K. Norman Berry Associates Architects

What K. Norman Berry Associates Architects does

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects (KNBA) is a privately held, 20-person architecture firm headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky with a regional office in Lexington. Founded in 1971 as the successor to Oberwarth Associates (established 1895), KNBA delivers architecture, master planning, interior design, and urban planning services with a primary specialization in historic preservation and adaptive reuse. The firm's client base is concentrated in Kentucky and dominated by institutional customers, including the Commonwealth of Kentucky (State Capitol restoration), the University of Kentucky (Pence Hall, Gray Design Building), the University of Louisville (Belknap Academic Building, Envirome Institute), Eastern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, and cultural institutions such as the Speed Art Museum and The Healing Place.

KNBA's core technical competencies center on navigating historic preservation codes, ADA compliance, sustainable design (with LEED Accredited Professionals on staff and LEED Gold/Silver certifications earned on recent projects), and the adaptive reuse of significant structures. The firm operates a distinctive "KNBA+" collaboration model, in place since 1995, through which it partners with nationally prominent architecture firms including Harry Weese Associates, wHY Architecture, Studio Gang, Gensler, HKS, and Goody Clancy to deliver landmark projects such as the UK Gray Design Building and the Speed Art Museum renovation. This model allows KNBA to credibly compete for high-profile commissions well beyond its internal headcount scale.

Revenue is generated through professional service fees billed on a per-project basis, with engagement sourced primarily via competitive RFPs, direct commissions, and referrals from long-standing institutional clients. The firm reports no external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries, operating as a partner/employee-owned professional services PLLC. Under outgoing Managing Principal Bob Haffermann, KNBA tripled revenues over four years, and leadership transitioned in April 2026 to Christopher Fuller alongside Principals Carole Yocum and Tim Doelling. The firm maintains offices in Louisville and Lexington and serves exclusively the Commonwealth of Kentucky market, with marketing conducted through its website, professional associations, earned media, and client referrals rather than paid channels.

Name

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects

Legal name

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects, PLLC

Website

https://knbarch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects is a 20-person Louisville-based architecture firm specializing in historic preservation, adaptive reuse, higher education, and state government projects across Kentucky, anchored by long-term institutional clients and a KNBA+ collaboration model with national design firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH), Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Architecture services
• Historic preservation
• Adaptive reuse design
• Master planning services
• Higher education design

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: KNBA generates revenue through professional architecture and design service fees. Projects are billed on a per-project basis with fees negotiated based on scope, complexity, and project size. Revenue comes from new construction, renovation, historic restoration, and master planning engagements for institutional and commercial clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects provides full-service architectural design including new construction, renovation, and historic restoration for institutional clients across Kentucky. Core service areas are architecture, master planning, interior design, and urban planning, with primary specialization in historic preservation and adaptive reuse, higher education facilities, community/cultural institutions, and state government buildings. The firm operates the KNBA+ collaboration model, partnering with nationally prominent architecture firms to deliver complex projects.

Product overview

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects (KNBA) is a full-service architecture firm providing architecture, master planning, interiors, and urban planning services. The firm operates with a primary focus on historic preservation and adaptive re-use, higher education projects, community living facilities, and state government buildings. Founded in 1971 and successor to firms established in 1895, KNBA has over 50 years of architectural excellence serving the Commonwealth of Kentucky with offices in Louisville and Lexington.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KNBA+: A collaboration model where KNBA partners with nationally and internationally recognized architecture firms to deliver projects. Over 25 years of experience collaborating with design firms of national prominence including Harry Weese Associates, wHY Architecture, Gensler, HKS, Goody Clancy, and Studio Gang.

Products and services

• Architecture Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Two AIA Distinguished Firm Awards from AIA Kentucky (1990, 2016)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Harry Weese and AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Beginning in 1995, KNBA collaborated with Harry Weese Associates from Chicago on the Bingham Theatre for Actors Theatre of Louisville. This partnership established KNBA's model of collaborating with nationally recognized architecture firms on complex projects.
• TenBerke ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA collaborated with TenBerke Architects on the Historic Fayette County Courthouse project, and on the 21c Museum Hotel and Limestone Hall event space.
• wHY ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA partnered with wHY Architecture on the Speed Art Museum renovation/addition (LEED Gold) and Old Forester's Paristown Hall project.
• Goody ClancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA collaborated with Goody Clancy on the University of Louisville Belknap Academic Building and Belknap Campus Brook Street Enhancements.
• Studio Gang ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA worked with Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang Architects on the transformation of a century-old tobacco warehouse into the UK Gray Design Building for the College of Design.
• GenslercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA teamed with Gensler on the Eastern Kentucky University Alumni Coliseum Renovation project.
• HKScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA teamed with HKS on the Western Kentucky University Fieldhouse and Press Box project.
• HNTB Sports Architecture GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA worked with HNTB Sports Architecture Group on the design of Louisville Slugger Field (new AAA baseball stadium for the Louisville Bats).
• HNTB ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA partnered with HNTB Architects on Kentucky State Capitol projects including master planning and restoration.
• Swope Design GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNBA partnered with Swope Design Group on the $80M Galt House Hotel renovation project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brandstetter Carroll: Lexington, Kentucky–based architecture and engineering firm with a comparable portfolio in higher education, civic, and commercial work; KNBA's closest direct competitor for institutional commissions across the Commonwealth.
• JRA Architects: Louisville-based full-service architecture firm with overlapping higher education, healthcare, and civic practice; competes with KNBA for the same Kentucky institutional clients and design talent pool.

Regional players

• Silling Associates: Charleston, West Virginia–based architecture firm with strong historic preservation, higher education, and government portfolios; comparable in scale and mission to KNBA but operating in an adjacent regional market.
• Champlin Architecture: Cincinnati-area architecture firm with historic preservation, education, and adaptive reuse experience; operates in the broader Ohio Valley region and competes for similar institutional client work.

Broad incumbents

• BHDP Architecture: Cincinnati-based architecture and design firm with broad higher education, civic, and workplace practices; a larger regional incumbent that KNBA competes against for Kentucky institutional commissions.
• RATIO: Indianapolis-based design firm with architecture, planning, and preservation practices; a broader regional incumbent with comparable higher education and adaptive reuse capabilities competing for institutional RFPs.
• HNTB: National infrastructure and architecture firm that KNBA has partnered with on the Kentucky State Capitol and Louisville Slugger Field; an incumbent collaborator/competitor with significant Kentucky presence.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm; KNBA partnered with Gensler on the Eastern Kentucky University Alumni Coliseum project, making it both a collaboration partner and a competitive threat on large institutional commissions.
• Pelli Clarke & Partners: National architecture firm with a higher education, civic, and cultural portfolio that overlaps with KNBA's institutional work; potential competitor for marquee commissions and collaboration partner on complex projects.

Emerging players

• Studio Gang: National design firm known for high-profile civic and educational architecture; partnered with KNBA on the award-winning UK Gray Design Building, representing both collaboration upside and competitive risk on signature commissions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/knbaarchitects
• Facebookfacebook.com/knbaarchitects
• Instagraminstagram.com/knbaarchitects

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 K. Norman Berry Associates Architects