Our Story

Imagine. Create. Improve.

Our mission: to invent a better way of living. Founded in 1938 by two architects with a shared passion for ingenuity, diversity, and empathy, Cushing Terrell empowers its team members to discover imaginative, responsible, first-of-their-kind environments. By integrating architecture, engineering, and design, our knowledge-driven process opens doors for transformative thought and enhanced creativity.

We design systems and spaces that help people live their best lives, achieve their visions, and enjoy healthy, sustainable built environments. We find joy in uncovering thoughtful solutions for the people who work here, the people we work for, and the planet as a whole. Our broad range of specialized service offerings and global project locations make every day unique, and a love for exploring new frontiers is what keeps the pioneering spirit of our practice alive.

Markets We Serve

Commercial design for this mid-rise tower, the Eighth & Main Building, in downtown Boise, Idaho

Commercial

We aim to inspire interaction, motivation, and team member satisfaction in every commercial environment -- from corporate offices to financial institutions, corporate developments, industrial spaces, community centers and more.

Education design (school library) for Bigfork High School in Bigfork, Montana

Education

We are convinced of and inspired by the inherent connections between the schools we design and the people who teach and learn within their walls. Our educational design encourages student flexibility, collaboration, and active learning.

Government design for Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Education Center in Soldotna, Alaska

Government

Our diverse governmental team provides a wide range of professional services -- including planning, budgeting, documentation, analysis, and design -- to the full spectrum of public agencies at the local, state, and national levels.

Healthcare design of patient rooms at Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana

Healthcare

Improving the lives of patients and caregivers is paramount. We reimagine healing environments to provide inspirational designs emphasizing sustainability and wellness, and to deliver service allowing our clients to focus on their patients.

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Infrastructure

We specialize in renewable energy generation, microgrids, land development, bridge design, and water and wastewater design. Our goal is to provide cost-effective, efficient, and technically advanced solutions.

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Multi-Family + Mixed-Use

Increasingly the way we live and interact with each other is evolving within our urban environments. Mixed-use developments bring vibrancy and expressiveness to the neighborhoods in which they reside.

Design of a breathtaking custom home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Residential

No matter the size, shape, or unique functionality, we believe residential design is about realizing clients' dreams while ensuring final products mesh with their surroundings and perform at the highest levels.

Retail design for Metropolitan Market in Sammamish, Washington

Retail

Facilitating relationships by encouraging shared experiences, we design through the study of human behaviors and observing the way people use social spaces. We believe in the power of retail in its many forms to bring people together.

Sustainable Practice

Recognizing the impact development has on our world, Cushing Terrell is compelled to be a responsible steward of the environment, reducing our own footprint and that of our clients. This commitment to sustainable design and sustainable operations is reinforced through:

  • Firm-wide Sustainable Design Initiative that aligns with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence and is applicable to all projects.
  • SME Climate Commitment/UN Race to Zero Participant.
  • Partner in the Material Bank carbon neutral sampling program.
  • Green Advocacy Council to ensure sustainable thought, action, and education are embedded in our culture and work.
  • Sustainable Policy Champions who support sustainability at the local level and host “green” design solution charrettes.

A Forever DEI Journey

Cushing Terrell is committed to pursuing, achieving, and preserving a culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion – within our firm, partnerships, communities, and the places we design. We are invested in expanding awareness of different lived experiences, building capacity for understanding and mutual respect, and implementing practices that uphold our commitments.

Where To Find Us

MONTANA

COLORADO
Denver

IDAHO
Boise

LOUISIANA
New Orleans

MINNESOTA
Minneapolis

TEXAS
Austin

WASHINGTON
Seattle

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