KZF Design

What KZF Design does

KZF Design Inc. is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and design firm founded on March 1, 1956. The firm employs more than 90 professionals across architecture, civil/electrical/mechanical/plumbing/structural engineering, interior design, urban planning, and landscape architecture, delivering integrated design services from a single LEED Gold and ENERGY STAR certified office in downtown Cincinnati. Its service portfolio includes assessments, BIM, code evaluation, conceptual and design/build delivery, construction administration, renderings/3D imaging, space planning, lighting design, FF&E selection, master planning, GIS mapping, public engagement, transportation planning, and sustainability-focused design.

KZF's go-to-market is relationship-based, direct-to-client engagement targeting federal, state, and local government agencies, higher education institutions, healthcare systems, commercial and industrial corporations, and mixed-use real estate developers — primarily in the greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region with select national work. Named project work spans University of Cincinnati facilities, AtriCure's $15M headquarters expansion, St. Elizabeth's $25M Heart & Vascular Institute, the City of Covington's $50M Central Riverfront Phase 2, Hills Properties' $50M Vantage at Towne Center, a 200,000 SF UGN manufacturing facility, and Volvo Trucks' Customer Experience Center, among others. Revenue is generated through project-based professional fees across the firm's core disciplines; specific rates are not publicly disclosed.

The firm has invested in technology differentiation through integrated BIM workflows and proprietary drone-enabled site survey services (Seymour) for high-resolution photography, thermal imaging, 3D modeling, and topographic mapping. In June 2025, Brightstar Capital Partners acquired KZF Design in a private equity transaction (price undisclosed), with Doug Marsh continuing as President & CEO; the sponsor has signaled an intent to accelerate growth via acquisitions, geographic expansion, and service scaling. The firm celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2026 alongside a series of senior leadership promotions.

Name

KZF Design

Legal name

KZF Design Inc.

Website

https://kzf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

KZF Design is a Cincinnati-based multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, interior design, urban planning, and landscape architecture firm founded in 1956, serving government, education, healthcare, and commercial clients primarily in Ohio with national reach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture & Engineering Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Engineering consulting services
• Interior design services
• Urban planning services
• Landscape architecture design

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architecture Services: Project-based professional fees for architectural design services including assessments, BIM, code evaluation, conceptual design, construction administration, cost estimates, design/build delivery, renderings, and specifications
2. Engineering Services: Civil, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and structural engineering services delivered in-house alongside architecture team
3. Interior Design Services: Interior design services including space planning, workplace tuning, signage, branding, furniture selection, and FFE coordination
4. Urban Planning & Landscape Architecture: Master planning, feasibility studies, GIS mapping, design guidelines, public engagement, transportation planning, and urban design services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

KZF Design is a multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and planning firm that delivers integrated design services for buildings, sites, and communities. Its services span architecture, civil/electrical/mechanical/plumbing/structural engineering, interior design, urban planning, landscape architecture, and sustainability consulting. The firm serves government, education, healthcare, commercial, and community clients primarily in the greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region with projects nationally.

Product overview

KZF Design is a multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and planning firm offering integrated design services. The core offerings include Architecture Services (assessments, BIM, design/build delivery, 3D renderings), Engineering Services (civil, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, structural delivered in-house), Interior Design Services (space planning, lighting, FF&E), Urban Planning Services (master planning, GIS, public engagement), Landscape Architecture Services, and Sustainability Services. The firm's integrated approach brings architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects and urban planners together under one roof to deliver cohesive, client-centered solutions across diverse markets including commercial, workplace, education, healthcare, industrial, government, and community infrastructure projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural design including assessments, Building Information Modeling (BIM), code evaluation, conceptual design studies, construction administration, cost estimates, design/build project delivery, facility security, renderings and 3D imaging, specifications, and tenant fit-up, delivered for public and private sector clients.
• Engineering Services
• Interior Design Services
• Urban Planning Services
• Landscape Architecture Services Landscape architecture services including parks, streetscapes, and outdoor space design, performed by KZF Design Associates, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary.
• Sustainability Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 34+ consecutive years named Interior Design Giant by Interior Design magazine
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• WSPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKZF Design collaborated with WSP on the Fort Washington Way Overbuild project, a plan to deck over the freeway and reconnect downtown Cincinnati to the Ohio River. WSP previously worked with KZF on the original Fort Washington Way reconfiguration over 20 years ago.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP: Global professional services firm with major U.S. infrastructure and buildings practices — directly comparable to KZF on engineering integration, and specifically named as KZF's collaborator on the Fort Washington Way Overbuild, signaling both partnership and competitive overlap in the Midwest.
• Moody Nolan: Large Ohio-headquartered (Columbus) architecture firm with broad national reach across sports, education, healthcare, and workplace markets — operates in the same Midwest ecosystem but at meaningfully larger scale and wider geographic footprint than KZF.
• Stantec: Global design and engineering consultancy with significant Midwest presence offering architecture, engineering, and interior design across KZF's same verticals — overlaps as a much larger incumbent that competes (and partners) with KZF on regional mega-projects like Fort Washington Way.

Direct peers

• RATIO Architects: Indianapolis-based integrated design firm of similar size providing architecture, interior design, landscape, and planning services — directly comparable peer with a comparable Midwest geographic center of gravity and horizontal market mix.
• Champlin Architecture: Indiana-headquartered architecture and engineering firm offering integrated design across education, civic, healthcare, and workplace markets — closely comparable to KZF in size, Midwest regional footprint, and multidisciplinary A/E delivery model.
• BHDP: Cincinnati-based architecture, engineering, and interior design firm of comparable scale and full-service multidisciplinary model — directly comparable horizontal A/E peer competing for many of the same institutional clients in KZF's home market.
• TowerPinkster: Michigan-based integrated architecture, engineering, and interior design firm of similar size serving education, government, healthcare, and workplace markets — directly comparable in scale, services mix, and Midwest regional focus.

Regional players

• Kleingers Group: Dayton, Ohio-based multidisciplinary firm providing civil engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, and surveying — comparable in scale and regional Midwest positioning, with adjacent rather than identical service mix (heavier civil/land surveying tilt).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kzfdesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/kzfdesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kzf-design

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 KZF Design