- Founded
- 1976-01-01 in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
- Headquarters
- Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
FFKR Architects is a multi-disciplinary design firm founded in 1976 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. With additional offices in St. George, Utah; Tempe, Arizona; and Boise, Idaho, the firm has grown into the largest architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and interior design practice in Utah. FFKR’s talent extends beyond traditional architecture into interior design, landscape architecture, planning, and environmental graphic design, supported by over 170 architects, designers, and support personnel. The firm serves a broad range of sectors including civic, commercial, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, K-12 education, residential living environments, religious, science and technology, and sports and entertainment. FFKR has earned a reputation for design excellence, environmental leadership, and budgetary responsibility, and has been recognized as Western Mountain Region AIA and AIA Utah Firm of the Year. Since 2024, FFKR has also expanded its reach through a collaborative merger with Boise-based erstad, strengthening its regional presence and service capabilities. To empower client decision-making, FFKR employs multiple visualization techniques—from hand sketches and 3D modeling to immersive virtual reality—allowing clients to experience spaces before construction. The firm’s portfolio includes notable projects such as Abravanel Hall, the Jerusalem Center for Near-Eastern Studies, Rice-Eccles Stadium, and the John A. Moran Eye Center.
Detailed Review
FFKR Architects was founded in 1976 by four principals: Robert A. Fowler, Franklin T. Ferguson, M. Ray Kingston, and Edward Joe Ruben. The firm’s origins trace back to ENTELEKI Architecture, Planning, Research, a practice founded in 1970 by John R. “Jack” Smith, M. Ray Kingston, and Franklin T. Ferguson in San Francisco and Salt Lake City. The name “FFKR” derives from the initials of the four founding principals.
The firm operates through three core practice areas: Architecture, Interior Design, and Planning and Landscape Architecture. Within architecture, FFKR delivers full design services across new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Interior design focuses on functional and aesthetic space planning, while landscape architecture and planning address site design, master planning, and environmental graphics. The firm also maintains a dedicated 3D Studio that produces renderings and immersive virtual reality experiences to aid design communication.
A significant recent development was the merger with erstad, a Boise-based design firm founded 28 years earlier, announced in late 2024/early 2025. The merger positions FFKR to undertake more complex projects and offer broader services across the Intermountain West.
FFKR’s website highlights a strong culture of transparency and community involvement, with a team page organized into Principals, Senior Associates, and Associates. The firm is known for its commitment to sustainable design and has received numerous regional AIA awards. Despite its size and scope, FFKR remains privately held and operates as a professional services partnership.
No evidence was found of FFKR Architects engaging in iGaming, gambling, or any B2B news database provision. The company’s core business is architectural and design services for commercial, institutional, and public-sector clients.
Key Products
Architecture Services
Full-service architecture for civic, commercial, healthcare, education, hospitality, sports, and other sectors.
Interior Design
Interior design and space planning for commercial interiors, hospitality, and other building types.
Planning and Landscape Architecture
Site planning, landscape architecture, and environmental graphic design.
3D Studio & Virtual Reality
3D modeling, rendering, and immersive VR walkthroughs to visualize design intent before construction.
Offices & Headcount
170 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
- M. Ray Kingston
Founding Principal
Recent News
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe Advances Naskila Resort & Casino Plans with Dual Architectural Partnerships
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas is developing a major casino resort on its reservation, with phases opening in late 2028 featuring 3,400 electronic bingo machines and a 366-room hotel, and has worked with both FFK.R and JCJ Architecture at different stages.
2026-07-15