McKinney York Architects

What McKinney York Architects does

McKinney York Architects is an Austin, Texas-based, privately held professional services firm founded in 1983 by Heather H. McKinney, FAIA, LEED AP. The firm delivers concept-driven architectural services across five integrated modules: core Architectural Design Services, supplemented by Interiors, Identity (brand-integration), Visioning (pre-design planning, master planning, feasibility), and Insights (research and thought leadership). It is a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and a signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment and AIA Materials Pledge, with operational priorities on operational carbon, embodied carbon, indoor air quality, and resilience.

The firm serves civic, higher education, K-12, religious, commercial, residential, and museum/cultural clients. Anchor relationships include the University of Texas at Austin (multiple Hogg Memorial Auditorium, College of Education, and student center projects with LEED Platinum outcomes), Austin ISD (Sánchez Elementary, Allison Elementary), Texas Facilities Commission (Texas State Library, Travis Building), City of Austin (Montopolis Recreation and Community Center, shelters, convention center improvements), Frost Bank (regional headquarters and branch work), and Community First! Village (micro houses). Distribution is direct, project-based, regional (Central Texas), with selective joint-venture capture (most notably with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill on the Austin-Bergstrom airport expansion) and design/build partnerships with firms such as BEC Austin.

The firm is led by Founder/Design Principal Heather H. McKinney (UPenn M.Arch) and President/Principal Michelle Rossomando (UT Austin M.Arch), with Principals Brian Carlson and Navvab Taylor (now Partner), Associate Principal Aaron Taylor, and a senior associate bench. The team totals roughly 30 architects, holds 31 cumulative AIA and TxA Design Awards, and earned the Texas Society of Architects Firm of the Year in 2013. Pricing is opaque; fees are quoted per project via direct business inquiry, consistent with a professional services, project-based revenue model with no recurring subscription or product revenue.

Name

McKinney York Architects

Legal name

McKinney York Architects

Website

https://mckinneyyork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McKinney York Architects is an Austin-based architecture firm, founded in 1983, providing concept-driven, sustainability-focused design across civic, higher education, K-12, religious, commercial, residential, and cultural sectors for institutional and public-sector clients in Central Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Commercial architecture
• Higher education design
• Civic architecture
• Interior architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural firm providing design services for civic, commercial, higher education, religious, and residential projects. Revenue generated through professional fees for architectural services, typically percentage of construction cost or fixed fee arrangements for projects of varying scope and complexity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

McKinney York Architects is a privately held, women-owned architecture firm based in Austin, Texas, providing architectural design services across civic, commercial, higher education, religious, and residential sectors. The firm offers integrated services including architectural design, interior design, brand identity, and pre-design visioning and programming for institutional and corporate clients.

Product overview

McKinney York Architects is an architecture and design firm offering a unified service model centered on concept-driven architectural design. The core offering is comprehensive architectural services spanning civic, commercial, higher education, religious, and residential sectors. These are supplemented by four service modules: Interiors (interior design and branded environments), Identity (brand integration into architecture), Visioning (pre-design planning and master planning), and Insights (thought leadership and research). The firm is led by Founder Heather H. McKinney, FAIA, LEED AP and President Michelle Rossomando, AIA, RID, and has been recognized with 31 AIA and TxA Design Awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services
• Interiors
• Identity
• Visioning

Quantifiable outcome

• LEED Platinum certification achieved for Hogg Memorial Auditorium renovation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025McKinney York Architects joined SOM-led team to design the new Arrivals and Departures Hall at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. This represents a significant collaboration with a globally renowned architecture firm on a major civic infrastructure project.
• Texas Facilities CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for state government facilities including Texas State Library and Archives Commission, William B. Travis Building Renovation, and North Austin Complex. Multiple projects across educational and civic sectors.
• Austin Independent School District (AISD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with AISD for school modernization projects including Sánchez Elementary School (TxA Design Award 2024) and Allison Elementary School. Multiple campus projects demonstrating design excellence in educational environments.
• BEC Austin (Builder's Enterprise & Community)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign/build partnership with BEC Austin for Community First! Village micro house projects. BEC Austin serves as general contractor on community-focused affordable housing projects.
• College of Natural Sciences at UT AustinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UT Austin College of Natural Sciences on multiple projects including Dinosaur Trackways Building and ongoing work at the school. Lu Zhang leads projects for this client.
• City of AustincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with City of Austin for public projects including Convention Center improvements, Montopolis Recreation Center, Domestic Violence Shelter, and Women and Children's Shelter. Multiple city departments served.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BNIM: Mid-sized architecture firm with a national reputation for sustainability leadership and civic/educational project work. Comparable in scale, design philosophy, and commitment to high-performance and community-engaged design.
• Lake|Flato Architects: San Antonio-based architecture firm of comparable size with a similarly strong civic, educational, and sustainability-focused portfolio. Both firms emphasize concept-driven design, LEED/sustainability leadership, and recognition through AIA awards in the Texas market.
• Page (Page Southerland Page): Long-established Austin architecture firm with deep higher education, civic, and healthcare portfolios. Competes directly with McKinney York for institutional commissions in the Austin/Texas market and shares a similar commitment to sustainable design practice.
• STG Design: Austin-based architecture practice with comparable scale, active in higher education, civic, and commercial projects. Direct competitor for Texas-region institutional commissions and similar award-driven positioning.
• Overland Partners: San Antonio/Texas architecture firm with strong civic, cultural, and education portfolios and a similar emphasis on award-winning design. Competes in the same Texas institutional and civic market segment.
• SmithGroup: National architecture firm with strong higher education, civic, and sustainability practices. Similar in scale and project-type mix, and a competitor on larger Texas-region institutional RFPs.
• KieranTimberlake: Mid-sized design firm known for research-driven, sustainability-focused architecture across civic and education projects. Comparable in size, design philosophy, and pursuit of rigorous, research-based practice.

Broad incumbents

• HKS: Large Dallas-headquartered global architecture firm with deep higher education, healthcare, and civic practices. Represents broader competitive context and a firm McKinney York may face on larger Texas public commissions.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design leader with a large Austin presence. Competes on commercial and workplace commissions and represents the broader-incumbent competitive context for corporate interiors and large commercial work.
• Perkins&Will: Large global architecture firm with strong higher education and civic practices and a leadership position in LEED/sustainability. Represents broader-incumbent competitive context for larger Texas institutional RFPs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/McKinneyYorkArchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2312071
• Instagraminstagram.com/mckinneyyorkarchitects
• Xx.com/mckinneyyork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about McKinney York Architects