SHP Celebrates 125 Years of Shaping Communities Through Architecture, Design & Engineering

SHP is officially celebrating our 125th year in business.

Since our founding in 1901 as a sole proprietorship in Hamilton, SHP has evolved into a diverse, multidisciplinary practice with five offices across Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. One constant that has endured, however, is a commitment to partnering with mission-driven clients who understand how thoughtfully designed spaces can support organizational goals and strengthen the communities they serve.

“For 125 years, SHP has worked to empower and elevate communities through the design of schools, businesses, and communal gathering spaces,” said Jeffrey Sackenheim, President and CEO of SHP. “While a lot has changed over the last century, every generation of our firm has focused on looking forward—anticipating change, embracing new ideas, and creating environments that help people feel safe, supported and inspired. This year, we’re excited to celebrate our past while continuing to build a lasting legacy in Ohio and beyond.”

With roots in southwest Ohio, SHP continues to play a significant role in shaping the Cincinnati region and beyond through work that reflects a bold and curious approach to design and a deep sense of responsibility to the communities it serves. Since 2020, our firm has worked extensively with the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library system on its Next Generation Library initiative; SHP has also partnered with more than 150 educational clients on master planning initiatives, new facilities, and additions and renovations over the last decade.

SHP’s regional impact extends to private schools like The Summit Country Day School, Seven Hills School, Elder High School, La Salle High School and Stephen T. Badin High School, as well as community-based partners including Cincinnati Museum Center, People Working Cooperatively, OneQuest Health and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati. The firm has also collaborated with multiple workplace clients, including Tire Discounters and Curiosity.

SHP is among the eldest 1% of architecture firms nationwide, and its longevity is matched by a continued record of innovation and professional recognition. In 2025, our firm received an AIA Ohio Honor Award for our work on the Forest Park Branch of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, as well as two Cincinnati Design Awards. SHP also received the 2023 James D. MacConnell Award, widely regarded as the most prestigious international honor for school planning and design, for the new Winton Woods City School District campus. These honors reflect the firm’s long-standing commitment to thoughtful leadership, community engagement and design excellence.

As SHP celebrates its 125th anniversary, the firm does so with gratitude—for our clients, partners and communities—and with a continued commitment to leading the profession through innovative strategies, thoughtful design and a focus on “simply helping people.”