Norris Design, an award-winning firm committed to people and placemaking, proudly celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
Founded on February 2, 1985, in Denver by John Norris, Norris Design began as a small but passionate team of visionaries dedicated to shaping communities. Over the past four decades, the firm has grown exponentially, evolving into a nationally recognized company with nine offices across four states. This remarkable growth is a testament to the firm’s dedication to innovation, collaboration, and its unwavering commitment to creating meaningful spaces.
Throughout its 40-year journey, Norris Design has completed over 11,000 projects and served more than 3,000 clients. Its work spans a broad spectrum of industries, including affordable housing, parks and recreation planning, branding identity design, municipal facilities, and multifamily and single-family housing. The firm’s expertise extends to master planning, urban design, gateway and entry design, mixed-use transit-oriented developments, and comprehensive planning, as well as specialized areas such as senior housing, healthcare, education, corporate office, and resort and hospitality projects. Norris Design has also contributed to dynamic spaces such as town centers, sports and entertainment venues, rodeo arenas, streetscapes, and industrial developments.
A key factor in the firm’s success is its ability to blend traditional design with innovative approaches, including 3D graphics and video production, which bring ideas to life and communicate complex concepts with clarity. This diversity in expertise has allowed Norris Design to make a lasting impact, creating spaces that foster connection and inspire communities.
The firm’s work has been widely celebrated, earning over 95 awards that highlight its ability to transform ideas into impactful, sustainable, and functional designs. At the heart of Norris Design’s success lies its focus on placemaking — an approach that centers people in the design process to create spaces that are not only beautiful but also purposeful.
As Norris Design reflects on its history and looks to the future, the firm remains dedicated to its mission of helping the world grow. Guided by its core values of creativity, collaboration, and sustainability, Norris Design is poised to continue shaping spaces that inspire, connect, and endure for generations to come.
This milestone anniversary celebrates not only the firm’s past achievements but also its dedication to creating a better, brighter future. Norris Design looks forward to building on its 40-year legacy of people-focused design.
