Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Lamar Johnson Collaborative is a U.S. architecture, engineering, and integrated design firm serving enterprise, institutional, and government clients across commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, and mission-critical sectors. It operates as the design arm of the Clayco Collective, delivering projects via an integrated design-build model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Lamar Johnson Collaborative does
Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) is a privately held architecture, engineering, and design firm operating as the integrated design arm of the Clayco Collective. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, the firm was rebranded in 2020 from Clayco Design and Engineering (CDE) to Lamar Johnson Collaborative and currently operates from seven U.S. offices spanning the Midwest, West Coast, Mountain West, and Southeast. LJC delivers architecture, building services engineering (MEP), process engineering, structural engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning services across six primary market verticals: Commercial & Corporate, Industrial (distribution, food & beverage, advanced manufacturing), Institutional (community, healthcare, higher education), Life Sciences, Mission Critical, and Residential & Hospitality.
The firm's business model centers on project-based professional services fees, with no publicly disclosed pricing structure. LJC differentiates itself through "Integrated by Design" — a delivery model that embeds architecture, engineering, and interiors within the broader Clayco platform spanning real estate development (CRG), construction (Clayco), concrete construction (Concrete Strategies), and façade systems (Ventana). This enables seamless design-build execution, evidenced by marquee projects such as the 1.16M SF Indiana University Health South Support Building, the 225,000 SF Boston Consulting Group regional headquarters, the 80,700 SF PsiQuantum Phase 1 quantum computing facility, and the multi-phase Penn State East Halls Master Plan. Marquee client relationships span Northwestern Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Savannah College of Art and Design, KPC Development, RIU Hotels, and the City of Fort Wayne.
LJC pursues high-bar sustainability credentials (LEED Gold, WELL, PHIUS Design Certified) on signature projects and has accumulated extensive industry recognition through AIA, ASLA, ULI, IIDA, and ENR awards. The firm is led by CEO Zackery House and President Elizabeth Zucker, supported by specialized market leaders across Aviation, Compute, Life Sciences, Industrial Process Engineering, Hospitality, and Residential verticals. As a privately held subsidiary within the privately held Clayco family of companies, LJC does not disclose revenue, and capital structure is opaque. The firm is positioned as a mid-market integrated design firm with national reach but without the scale or international footprint of top-tier global A&E firms.
Lamar Johnson Collaborative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lamar Johnson Collaborative
- Legal name
- The Lamar Johnson Collaborative
- Website
- https://theljc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Lamar Johnson Collaborative is a U.S. architecture, engineering, and integrated design firm serving enterprise, institutional, and government clients across commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, and mission-critical sectors. It operates as the design arm of the Clayco Collective, delivering projects via an integrated design-build model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lamar Johnson Collaborative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architecture and Engineering Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Engineering Services (541330)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)
Keywords
Where Lamar Johnson Collaborative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Lamar Johnson Collaborative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Lamar Johnson Collaborative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) is an integrated architecture, engineering, interior design, and urban planning firm delivering full-lifecycle design services across architecture, building services engineering, process engineering, structural engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning. The firm serves commercial, industrial, institutional, life sciences, mission-critical, and residential/hospitality clients, and delivers design-build solutions through sister companies within the Clayco Collective (Clayco, CRG, Concrete Strategies, Ventana).
Product overview
Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) is an architecture, engineering, and interior design firm that operates as a unified practice offering integrated services. The firm's core offerings include Architecture, Building Services Engineering, Process Engineering, Structural Engineering, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning & Design. LJC collaborates with sister companies Clayco (construction), CRG (development), Concrete Strategies (concrete construction), and Ventana (curtain wall/facade systems) to deliver comprehensive design-build solutions. The firm serves diverse markets including Commercial & Corporate, Entertainment, Industrial (Distribution, Food & Beverage, Advanced Manufacturing), Institutional (Community, Healthcare, Higher Education), Life Sciences, Mission Critical, and Residential & Hospitality. Projects range from individual buildings to large-scale master plans spanning multiple phases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architecture Services Full-service architectural design creating environments that connect people and build communities across commercial, institutional, industrial, residential, and hospitality sectors.
- Building Services Engineering Intelligent, integrated MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems design that prioritizes energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and long-term reliability across healthcare, commercial, and institutional environments.
- Process Engineering Deep expertise across Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Food & Beverage, and Chemical Processing industries delivering scalable, compliant process systems from concept through commissioning.
- Structural Engineering Dynamic engineering team dedicated to collaboration, creative thinking, sustainability, and design efficiency, delivering safe, code-compliant solutions to complex problems.
- Interior Design Creating interior environments that connect people and build communities with expertise in workplace, hospitality, healthcare, and residential interiors.
- Landscape Architecture Connecting creative and artistic expression with complex ecological systems, including parks, streetscapes, and sustainable landscape designs.
- Urban Planning & Design Expertise in land use, transportation, infrastructure, feasibility analysis, and communication for comprehensive urban development planning.
- Design-Build Services Integrated design-build delivery process combining LJC's design expertise with Clayco's construction capabilities for streamlined project execution.
Companies that use Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lamar Johnson Collaborative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lamar Johnson Collaborative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.
- PsiQuantumflagshipLJC serves as lead designer for PsiQuantum's quantum computing campus at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. PsiQuantum is building America's largest quantum computing project, with LJC providing comprehensive architectural and engineering services for the Phase 1 development building.
- ClaycocoreClayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm. LJC leverages Clayco's construction expertise and integrated delivery capabilities for seamless project execution across all market sectors. Clayco is the parent company of LJC.
- CRG (CRG Real Estate)coreCRG is a real estate development company focused on delivering the best real estate development solutions. CRG leverages Clayco and LJC for planning, design and construction expertise through full-integration. CRG and LJC work together on various development projects.
- Concrete StrategiesmajorConcrete Strategies is a turnkey, design-build concrete contractor providing architectural site cast concrete, structural concrete, flatwork, site utilities and all types of self-performing concrete construction for commercial projects.
- VentanamajorVentana designs, supplies, and installs high-performing curtain wall façade systems, working closely with design teams to ensure competitively priced, water and air-tight façades with optimal thermal control.
- Related MidwestmajorRelated Midwest is the lead developer for the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) project at Quantum Shore in Chicago. LJC serves as lead designer for the PsiQuantum campus development on this site.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lamar Johnson Collaborative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HOK: Global design, architecture, engineering, and planning firm with practices in commercial, healthcare, education, aviation, and mission-critical — overlaps directly with LJC's vertical mix and integrated delivery model.
- EwingCole: Mid-sized integrated architecture, engineering, and interior design firm with strong healthcare, higher education, and science & technology practices — comparable scale and integrated delivery model to LJC.
- Gensler: Largest global architecture, design, and planning firm with integrated practices across commercial, hospitality, healthcare, education, and industrial — directly comparable to LJC's multidisciplinary, multi-sector integrated design model.
- SmithGroup: Integrated architecture, engineering, and planning firm with comparable scale and similar vertical mix in higher education, healthcare, workplace, and science & technology — strong analog to LJC's integrated practice.
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture and design firm with strong healthcare, education, and commercial practices plus integrated interior design — closely matches LJC's enterprise-segment mix and integrated design-build positioning.
- DLR Group: Employee-owned integrated design firm providing architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning — directly comparable to LJC across verticals including commercial, education, healthcare, and industrial.
- HKS Architects: National architecture and design firm with strong healthcare, education, hospitality, and sports practices — comparable in enterprise client profile and integrated delivery.
Peers
- CannonDesign: Integrated architecture, engineering, and design firm with comparable scale and similar institutional/healthcare/commercial mix; closely mirrors LJC's integrated design practice and enterprise-client profile.
Broad incumbents
- Stantec: Large global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm; broader portfolio than LJC but overlapping in industrial process engineering, mission-critical, and built-environment design.
- Jacobs Solutions: Global professional services firm with architecture and engineering practices serving industrial, advanced manufacturing, and infrastructure clients — adjacent comparable for LJC's industrial process engineering work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lamar Johnson Collaborative social profiles
Digital presenceLamar Johnson Collaborative compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Lamar Johnson Collaborative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lamar Johnson Collaborative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Lamar Johnson Collaborative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lamar Johnson Collaborative 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 Lamar Johnson Collaborative
What does Lamar Johnson Collaborative do?
Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) is an integrated architecture, engineering, interior design, and urban planning firm delivering full-lifecycle design services across architecture, building services engineering, process engineering, structural engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning. The firm serves commercial, industrial, institutional, life sciences, mission-critical, and residential/hospitality clients, and delivers design-build solutions through sister companies within the Clayco Collective (Clayco, CRG, Concrete Strategies, Ventana).
Is Lamar Johnson Collaborative a public or private company?
Lamar Johnson Collaborative is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Lamar Johnson Collaborative founded?
Lamar Johnson Collaborative was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Lamar Johnson Collaborative based?
Lamar Johnson Collaborative is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Lamar Johnson Collaborative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HOK, EwingCole, Gensler, SmithGroup, Perkins&Will, DLR Group and HKS Architects. CannonDesign is listed as a peer. Broad incumbents are Stantec and Jacobs Solutions.
Does Lamar Johnson Collaborative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lamar Johnson Collaborative.
What industry is Lamar Johnson Collaborative in?
Lamar Johnson Collaborative's product category is Architecture and Engineering Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAK, Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services. Its NAICS code is 5413 and its SIC code is 8711.