Every company has moments that define its future. For Pendulum Studio, one of those moments arrived on July 1, 2020, when Jonathan O’Neil Cole acquired the remaining 49 percent ownership of the firm, transitioning Pendulum from majority ownership to complete stewardship. What might appear on paper as a business transaction was, in reality, a declaration of vision, responsibility, and belief in what Pendulum could become.
Founded in 2007, Pendulum built its reputation through thoughtful design and a growing presence within the sports architecture industry. By 2020, however, the opportunity was no longer simply to continue building successful projects. The opportunity was to redefine what the practice itself could be.
Over the past six years, that vision has unfolded with remarkable clarity
Pendulum has expanded beyond its Kansas City roots into Baltimore, Maryland, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina, establishing regional studios that allow the firm to better serve clients while remaining deeply connected to local communities. At the same time, the studio has strengthened its position as one of the nation’s respected voices in sports architecture while intentionally broadening its expertise into adjacent civic, cultural, residential, and community-focused markets. Diversification has become a strategic pillar, creating resilience while opening new opportunities for creativity and impact. That same philosophy of growth has extended well beyond architecture itself.
The three interconnected bubbles that define Pendulum’s identity continue to represent the firm’s foundation: people, sports, and civic spaces. Together, they embody the belief that meaningful design exists at the intersection of human experience, community, and performance.
From the heart of those three bubbles, new ideas have emerged
Vault represents the center of Pendulum’s ecosystem. More than a fashion label, it is an expression of the firm’s lifestyle and creative culture, celebrating movement through motorsports, art, travel, culinary experiences, and the curiosity that fuels innovation. It reminds us that inspiration is rarely confined to the office or the drafting table.
That same spirit of making inspired the creation of Pendulum Industrial Works. With the acquisition of a 7,000-square-foot fabrication facility, Pendulum gained the ability to transform ideas into physical reality. Today, the shop serves as a place where concepts are prototyped, fabricated, tested, refined, and ultimately brought to life. It is the physical manifestation of the studio’s belief that great ideas deserve to be built, not simply imagined.
The next chapter has already begun
Looking ahead, July 1 serves as more than an anniversary. It is a reminder that leadership is measured not by ownership alone, but by the willingness to accept complete responsibility for a vision and the courage to continually evolve while remaining grounded in purpose.
That same mindset has also created the freedom to pursue ideas beyond the boundaries of traditional architectural practice. Over the past six years, Pendulum has expanded from a design studio into a platform for research, fabrication, and product development, where new concepts can be tested at full scale. The Pendulum Bubble is perhaps the clearest expression of that evolution, demonstrating how thoughtful design can address some of society’s most pressing challenges while remaining grounded in craftsmanship, adaptability, and the belief that small ideas, executed exceptionally well, can create lasting change.
The journey from 51 percent to 100 percent ownership was never about possessing a company. It was about embracing the responsibility to shape its future. Six years later, Pendulum stands as a more diversified, more capable, and more ambitious organization than ever before, with its sights firmly set on the opportunities that lie ahead.
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