Veteran life sciences principal to lead HFA’s expanded Science + Technology practice following HFA’s TRIA acquisition

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — HFA Architecture + Engineering announced today that Sherwood Butler has joined the employee-owned firm as Vice President. He will lead HFA’s growing Science + Technology practice following the company’s acquisition of Boston-based TRIA.

Butler co-founded TRIA (now TRIA Powered by HFA) in 2015 and helped build it into a premier life sciences design firm, known for award-winning work with clients including Moderna Therapeutics, Elevate Bio, CRISPR Therapeutics, Novartis, Biogen and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He brings 31 years of deep client relationships and vast experience in laboratory R&D, drug manufacturing and distribution facility design to his new role, noted Dave Wilgus, CEO of HFA.

“Sherwood has shown remarkable leadership at one of the most innovative design firms in the Greater Boston science and tech hub,” Wilgus said. “He shares our focus on people, which is obvious when you hear him talk about how his clients have changed the lives of patients with conditions from cystic fibrosis to Alzheimer’s disease to disabling hearing loss. We’re excited to support the science and tech industry by combining TRIA’s expertise with HFA’s integrated architecture and engineering services and national reach.”

Based in Boston, Butler and his team will continue to blend rigorous technical performance with human-centered design as they deliver state-of-the-art research and development labs, biomanufacturing facilities, and dynamic workplace environments for scientists and innovators. The addition of HFA’s integrated engineering capabilities—including mechanical, electrical and plumbing, structural, fire protection and code consulting—will bolster the speed and efficiency of these projects.

“The work we do at TRIA Powered by HFA relies heavily on our engineering partners,” Butler said. “Whether it’s making sure the proper utilities are brought to the complex lab equipment or that a roof is properly shored up for new HVAC equipment, integrated, multidisciplinary collaboration will translate directly into more value for our clients.”

That is especially important now that science and tech space is more available in Greater Boston.

Colliers, for one, reports that the metro area life sciences sector has seen more spaces being vacated than occupied or leased in six of the past seven quarters, with nearly 15 million square feet of direct space and 3.6 million square feet of sublease offerings available in Q3 2025.

“Owners are under pressure to make sure potential tenants see their buildings as the clear winner,” Butler noted. “Often the first step for us is to look at how well-designed the space was originally. The second could be to do a speculative fit-out, such as building a lab in a shell building so that potential tenants can really envision the possibilities.”

Life sciences architects increasingly coordinate with clients and their scientists to maximize every square foot of existing real estate. “We strive to understand precisely how the science is being done,” Butler said. “How are the assays being run in their labs? When you’re allocating space for a large piece of diagnostic equipment, have you thought about where the researcher will sit and review the results on a laptop?”

TRIA’s life sciences architects apply process improvement methodology such as Lean Six Sigma and rely on best practices honed over the years with efficiency-minded Fortune 500 clients such as Novartis, Takeda, Biogen, Vertex, Sanofi and Pfizer.

The analysis often leads to a focus on using design to make square footage more shareable among science teams. “When the sector was booming and space was scarcer, many companies set up separate lab services for all their different lab groups,” Butler noted. “Space sharing, when well-designed and engineered, can be much more efficient.”

About HFA Architecture + Engineering
HFA is a 100% employee-owned, multidisciplinary architecture and engineering firm with more than 30 years of experience and offices in Bentonville, Arkansas; Fort Worth, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; Springfield, Missouri; Boston and Franklin, Massachusetts, and Mexico City. With a team of 500+ professionals, HFA delivers thoughtful, client-focused design solutions across retail, hospitality, industrial, healthcare, multi-family residential, and now life sciences and technology sectors.

About TRIA Powered by HFA
Since 2015, TRIA has been at the forefront of designing the human experience toward a better future. Today, clients of the new TRIA Powered by HFA gain added architecture and engineering support and national reach while working with the same TRIA team. Rooted in strong client relationships and a deep commitment to equity, sustainability, and placemaking, TRIA brings an interdisciplinary approach that unites design excellence with robust technical expertise to deliver impactful, holistic design solutions.

Media Contacts: At Jaffe Communications, Elisa Krantz, (908) 789-0700, [email protected]

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