Selbert Perkins Design
Selbert Perkins Design is a woman-owned, private environmental graphic design firm with studios in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Shanghai, delivering integrated branding, wayfinding, placemaking, public art, and digital design services to enterprise and institutional clients worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Selbert Perkins Design does
Selbert Perkins Design (SPD) is a private, woman-owned environmental graphic design firm founded in 1996 by Robin Perkins and Clifford Selbert. The firm integrates six core service lines — Branding, Signage & Wayfinding, Placemaking, Public Art, Environmental Graphic Design, and Digital Design — into bundled enterprise engagements for municipalities, public agencies, universities, health systems, developers, architects, and large corporate clients. Its underlying craft combines traditional graphic design, landscape architecture, sculpture, industrial design, BIM/CADD, 3D modeling, and motion graphics to deliver signage systems, landmarks, gateways, monuments, murals, donor recognition programs, master plans, and interactive digital directories. Marquee projects include the LAX Gateway Columns (serving 88 million travelers annually), Universal Studios, World of Coca-Cola, Canal City Hakata, Boston Children's Hospital, Penn State Health Children's Hospital, City Creek Center, and the City of Lancaster rebrand.
The firm operates four studios across Los Angeles (headquarters and West Coast hub), Boston (East Coast), Chicago (Midwest), and Shanghai (international/Asia), supported by a Deputy GM Asia role. It is WBE-certified through WBENC and holds SBE/LBE certifications, supporting preferential procurement in public-sector RFPs. The business model is professional services revenue generated through quote-based, multi-year project engagements acquired via direct enterprise sales and architecture/design industry referrals, with no public revenue disclosures and no observed venture or private equity backing. The firm is co-led by Robin Perkins and named partners Andrew K. Davey, John Lutz, and Michael Pagliarulo following the March 2026 passing of co-founder Clifford Selbert. Notable recent activity includes the June 2026 publication of a 320-page monograph titled "Landmarks" and a coordinated wave of internal promotions across all three US studios.
Selbert Perkins Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Selbert Perkins Design
- Legal name
- Selbert Perkins Design
- Website
- https://selbertperkins.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Selbert Perkins Design is a woman-owned, private environmental graphic design firm with studios in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Shanghai, delivering integrated branding, wayfinding, placemaking, public art, and digital design services to enterprise and institutional clients worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Selbert Perkins Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Graphic Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems (BPAFAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Graphic Design & Visual Content Production (BPAFAIAC), Graphic Design & Visual Communications (Collateral, Illustration) (MPAAAEAC)
Keywords
Where Selbert Perkins Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Selbert Perkins Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Environmental Graphic Design Services: Professional services revenue generated through client engagements for branding, wayfinding, placemaking, public art, environmental graphics, and digital design projects. The firm works directly with municipalities, public agencies, institutions, developers, architects, and landscape architects on large-scale projects worldwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional Services - Project-based consulting fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Selbert Perkins Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Selbert Perkins Design (SPD) is an international environmental graphic design firm that creates integrated Branding, Signage & Wayfinding, Placemaking, Public Art, Environmental Graphics, and Digital Design programs for enterprise clients. The firm combines multidisciplinary expertise in landscape architecture, sculpture, branding, industrial design, BIM, CADD, and 3D modeling to deliver large-scale projects across education, healthcare, transportation, mixed-use/retail, civic, hospitality, and sports & entertainment sectors from studios in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Shanghai.
Product overview
Selbert Perkins Design (SPD) is an international environmental graphic design firm offering six integrated core services: Branding (logo design, naming, storytelling, brand strategy), Signage & Wayfinding (comprehensive sign plans, ADA compliance, interactive wayfinding), Placemaking (landmarks, gateways, master plans), Public Art (murals, sculpture, art curation), Environmental Graphic Design (supergraphics, murals, donor recognition), and Digital Design (interactive directories, media plans, web design). The firm operates studios in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Shanghai, serving diverse industries including education, healthcare, transportation, hospitality, and commercial development. The services are offered as an integrated portfolio rather than standalone modules, combining branding, wayfinding, and placemaking to drive economic success for clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Branding Brand identity creation including logo design, naming, storytelling, vision and strategy, and guidelines & standards. SPD collaborates with communities and clients to research and define goals and translate them into unified branding, wayfinding, placemaking, and public art programs.
- Signage & Wayfinding Comprehensive sign plans, guidelines & standards, digital systems, ADA/code compliance, signage design, wayfinding programs, and interactive wayfinding solutions for airports, rail, healthcare, retail, and hospitality environments.
- Placemaking Creating vibrant communities through amenities, art programs, banner programs, branded environments, digital integration, master plans, murals & sculpture, and tenant criteria, integrating art and environment to help people experience the identity, history, cultures, stories, and spirit of each locale.
- Public Art Public art connecting communities through landmarks, gateways, monuments, murals, art curation & programming, storytelling, and art guidelines.
- Environmental Graphic Design Environmental graphics (also called supergraphics or experiential graphic design) displayed as signage, banners, wall murals, elevator wraps, window graphics, pavement embedments, and 3D acrylic graphics, including branded environments, donor recognition programs, existing program analysis, murals, and wayfinding design.
- Digital Design Technology-based solutions including advertising plans, content strategies, digital integrations, interactive directories, media master plans, ordinance development, and website design, helping plan, design, source, and implement interactive, dynamic solutions for web, mall, and building environments.
- LANDMARKS Monograph Book A 320-page hardcover monograph by Selbert Perkins Design (ISBN 9781736273180, priced at $40.00) showcasing 62 projects in branding, wayfinding, and placemaking from diverse destinations across five continents, with over 170 color images; published by Visual Profile Books.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88 million annual travelers served through LAX Gateway alone
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Selbert Perkins Design
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Selbert Perkins Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Selbert Perkins Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Selbert Perkins Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pentagram: Largest independent multidisciplinary design firm in the US, with partners leading identity, environmental, and graphic design engagements. Comparable to SPD in offering integrated branding and environmental design to enterprise and institutional clients.
- Landor & Fitch: Global branding and design consultancy with deep experience in identity systems, environmental branding, and wayfinding for airports, retail, and mixed-use destinations. Directly comparable to SPD's integrated branding-plus-placemaking model.
- Populous: Architecture firm specializing in sports and entertainment venues, with a strong environmental graphics, branding, and wayfinding capability. Highly comparable on the sports/entertainment, civic landmark, and large-venue placemaking segments.
- ESI Design: Boutique experiential graphic design firm specializing in interactive environments, branded environments, and wayfinding for cultural, civic, and corporate clients. Closely matches SPD's EGD and digital design scope and target verticals.
- Mijksenaar: Dutch wayfinding specialist with global airport, transit, and healthcare projects (Schiphol, Amsterdam UMC). Directly comparable to SPD's wayfinding and signage systems practice, particularly on international transit and healthcare commissions.
- Carmel Owen (Two Twelve): Wayfinding and signage systems firm with deep practice in civic, transit, and cultural placemaking. Closely comparable to SPD on wayfinding master planning and signage standards work.
- Entro: Canadian experiential graphic design and wayfinding firm serving airports, transit, healthcare, and higher education. Comparable in vertical mix and integrated branding-plus-wayfinding offerings, with a strong North American focus.
- Roll Barresi & Associates: Mid-sized wayfinding and signage planning firm focused on healthcare, higher education, and civic projects. Directly comparable to SPD's signage systems and master planning scope in similar verticals.
Broad incumbents
- Gensler: Global AEC firm with significant in-house experiential graphic design and wayfinding practices serving airports, healthcare, and mixed-use clients. Competes with SPD on integrated commissions but at vastly larger scale and as part of full architectural mandates.
Emerging players
- City DNA: Placemaking and city branding consultancy working on identity, gateways, and wayfinding for municipalities and mixed-use destinations. Comparable to SPD's placemaking and civic identity work, with a narrower geographic and service focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Selbert Perkins Design social profiles
Digital presenceSelbert Perkins Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Selbert Perkins Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Selbert Perkins Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Selbert Perkins Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Selbert Perkins Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Selbert Perkins Design
What does Selbert Perkins Design do?
Selbert Perkins Design (SPD) is an international environmental graphic design firm that creates integrated Branding, Signage & Wayfinding, Placemaking, Public Art, Environmental Graphics, and Digital Design programs for enterprise clients. The firm combines multidisciplinary expertise in landscape architecture, sculpture, branding, industrial design, BIM, CADD, and 3D modeling to deliver large-scale projects across education, healthcare, transportation, mixed-use/retail, civic, hospitality, and sports & entertainment sectors from studios in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Shanghai.
Is Selbert Perkins Design a public or private company?
Selbert Perkins Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Selbert Perkins Design founded?
Selbert Perkins Design was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Selbert Perkins Design based?
Selbert Perkins Design is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Selbert Perkins Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: environmental Graphic Design Services.
Who are Selbert Perkins Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pentagram, Landor & Fitch, Populous, ESI Design, Mijksenaar, Carmel Owen (Two Twelve), Entro and Roll Barresi & Associates. Gensler is listed as a broad incumbent. City DNA is listed as an emerging player.
Does Selbert Perkins Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Selbert Perkins Design.
What industry is Selbert Perkins Design in?
Selbert Perkins Design's product category is Environmental Graphic Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAEAC, Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems, with a secondary code of BPAFAIAC, Graphic Design & Visual Content Production. Its NAICS code is 541430 and its SIC code is 7330.