BWBR Architects

What BWBR Architects does

BWBR Architects is a privately held commercial architecture, interior design, and planning firm founded circa 1920, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with additional offices in Madison, Wisconsin, and Omaha, Nebraska. The firm employs 175+ staff organized around five integrated disciplines (architecture, interiors, planning, sustainability, code consulting, and graphic design) and five vertical markets: healthcare, behavioral and mental health, education, science and technology, and civic, corporate and community. The bulk of project work centers on healthcare and behavioral/mental health facilities, including critical access hospital replacements, EmPATH psychiatric units, pediatric behavioral health centers (e.g., 136,000 sq ft Pine Rest Pediatric Center of Behavioral Health, 100-bed Regions Hospital inpatient mental health tower), cancer institute expansions (Mercyhealth), and corporate campus master plans (CHS Inc., 340,000 sq ft).

The firm's principal technical differentiators are its proprietary trademarked Human-Centered Safety® methodology for behavioral health design — built on six tenets (access, connections, technology, calm, integrated safety, culture) — and an emerging Data + Design Analytics practice using Python and Tableau for space utilization analysis. Project delivery is supported by recurring engineering and construction partners (Dunham, IMEG, GRAEF, Kraus-Anderson, Affiliated Engineers, Findorff) and a technology collaboration platform (Newforma Info Exchange) for client file-sharing and activity tracking.

The business model is professional services revenue billed on long-cycle project engagements from concept through construction administration, sold through a relationship-based, principal-led go-to-market motion. BWBR reports a 90% repeat client rate, indicating deep account retention in healthcare systems, higher education institutions, and corporate clients across the Midwest and increasingly beyond (Maryland, Michigan). The firm is currently navigating a generational leadership transition following multiple principal retirements while expanding its sustainability, data analytics, and tribal behavioral health offerings.

Name

BWBR Architects

Legal name

BWBR Architects, Inc.

Website

https://bwbr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BWBR Architects is a 175-person, 100+ year-old commercial architecture firm headquartered in Saint Paul with offices in Madison and Omaha, specializing in healthcare, behavioral health, education, science+tech, and civic projects for repeat institutional clients across the Midwest and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

Keywords

• Commercial architecture services
• Healthcare facility design
• Behavioral health design
• Interior design planning
• Master planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional services revenue generated through architecture, interior design, planning, code consulting, graphic design, and sustainability consulting for commercial projects. Revenue is project-based with long project timelines spanning from concept through construction.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BWBR Architects is a commercial architecture firm providing full-service architectural design, interior design, planning, sustainability consulting, code consulting, and graphic design for complex institutional projects. The firm specializes in healthcare facilities, behavioral and mental health facilities, educational institutions, science and technology environments, and civic/corporate/community buildings across the United States.

Product overview

BWBR Architects offers a comprehensive suite of architecture, interior design, planning, and research services organized around five core disciplines: Architecture, Interiors, Planning, Sustainability, and Code Consulting, supplemented by Graphic Design capabilities. The firm specializes in complex commercial projects across five primary markets: Healthcare, Behavioral + Mental Health, Education, Science + Tech, and Civic/Corporate/Community. Their integrated approach combines traditional design services with specialized offerings including their proprietary Human-Centered Safety methodology for behavioral health facilities and Data + Design analytics for space utilization insights. Projects range from new construction and major renovations to master planning and phased implementations, with services delivered through collaborative teams of architects, planners, interior designers, and specialists across their Saint Paul, Madison, and Omaha offices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture
• Interiors
• Planning
• Sustainability
• Code Consulting
• Graphic Design
• Human-Centered Safety®
• Data + Design Analytics

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% repeat client rate demonstrates exceptional client satisfaction and long-term relationship building
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers31 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dunham AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partnership on healthcare facility design including the EmPATH Unit project for Emplify Health by Gundersen, where Dunham served as project partner alongside BWBR's architectural services.
• DunhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing project partnership on Woodbury Specialty Center for HealthPartners, providing integrated design services for healthcare facilities.
• IMEG Corp.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner on the Emergency Department Expansion and Renovation project for Aspirus Wausau Hospital, providing MEP engineering services.
• GRAEF-USA, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering partner on multiple healthcare projects including Aspirus Wausau ED expansion and Upland Hills Health projects.
• ERA Structural EngineeringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering partner on the Woodbury Specialty Center project for HealthPartners.
• Kraus-AndersoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partnership on the Woodbury Specialty Center project, providing preconstruction and construction management services.
• LouckscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner on Woodbury Specialty Center providing civil engineering and site design services.
• Affiliated Engineers, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMEP engineering partner on Upland Hills Health projects including the New Mineral Point Clinic.
• VierbicherminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCivil engineering partnership (formerly KD Engineering) on Upland Hills Health projects.
• S&D BuildersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner on Upland Hills Health New Mineral Point Clinic project.
• FindorffcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor partner on Upland Hills Health Mount Horeb Clinic Renovation project.
• Greenfire Management ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-owned management company partnering on the Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center for GLITC, providing development and management expertise for Native American projects.
• DSGWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous architect partner collaborating on the Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center project, bringing specialized expertise in culturally responsive design for tribal communities.
• Portages HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehavioral care provider partner on the Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center, providing clinical expertise for substance use disorder and mental health treatment facility design.
• First American Design StudiominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign partner on the Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center project serving GLITC member tribes.
• IMEGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner on Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center project.
• Living Design LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect of record collaboration on the University of Maryland Medical Center Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry Unit Renovation project.
• NewformacoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology platform partnership providing Info Exchange collaboration software for client and project partner file sharing, communication, and activity tracking throughout design and construction.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with one of the largest healthcare practices in North America. Comparable to BWBR as a multi-discipline design firm serving hospitals, academic medical centers, and behavioral health, but at a vastly larger scale and with a much broader geographic and sector footprint.
• CannonDesign: Integrated design firm with strong healthcare, education, and science+technology practices including behavioral health expertise. Direct functional comparable to BWBR across verticals and disciplines, but with a national footprint, larger headcount, and ownership under the CannonDesign/Moore family.
• SmithGroup: National architecture and engineering firm with notable healthcare, higher education, and science+technology practices. Comparable in delivering complex institutional projects with integrated design services, though larger and with offices across the U.S. West and East.
• HKS Architects: Large national architecture practice with a flagship healthcare design group delivering hospitals, specialty centers, and academic medical facilities. Comparable in healthcare sector focus and integrated interiors/planning services, but operates at substantially greater scale and with a national brand.
• HDR Architecture: Employee-owned design firm with a substantial healthcare architecture practice alongside engineering services. Comparable in integrated design and healthcare focus, but operates as part of a much larger global engineering and architecture platform.
• DLR Group: Large integrated design firm with healthcare, education, and civic practices. Comparable in multi-discipline delivery and sector mix, but significantly larger and with a national/international footprint, often competing for the same large healthcare and education RFPs as BWBR.

Direct peers

• HGA (Hammel, Green and Abrahamson): Minneapolis-based architecture, engineering, and interior design firm with comparable size and a similar healthcare, education, and corporate practice mix. Closest direct peer in scale, geography (Midwest-rooted), and service portfolio, and a direct competitor for many of the same clients and talent in the Twin Cities market.
• EwingCole: Philadelphia-based architecture and engineering firm with a strong healthcare, science+technology, and higher education focus. Comparable in its healthcare-led portfolio and integrated service model, but with East Coast orientation and a similar specialist-firm positioning.
• Kahler Slater: Milwaukee-based integrated design firm with healthcare, corporate, education, and community practices. Direct Midwest peer of comparable size and discipline breadth; competes with BWBR for healthcare and corporate clients in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest.

Regional players

• Wipfli (Architectural services): Midwest professional services firm (formerly Wipfli Hewins) with architecture and planning services concentrated in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. Less healthcare-specialized than BWBR but a regional peer competing for education, civic, and corporate work in adjacent geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xthreads.net/@bwbrsolutions
• Facebookfacebook.com/BWBRsolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bwbr-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/BWBRsolutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 BWBR Architects