John McNulty, Founding Principal of MBH Architects, was honored as one of the five new legionaries inducted into the esteemed Retail Design Legion of Honor during the Institute’s 52nd International Design Awards program. The ceremony took place on Tuesday, October 10th, in New York City.

Accepting the prestigious Legion of Honor Medal on behalf of his father was Ryan McNulty, who shared John’s humble sentiments that this award is not just about him but a reflection of the entire MBH team and its partners and clients. John McNulty expressed his gratitude for the privilege of collaborating with such exceptional individuals and acknowledged their collective effort in achieving this recognition, stating, “I am very honored by this accolade, but I am most proud of what our MBH team has achieved together, with our clients, the many talented consultants, and the accomplished artisans and builders who have brought all our ideas to life.”

Drawing from his experience at Gensler, John McNulty founded MBH Architects with a strong emphasis on developing talent from within and fostering a culture of teamwork and effective communication. These principles have enabled MBH to better serve its clients and have been instrumental in the company’s success.

Ken Nisch, AIA, FRDI, Chairman of the Legion of Honor, highlighted the significance of this recognition, commenting, “While much of our industry’s recognition focuses on project achievements, the Legion of Honor takes into account a 360-degree view of professional, industry, and personal accomplishments. This year’s class represents diverse career settings, geographies, and expertise.”

MBH Architects’ commitment to understanding the unique needs and goals of each client has further solidified its position as a leading retail architecture firm. Its dedication to excellence has led to the recognition of being ranked #6 in Building Design + Construction‘s Top Retail Architecture firms for 2023.

About the Legion of Honor:

In 2001, recognizing the retail design profession was driven not by business executives but by visionary designers, the Retail Design Institute established the Retail Design Legion of Honor. Since that time, the Institute has inducted 42 legionaries, nominated by Professional members of the Institute, for their contributions to Retail Design.

Notable inductees include Raymond Loewy and Bill Snaith (posthumously), who established themselves and their firms as leading product and store designers. Larry Israel was responsible for the open floor plan, while Dick Shipley was the pioneer of the total environmental design we practice today. Later, Jim Terrell, Ed Hambrecht, and Ken Walker would distinguish retail selling spaces they designed by way of interior architecture. Dudley Pope of Rich’s, Harry Le Grand, Myer Grace Brothers, and Barbara D’Arcy, Bloomingdale’s, put their respective stores into the record books. Alton Doody added marketing research and branding to our discipline.

About MBH Architects:

For over three decades, MBH Architects, headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been a trusted partner for clients seeking top-tier services in architecture, interior design, master-planning, and environmental graphic and fixture design. MBH’s core areas of expertise encompass the retail, hospitality, commercial, life sciences and mixed-use markets, helping clients grow brands, complete renovation projects, and facilitate planning for stand-alone destinations, multi-level stores, flagship locations, lifestyle centers, traditional malls, and other large-scale projects. MBH continues to reinvent itself with new architecture for brands like Bucherer, Allbirds, Tiffany & Co., and Target. MBH Architects was ranked #6 in Building Design + Construction‘s Top Retail Architecture firms for 2023.

Spanning the United States and India, and bolstered by strategic design partnerships worldwide, MBH Architects offers the unparalleled services of a mid-sized firm on a global scale with a portfolio of over 10,000 projects spanning 96 countries.

About the Retail Design Institute

The Retail Design Institute is the retail industry’s creative professionals, founded in 1961 as a collaborative community where ideas, knowledge sharing, and commitment, inspire members to invest collaboratively in the fast-paced planning and design needs of retail.

Feature Image Courtesy of Richard Caden Photography