Civic Buildings & Places

Growing communities need civic facilities and infrastructure that are flexible, efficient, and resilient.

GFT works with municipalities, agencies, and community stakeholders to deliver strategic solutions that create and modernize public buildings and places, improve services, and prepare communities for the future.

Creating Places that Support Your Community

Human-centered planning and design services that help you create safe, welcoming civic buildings and places and responsive infrastructure supporting your community’s evolving needs.

Engaging Collaboration that Reflects Your Values

We begin by listening to your priorities and understanding what matters most to your community. This collaborative approach inspires us to imagine thoughtful design strategies to create memorable, uplifting spaces and solutions that truly support your goals. We engage key stakeholders early and often, shaping each project through the voices, priorities, and shared values of the community.

Brick civic or industrial building with arched openings along a city street, featuring trees and passing vehicles in an urban neighborhood.

Modernized interior space with open stairway, glass partitions, and exposed mechanical systems, showing a person walking through the building.

Designing Solutions that Evolve with Your Needs

We deliver long-lasting civic solutions by first understanding your operational goals and the needs of the community you serve. Our team integrates resiliency, sustainability, safety, security, and efficiency into every design, ensuring your facilities evolve with future demands. Whether creating adaptable vehicle storage areas or modernized office environments, we prioritize functionality, productivity, and long-term value. Through thoughtful spatial design and a careful understanding of context, we help safeguard your assets, reduce maintenance needs, and design places that support your mission while strengthening the communities connected to them.

Featured Projects

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Compressed bales of cardboard and aluminum cans stacked inside a recycling and materials handling facility.

27th Avenue MRF Upgrades Advance Phoenix’s Zero Waste Vision

Phoenix, AZ

Rendering of proposed rooftop theater inside the Chicago Cultural Center with tiered seating, stage, and acoustic ceiling panels.

Chicago Cultural Center Master Plan Study

Chicago, IL

Waterfront view of a domed building set along the shoreline with a city skyline in the background.

Adler Doane Observatory Renovation

Chicago, Ill.

Interactive cosmology gallery at Adler Planetarium with digital screens, exhibit stations, and low-light immersive design.

Adler Planetarium Cosmology Gallery Exhibit Design

Chicago, Ill.

People sitting and relaxing on curved wooden seating platforms in an outdoor riverwalk with trees, planters, and paved walkways.

Chicago Riverwalk Transformation

Chicago, Ill.

Aerial view of Dunkirk Park tennis and pickleball courts with parking lot, restroom building, and surrounding wooded terrain.

Dunkirk Park Tennis Complex Design and Site Engineering

Dunkirk, Md.

Rendering of an evening view of the American Magic Center showcasing illuminated façade, iconic signage, and waterfront setting.

American Magic High Performance Center

Pensacola, Fl.

New York City’s Sotomayor Houses Comprehensive Upgrade

New York City

Exterior view of Delaware State Police Troop 6 public safety facility at night with illuminated signage

New Delaware State Police Troop 6 Headquarters

Wilmington, Del.

Palm-lined waterfront walkway in Miami Beach with benches and modern lighting.

Miami Beach Hostile Vehicle Attack Vulnerability Assessment

Miami Beach, Fla.

Modern kitchen at Todt Hill Houses with stainless steel appliances, blue accent wall, and resident-selected finishes.

Inclusive and Sustainable Public Housing Transformation at Todt Hill Houses

Staten Island, NY

Fayette County Jail at dusk with exterior lights on, a mostly empty parking lot, and a highway in the background under a cloudy sky.

New Fayette County Correctional Facility

Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Employee Spotlight

Career Opportunities

Employee Spotlight

Mandar Manjarekar, PE, PMP

Man smiling on a snowy ski slope while wearing ski gear and holding poles during a winter outing.

Employee Spotlight

Stephanie Templeton, PE

A woman wearing sunglasses, smiling outside in a sage green dress with wooden fence and greenery in the background.

Employee Spotlight

Thomas Pilson

A man standing outside, wearing khaki pants and a white shirt, standing in front of a hotel.

Employee Spotlight

Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA

Featured News & INSIGHTS

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How Occupational Therapy Shapes Human-Centered Design in Architecture

A spacious airport terminal with wide corridors, bright white finishes, daylight streaming through clerestory windows, and people walking in the open area.

Post

Architecture Career Insights: Perspectives from Practicing Architects

Person walking down a bright office hallway with glass walls, meeting area, and shelving in a modern workspace.

Webcast

UPCOMING 9/24: Beyond Hollywood: The Reality of Modern Fire Protection

Silhouette of firefighter in raging flames.

Webcast

From Transportation Challenge to Civic Destination: Springfield’s Intermodal Hub

Modern transit center with a dramatic canopy roof, glass entrance, public plaza, colorful mural, and buses serving the station.

News

In The News: Strategic Design Insights for Justice Facility Security

News

In The News: Lasta Advocates for Accessibility-First Design

Leadership Team

Huzefa Irfani, AIA

Director of Architecture

Meet Huzefa

Man wearing glasses, a dark suit, and striped tie, smiling in a bright, modern office setting.

Giuseppe “Joe” Tulumello

Division President, Buildings & Places

Meet Joe

Markets & Core Services

Discover how we bring complex projects to life across various markets.

Complementary Solutions

Explore value-added solutions to complete your entire project lifecycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes GFT’s approach to civic infrastructure unique?
Our team combines integrated design, planning, and engineering expertise with deep collaboration. Our approach emphasizes community and stakeholder engagement, user experience, efficiency, and adaptability so that public infrastructure enhances quality of life well into the future.
How does GFT incorporate sustainability and future readiness?
We embed sustainability, resiliency, and energy efficiency into our planning and design processes, from modernizing outdated infrastructure to repurposing existing spaces. This supports long-term operational efficiency and reduces environmental impact.

How does GFT incorporate stakeholders into civic projects?
Our teams engage community members, stakeholders, and end users throughout planning and design to ensure civic spaces and buildings reflect the people they serve. Through workshops, interviews, and collaborative sessions, our team turns these insights into creative solutions.