Innovative Dallas interiors firm Staffelbach Design Associates is joining DLR Group, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based integrated design firm, the companies announced Wednesday.

Founded in 1966 by Hall of Fame Swiss-born interior designer Andre Staffelbach, the company has become one of the leading design firms in Dallas and the Southwest. President and CEO Jo Staffelbach Heinz, Andre’s wife, joined the firm in 1985.

DLR GROUP IS 100 PERCENT EMPLOYEE OWNED

The combined firm will operate as DLR Group/Staffelbach and the Dallas operation will join offices in Austin and Houston to serve clients throughout Texas. Heinz will continue to lead the Dallas office.

DLR Group is a 100 percent employee-owned company, and the deal will bring 70 design professionals to DLR Group, including 23 licensed architects and interior designers.

“Staffelbach is in the business of design which perfectly aligns with the vison and beliefs of DLR Group,” Heinz said in a release. “With DLR Group, our staff has the opportunity for ownership in the firm, which ensures the continuity of the Staffelbach design legacy.”

“Interior design must respect the architect’s concept and design for the building.”
Andre Staffelbach

Andre Staffelbach said he sees the move as a way to raise the firm’s profile.

“Interior design must respect the architect’s concept and design for the building,” Staffelbach said. “I am excited to join with a global, multidisciplinary firm. DLR Group is the platform to elevate Staffelbach to the next level in our evolution as a design firm.”

DLR Group CEO Griff Davenport, said the two firms have complementary qualities.

“Staffelbach is the ideal partner as we establish the DLR Group brand in Dallas,” Davenport said. “Staffelbach’s commitment to design excellence is unmatched. Andre and Jo have a tradition of a refined integration of arts, design, and architecture. Our vision is to attract firms with a shared commitment to design excellence and sustainability. Staffelbach clearly shares those beliefs.”

Staffelbach has been listed as one of the Top 100 Firms in the U.S. by Interior Design magazine since 1986, and Davenport said he believes the deal immediately benefits his company.

“I actually never know or understand that I innovate anything, until I am told by others that I have done so.” 
Andre Staffelbach

“Staffelbach’s interiors expertise will be of immediate benefit to our national Workplace clients like Google, Boeing, IPG, and Nestle,” Davenport said. “For Staffelbach, this greatly expands the range of design services available to its clients including full service architecture and engineering delivered as part of an integrated design process.”

Staffelbach has been known for its prestigious clients that include Fortune 100 companies.

In a monograph produced last year to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, Andre Staffelbach talked about his design process.

“I actually never know or understand that I innovate anything, until I am told by others that I have done so,” he said.

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