ALMA architecture

What ALMA architecture does

ALMA architecture is a Philadelphia-based, Women's Business Enterprise-certified full-service architectural firm founded in 2013 in Center City by Adrienne McKinney, AIA. The firm delivers full-scope architectural services — programming, planning, visualization, schematic design, construction documentation, and construction administration — for renovations, additions, and new ground-up structures. It is led by two principals (McKinney with 20+ years focused on higher education, and Mathew Huffman, AIA, LEED AP with 25+ years focused on urban mixed-use and residential) who bring combined 50 years of practice into a small studio of fewer than 10 staff. Geographic concentration is Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with a secondary commercial/institutional footprint across the Northeast U.S.

The firm's core capabilities span adaptive reuse of historic buildings, sustainable design (evidenced by LEED AP credentialed leadership and consecutive AIA Pennsylvania COTE recognition), modular wood construction expertise using IIIB Construction methods enabling 5-story fire-treated wood structures, and a holistic interior design practice integrated with the architectural studio. Differentiated product offerings include Higher Education Design, Mixed-Use Development Design, Affordable Housing Design, Residential Architecture, and Commercial Architecture. Notable delivered projects include the Simon Center for Business and Economics at Lafayette College (35,000 SF, completed 2024), The Parker (45-unit multifamily with 14 affordable units, 2024 AIA Philadelphia Merit Award), Golaski Flats (35 modular units with adaptive restoration, 2023 AIA Philadelphia Merit Award for Equitable Communities), Markle Hall, Caritas (Chester, PA office renovation, 2020), and the Starfinder Foundation renovation. Named clients include Lafayette College, Benchmark Real Estate Partners, Mosaic Development Partners, Caritas Construction, and Starfinder Foundation.

Commercially, ALMA operates as a sales-led, project-based professional services practice. Revenue is generated through per-project fees for design and contract administration engagements, distributed via direct principal-led client engagement and professional-network referrals in the PA/NJ market. Marketing channels center on a portfolio website, LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram presence, and earned media through AIA Philadelphia and AIA Pennsylvania awards. The firm is bootstrapped with no disclosed external investment, founder/principal-owned, and offers no software products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities.

Name

ALMA architecture

Legal name

ALMA ARCHITECTURE llc

Website

https://almaarchitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ALMA architecture is a Philadelphia-based, Women-owned full-service architectural firm founded in 2013 by Adrienne McKinney, AIA, delivering programming through construction administration across higher education, residential, commercial, and institutional sectors throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Architectural services
• Commercial architecture
• Higher education design
• Adaptive reuse design
• Interior design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services - Project-Based: Professional architectural services provided on a project basis including programming, planning, visualization, schematic design, construction documentation, and construction administration. Services cover renovations, additions, and new ground-up structures for private, public, non-profit, commercial, and institutional clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ALMA architecture is a Philadelphia-based firm providing full-scope architectural services including programming, planning, visualization, schematic design, construction documentation, and construction administration for renovations, additions, and ground-up construction. The firm serves clients in higher education, residential, commercial, mixed-use, and institutional sectors, and also operates a dedicated Interiors department offering holistic interior design services.

Product overview

ALMA architecture is a Women's Business Enterprise architectural firm founded in 2013 in Center City Philadelphia, providing full-scope architectural services. The firm operates as a single unified practice with two main service areas: Full-Scope Architectural Services (spanning programming, planning, visualization, schematic design through construction documentation and administration for renovations, additions, and new ground-up structures) and an Interiors Department (offering holistic interior design extending beyond building exteriors). Their design portfolio spans higher education, mixed-use/residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional projects throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Scope Architectural Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformative residential development: The Parker - 45 units including 14 affordable housing units in Philadelphia pilot program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Golaski FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked closely with the Golaski family to cement Walter Golaski's legacy (Polish-American mechanical biomedical engineer and inventor of the close-knit dacron vascular graft) in the Golaski Flats development, maintaining the familiar name in the neighborhood.
• Lafayette CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with Lafayette College for multiple campus projects including Simon Center, Gummeson Grounds, South College, Lacrosse Center, Markle Hall, and Art Study.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CannonDesign: National, multi-discipline design firm with a strong higher education practice and Philadelphia-area presence. Competes with ALMA for university clients but at a much larger scale and broader service portfolio.
• Perkins&Will: Large global architecture practice with significant higher education and healthcare practices and Philadelphia-area presence. Competes for the same institutional clients as ALMA, but as part of a much broader, multi-discipline portfolio.
• Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Design-led architecture firm with offices across the East Coast and a strong higher education and cultural portfolio. Overlaps with ALMA on higher education and design-quality positioning, though operating at substantially larger scale.

Regional players

• KieranTimberlake: Philadelphia-headquartered architecture firm known for design-led, research-driven work across higher education, cultural, and civic projects. Comparable to ALMA in regional base and higher-education focus, though at meaningfully larger scale and broader national profile.

Direct peers

• ISA (Interface Studio Architects): Philadelphia architecture practice of comparable size with strong work in adaptive reuse, urban infill, multifamily, and mixed-use housing. Direct overlap with ALMA in project typology and regional developer market.
• Jibe Design: Small Philadelphia studio working on urban infill, mixed-use, and multifamily residential projects. Comparable in firm size, regional focus, and developer client base.
• DIGSAU: Philadelphia-based architecture firm of similar size working on adaptive reuse, mixed-use, and urban infill residential projects. Directly comparable mission and typology mix, including historic rehabilitation and modular construction experimentation.
• Blend Design Group: Small Philadelphia architecture practice focused on multi-family residential, mixed-use, and adaptive reuse projects in the urban Northeast. Closely comparable to ALMA in size, project typology, and Philadelphia developer client base.
• Atkin Olshin Schade Architects: Philadelphia firm with comparable scale and practice in historic preservation, adaptive reuse, institutional, and higher education work. Direct competitor for the same developer, university, and institutional client base.
• Winka Dubbeldam Architect: Small Philadelphia academic/practice hybrid with strong higher education and adaptive reuse portfolio. Comparable in scale, regional focus, and design-led higher education work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ALMAarchitecturellc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alma-architecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/almaarchitecture

Compliance3 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 ALMA architecture