DLR Group

What DLR Group does

DLR Group is a 100% employee-owned integrated design firm founded in 1966 in Omaha, Nebraska. The company delivers architecture, engineering, interior design, planning, and 11 specialty services (acoustic design, audiovisual systems design, experiential graphic design, high performance design, landscape architecture, lighting design, preservation, reality capture, renewables, science+technology, and theater planning) to public and private sector clients across 12 market sectors: Civic, Cultural+Performing Arts, Federal, Healthcare, Higher Education, Hospitality, Justice, K-12 Education, Mixed-Use, Sports, Infrastructure, and Workplace. The firm maintains 18+ offices across the Americas, Asia (Shanghai regional HQ established 2012), and Middle East+Africa (Dubai), serving enterprise clients that include Boeing (500+ projects over 50+ years), Cleveland Clinic, Henry Ford Health, Hilton, Marriott, Mall of America (30-year relationship), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and NIST.

The firm's offering is organized around an integrated architecture + engineering delivery model with a stated adaptive reuse methodology that achieves up to 75% carbon reduction and 1.5M+ square feet saved from demolition. Notable technical capabilities include CMMC Level I cybersecurity certification (with Level II in final-stage pursuit) required for federal defense work, a Chief Climate Officer role on the executive team, and a SBA Mentor-Protégé program with Atriax PLLC to access SDVOSB federal set-asides. Since 2021, DLR Group has executed at least eight acquisitions to add sector capabilities and offices, including Wright McGraw Beyer (healthcare/Charlotte), Bowie Gridley (education/D.C.), RossDrulisCusenbery (civic/justice), BraytonHughes (luxury interiors), Tsoi Kobus (healthcare/Boston), and Collins Cooper Carusi (Atlanta).

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional services contracts, with pricing tied to scope, complexity, and duration rather than published rate cards; federal work is procured via IDIQ contracts enabling multi-project awards. The firm practices an enterprise field sales motion with sector-specific business development leaders and horizontal segmentation across its 12 sectors. No externally disclosed revenue or ARR figure was found; one internal benchmark indicates the Texas region grew from $17.5M to $67.6M on headcount rising from 72 to 134 between 2022 and 2026.

Name

DLR Group

Legal name

DLR Group

Website

http://www.dlrgroup.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Engineering Design Services: Core revenue from integrated architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning services for buildings and infrastructure projects across multiple sectors including civic, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, justice, and federal markets
2. Specialty Design Services: Additional revenue from specialized services including acoustic design, lighting design, audiovisual systems design, experiential graphic design, theater planning, landscape architecture, preservation, reality capture, renewables, and science+technology

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DLR Group is an integrated design firm providing architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning services for new construction and adaptive reuse projects. The firm also delivers 11 specialty services including acoustic design, audiovisual systems design, experiential graphic design, high performance design, landscape architecture, lighting design, preservation, reality capture, renewables, science+technology, and theater planning, serving clients across 12 market sectors.

Product overview

DLR Group is an integrated design firm offering architecture, engineering, interior design, planning, and 11 specialty services (Acoustic Design, Audiovisual Systems Design, Experiential Graphic Design, High Performance Design, Landscape Architecture, Lighting Design, Preservation, Reality Capture, Renewables, Science+Technology, Theater Planning). The firm organizes its expertise across 12 market sectors: Civic, Cultural+Performing Arts, Federal, Healthcare, Higher Education, Hospitality, Justice, K-12 Education, Mixed-Use, Sports, Infrastructure, and Workplace. The company operates as 100% employee-owned and maintains offices in the Americas, Asia (Shanghai), and Middle East+Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Full-service architecture covering design, planning, and construction administration for buildings across all sectors served by the firm.
• Engineering Integrated engineering services including structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems design as part of the firm's integrated design practice.
• Interiors Interior design services spanning workplace, hospitality, healthcare, and educational interiors.
• Planning Master planning, campus planning, and urban design services for communities and institutions.
• Acoustic Design Architectural acoustics consulting for performance venues, educational facilities, and commercial spaces.
• Audiovisual Systems Design AV systems design for presentation, communication, and entertainment applications.
• Experiential Graphic Design Wayfinding, signage, and environmental graphic design services.
• High Performance Design Sustainable and high-performance building design focused on energy efficiency and environmental performance.
• Landscape Architecture Site design, landscape planning, and exterior environment design services.
• Lighting Design Architectural lighting design services for interior and exterior applications.
• Preservation Historic preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of historic structures.
• Reality Capture 3D scanning and reality capture services for existing conditions documentation.
• Renewables Renewable energy systems design including solar and sustainable energy solutions.
• Science+Technology Laboratory and research facility design for science and technology environments.
• Theater Planning Performing arts theater planning, stage engineering, and venue design services.
• Healthcare Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for hospital, clinic, and healthcare facility clients including Cleveland Clinic, Henry Ford Health, Duke Cancer Center, and Moffitt Cancer Center.
• Higher Education Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for university campus planning, academic buildings, and student life facilities including Vanderbilt, Florida Polytechnic, and Swarthmore College projects.
• Federal Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for federal buildings, military facilities, embassies, and government projects with CMMC Level I cybersecurity compliance.
• Cultural+Performing Arts Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for museums, performing arts centers, theaters, and cultural institutions including Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Ismaili Center Houston.
• Justice Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for correctional facilities, courthouses, detention centers, fire stations, and emergency operations centers, including the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.
• Hospitality Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for hotels, resorts, casinos, private clubs, restaurants, and spas including Hilton, Marriott, Montage International, Fairmont, Four Seasons, and Hyatt projects.
• K-12 Education Sector Design Services Sector-specific design services for elementary and secondary schools, including K-12 facilities for districts such as Compton Unified School District.
• Infrastructure Sector Design Services Sector-specific integrated design, engineering, and planning services for aviation, power generation, transportation, and grid modernization projects under the new Global Infrastructure practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 75% carbon reduction in adaptive reuse projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mainspring EnergycoreTechnology or Integration · 15 April 2026Partnership for linear generator technology as part of DLR Group's new Global Infrastructure practice. The initiative addresses growing demand for resilient infrastructure across aviation, power generation, and transportation markets.
• Regional Power AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 202610-year contract for grid modernization as part of the new Global Infrastructure practice. Partnership designed to support energy transition and transportation modernization requirements.
• Tsoi Kobus DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2025Acquisition of Boston-based Tsoi Kobus Design marking expansion of DLR Group's presence and design capabilities in the Boston market, particularly in healthcare design.
• Atriax PLLCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Mentor-Protégé relationship with Atriax PLLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, as part of SBA Mentor-Protégé Program to help SDVOSB businesses gain experience in public sector design.
• RossDrulisCusenbery (RDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2024Acquisition of Bay Area-based RDC enhancing DLR Group's civic and justice sector practices. RDC noted for civic and public safety facility design expertise.
• BraytonHughes Design StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2024Acquisition of San Francisco-based luxury interiors firm strengthening DLR Group's expertise in luxury hospitality, resort, and residential projects on the West Coast. Key members joined as principals.
• Wright McGraw Beyer Architects (WMBA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2021Acquisition of Charlotte-based healthcare design firm WMBA merging operations to form new 45-person office in Charlotte, enhancing DLR Group's healthcare design capabilities and expanding in the fast-growing Charlotte metropolitan area.
• Bowie Gridley Architects (BGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2021Acquisition of Washington D.C.-based Bowie Gridley Architects specializing in education and cultural sector projects. Expands DLR Group's expertise in K-12 education design and provides BGA employees with ownership opportunities.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner500+ projects over 50+ years shaping workplaces for Boeing's technical and knowledge workers ecosystem. Long-standing defense partnership covering diverse facility types.
• Collins Cooper Carusi ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlanta-based architecture firm acquisition as part of DLR Group's expansion strategy, investing in sustainability-focused design services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HOK: Global integrated architecture, engineering, and planning firm of comparable scale (~1,600+ staff) with a multi-sector practice spanning healthcare, education, aviation, sports, and workplace — DLR's closest one-to-one competitor in integrated design and federal work.
• Perkins&Will: Employee-owned (in part) integrated architecture firm with strong healthcare, higher education, and science+technology practices — directly comparable to DLR's healthcare and higher education studios and its integrated design ethos.
• HKS: Integrated architecture and design firm with deep healthcare (HKS is renowned for hospital design) and sports practices, plus federal exposure. Comparable sector mix and project scale to DLR.
• SmithGroup: Integrated design firm combining architecture, engineering, and planning with strong healthcare, higher education, and cultural sector practices — directly comparable integrated delivery model and similar sector emphasis to DLR.
• CannonDesign: Integrated architecture, engineering, and interior design firm with notable healthcare and science practices. Closely comparable in service mix, employee-ownership culture, and project typologies.
• Leo A Daly: Privately held integrated architecture, engineering, and interior design firm with federal, healthcare, and hospitality practices. Closely comparable firm structure, sector mix, and scale to DLR.

Broad incumbents

• Gensler: Largest global architecture and design firm with deep practice in workplace, hospitality, healthcare, and cultural sectors. Overlaps with DLR across multiple sectors but at materially larger scale and broader commercial tilt.
• Stantec: Global publicly traded design and engineering firm with strong infrastructure, water, and buildings practices. Comparable in scale and integrated services, but operates from a publicly traded platform rather than employee-owned.
• Jacobs Solutions: Global publicly traded professional services firm offering architecture, engineering, and program management across infrastructure, federal, and water markets. Overlaps with DLR on federal and infrastructure work at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• WATG: Hospitality-focused architecture and design firm with global presence. Comparable specifically to DLR's hospitality studio and luxury interiors capability (now amplified by BraytonHughes acquisition).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DLRGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/DLRGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dlrgroup

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A9 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DLR Group