By RLPS

A feature piece from our Spring 2026 issue of the Lancaster Thriving Publication.

Founded in 1954, RLPS Architects has built its practice around organizations that exist to care for people, educate future generations, and strengthen communities. What began as a collaboration between Monroe Haak and S. Dale Kaufman on an elementary school project evolved into a firm known nationally for senior living design and regionally for education and commercial work. With its Lancaster office established in 1965 and serving as headquarters since 1975, RLPS has grown while remaining intentionally mid-sized.

The firm provides feasibility studies, master planning, architecture, and interior design services. Its client base includes senior living communities, K-12 schools, colleges, and mission-driven organizations. Choosing to remain mid-sized allows RLPS to combine personal accessibility with deep technical expertise. Many of the organizations it serves share long histories and community-focused missions, reinforcing the firm’s own values.

At the core of RLPS’s operations is its internal mission: listen, create, serve. Listening comes first. By carefully understanding a client’s long-term vision and concerns, the firm develops solutions that genuinely support their mission. That mindset is visible in projects such as Landis Place on King, Southern Market, and the Lancaster Chamber building. Each project reflects a collaborative design process shaped by stakeholders, shared ideas, and consensus-building.

Collaboration extends beyond client engagement. RLPS fosters teamwork within its offices and connects staff across locations through technology. For the Lancaster Chamber building, the design process began with an internal competition among staff teams, followed by close collaboration with the Chamber and construction manager to refine the final concept. That shared ownership continues to define the firm’s culture.

Lancaster County has shaped RLPS as much as RLPS has shaped the built environment here. The firm has called Lancaster home since 1965, building relationships and growing alongside its clients. Its average employee tenure of 12 years reflects both strong internal culture and the region’s work ethic and sense of community. Lancaster’s accessibility with proximity to major cities and transportation hubs supports RLPS’s national reach while allowing it to remain rooted locally.

Looking ahead, RLPS is focused on investing in talent and supporting thoughtful growth. Their brand promise to “Inspire People and Transform Lives” is considered with both employees and clients. Through mentorship, internships, and engagement with local colleges and trade programs at Thaddeus Stevens, the firm is committed to develop the next generation of design professionals. At the same time, it continues helping senior living communities, schools, and nonprofits plan for sustainable, phased development.

RLPS remains committed to reinvesting in the places where they live and work. Whether through partnerships, design services, or civic engagement, they want their presence in Lancaster County to strengthen the community that has supported them for decades.

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