John Portman & Associates, Inc. (Portman) is an internationally recognized architectural and engineering firm with offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Shanghai, China. Established in 1953, Portman has 55+ years of expertise in designing hotels, offices, universities, exhibition space, wholesale trade marts, and mixed-use urban complexes. The firm provides design services in architecture, master planning, programming, structural engineering, and project management around the world. The firm’s architecture transcends national borders by striving for universal human appeal. Portman approaches architecture as more than just the design of a building, but rather a creation of a place for people. Many features highlighted in today’s sustainable buildings have been employed in Portman designs for years. Natural lighting, the integration of nature inside and out, green roofs – these are all things indigenous to the firm’s architectural approach in the desire to engage people by delivering a sensory experience and employing meaningful, ecologically-sustainable design. The firm aspires to integrate design excellence with economic feasibility. Development knowledge and ownership interests give the firm a unique perspective on the economic aspects of the design process as it resolves how to turn visionary ideas into practical realities. John Portman & Associates designs buildings that deliver a memorable experience for the user and a sound investment for the owner/operator.