About Us
RIOS is an international design collective. We are actively in pursuit of wonder within the design of the built environment. We believe design is an act of optimism through which invention and ideas change the world.
We practice interconnected design architecture, placemaking, and landscape architecture to harness the positive impacts of wellness and define design as a continuum. RIOS was founded in 1985 as a multi-disciplinary design firm. Today the firm has offices in Los Angeles, Singapore, Shanghai, London, New York, Austin, and Boulder with over 250 team members contributing to transformative projects globally.
Ellison Institute of Technology, designed by RIOS, located in Los Angeles, CA
Multi-disciplinary Practice
We strive to realize the beautiful and unexpected by focusing on hyperlocal design, resilient and sustainable solutions, material and tectonic innovation that trace back to a holistically informed big idea. Our projects create a focal point of energy within a community, sparking joy and curiosity through the power of wonder and discovery.
We follow a process that begins with attunement, where program and context shape strong conceptual thinking to establish a holistically informed big idea. This overarching idea is the lens through which we develop form, confirm function, and define experience as the basis on which to explore ecology, material, and tectonic expression. The result is strong representation of project goals portrayed through visionary thinking and clear performative expectations. As a result of this process, we are known for our bold solutions that are inclusive of the wider context. We are constantly redefining industry paradigms and gaining the trust of our clients to explore significant design challenges. We are ever mindful that an interdisciplinary approach to design brings about inclusive, resilient, and original solutions that ensure diversity and resilience.
RIOS Values
Joy
Design is an act of optimism and we meet the process with joy and exuberance. We are forward-thinking and imaginative of future contexts. We find the silver lining in the unknown and adventure in the undiscovered. We don’t resist change, we harness it.
Inclusivity
We believe that positive outcomes occur when we celebrate the differences in our worldviews. The strength of our design comes from the diversity of its authors and the way they work openly to communicate and innovate across disciplines. Our innate way of seeing the world is enhanced by our diversity, belief in equity, and passionate stance for social justice.
Learn more about Inclusivity at RIOS.
Audacity
We are driven by a bold vision to seek the unknown and to find and understand what is on the other side. We dream bigger, take intelligent risks, and articulate these risks through strategy and critical problem-solving. By reframing how things are perceived, we find opportunity and design for that immense potential.
Originality
We practice with conviction. We coax conversation into strategy. We push innovation using an array of tools driven by our profound curiosity. Our deep belief in fearlessness rewards the courageous ideas we pursue by combining the creative power of the individual with the collective momentum of the team.
Attunement
As designers, we are receptive and aware above all. We find harmony in the awareness of place, people, and culture. We immerse ourselves in context, considering the social and cultural context as well as the past, present, and future contexts that influence design outcomes.
Resiliency
We put human experience first. We understand that the boundary of what we create extends beyond any apparent limits. As we adapt to a changing world, we aspire to lead the industry with creativity, agility, and a willingness to address problems as holistic opportunities.
