Scottish architect Chris Hardie has designed some of the most significant cultural and civic buildings in China, Europe, and Canada, and now he’s been elevated to one of the top design positions at global architecture firm Perkins&Will. In his new role as a firmwide design director, Hardie will help shape global design strategy while supporting ongoing major projects and new work across regions.
“Chris is a unique talent who has led transformative work over a relatively short career, and his recognition this year by the Royal Institute of British Architects speaks to that,” said Lindsey Peckinpaugh, Perkins&Will’s president. “His leadership is felt throughout our firm as well as the industry at large.”
Hardie has led several transformative projects that exemplify Perkins&Will’s Living Design ethos, including Shanghai Library East, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre, and the Shenzhen Energy Ring—all three of which have been shortlisted for the 2026 RIBA International Awards. Other projects include the Ningbo New Library, NIO House West Lake, West Bund Grand Theatre, and Halifax Central Library, which received the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in 2016.
“Chris has an invaluable knowledge of different cultures, civic systems, and communities. He understands how design thinking transcends places and teams,” said Casey Jones, chief design officer at Perkins&Will. “His perspective will be invaluable as we support design excellence across our global studios.”
Design That Speaks to Everyone
As one of four firmwide design directors, Hardie will help support consistently high-caliber design across Perkins&Will’s studios, fostering innovation and design excellence at every level. He shares the role with Ralph Johnson, Linzi Cassels, and Tim Wolfe, and joins a cohort of Perkins&Will design legends that include Joan Blumenfeld, Peter Busby, Ken Wilson, the late Phil Freelon, and the late Robin Guenther.
“We have an incredibly strong design culture at Perkins&Will, led by an extremely talented group of studio design directors and principals in diverse locations around the world,” Hardie said. “Part of my role will be to support them by helping to evolve our design process, mentor our talent, and maintain the culture of creativity that our teams, collaborators, and clients love.”
Raised in rural Scotland, Hardie developed an early sensitivity to, and an appreciation for, humble building forms that still underpin his design of public spaces today. After studying architecture in the U.K. and beginning his career in Europe, he moved to Shanghai in 2011 as founder of the Asia studio of Danish design firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL), which joined Perkins&Will in 2018.
“Clarity has always been important to me,” said Hardie. “Design should be easily understood by the people who use it. Our work is always rooted in the cultures and communities of the diverse locations in which we are fortunate to work.”
Colleague and fellow firmwide design director Ralph Johnson agrees: “Chris comes to every dialogue with a clear sense of what can elevate a project or unlock an idea.”
Professional Profile
Hardie serves as design director for the combined Perkins&Will/SHL studio in Shanghai, as well as Perkins&Will’s Singapore studio. He’s been on the Perkins&Will’s board of directors since 2022 and is an active member of the firm’s design council. Over the last eight years, he has played a pivotal role in the firm’s growth and in strengthening regional and international collaboration among 35 studios.
Hardie is honorary professor of architecture at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, and distinguished professor at the Zhengzhou Institute of Finance and Economics School of Art and Design in Henan, China. He studied at both London Metropolitan University and the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture at The Robert Gordon University, with exchange studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He is a registered architect in the U.K. and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the American Institute of Architects.
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