SM+P Architects

What SM+P Architects does

SM+P Architects is a private architecture and interior design firm founded in 1982 in Baltimore as Walter Schamu & Associates and rebranded in February 2014 to its current name, Schamu Machowski + Patterson. The firm delivers design services across a broad horizontal portfolio including historic preservation and adaptive reuse (its core differentiating specialty), single-family and multi-family residential, hospitality and restaurant design, laboratory and research facilities, private clubs, commercial and workplace fit-outs, academic and institutional buildings, retail, and cultural/civic projects. Notable landmark work includes the $15 million B&O Railroad Museum restoration (2004), Hotel Revival, the Hippodrome Theatre, and the Bromo Seltzer Tower, alongside ongoing engagements with Johns Hopkins, the National Institutes of Health, the Maryland Club, and the Baltimore Yacht Club. The firm operates as a private partnership led by founding principal Walter Schamu (FAIA), president Charles Patterson (AIA, LEED AP), and principals Drew Beier and Thomas Gamper, with approximately 10 listed team members. Revenue is generated through negotiated project commissions on a professional services basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is relationship-led and sales-driven, with multi-decade institutional client relationships and reputation-based project acquisition concentrated in the Baltimore and Washington DC mid-Atlantic market. There is no external investment, no parent company, and no subsidiary structure, with brand visibility reinforced through landmark project recognition, industry awards, and an active Instagram presence.

Name

SM+P Architects

Legal name

Schamu Machowski + Patterson

Website

https://smp-architects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SM+P Architects is a private Baltimore-based architecture and design firm founded in 1982, delivering historic preservation, residential, hospitality, laboratory, and commercial projects for institutional, private club, and residential clients across the mid-Atlantic region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141), Interior Design Services (541410), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail & Mixed-Use Commercial Construction (IMAFACAB), Hospitality & Entertainment Venue Construction (IMAFACAC), Residential Interior Fit-Out (Multi-Family & High-End) (IMAFANAE)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Historic building restoration
• Hospitality interior design
• Residential architecture design
• Commercial workplace design

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: SM+P Architects generates revenue through professional architecture and design service commissions. Fees are negotiated per project based on scope, complexity, and client type. Projects span a wide range including historic restoration, adaptive reuse, new construction, interior design, and landscape design. The firm has served clients ranging from private residential homeowners to major institutional clients over 35+ years.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SM+P Architects is a Baltimore-based architecture firm providing professional design, planning, and construction administration services across historic preservation, residential, hospitality, laboratory, private club, commercial workplace, academic, retail, cultural, and fitness project types. The firm delivers its services on a commissioned, project-by-project basis to institutional, commercial, hospitality, and private residential clients primarily across the mid-Atlantic region.

Product overview

SM+P Architects is a traditional architecture firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of architectural and design services rather than a unified software product or platform. The firm's core offerings span multiple service categories including historic preservation and restoration, residential architecture (single-family and multi-family), hospitality and restaurant design, laboratory design, club and private institution design, commercial and workplace design, academic and institutional design, retail design, and cultural/civic architecture. Rather than a product-based architecture, the firm operates as a service-based practice where projects are delivered through architectural design, planning, and construction administration services tailored to each client's specific requirements across these service lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Historic Preservation & Restoration Specialized restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings including landmark preservation, historic tax credit navigation, and structural rehabilitation services for cultural, civic, and institutional clients.
• Residential Architecture Single-family and multi-family residential design services including new construction, renovations, additions, pool houses, and landscape design for private residential clients.
• Hospitality & Restaurant Design
• Laboratory Design
• Club & Private Institution Design
• Commercial & Workplace Design
• Academic & Institutional Design
• Retail Design
• Cultural & Civic Architecture
• Fitness Facility Design

Quantifiable outcome

• B&O Railroad Museum reopened November 13, 2004 following $15M fast-track restoration; won 2005 President's Award from Preservation Maryland
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GE-T Architects (New York)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSM+P collaborated with GE-T Architects of New York on the Pompeian Laboratories project — a 4,000 sq ft quality control laboratory for Pompeian, Inc. in Baltimore. SM+P led design with GE-T as collaborating architect for this industrial laboratory project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Quinn Evans: Mid-Atlantic-based architecture firm with deep historic preservation practice, including adaptive reuse and cultural/institutional work. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping historic preservation focus, similar regional footprint, and shared institutional client base.
• Ayers Saint Gross: Baltimore-headquartered architecture and planning firm with strong higher education and cultural/institutional portfolio. Comparable in regional presence, project scale, and cross-sector service mix including adaptive reuse and historic work.
• GWWO Architects: Baltimore-based architecture firm focused on cultural, educational, and interpretive center design with significant preservation expertise. Similar mid-Atlantic orientation and comparable project types including museums and adaptive reuse.
• Design Collective: Baltimore-headquartered architecture and interior design firm with cross-sector portfolio spanning hospitality, healthcare, workplace, and residential. Directly comparable in regional positioning and full-service architecture/interior design integration.
• Hord Coplan Macht: Mid-Atlantic architecture firm with offices in Baltimore and DC delivering mixed-use, higher education, healthcare, and hospitality projects. Comparable scale and cross-sector service offering with similar institutional and commercial client base.
• Beyer Blinder Belle: National architecture firm recognized as a leading historic preservation practice with landmark restoration work including cultural and civic buildings. Comparable in deep historic preservation expertise and adaptive reuse capability, though broader geographic reach.
• David M. Schwarz Architects: DC-based architecture firm specializing in cultural, civic, and entertainment venue design including historic preservation and adaptive reuse. Comparable in DC regional presence and preservation-sensitive cultural/civic portfolio.
• Bonstra Haresign ARCHITECTS: DC-based architecture firm with strong historic preservation and adaptive reuse practice across residential, commercial, and civic projects. Comparable in mid-Atlantic positioning and craft-oriented design approach.

Broad incumbents

• Page (Page Southerland Page): Large multi-discipline architecture/engineering firm with national reach and a dedicated preservation and cultural practice. Comparable in cross-sector capability but materially larger in scale, headcount, and geographic footprint.

Others

• Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates: National engineering and architecture firm specializing in structural investigation, preservation, and restoration of historic and existing buildings. Comparable through its preservation focus and frequent collaboration with architects on landmark restoration projects like the B&O Railroad Museum.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/smparchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sm-p-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 SM+P Architects