SAN FRANCISCO-Two western firms committed to sustainableurban design have merged. Mithun, aSeattle-based architecture, landscape architecture, planning andinterior-design firm, and San Francisco-based DanielSolomon Design Partners, internationally known forplace-based urban design and housing, have combined forces. Theintegrated team of Mithun architects, landscape architects, urbandesigners, planners and interior designers will operate asMithun/Solomon.

DSDP will merge into the existing Mithun SanFrancisco office at 660 Market St. here thismonth; Mithun will retain its name outside the Mithun/Solomonoffice. DSDP’s three principals, Daniel Solomon, AnneTorney and John Ellis, become partners atMithun in joining San Francisco-based Mithun principalsSandy Mendler, Antonio Pares andRoger Gula.

The merger is intended to elevate the venture’s capabilities indesign for urban residential,mixed-use, office, civic,cultural, academic and institutional clients to meet the demand forlivable, sustainable cities worldwide. “This merger reinforcesMithun’s commitment to urbanism and urban housing as a keycomponent of a healthy world,” said Bert Gregory,chairman and CEO of Mithun, in a prepared statement. “We haverespected Solomon’s work for years, and as the merger discussionunfolded, we discovered a deeply held, shared commitment to livablecommunities, to human and natural system health and to clientservice across private, institutional, non-profit and publicsectors.”