What Studio ARQ does

Studio ARQ is a Chicago-based, privately held architectural firm founded in 2008 that delivers integrated design-to-build services across civic, healthcare, residential, commercial, and aviation sectors. The firm organizes its offerings around four service pillars — Design (creative vision and space planning), Craft (construction execution), Connect (client collaboration), and Plan (project management, budgeting, and grant administration) — supplemented by Build and Represent (owner representation) capabilities. Its client base comprises public agencies, non-profit organizations, healthcare providers, and private owners, with notable engagements including Chicago Public Schools facilities (Dirksen and Ebinger Elementary), municipal infrastructure (Toyota Park, DPD Neighborhood Corridors, CHA Dearborn Homes), healthcare facilities (Advocate Illinois Masonic, Pilsen Wellness Center), and aviation concessions at O'Hare and Midway airports.

The firm's technology stack is described as industry-standard design and drafting tools, with no proprietary platform or software products disclosed. Its core intellectual property is concentrated in human design expertise, community-based relationships, and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification that supports supplier diversity procurement. Studio ARQ generates revenue exclusively through professional services fees for design, planning, construction management, and owner representation, with all business acquired through word-of-mouth referrals and direct client engagement rather than formal sales or marketing channels. The team is led by Principal Cesar Santoy, who holds architectural licensure across five states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan), and includes a Project Manager (Javier Cadena) and Project Architect (Mariano Barragán).

The firm operates from a single headquarters at 329 W. 18th Street, Suite 401, Chicago, IL 60616, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external investors disclosed. Ownership and operational leadership are concentrated with the founding principals. Strategic positioning emphasizes community-rooted relationships, cultural heritage (the ARQ name derives from "ARQUITECTO"), and MBE-certified status as the primary competitive differentiators in a market where larger AEC firms dominate scale-driven opportunities.

Name

Studio ARQ

Legal name

Studio ARQ

Website

https://studioarq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio ARQ is a Chicago-based, MBE-certified architectural firm founded in 2008, providing design, construction management, and owner representation services to public agencies, healthcare providers, non-profits, and private clients across the Midwest and select out-of-state markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Construction management
• Healthcare facility design
• Educational building design
• Residential architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Full service architectural firm providing design-to-build services for educational and municipal buildings, healthcare buildings, residential dwellings, and commercial buildings. Revenue generated through professional services fees for design, planning, construction management, and owner representation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Studio ARQ is a Chicago-based full-service architectural firm providing integrated design-to-build services for educational, municipal, healthcare, residential, commercial, and aviation projects. The firm operates around six service pillars—Design, Craft, Connect, Plan, Build, and Represent—covering architectural design, space planning, construction management, owner representation, and capital improvement/grant administration.

Product overview

Studio ARQ is a full-service architectural firm offering an integrated design-to-build approach. The core service is the unified architectural design and construction process organized around four pillars: Design (creative vision and space planning), Craft (construction execution), Connect (client collaboration), and Plan (project management and budgeting), along with Build (construction delivery) and Represent (owner representation) services. The firm specializes in educational and municipal buildings, healthcare facilities, residential dwellings, and commercial buildings, serving public agencies, non-profit organizations, private business owners, and homeowners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design Services
• Craft Services
• Connect Services
• Plan Services
• Build Services
• Represent Services

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Antunovich Associates: Long-established Chicago architecture practice with similar civic, commercial, and residential work. Comparable Midwest footprint and full-service design approach.
• Bulley & Andrews: Chicago construction and restoration firm with design-build capabilities, including historic facade work like EL VALOR. Overlaps with Studio ARQ's construction management scope.
• Wight & Company: Chicago-area design-build firm combining architecture, engineering, and construction. Highly comparable integrated design-to-build model.
• Legat Architects: Chicago-area architecture firm of comparable size serving education, civic, and commercial clients. Closely comparable scale, geography, and client mix to Studio ARQ.
• Cordogan Clark (now Clark Architects): Chicago-based architecture firm working across civic, education, and commercial sectors. Similar mid-size profile and project types.
• FGM Architects: Midwest-focused architecture firm with strong K-12 and public-sector portfolio. Direct competitor for school and civic work in the same geography.
• Landon Bone Baker Architects: Chicago architecture practice focused on community-oriented, mixed-use, and residential projects. Comparable mid-size community-focused positioning.
• Eckenhoff Saunders: Chicago architecture firm serving healthcare, education, and civic clients. Comparable sector mix and regional concentration.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with significant Chicago presence across healthcare, education, and civic work. Overlaps Studio ARQ's verticals at much larger scale.
• Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture: Larger Chicago-based architecture firm operating globally. Comparable Chicago base but broader scale and high-rise specialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Studio ARQ