Mass Design Group
MASS Design Group is a nonprofit architecture firm headquartered in Poughkeepsie, NY that designs memorials, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and cultural spaces for mission-aligned nonprofits, governments, and universities across the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Mass Design Group does
MASS Design Group is a nonprofit architecture firm headquartered in Poughkeepsie, New York, founded in 2008 and operating with 11–50 employees. The firm provides architecture and design services focused on humanitarian, social-justice, and community-impact projects, including memorials, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and cultural spaces. Notable commissioned work spans the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (Alabama), The Embrace on Boston Common, the Butaro District Hospital (Rwanda), the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (Rwanda), the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, the African Leadership University (Kigali), the Presidio Tunnel Tops (San Francisco, $98M project value), and the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center (Liberia).
The firm's underlying methodology combines multidisciplinary collaboration, regenerative practices, and community-centered design, with technical specialization in healthcare infection-control design (originating at Butaro) and passive building standards. It extends beyond traditional architecture services into knowledge products — including the book 'Seeking Abundance' by principals Alan Ricks and Sierra Bainbridge (ORO Editions) and the 'Abundant Futures / Live' cultural convening platform, hosted at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, with GBH as media partner.
MASS operates on a nonprofit revenue model combining fee-for-service design commissions with donations and grants (the firm maintains a dedicated donate page) and book/event revenue. Its go-to-market is community-led: projects are secured through competitive design awards, invited competitions, and direct relationships with mission-aligned clients — primarily social-justice nonprofits, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and government/municipal entities — across the United States and sub-Saharan Africa.
Mass Design Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mass Design Group
- Legal name
- MASS Design Group
- Website
- https://massdesigngroup.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- MASS Design Group is a nonprofit architecture firm headquartered in Poughkeepsie, NY that designs memorials, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and cultural spaces for mission-aligned nonprofits, governments, and universities across the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mass Design Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Mass Design Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mass Design Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Design Services: MASS generates revenue through architecture and design services for commissioned projects including memorials, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and community spaces. As a nonprofit, they likely combine fee-for-service work with grants and donations.
- Book Sales: The firm publishes books such as 'Seeking Abundance' by Alan Ricks and Sierra Bainbridge through ORO Editions, generating revenue from book sales.
- Donations and Grants: As a registered nonprofit organization, MASS accepts donations and applies for grants to support operations and specific projects. The website includes a dedicated donate page.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
Mass Design Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mass Design Group is a nonprofit architecture firm providing architectural and design services for humanitarian, social justice, healthcare, educational, and community-impact projects. The firm delivers design work for memorials, hospitals, educational campuses, and cultural spaces for institutional clients including governments, universities, and major nonprofits across the US, Rwanda, Liberia, and other locations.
Product overview
MASS Design Group is a nonprofit architecture firm offering design and architectural services focused on humanitarian and social justice projects. The firm works on memorials, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and cultural spaces. The portfolio includes projects such as the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, The Embrace monument in Boston, and the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. The firm also publishes books (Seeking Abundance) and hosts cultural events (Abundant Futures / Live) to advance its mission of socially conscious architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architecture and Design Services Architectural and design services focused on humanitarian, social justice, healthcare, educational, and community-impact projects. Delivered for institutional clients including governments, universities, healthcare systems, and major nonprofits across the US and internationally.
- Seeking Abundance (Book) Published book by Alan Ricks and Sierra Bainbridge that articulates the firm's philosophy on architecture as a means to restore balance through multidisciplinary collaboration, regenerative practices, and community engagement.
Quantifiable outcome
- Phius 2025 Passive Projects Design Competition recognition for energy-efficient construction standards
Companies that use Mass Design Group
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mass Design Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Mass Design Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GBHminorGBH served as the exclusive public media partner for MASS's Abundant Futures/Live cultural event held at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. This partnership provided media coverage and promotional support for the event featuring performances, keynote talks, and breakout sessions.
- City of PoughkeepsiecoreMASS is working with the City of Poughkeepsie to explore repurposing the decommissioned municipal cistern into a public cultural performance venue. The estimated $6 million project would transform the 36,000-square-foot underground space.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Mass Design Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SHoP Architects: SHoP is a high-profile architecture practice with deep civic, institutional, and large-scale public-sector work (e.g., Barclays Center). Comparable to MASS in pursuit of complex, mission-driven institutional commissions and reputational ambition across mixed-use and civic typologies.
- Snøhetta: Snøhetta is an architecture and design firm with a strong cultural, civic, and social-impact orientation (libraries, memorials, cultural centers). Comparable to MASS in prioritizing cultural and civic projects over pure commercial real estate and in publishing thought leadership as part of its brand.
- Studio Gang: Studio Gang (Jeanne Gang) is an architecture practice emphasizing community-centered civic work (e.g., Writers Theatre, Natural History Museum expansion). Comparable to MASS in targeting culturally significant civic commissions and using community engagement as a differentiator.
- Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): BIG is a high-profile, brand-led architecture practice delivering civic, cultural, and institutional commissions globally. Comparable to MASS in reputation-driven project selection, celebrity-founder profile, and pursuit of large institutional commissions.
- KieranTimberlake: KieranTimberlake is a research-driven architecture firm with strong work in civic, educational, and sustainable design. Comparable to MASS in emphasizing performance-driven design and thought leadership beyond conventional architectural practice.
- WXY Architecture + Urban Design: WXY is an architecture and urban design practice with strong civic and community-focused work in the Northeast U.S. Comparable to MASS in community-engagement methodology and a focus on civic infrastructure, though smaller in geographic reach.
Broad incumbents
- Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a large architecture firm with active healthcare, education, and civic practices. Comparable to MASS as a competitor for healthcare and institutional commissions, though it operates as a broad incumbent for-profit firm rather than a focused nonprofit specialist.
- HOK: HOK is a large, multi-disciplinary design firm with significant healthcare, civic, and institutional practices. Comparable to MASS as a competitor for large nonresidential commissions, with the relative scale to absorb projects MASS cannot due to headcount constraints.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mass Design Group social profiles
Digital presenceMass Design Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mass Design Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Mass Design Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mass Design Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mass Design Group
What does Mass Design Group do?
Mass Design Group is a nonprofit architecture firm providing architectural and design services for humanitarian, social justice, healthcare, educational, and community-impact projects. The firm delivers design work for memorials, hospitals, educational campuses, and cultural spaces for institutional clients including governments, universities, and major nonprofits across the US, Rwanda, Liberia, and other locations.
Is Mass Design Group a public or private company?
Mass Design Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Mass Design Group founded?
Mass Design Group was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mass Design Group based?
Mass Design Group is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mass Design Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Design Services are the primary driver. The others are book Sales and donations and Grants.
Who are Mass Design Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SHoP Architects, Snøhetta, Studio Gang, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), KieranTimberlake and WXY Architecture + Urban Design. Broad incumbents are Perkins&Will and HOK.
Does Mass Design Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mass Design Group.
What industry is Mass Design Group in?
Mass Design Group's product category is Architectural Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 1540.