Studio M Architecture and Planning

What Studio M Architecture and Planning does

Studio M Architecture and Planning is a multi-disciplinary architecture and planning firm headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, founded in 2013 by Dan Moriarity following his 27-year tenure at a major Indianapolis architecture firm. The firm delivers architecture, planning, interior design, and landscape architecture services for mixed-use developments, multifamily and active adult residential, student housing, higher-education facilities, corporate headquarters, and civic and public works projects. Its client roster includes University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, Indiana University, DePauw University, Merchants Bank, the City of Carmel, Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, and Graham Rahal Performance, alongside repeat developer partnerships with Thompson Thrift Residential, Buckingham Companies, Old Town Companies, and Trinitas Ventures.

The firm operates on a project-based fee model typical of U.S. architecture practices, with engagement structured as a percentage of construction cost or fixed project fees negotiated per scope. Go-to-market is direct and relationship-driven, relying on repeat developer pipelines and institutional referrals rather than open competitive bidding. Studio M holds architecture licensure across all 50 states, enabling nationwide project delivery from its Indiana base. The technical platform is built around Building Information Modeling, with a dedicated BIM Manager overseeing standards across the practice.

Studio M has scaled from 7 staff at founding to 60+ design professionals, organized around its Carmel headquarters and a second office at River House in Broad Ripple Village, Indianapolis. The combination of multi-disciplinary in-house services, institutional and developer repeat relationships, and nationwide licensing positions the firm as a mid-market full-service architecture practice anchored in the Indianapolis/Carmel market.

Name

Studio M Architecture and Planning

Legal name

Studio M Architecture and Planning

Website

https://studiomarchitecture.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studio M Architecture and Planning is a Carmel, Indiana-based architecture firm founded in 2013 that provides full-service architectural design, interior design, and landscape architecture for mixed-use, multifamily, higher education, public works, and corporate clients across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK), Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI), Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Mixed-use development design
• Multifamily residential design
• Higher education facilities
• Interior and landscape architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Professional architectural and planning services for residential, commercial, mixed-use, public works, and higher education projects. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design, planning, and construction documentation services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Studio M Architecture and Planning is a full-service architecture and planning firm delivering architectural design, interior design, and landscape architecture services from initial concept through construction documentation and occupancy. The firm specializes in mixed-use developments, multifamily residential communities, higher education campus facilities, public works and civic projects, corporate offices, and active adult housing for developers, institutions, and government clients nationwide.

Product overview

Studio M Architecture and Planning is an architecture and planning firm (not a software company) offering a comprehensive suite of architectural design services. The firm operates as a single, unified service practice rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their core offerings span architectural design, interior design, landscape architecture, and structural design services delivered through collaborative studio teams. The firm specializes in mixed-use developments, multifamily residential projects (apartments, townhomes, condominiums), corporate office facilities, higher education campus projects, public works and civic projects, and active adult housing communities. Projects are documented individually as case studies on their portfolio website rather than as distinct product SKUs with version numbers or release dates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Planning Services Full-service architectural design and planning services delivered from initial concept through construction documentation and occupancy for residential, commercial, mixed-use, and public sector clients.
• Mixed-Use Development Design Architectural design for large-scale mixed-use developments combining housing, retail, office, parking, and amenity spaces in integrated urban environments, for real estate developers and property owners.
• Multifamily Apartment Design Architectural design services for multifamily residential communities including garden-style apartments, townhomes, condominiums, and luxury residential complexes for multifamily developers.
• Interior Design Interior design services including unit finishes, amenity spaces, FF&E specification, and personalized client experience for multifamily and corporate interior projects.
• Landscape Architecture Landscape architecture services for outdoor amenity spaces, trails, public plazas, and site-specific landscape integration within development projects for developers and institutions.
• Higher Education Facilities Design Design services for university and college campus facilities including student housing, academic buildings, dormitories, and campus master planning.
• Public Works and Civic Projects Municipal and public sector architectural design including government facilities, museums, readiness centers, and public infrastructure for government and civic clients.
• Corporate Office Design Corporate headquarters and office building architectural design including amenity spaces, parking structures, and campus environments for enterprise clients.
• Active Adult Housing Design Architectural design for purpose-built 55+ active adult apartment communities with wellness-focused design and lifestyle-oriented amenities for senior housing developers.

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thompson Thrift ResidentialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrequent development partner on multifamily residential projects. Thompson Thrift Residential develops market-rate apartment communities, and Studio M provides architectural design services for these projects across various states.
• Old Town CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing development partner on mixed-use projects in the Indiana market, including North End Phase 2, Federal Hill Apartments, and Union Square developments.
• Buckingham CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner on multiple multifamily and mixed-use projects including Block 20, River House, Grand on Main, and various Indiana developments.
• Trinitas VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner on student housing and mixed-use developments including Atlas on 17th (Bloomington), Avanza at Hyde Park, and Atlas Athens.
• KBSO ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering and consulting partner frequently included in project teams across multiple developments. Provides structural engineering and consulting services.
• Lynch Harrison & Brumleve Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCivil engineering partner included in project teams for developments across Indiana, providing site planning and civil engineering services.
• Integrity Structural CorporationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering partner frequently engaged on multifamily and mixed-use projects across various states.
• Devita & Associates Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering and consulting partner included in project teams providing MEP engineering and consulting services.
• Kimley-HornminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering consulting firm occasionally included in project teams for civil engineering and site planning services.
• American Structurepoint Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering and architecture consulting firm included in various Indiana-based projects for civil engineering and structural services.
• Dillon Construction GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner on multiple projects including Merchants Bank HQ Addition, River House, and Graham Rahal Performance campus.
• Barrett & StokelycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDevelopment and construction partner on midtown Carmel projects including The Railyard at Midtown and 16 Tech Multifamily.
• City of CarmelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing public sector client for civic projects including data center, historical museum, and Christkindlmarkt pavilion. Key partner in Carmel's urban redevelopment initiatives.
• Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCivil engineering and environmental consulting partner frequently engaged on Indiana-based projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture and design firm with a strong higher-education, science/healthcare, and urban-design practice. Competes with Studio M for marquee university and large institutional commissions.
• Mead & Hunt: Mid-sized national architecture and engineering firm with significant higher-education, public works, and transportation/civic practices. Overlaps with Studio M's higher-ed and public-works segments at a larger scale.
• DLR Group: Large integrated design firm with deep higher-education, civic, and mixed-use practices. Competes with Studio M for larger university and developer commissions at a national scale.
• HKS: Major national architecture firm with strong higher-education, civic, and multifamily practices. Competes with Studio M for major university and large developer projects across the US.

Direct peers

• CSO Architects: Indianapolis-headquartered architecture and interior design firm with a comparable higher-education, residential, and mixed-use portfolio. Operates in the same market and competes for Indiana developer and university engagements.
• Legat Architects: Midwest architecture firm (Chicago-rooted) focused on education, civic, and community design — directly comparable on higher-education campus work and K-12/civic engagements, with similar firm size and culture.
• RATIO (formerly RATIO Architects): Indianapolis-based architecture, interior design, and planning firm of similar size, with overlapping higher-education, mixed-use, and multifamily practices. Direct Midwest peer competing for the same developer and university clients as Studio M.
• MKSK: Columbus-based studio offering architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and planning — a direct multi-discipline peer for Studio M's integrated mixed-use and master-planning work, including campus and civic engagements.
• Schmidt Associates: Indianapolis architecture, engineering, and planning firm with comparable higher-education, civic, and public-sector work. Headquartered in the same market and competing for overlapping clients (e.g., Indiana universities, City of Indianapolis/Carmel).
• Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf (BDMD): Indianapolis-based architecture and design firm with similar mixed-use, multifamily, education, and civic practices. Direct regional competitor for developer and institutional clients in Indiana.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StudioMArchandPlanning
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studiomarchitecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 M Architecture and Planning