Harwood K. Smith established the practice in Dallas.
Independent editorial profile
HKS
Dallas headquarters
Founded 1939
Health
Sports & entertainment
Aviation
Research-informed design
A Dallas-founded multidisciplinary practice whose Texas record spans hospitals, stadiums, aviation, education and civic work, with research and computational design integrated into large, technically demanding programs.
Best suited for: institutional clients planning hospitals, sports and entertainment venues, aviation facilities, campuses or other large programs that require multidisciplinary coordination, performance research and management of complex delivery teams.
At a glance
The official office page identifies Dallas as HKS headquarters.
Current Texas locations listed by the practice.
Architecture, interiors, planning, advisory and specialist design services.
Also active in education, commercial, civic and mixed-use work.
Chairman and CEO since January 2026.
Editorial overview
Large programs organized around measurable outcomes
HKS works across building types where architecture must coordinate operational flows, structure, technology, security, environmental performance and large consultant teams. Its strongest documented examples connect design decisions to user experience and building performance rather than treating technical delivery as separate from design.
Recent recognition supports more than practice scale
The record before the 2026 cutoff includes a 2023 AIA COTE Top Ten Award, a 2024 AIA Architecture Award and Fast Company’s No. 1 architecture-company placement in 2026. Architectural Record also listed HKS third among U.S. architecture firms by 2025 architecture revenue.
Revenue and office scale are not design scores
Architectural Record’s revenue figure is based on data provided by firms and is included as a measure of scale, not quality. Current project capacity, fees, staffing by office and standardized budget ranges are not publicly confirmed. Texas registration remains under independent review.
Ranking placements — 2026
#4
#1
#1
Sustainability & Performance
Supported by the AIA COTE record, performance-focused project evidence and research connecting environmental and human outcomes.
Complex Project Delivery
Large health, sports, aviation and campus programs document the practice’s capacity to coordinate technically demanding, multidisciplinary work.
Research & Innovation
Applied research programs, computational design work and Fast Company’s 2026 architecture recognition support this category placement.
Selected projects
Globe Life Field
Why it matters: the 1.8-million-square-foot ballpark and its retractable roof demonstrate the coordination, climate control and event flexibility behind HKS’s complex-delivery placement.
View official project page →Texas Health Hospital Frisco and UT Southwestern Medical Center Frisco
Why it matters: a 20-acre campus combining hospital, outpatient, research and education functions, with operational study, passive sustainability and biophilic design used to shape the patient experience.
View official project page →UC San Diego North Torrey Pines Living & Learning Neighborhood
Why it matters: the project links a large mixed-use campus program with post-occupancy research on environmental performance, health and social connection, providing direct evidence for the sustainability and research categories.
View AIA award record →Pacific Plaza Pavilion
Why it matters: a compact Dallas project where parametric modeling, fabrication logic and shade infrastructure serve an urban public space, showing how the practice’s computational work operates below stadium scale.
View official project page →Project imagery will be added only after publication rights and photography credits are confirmed.
Evidence ledger
This ledger separates independently documented records from information published by the practice. Evidence grades describe the independence of the source, not the architectural quality of HKS.
| Claim | Grade | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 in Architectural Record’s 2026 Top 300, based on $733 million in firm-provided 2025 architecture revenue | A | Architectural Record | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| No. 1 Most Innovative Architecture Company, 2026 | A | Fast Company | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| AIA COTE Top Ten Award — UC San Diego North Torrey Pines Living & Learning Neighborhood, 2023 | A | American Institute of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| AIA Architecture Award — SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, 2024 | A | American Institute of Architects | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Texas Health Frisco documented as a 20-acre health campus shaped by integrated and biophilic design | B | Texas Architect | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Pacific Plaza Pavilion received a 2020 AIA Dallas Built Design Honor Award | B | Dallas Innovates report on AIA Dallas awards | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Practice founded in Dallas in 1939 by Harwood K. Smith | C | HKS — firm history | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Dallas headquarters at 350 N Saint Paul St; firm page reports Texas Registration No. 6541 | C | HKS — Dallas office | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Current Texas offices listed in Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth and Houston | C | HKS — office directory | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Heath May, FAIA, is Chairman and CEO as of 2026 | C | HKS — leadership profile | Jul. 26, 2026 |
| Research Incubator/Accelerator program has funded more than two dozen internal grants | C | HKS — research program account | Jul. 26, 2026 |
Read the full evidence-grade definitions
Grade A means a claim is supported by an independent national record or official registry. Grade B means it is supported by a professional jury, regional institution or specialist publication. Grade C means it was reported by the practice and has not yet been independently verified. View the evidence standards.
Practice information
Leadership
HKS identifies Heath May, FAIA, as Chairman and CEO from January 2026, succeeding Dan Noble, FAIA, who is now CEO Emeritus. May’s published background includes computational design, simulation, digital fabrication and prior leadership of HKS LINE.
Licensure and registration
Registration review in progress. The firm’s Dallas page reports Texas Registration No. 6541, but the catalog has not yet completed an independent registry check with the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. Registration confirms legal standing to practice and is not an editorial endorsement.
Services and specialties
Healthcare ArchitectureCommercial ArchitectureCivic & Cultural ArchitectureSustainable Architecture
Considering HKS for a project?
Review the practice’s official portfolio or submit a project brief to compare firms with documented experience relevant to your site, program, delivery structure and performance priorities.
Introductions and referral inquiries do not affect rankings or editorial coverage.
Related research and directories
Profile changelog
- Profile structure, leadership, selected projects, ranking rationales and evidence ledger revised. Sources rechecked; edition evidence cutoff unchanged.
- Initial directory profile recorded for the 2026 edition.