Interior Design Magazine has released the first installment of its annual two-part Giants of Design business survey, which looks at overall industry changes and how the world’s largest design firms have performed over the past year.

The “Top 100 Giants,” ranked according to reported annual fees from interiors projects, are featured in the January 2013 issue of the magazine. Interior Design’s annual business survey is conducted each October with over 2,000 design firms from the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia.

Gensler Design

The Top 10 Giants for 2013 are: Gensler, Jacobs, HOK, Perkins-Will, HBA/Hirsch Bedner Asscoiates Design Consultants, Cannon Design, Leo A Daly, Callison, Interior Architects and NBBJ.

From all indications in this year's survey, the top design firms are in the best shape since the recession, as evidenced by the following results: total top 100 giants' interiors project earnings increased 7% to $2.6 million in 2012, the highest in 4 years; Current number of design staff (11,868) is exceeding the pre-recession 2008 level of 11,708; These top giants expect their total earnings from interiors projects to grow almost 4% to $2.7 billion; For the first time in Top Giants ranking history, eight firms are based outside of the United States, including Canada (three), Hong Kong (two), the United Kingdom, Singapore and Thailand.

"The Giants list is the who's who in the interior design industry," said Cindy Allen, editor-in-chief of Interior Design. "Every year the top firms are eager to see who made the cut and who ranks on top of whom. As a bonus, we also follow the firms rising in the ranks with July's second 100 Giants. Together, they gauge how the industry is faring and heading, while celebrating the nation's best and most innovative firms."