Following our previous visit to California-based Koch Architects, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to Dallas this week to explore the work of DLR Group.

An employee-owned firm of over 1,500 design professionals, the practice describes its mission as to “elevate the human experience through design.” The firm, which offers architecture, engineering, interiors, and planning services, operates dozens of offices across the United States alongside international offices in Dubai and Shanghai.

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm’s Justice + Civic team is currently hiring for several positions in architecture, interiors, and project management, to join the firm’s hybrid work model. For candidates interested in applying for the position or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up four justice and civic projects by DLR Group that exemplify the firm’s ethos.

Pinellas County Family Courts Annex, Clearwater, FL

DLR Group worked in collaboration with Architect of Record Williamson Design Associates to deliver an expansion of the Pinellas County Family Courts in Clearwater, FL. The new annex was driven by a desire to consolidate court operations at a central campus, create a new public entrance, and develop a unique identity for family courts. The resulting scheme also seeks to prioritize health and wellness, comfort, and convenience for visitors and workers.

“The design for the Pinellas County Family Court Annex incorporates ample natural daylight and a variety of colors to foster an inviting and calming atmosphere,” DLR Group notes. “Drawing design inspiration from the hospitality sector, public gathering spaces showcase comfortable seating options and connections to the outside world. In the Family and Child Waiting Room, a calming color palette of blues and greens gestures toward the nearby Florida Gulf Coast and proves courthouses can be healing and hospitable places.”

Chinatown-Rose Pak Station, San Francisco, CA

The Chinatown-Rose Pak Station was designed with the goal of balancing the necessary functionality of a public transit station with a “thoughtful celebration of the unique culture of San Francisco’s Chinatown.” Designed by a team comprising DLR Group, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Michael Willis Architects, the resulting 100-foot-deep station creates a choreographed journey from street to platform, integrating artwork with the aid of the San Francisco Arts Commission.

“A large glass skylight brings daylight deep underground to shorten the perception of depth and ease wayfinding for riders,” the firm explains. “Art by local artists creates a sense of place with meaningful ties to the neighborhood and its history. Above the station, a rooftop plaza features stadium seating and public art created by local artists, reinforcing the station’s identity as a new community hub.”

The Portland Building, Portland, OR

Originally designed by Michael Graves as administrative offices for the City of Portland, the aging Portland Building required interventions in its structure, exterior, and operational systems not possible through conventional repair. DLR Group worked with Howard S. Wright to undertake a full reconstruction that sought to preserve the historically significant building while upgrading the interior functionality.

“The thoughtful renovation creates a healthy, productive, and efficient work environment and allows for flexibility as the City’s needs evolve,” DLR Group notes. “The design emphasizes staff wellness through improvements in light, air quality, and increased natural daylight and supports an open and engaging public service model. Design outcomes include improvements to the public interface and pedestrian experience at the base of the building, and heightened engagement with the community, reinforcing the city’s commitment to transparent public government.”

Pinal County Attorney’s Office Headquarters, Florence, AZ

For the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, DLR Group designed a new five-story, 56,000-square-foot headquarters adjacent to the Superior Courthouse. For the scheme’s design, the firm drew inspiration from the saguaro cactus, whose ribs shade its skin and prevent overhearing in desert conditions. The resulting building translates this concept as a climate-response mechanism through principles of biomimicry.

“The building’s self-shading, heat-reducing exterior façade includes high-performance glass, steel fins, and glazing elements to maximize energy efficiency, while yellow pops of color gesture toward desert flowers and capture the beauty of the surrounding environment,” the firm explains. “Modern office interiors complement the beautiful distinctive exterior, with sliding glass doors that draw in abundant natural light, create connections to the outdoors, and provide transparency.”

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.