Integrated design firm SmithGroup has merged with Denver-based higher-education planning company Paulien & Associates, giving the company 14 offices across the United States and China.

SmithGroup also has established higher education and health studios in its Denver office to support clients throughout the Rocky Mountain region.

Paulien & Associates is a higher-education planning firm with experience on more than 700 campuses across the United States. With a focus on academic facilities, the company provides strategic insights on campus-wide space efficiency, as well as facility programming and planning. The team also provides in-depth expertise in academic planning and policy development for higher education institutions. These services, combined with SmithGroup’s campus master planning, facility programming and design expertise, create a suite of services to address the broad needs of today’s colleges and universities.

SmithGroup and Paulien have partnered for over a decade on a rage of higher education projects across the country. The organizations have worked together on the campuses of 30 higher education institutions, including Indiana State University, Temple University, Ball State University, Augusta University, Georgetown University, California State University and Marquette University.

Paulien President Paul Leef will join SmithGroup as a vice president serving as the studio leader for Campus Strategy and Analytics. Two additional members of the Paulien leadership team, Steve Schonberger and Frank Markley, also are joining SmithGroup as principals.

“As the higher education market continues to evolve, there was a growing opportunity for SmithGroup and Paulien to work together to benefit our clients,” Leef said. “We have had a successful partnership over an extended period of time, so timing seemed right to bring these two organizations together.”