideas and influences mingle and fuel something original,
something potent, something vital. It’s what drives
our passion for the industry and adds to your project’s
profitability.

DESIGN OUR WORK

 a strong architectural
presence in the middle
of the desert

Ambassador’s Residence
at U.S. Embassy in Kuwait
Location: Bayan, Kuwait
Client: U.S. Department of State, Office of Foreign
Buildings Operations
Services: Architecture, Interior Architecture, Structural and
MEP Engineering, Landscape Architecture

Following initial construction of the RTKL-designed U.S.

Embassy compound in Kuwait, the design team set to work
on the project's second stage: the ambassador's residence.
RTKL faced the challenge of creating a comfortable, 11,000
SF home in the middle of a desert.

Reflecting a mix of American house planning and vernacular

Islamic architectural themes found elsewhere in the
complex, the building was designed to be compatible
with the embassy but still evoke residential scale and
atmosphere. Organized by a long linear pedestrian walkway
based on Middle Eastern market streets known as "souks,"
the ambassador's residence is distinct from the chancery
with brick, verandas, and rich details. On the street side,
along a busy thoroughfare linking the airport and the
downtown, stand two-story-high verandas and exaggerated
mechanical penthouses that give the residence a frontage
and an "address." A variety of courtyards and landscaped
gardens provide an identity, visual interest and depth, and
relief from the barren desert landscape.

design OUR WORK

 an environmental agency
practices what they preach
with sustainable design

Ariel Rios Federal Building

Phase II Modernization
Location: Washington, DC
Client: General Services Administration
Services: Architecture, Structural and MEP Engineering,
Interior Architecture, Historic Preservation.

As the new headquarters building for the Environmental

Protection Agency, the Ariel Rios Federal Building
in Washington, DC's Federal Triangle needed to be
repositioned as a place that encapsulates the ideals of its
agency. RTKL was brought on board to renovate the north
half of the building by incorporating sustainable design
concepts that would demonstrate the EPA's commitment
to the environment, while maintaining the historic quality
of the nationally listed site.

This project included sensitive integration of modern

systems and features into the historic fabric. Sustainable
design measures included life-cycle costing, energy
analysis, recyclability and sustainability, recycling of
construction waste, fuel choice and pollution implications,
daylighting, gray water use, energy envelope efficiency,
materials selection and indoor air quality. Substantial
preservation work included replacement of mechanical,
electrical and plumbing systems and the recreation of
original design features—all within the parameters of the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

design OUR WORK

 a striking national
statement

British Embassy, Rabat

Location: Rabat, Morocco
Client: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Services: Architecture, Interiors Architecture

RTKL has been appointed by the Foreign and Commonwealth

Office (FCO) to design the new £6 million British Embassy
in Rabat. The primary aim is to provide a functional and
attractive building, while reinforcing and assisting the
British Embassy's role in Rabat.

RTKL's winning design responds both to the cultural and

climatological advantages of vernacular forms and to the
technical and security requirements of a 21st Century
diplomatic center. RTKL carefully studied buildings in North
Africa and the Mediterranean and took inspiration from the
traditional courtyard house. That said, RTKL designed the
embassy to also be enjoyed from the outside. The outer
walls give a sense of protection and privacy, but openings,
cutaways and slots through the mass of the building
maintain the advantages of the vernacular courtyard,
while avoiding a fortress-like feel.

RTKL incorporated local craftsmanship into the design to

demonstrate the FCO's desire to embrace the culture of the
host country while retaining a British identity. For example,
the traditional "zellij" mosaic artists creates the British coat-
of-arms in green stone.

design OUR WORK

 the first museum to
showcase China’s rich and
vital cinematic heritage

Chinese Museum of Film

Location: Beijing, China
Client: China Film Museum Project Committee
Services: Architecture

Like the nation itself, China's film industry has evolved

dramatically over the last century. To honor this formidable
history and the accomplishments of Chinese filmmakers,
the Beijing Radio, Film and Television Bureau organized
an international design competition to find the best
design for the country's first film museum. RTKL, in a joint
venture with the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
and Research, took the prize and the honor of designing
the museum, the crown jewel of a planned entertainment
district near Beijing's airport in anticipation of the 2008
Summer Olympics.

RTKL's design applies a synthetic approach that elevates

the art of film by restructuring a mixture of the basic
characteristics of film and architecture. Local experience
also plays heavily on the concept, as does flexibility,
environmental friendliness and, in a place without an
immediate urban setting, self-sustained integrity. Taking its
cue from a universal cinema icon, the production clapboard,
giant translucent glass walls covered in projected images
are angled toward the main public access, while the
museum itself is a simple black rectangular box symbolic
of the attribution of film industry. Chinese gardens,
which are celebrated for their fixed vistas and spaces for
improvisational viewings are reinterpreted to showcase
film. Four levels of exhibition halls featuring film history,
film technology and temporary exhibits; a cinema complex
including an IMAX theater; and research and administrative
offices are among the on-site offerings.

design OUR WORK

 dramatic architecture
brings out the best
in the scenery

Club Industrial
Location: Monterrey, Mexico
Client: Club Industrial de Monterrey
Services: Architecture and Interior Architecture

The mountainous locale of Monterrey, Mexico, almost

demands ambitious architecture. RTKL responded with
the design of Club Industrial, an exclusive club offering a
variety of meeting and dining options for public and private
functions—and exciting panoramic views of the mountains
and cities.

Injecting indigenous but updated architectural forms, colors

and materials into a rugged mountaintop setting produced a
multi-level clubhouse with a contemporary Mexican image.
The desired feeling of exclusivity and privacy is achieved
with a series of simple geometric volumes and planes that
build into a single composition as they grip the steep slope
of the terrain. These elements intersect perpendicularly at
the entrance hall, which defines the connecting axis of the
facility. A periscope window forms the end of this wedge-
shaped element, which frames a view of Saddle Mountain
and dominates the mountain range beyond.

design OUR WORK

 a well-planned headquarters
creates a singular corporate
community

CSC European
Headquarters
Location: Aldershot, UK
Client: Computer Sciences Corporation
Services: Master Planning, Architecture, Interior Design

Computer Sciences Corporation, a global technology leader,

recognized a need to consolidate its 10 UK locations as a
way to increase efficiency and enforce a single corporate
culture. In bringing scattered employees and consultants
under one roof, promoting communication was essential
to ensuring the dissemination of intellectual capital. The
new complex, a series of buildings in a historic woodland
setting, serves as a cultural, learning and research hub that
promotes teaming and collaboration.

To create a buzz of human interaction for the largely project-

based company, RTKL created a series of collaborative
spaces that meet a variety of needs. Upper-level office
space is easy to reconfigure to accommodate changing
groups. Lower-level meeting areas, including a central
podium that serves as the heart of the campus, house a
cafeteria, training center, innovations laboratory, exhibit
area, business center, juice bar and cyber café. Each space
is not only functional but also fun and inspiring, taking
advantage of the dramatic outdoor setting. The resulting
high energy levels create a true community feeling.

design OUR WORK

 a 360° response to a
challenging urban site

The Gateway
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Client: Maryland Institute College of Art
Services: Architecture

In a heavily trafficked location bordering one of Baltimore’s

main highways, MICA was looking to create a new student
residence that would serve as an exciting gateway to
the school and highlight the northern edge of campus.
Conceived as the result of an RTKL interoffice design
contest, the 100,000-SF structure uses an unconventional
format to address the spatial challenges of the small site.

A distinctive structure composed of a rectilinear studio

tower conjoined with a residential drum surrounds a
private central courtyard, accommodating small-site
constraints by breaking down scale. Built to house more
than 200 students, the drum features a modern exterior
of streamlined glass panels varying in transparency and
reflectivity. The 11-floor fritted glass tower serves as an
anchor, partially shielding noise from the highway while
functioning as a billboard-style showcase for the artistic
work occurring in its 56 studios. A wall wraps the base of
the building along the street, grounding the structure in
human scale. First story amenities further the link to the
local community, fusing public and private space in a café,
black box theater and gallery area.

design OUR WORK

 enjoy casual conversation
overlooking the bay

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Location: Miami, Florida
Client: Mandarin Oriental
Services: Architecture

Mandarin Oriental, one of Asia's premier hotel chains,

selected the city of Miami as the location for its first U.S.
hotel—and RTKL as its architect. The hotel is a six-star
facility that includes 329 guest rooms and suites, two
restaurants, two lobby-level bars, a fitness center, spa and
meeting facilities.

The owner/operator wanted a modern image that would

speak to the vibrancy of Miami yet whisper of the Orient.
The hotel is sited to maximize views of the water and
the downtown skyline. The strong horizontal arcs of the
balcony structure and the curved mass of the structure itself
characterize the distinctive exterior. Details occurring at
the base of the building suggest Asian culture. In addition
to a prominent profile and a contextual fit with the city,
Mandarin Oriental also wanted an affordable building.
The liberal use of glass and stucco provides an answer
that conforms to both the architecture of Miami and the
budget of the owner.

design OUR WORK

 a new museum becomes
a landmark for a city

Reginald F. Lewis
Museum of Maryland
African American
History and Culture
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Client: Maryland African American Museum Corporation
Services: Architecture, MEP and Structural Engineering,
Interior Architecture, Environmental Graphic Design,
Telecommunications
Joint Venture Partner: The Freelon Group

As part of a major African American tourism initiative

in Maryland, the city of Baltimore planned a Museum of
African American History and Culture with the expectation
that it would draw a significant portion of the 20 million
annual visitors to the adjacent Inner Harbor and the city's
emerging "Museum Row." As a joint venture with the
Freelon Group, RTKL created a bold architectural statement
that combines 80,000 SF of exhibit areas, interactive
learning centers, meeting rooms, offices, a 200-seat
auditorium, an information resources center, a shop
and a café.

The project was guided by pervasive concepts of African

American identity and complex history. The design reflects
the common threads of experience of African Americans
in Maryland, while embracing the larger dichotomies of
celebration and disappointment, flight and perseverance,
joy and pain. Designed around an atrium, the building is
defined by a bold red wall that splices through a basic
black granite box. Images of African Americans who
have contributed to Maryland's history are portrayed on
the President Street façade, creating both a welcoming
presence and a distinctive identity among other landmarks
in downtown Baltimore.

design OUR WORK

 a dynamic addition to
defining urban landmarks

Moscow Sports and

Entertainment Complex
Location: Moscow, Russia
Client: Open Joint-Stock Company
Services: Master Planning, Stadium Design

Located between the Moscow River and the historical Red

Square, the underutilized and out-of-date Torpedo Stadium
and its surrounding area were ripe for the transformation
into the vibrant nexus of sports, recreation, and leisure
facilities posed by developers. Designed around a classic
park-like approach, the Moscow Sports and Entertainment
Complex serves as a dynamic addition to the list of
landmarks already defining the city.

RTKL’s 29.9-hectare master plan centers on the state-of-

the-art stadium and arena, featuring flexible seating for
15,000-30,000 people. The use of public parks, sidewalks,
and meticulously placed parking structures allows the movie
theaters, wellness and practice center, indoor beach club,
community center, themed virtual experience environment,
and the corporate office space to be easily accessed by the
public. The lush hotel and conference facility offers first-
class accommodations for visitors and game enthusiasts
looking to enjoy the vibrant entertainment environment.

design OUR WORK

 a cultural center
with an organic twist

New Jiang Wan

Cultural Center
Location: Shanghai, China
Client: Shanghai Chengtou Corporation
Services: Architecture and Interior Design

Shanghai’s latest and most comprehensive urban

development, New Jiang Wan Town, is a model for a
sustainable community for the 21st century. The area’s
cultural center, located in a central park, was designed to
celebrate and showcase the environmental sensitivity and
community-oriented feel of the new town.

With 6,000 SM of exhibition, education, performance,

leisure and entertainment facilities across two floors, the
cultural center provides a fluid interaction between interior
and exterior spaces. Inspired by a rootstock tangled with
pieces of rock, the horizontal building is highly integrated
with the landscape and nature. The building encourages and
stimulates public access and interactions within its dynamic
spaces. Organic and inorganic material palettes contrast to
celebrate the fusion of man and his environment.

design OUR WORK

 a creative office
space reflects a
company’s history

Oceaneering Advanced
Technologies
Location: Hanover, Maryland
Client: Oceaneering Advanced Technologies
Services: Interior Architecture

Oceaneering is an international advanced technology

company that provides engineering services and fabricated
components to clients who operate in marine, space and
other harsh environments. The goal for the relocation of
their Maryland office was to combine office space and
warehousing from two separate buildings into one new
location. The completed facility includes two floors of office
space and warehouse space for testing and fabrication.

The project includes a reception area, monumental stair,

conferencing and support space. Offices were pulled away
from the window on the first floor to create a light and
open office environment. The upper level of office space
is devoted to executive staff and secure projects. RTKL
developed a concept based on industrial materials and
a central monumental space. The towering wood wall
signifies the hulls of a ship, and the stair is detailed such
that all of the connections are exposed. This speaks to
the company’s background not only in engineering and
fabrication, but also of its roots in diving and undersea
exploration. By using inexpensive materials in a creative
way, RTKL was able to deliver an impressive project
within a tight budget.

design OUR WORK

 a seamless mix of urban
transit and retail

Príncipe Pío
Location: Madrid, Spain
Client: Grupo Riofisa/Patrimonio Renfe
Services: Master Planning, Architecture,
Environmental Graphic Design

In bustling downtown Madrid, the $130M Príncipe Pío

retail centre offers an exciting new way of thinking about
the convergence of urban transit and retail. The original,
historic train station stands at a critical junction of regional
train lines, two subway lines and one of the largest bus
stations in Madrid. The demanding program of Príncipe
Pío was to fully operate all transit lines while creating a
110,000 SF destination-based retail center within a dense
urban setting.

The first challenge was integrating the new modern-style

retail elements with the existing train station. By moving
several of the train tracks, it was possible to enclose in
glass the station canopy covering the old tracks, preserving
the station’s original aesthetics while infusing the newly
created retail area with modern upscale flourishes.
Innovative engineering techniques allowed designers to
suspend the original canopy while excavating four levels
of earth below for parking and a sunken level of retail.
It was then possible to create a central glass dome as
a main entranceway and connecting node between the
renovated train station, and an entirely new entertainment
wing anchored by a multi-screen cinema. Dramatic outdoor
lighting and restoration of elements such as windows and
cornices add to the dynamic commercial environment, and
the centre has enjoyed 100 percent occupancy rates since
its opening.

design OUR WORK

 a story of technological
innovation told with
traditional Chinese symbols

Shanghai Science and

Technology Museum
Location: Shanghai, China
Client: Shanghai ScienceLand Development Co., Ltd.
Services: Architecture and Interior Architecture

In the midst of booming development in Shanghai, China,

Shanghai ScienceLand Development Company held
an international design competition for a new science
center. RTKL's winning 950,000-SF museum/center is an
educational institute that encourages continued investment
in technology as a vehicle for the city's economic success.
With its futuristic, highly symbolic design, the new civic
place teaches, entertains and inspires.

Driven by complex—and at times contradictory—dialogues

between traditionally Western and Chinese cultures, RTKL
captures both the significant role of science in Shanghai's
revitalization and its history and culture by exploring the
relationship among man, nature, science and technology.
The design team determined that the five essential
elements of Chinese culture—metal, wood, water, fire
and earth—should be carried out in the museum and its
surrounding landscape. To this end, a monolithic flying
roof captures man's continuing quest to reach for answers
beyond earth and into the universe. Translucent glass
windows create a fluid, open environment, while traditional
materials harmonize the structure with nature. The hall
and its cinema represent an egg and its yoke, an incubator
for technological advancement. And a central civic plaza
provides a highly interactive, open place that encourages
boundless curiosity and imagination.

design OUR WORK

 security within
an atmosphere
of public access

U.S. Capitol Visitor Center

Location: Washington, DC
Client: Office of the Architect of the Capitol
Services: Architecture, Structural and MEP Engineering,
Telecommunications

As the seat of the nation's legislative branch, the U.S.

Capitol building is a highly recognizable and much
frequented tourist stop in Washington, DC. RTKL designed
a 580,000-SF visitor center to better showcase the
significance and history of this symbolic building, and
accomodate the growing space needs of Congress.

With knowledge garnered from prior work for the Architect

of the Capitol, RTKL made strengthened security with a
respect for free public access a design priority. The building
was fitted with state-of-the-art technology to deliver
adequate security measures, material protection and
multimedia use. Located under the East Plaza, the facility
preserves views of the Capitol and provides a congregating
space. Public events and Congressional meetings are
held in the secure 450-seat auditorium, outfitted for high-
quality multimedia displays. Connected to the heart of the
project—a great hall with high ceilings and skylights—is
a museum-quality space with environmental controls for
displaying historical documents. The project also includes
a cafeteria, multiple orientation theaters and unassigned
space to provide flexibility to the site and prevent the
problems of earlier additions.

design OUR WORK

 functionality embraces
beauty

U.S. Embassy
Kampala, Uganda
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Client: U.S. Department of State,
Office of Foreign Building Operations
Services: Architecture, Programming, Interior Architecture,
Structural and MEP Engineering,
Landscape Architecture

Responding to the complexities of creating both a secure

and physically appealing building, RTKL designed the U.S.
Embassy compound in Kampala to both represent the
United States and embrace the culture and character
of Uganda.

Divided into main areas for both offices and the future
location of USAID, the interior spaces distinguish between
public and private functions, providing security without
sacrificing elegance. Outside, Uganda's traditional
agricultural hill plantings influence the site design. A series
of low walls run parallel to the building and perpendicular
to the slope of the site. A canopy of trees, a pool and
plantings at the embassy's arrival court greet visitors.
Inside, loggia evoke the strong and memorable form of
the Acacia, consistent with the client's wishes that the
architecture reflect the landscape of East Africa. Local
wrought iron is a part of the central atrium and is repeated
throughout the compound. A rubble wall extends through
the building while large glazed walls and gardens anchor
the building at either end.

design OUR WORK

Diamond City Terrace, Tokyo, Japan
 our good work
translates into good
business for our clients

THE BARE
ESSENTIALS
Since our origin as a two-man office in Annapolis,
Maryland in 1946, RTKL has grown into an internationally
end-users benefit from a matrix of expertise that overlays
a thoughtful consideration of the human experience.
recognized planning and design firm with over 1000 Paying attention to trends is the beginning. Your improved
professionals, 10 offices worldwide and projects in over bottom line is the end result. Knowing how to make the
65 nations. But whether we’re designing architecture, extraordinary seem real ensures repeat visitors. And we
engineering systems, communities, environments or provide innovative, customized business solutions and
telecommunications systems, we always envision the seamless delivery across the hospitality, commercial,
end-user: how they will live, work, rest or play in an cultural and governmental realms. Our passionate pursuit
environment RTKL designed. Because it affects your of excellence, the application of creativity to solve our
bottom line. clients’ challenges, our technical expertise that transcends
concept and occupancy issues, and our collaborative spirit
The key to our seamless, responsive design approach are all the measures of our success.
is the firm’s orientation by practice group, rather than
• Architecture
by geographic location. Specialists from our Retail/
• Environmental Graphic Design
Entertainment, Hospitality, Public, Workplace, Health and
• Interior Architecture
Residential Sectors collaborate laterally on all projects.
• Healthcare Technologies
From the initial client meeting through occupancy and
• Historic Preservation
beyond, RTKL’s creative services focus on all aspects of the
• Structural Engineering
project: from property evaluations and economic viability,
• MEP Engineering
to web development, logo design or directional signage.
• Landscape Architecture
In short, our diversified expertise allows us to design your
• Planning and Urban Design
project with an efficiency that promotes on-time/on-budget
• Protective Planning
delivery while considering award-winning approaches that
• Pre-Design Services
make places real.
• Mission Critical/Applied Tech
RTKL’s success has always been propelled by an • Special Systems Design
understanding of how people want to live. Our clients and • Sustainability

design the bare essentials

RTKL.COM