Company of the Month: GRLA at 50: Building on experience, planning for the future

Hopkinton, MA As Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects (GRLA) marks its 50^th anniversary in 2026, the Hopkinton firm is preparing for a planned ownership transition. Longtime leadership team members Marc DiPilato, Skye Jensen, and Chris Paszko will become partners in 2027. Co-founder Scott Richardson will retire as president at the end of 2026 and remain involved as principal emeritus, supporting the firm’s continued growth. The transition brings together experience in architectural design, business management, and building performance to guide GRLA’s next chapter.

Founded in 1976, GRLA has grown into a multidisciplinary practice of 30 people providing architecture, interior design, master planning, and building envelope consulting throughout Massachusetts and New England. Its portfolio includes academic, municipal, cultural, commercial, life sciences, multifamily residential, and institutional projects. Across these markets, the firm helps clients plan new facilities, adapt existing spaces, and address the technical challenges that affect how buildings perform over time.

Richardson, AIA, will retire from his leadership role at the end of 2026 after five decades of guiding the firm’s development. As principal emeritus, he will remain engaged in client relationships and strategic business development, supporting GRLA’s continued growth. His ongoing involvement will connect the firm’s established relationships and experience with the priorities of its incoming owners.

The new partners bring complementary perspectives to that work. DiPilato, director of architecture, contributes design leadership and experience managing longstanding client relationships. Jensen, director of finance, brings financial oversight and an understanding of the business operations that support project delivery and organizational stability. Paszko, P.E., director of building envelope sciences, contributes technical expertise in building performance and the needs of building owners maintaining and improving their facilities. Each has helped shape the practice they will now lead. GRLA will retain its established name and Hopkinton headquarters.

Longstanding relationships remain central to the firm’s work. At Natick-based Cognex Corp., DiPilato has managed projects for many years, developing familiarity with the company’s facilities and evolving needs. That continuity allows the design team to build on earlier work and approach new assignments with an understanding of the client’s operations and priorities.

GRLA’s Building Envelope Sciences (BES) team demonstrates how the practice has expanded to serve owners throughout a building’s life cycle. Established in 2003 with one staff member, the department has grown into a team of 12. Under Paszko’s direction, its services include condition assessments, failure investigations, water penetration testing, exterior building envelope design, and building envelope commissioning.

For owners and facility managers, this expertise helps identify deficiencies, prioritize capital improvements, and coordinate repairs with broader renovation goals. An investigation can establish the cause of a recurring leak, while an assessment can inform the scope and sequencing of future work. On new projects, collaboration between the architectural and BES teams brings enclosure detailing and performance considerations into the design process.

The firm’s cultural work includes the proposed International Marathon Center in Hopkinton. Working with the 26.2 Foundation, GRLA has helped translate its vision into conceptual architectural and site plans. Envisioned as a 30,000 s/f destination, the center would combine museum exhibits, a marathon hall of fame, educational programming, and gathering spaces celebrating marathoning and endurance sports. For a firm based where the Boston Marathon begins, the project connects a local community with an international audience.

As the new partners assume ownership, GRLA will continue helping clients develop new facilities, adapt existing spaces, and improve building performance. Staff development and collaboration across disciplines will support that work. Richardson’s continued involvement and the incoming partners’ experience offer clients an established team with a shared commitment to the firm’s future.