Gould Evans

About Gould Evans

Gould Evans is an employee-owned American architecture and design collective that now practises under the name Multistudio. The firm rebranded in 2022, describing Multistudio as the evolution of Gould Evans rather than a replacement, and its current website operates at multi.studio.

The practice comprises roughly 160 employee-owners and positions its diversity of thought, people and disciplines as the mechanism for reimagining place and unlocking economic, social and environmental transformation. In 2025 The Architect's Newspaper recognised the approach with a Best of Practice award, citing collaboration across practices rooted in place.

History

The firm was founded in Lawrence, Kansas in 1974 by Bob Gould and Dave Evans, two University of Kansas classmates who shared an interest in vernacular architecture and design. From that single Kansas studio it has grown into a five-studio national practice while retaining employee ownership, and has collected more than 650 national and regional design awards.

Studios

Multistudio operates from five locations: Kansas City in Missouri, Lawrence in Kansas, New Orleans in Louisiana, Phoenix in Arizona and San Francisco in California. The spread across the Midwest, Gulf South and West Coast gives the practice exposure to markedly different climates, building cultures and regulatory environments.

Sectors

• Higher education and PreK-12 education – a core strength, spanning university campuses and school buildings.
• Healthcare – clinical and health facilities.
• Cultural and civic – public buildings and community institutions.
• Justice – courts and justice facilities, a specialism few design firms carry.
• Workplace and interiors – office design and interior architecture.
• Mixed-use and urban development – larger development projects.
• City design – planning and urban-scale strategy.
• Science and technology – research and technical facilities.
• Sports and recreation – athletic and recreational buildings.
• Brand experience and research – graphic and experiential design alongside applied research.

Recent work includes Phoenix Central Station and the Navarre Stadium press box and suites at McNeese State University.

Values

Four principles guide the practice. Design is in everything the firm does, from daily operations to project execution, and successful design is defined as prioritising health and wellbeing, minimising environmental impact and remaining adaptable to change. Humbly engage many reflects the belief that diverse input produces more enduring and equitable designs. Practice thoughtfully and thoroughly treats each project's geographical, social, cultural and economic context as the guide. Make possibility a reality frames the studio as a catalyst for community impact and a partner in expressing client values.

Equity and Inclusion

The firm has built formal structures around equity rather than treating it as a statement. Its E3 committee, established in 2011, educates, engages and elevates conversations across race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age and family circumstances, and supports internal mentorship and licensure programmes. An Advisory Council created in 2020 works with the Board of Directors on policy and practice.

Multistudio has set a specific goal of increasing representation of Black architects and designers, noting that only two per cent of licensed architects in the United States were Black in 2021, and partners with the National Organization of Minority Architects and Historically Black Colleges and Universities to widen its candidate pool. It conducts annual compensation reviews across regions and disciplines, with biennial blind salary equity audits checking for unconscious pay discrepancies by gender or race.

Sustainability

The practice has committed to working toward a carbon-free future, published an inaugural State of Sustainability report in December 2024, and aims to incorporate the AIA Committee on the Environment Framework for Design Excellence into its standard process. Project-level work focuses on energy and water use reduction and on healthy, low-carbon materials, while internal measures include remote work options and procurement from local and green businesses.

Why Gould Evans Matters to the AEC Industry

Gould Evans, as Multistudio, is a useful example of a mid-sized employee-owned practice competing on breadth rather than signature style. Its combination of education, healthcare, justice and civic work gives it deep experience in publicly funded projects where community engagement and long-term durability matter more than image. For firms working on their own equity and sustainability commitments, its published mechanisms, including blind pay audits, an advisory council and a formal sustainability report, provide a concrete model rather than an aspiration.