What Roth Sheppard Architects does

Roth Sheppard Architects is a Denver-based architectural design firm founded in 1983 by Herb Roth and Jeff Sheppard, operating as a private limited liability partnership with 11-50 employees across two Denver offices. The firm delivers full-service architecture spanning pre-design, programming, interior design, construction documents, and construction administration via a documented six-stage 'Proven Collaborative Process' (Listen & Research, Distill, Collaborate, Produce, Deliver, Follow Up). Its practice is organized into five verticals: Public Safety & Civic (120+ projects, the primary differentiator), Hospitality & Dining (75+ projects), Workplace/Commercial, Retail (over 1 million square feet designed), and Residential, using industry-standard design software rather than proprietary technology.

The firm serves enterprise and government clients via a sales-led and relationship-driven GTM — RFPs for municipal work (LAPD Administration Building, Houston Police Department, City of Lenexa Justice Center), direct engagements with hospitality groups (Modmarket, Kaffe Landskap, Blue Moon Brewing, Izakaya Den/Kizaki), and multi-location rollout programs for national retail brands (Scandinavian Designs 20+ locations, Room & Board, Tokyo Joe's). Revenue is generated through professional-services fees, typically a percentage of construction cost or fixed project fees on multi-year contracts; pricing is opaque and project-specific. No productized offerings, APIs, or technology licensing are evident.

Roth Sheppard is a boutique, award-accumulating firm with three AIA Firm of the Year honors (2010, 2012, 2021), American Architecture Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum across multiple projects, and a 2026 Forbes Top Hospitality Architects designation. Its distinguishing economic features are deep sector specialization in law-enforcement and civic architecture, long-tenured multi-project client relationships spanning 20+ years, and partner-led execution. There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, IPO activity, or institutional backing, and the firm shows no AI/ML capabilities in any disclosed material.

Name

Roth Sheppard Architects

Legal name

Roth Sheppard Architects LLP

Website

https://rothsheppard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Roth Sheppard Architects is a Denver-based architectural design firm founded in 1983, serving government, hospitality, retail, workplace, and residential clients across the U.S. with a partner-led, full-service design practice and deep specialization in public-safety and civic facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Public safety facilities
• Hospitality architecture
• Retail store design
• Residential architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture and interior design services billed as a percentage of construction cost or fixed fees for specific project scopes. Services include pre-design, programming, architecture, interior design, construction documents, and construction administration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Roth Sheppard Architects is a Denver-based architecture firm providing comprehensive architectural design services across public safety and civic facilities, hospitality, workplace, retail, and residential sectors. Services span the full project lifecycle from pre-design and programming through architecture, interior design, construction documents, and construction administration. The firm delivers projects through a six-stage Proven Collaborative Process tailored to each client's vision, with over 200 municipal and hospitality projects completed across 40+ years.

Product overview

Roth Sheppard Architects is a Denver-based architecture firm founded in 1983 offering comprehensive architectural design services across five core practice areas: Public Safety & Civic Facilities, Hospitality (Dine & Drink), Workplace/Commercial (Work), Retail (Shop), and Residential (Live). The firm operates as a full-service architectural practice providing end-to-end project delivery from pre-design through construction administration, including facility assessments, programming, space planning, interior design, wayfinding, construction documents, and physical modeling. With over 200 municipal and hospitality projects completed in over 40 years of operation, the firm tailors its six-step Proven Process (Listen & Research, Distill, Collaborate, Produce, Deliver, Follow Up) to meet the unique demands of each sector and client.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Safety & Civic Facilities Design (Serve)

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ municipal and hospitality projects completed over 40+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Color Cord CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoth Sheppard Architects designed Color Cord Company's headquarters and specified their custom fixtures and accessories on multiple projects including Blue Moon Brewery, Rabbit House, Ester's Neighborhood Pub, and Tradecraft Industries. The firm also designed the founders' residence. This represents a long-term collaborative relationship where design expertise was mutual.
• Den Corner RestaurantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoth Sheppard Architects has worked with Den Corner Restaurants since 2012, designing multiple Izakaya Den locations and Kizaki restaurant. This represents a strategic partnership for hospitality design across multiple restaurant concepts.
• Scandinavian DesignscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2004, Roth Sheppard Architects has provided full architectural design and construction services for Scandinavian Design locations nationwide. The firm developed a consistent and unique branded identity with a thoughtful material palette and streamlined kit of parts for quick interior build-outs and exterior remodels. Over 20 locations completed.
• Room & BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoth Sheppard Architects has worked with Room & Board on multiple projects since 2001, including their Cherry Creek North showroom expansion and renovation. The partnership has produced multiple award-winning retail spaces totaling over 31,000 SF.
• FinkleWilliams (Joint Venture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lenexa Justice Center (115,432 SF, completed 2024) was delivered as a joint venture with FinkleWilliams, demonstrating the firm's capability for large-scale municipal projects through strategic partnerships.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WSA Architecture: Denver-based architecture firm with significant public safety and civic architecture expertise, including law enforcement facility design. Directly comparable niche specialization in municipal/public safety work.
• Davis Partnership Architects: Denver-headquartered architecture firm with broad civic, commercial, and healthcare expertise. Comparable size and regional presence with similar multi-sector public and private client mix.
• Anderson Mason Dale Architects: Denver-based firm with strong civic, educational, and cultural architecture portfolio. Comparable scale and Denver-centric footprint with overlapping public sector client base.
• TreanorHL: Architecture firm with established civic and public safety architecture practice including courthouses and government facilities. Comparable niche expertise in justice/civic facility design.

Regional players

• Fentress Architects: Denver-based architecture firm known for large-scale civic and commercial projects including Denver International Airport. Comparable regional presence but larger scale and broader portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• LEO A DALY: Established architecture firm with strong government, civic, and justice facility portfolio. Overlaps significantly in public safety architecture but operates at larger scale across multiple geographies.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with extensive civic, healthcare, and commercial practice. Competes for the same municipal and hospitality clients but operates at much larger scale.
• HOK: Global architecture firm with civic, commercial, and hospitality expertise. Competes for the same public and private sector clients but at a substantially larger scale with broader geographic reach.
• Stantec Architecture: Large global design firm with architecture practice covering civic, commercial, and hospitality sectors. Competes for municipal and institutional clients with broader engineering integration.
• CannonDesign: Integrated architecture and engineering firm with civic, healthcare, and commercial portfolio. Comparable services scope but larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roth-sheppard-architects-llp
• Instagraminstagram.com/rothsheppardarchitects
• Xx.com/rothsheparch
• Facebookfacebook.com/100050669862569

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 Roth Sheppard Architects