SchenkelShultz Architecture

What SchenkelShultz Architecture does

SchenkelShultz Architecture is a privately held, Florida-based full-service architectural and interior design firm founded in 1958 by Dick Shultz and Jim Schenkel. Operating under the legal entity Schenkel & Shultz Inc., the firm delivers architecture, urban design, sustainable design, interior design, and environmental graphics services through three Florida offices headquartered in Winter Park with additional locations in Sarasota and Estero (Southwest Florida). It is structured as a partnership of four owners — Managing Partner Daniel Laggan, Design Lead Ekta Desai, Business Development Partner Michelle Chandler, and Education Practice Partner David Torbert — alongside a bench of principals, with 11-50 total employees.

The firm serves public and private sector clients across five primary verticals: education (K-12, higher education, charter schools, and Department of Defense schools on military bases worldwide), aviation (executive terminals, FBO facilities, hangars, and intermodal airport infrastructure), civic and public safety (fire stations, police headquarters, municipal facilities), cultural and nonprofit (foundation headquarters, performing arts centers, community facilities), and commercial/workplace (corporate headquarters, mixed-use developments, welcome centers). Notable technical differentiators include pioneering sustainable design credentials — the first LEED certified building in Florida (2003, Stetson Lynn Business Center) and the first LEED v4 New Construction certified intermodal terminal in the world (2018, Orlando International Airport) — plus a formalized Stewardship Action Plan aligned with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, AIA 2030 Commitment, and AIA Materials Pledge.

The business model is project-based professional services with quote-based fees determined by scope, complexity, and sector, structured as multi-year engagements for major capital projects. Distribution is direct sales through relationship-driven client engagement and competitive public-sector bidding, with international reach via federal DoDEA contracts spanning Puerto Rico, Germany, and Japan. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; major project scale is indicated by the $35 million Eastport Welcome Center for The Villages. Customer base spans school districts, higher education institutions, airports and aviation operators, municipal agencies, foundations, and corporate clients across Florida with select international federal work, and the firm maintains an active earned-media presence through AIA awards, FEFPA recognitions, and regional press coverage.

Name

SchenkelShultz Architecture

Legal name

Schenkel & Shultz Inc.

Website

https://schenkelshultz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SchenkelShultz Architecture is a privately held Florida-based architecture firm founded in 1958, delivering architecture, urban design, sustainable design, interior design, and environmental graphics across education, aviation, civic, cultural, and commercial sectors, with international DoDEA military-base school work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable building design
• Aviation facility design
• Educational facility design
• Urban planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture Services: Project-based fees for architecture, urban design, interior design, sustainable design, and environmental graphics across aviation, education, civic, cultural, and commercial sectors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SchenkelShultz Architecture is a full-service architectural and interior design firm delivering strategic planning, architecture, urban design, sustainable design, interior design, and environmental graphics services. Projects span aviation terminals, K-12 and higher education campuses, DoDEA schools on U.S. military bases worldwide, civic and public safety facilities, cultural venues, and commercial/workplace environments across Florida and select international locations.

Product overview

SchenkelShultz Architecture is a full-service architectural and interior design studio offering a unified portfolio of services: Architecture, Urban Design, Sustainable Design, Interior Design, and Environmental Graphics. The firm operates across six core market sectors (Aviation, Education, Civic, Cultural, Commercial, and Community) delivering projects ranging from aviation terminals and educational campuses to civic facilities and workplace environments. Founded in 1958, the firm has evolved from its Indiana roots to become a prominent Florida-based practice with three offices (Orlando, Sarasota, Southwest Florida) and international experience designing Department of Defense schools on military bases worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural design spanning aviation, education, civic, cultural, and commercial sectors. Services include new construction, renovations, adaptive reuse, restoration, and preservation work for clients such as school districts, universities, airport authorities, FBOs, and nonprofit organizations.
• Urban Design Urban planning and design services that shape communities through strategic master planning, public realm design, and mixed-use development concepts. Targeted at municipal, institutional, and private development clients in Florida.
• Sustainable Design Sustainable and green building design services incorporating AIA Framework for Design Excellence concepts, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship. The firm is a signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment and the AIA Materials Pledge, with design and metrics integrated through its published Stewardship Action Plan.
• Interior Design Interior architecture and design services including space planning, environmental graphics, finish selection, and furniture specification for workplace, educational, civic, and aviation environments. Delivered as an integrated offering with the firm's architecture practice.
• Environmental Graphics Wayfinding and environmental graphic design services that integrate branding, signage, and visual communication into architectural spaces. Targeted at education, civic, aviation, and corporate clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• First LEED certified building in Florida (2003)
• +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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012SchenkelShultz won a significant contract with DoDEA designing schools on United States military bases worldwide. Projects span Puerto Rico to Germany and Japan, leveraging the firm's deep expertise as education design leaders in Florida.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• HKS Architects: National architecture firm with deep aviation and education practices (including FBO terminals and K-12/higher-ed work). Most directly comparable peer given shared sector mix and project scale.
• PGAL: Mid-sized architecture firm with strong civic, aviation, and education portfolios and comparable Florida/Gulf Coast presence — closely aligned in scale and sector specialization.
• DLR Group: Integrated design firm with significant K-12, higher-education, and civic practices nationally; competes for many of the same school district and university commissions.
• LEO A DALY: Privately held national architecture firm with comparable aviation, education, and civic portfolios; similar mid-sized firm structure and project-fee model.
• Wight & Company: Midwest-rooted integrated design firm with strong K-12 and civic portfolios, comparable in size, ownership structure, and sector focus to SchenkelShultz.

Regional players

• Arquitectonica: Miami-headquartered architecture firm with strong Florida commercial and civic presence; a regional Florida competitor rather than direct head-to-head on aviation/education.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Large global architecture firm with deep higher-education and healthcare practices that overlaps with SchenkelShultz's higher-ed work (UCF, UF, Daytona State).
• Gensler: Largest global design firm with workplace and civic practices that overlap with SchenkelShultz's commercial/interiors work, but at far greater scale.
• SmithGroup: Integrated design firm with comparable higher-education, civic, and workplace practices; larger and more geographically diversified but adjacent in service mix.
• CannonDesign (formerly Cannon): National AEC firm with significant higher-education, healthcare, and civic practices; competes in adjacent institutional segments but operates at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SchenkelShultzArchitecture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schenkelshultz-architecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/schenkelshultz

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 SchenkelShultz Architecture