What Krueck Sexton Partners does

Krueck Sexton Partners (KSP) is a Chicago-headquartered architecture and interior design firm founded in 1981, operating as a private for-profit practice of 11–50 employees. The firm delivers integrated architecture, interior design, and custom fabrication services for cultural, civic, educational, federal, and corporate clients in the United States and internationally. Its portfolio spans signature cultural works (Crown Fountain in Millennium Park), large federal commissions (the $240 million Silvio J. Mollo Federal Building for the GSA), repeated U.S. Department of State embassy projects across Africa and Asia, commercial repositionings (CME Center), transportation (United Airlines Terminal 7 at LAX), higher education work (University of Chicago, UIC, IIT), and pro-bono humanitarian projects (Zara's Center, Zimbabwe).

The firm earns revenue through professional services fees on a project basis, typically tied to the construction value of each commission, with supplemental income from pro-bono work and monograph sales. Its technical stack centers on building information modeling (BIM), 3D modeling, laser scanning, and in-house custom fabrication rather than proprietary software products. The practice has invested heavily in high-performance design credentials, including the first LEED Platinum Commercial Interiors project in GSA Region 2 (U.S. Attorney's Office, SDNY) and Zero Energy certification, which together support its pursuit of Inflation Reduction Act-funded federal retrofit work.

KSP goes to market primarily through juried competitions, restricted federal solicitations, and direct developer and institutional commissions. Its competitive positioning rests on a 44-year design track record, founder continuity, and a portfolio that converts brand equity into wins on high-prestige civic, federal, and cultural projects. The firm has no disclosed revenue, no external funding, and no AI/ML product strategy evident in the available information.

Name

Krueck Sexton Partners

Legal name

Krueck Sexton Partners

Website

https://ks.partners

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Krueck Sexton Partners is a Chicago-based architecture and interior design firm founded in 1981 that delivers cultural, civic, federal, corporate, and educational buildings across the U.S. and internationally, with particular strength in high-performance sustainable design and large federal commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural design and consulting fees: Primary revenue from project-based architectural design services for institutional, governmental, corporate, and cultural clients. Notable large-scale commissions include the $240 million Silvio J. Mollo Federal Building rehabilitation. Fee structures typically tied to project scope, complexity, and construction value.
2. Pro-bono and humanitarian design services: KSP has led pro-bono design teams, such as the collaboration with the Plutzik Goldwasser Family Foundation for Zara's Center for AIDS-Impacted Youth in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, beginning March 2020, with Phase 1 on schedule for spring 2025 completion.
3. Design monograph and merchandise sales: Sells a Krueck Sexton design monograph via the shop.architecture.org retail channel as a secondary revenue stream tied to brand and portfolio visibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Krueck Sexton Partners provides integrated architecture and urban design services delivered through sector practices (Arts & Culture, Cities & Communities, Learning, Living, Public Service, Workplace) and discipline capabilities (Master Planning, Landmark Preservation, Renovation & Repositioning, Exhibit & Showroom, Art in Architecture, Competitions, Resilient & Secure, Public Space). The firm commissions projects for federal, diplomatic, cultural, educational, corporate, and residential clients, executing work from competitions and master planning through construction administration.

Product overview

Krueck Sexton Partners is an architecture and urban design firm offering a unified portfolio of design services across multiple sectors and disciplines, rather than a single product. The practice organizes its work into sector-based offerings (Arts & Culture Architectural Design, Cities & Communities Design, Places of Learning, Places of Living, Public Service & Government Architecture, and High-Performing Workplaces) that are delivered through discipline-based capabilities (Master Planning, Landmark Preservation, Renovation & Repositioning, Exhibit & Showroom Design, Art in Architecture, Architectural Competitions, Resilient & Secure Design, Public Space Design, and On the Boards pipeline projects). Together these capabilities allow the firm to take projects from master planning and competition entry through landmark preservation and repositioning of legacy buildings to new construction across civic, cultural, educational, residential, and federal typologies — including marquee works such as Crown Fountain, A Steel and Glass House, the University of Chicago Oriental Institute art installation with Ann Hamilton, and multiple U.S. Embassy and federal building projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arts & Culture Architectural Design Architecture and interior design services for arts and culture organizations, creating compelling and navigable spaces that encourage meaningful interaction and celebration. Examples include Spertus Institute, Crown Fountain, and the Arts Club of Chicago.
• Cities & Communities Design Urban design and planning services for cities, municipalities, and community organizations, addressing rapidly evolving challenges through healthy, engaging urban environments. Includes neighborhood regeneration, mixed-use development, and transit-oriented projects such as I Grow Peace Campus and Reston Crossing.
• Places of Learning Design Architecture and interior design for educational and leadership environments that are welcoming, adaptable, and transformative. Projects span K-12, higher education (University of Chicago, UIC), libraries, and lifelong learning institutions.
• Places of Living Design Residential architecture focused on creating sheltering, sensory-rich spaces that promote well-being and serve as refuges of renewal. Includes single-family residences (A Steel and Glass House, A Brick and Glass House), apartments (Triangulated Cloud Apartment), and large-scale residential/mixed-use prototypes.
• Public Service & Government Architecture Design of iconic, resilient, occupant-centered environments for civil servants and public institutions, including U.S. Embassies, federal courthouses, federal office buildings, and consulates. Examples: Silvio J. Mollo Federal Building, Charles E. Whittaker Courthouse, U.S. Embassies in Dhaka, Nairobi, Kampala, Port Moresby, and Victoria (Seychelles).
• High-Performing Workplaces Design Workplace design supporting employee thriving and organizational growth with a focus on sustainability and human health. Projects include CME Center repositioning, Tower at North Franklin, 1100 First Street NE, Herman Miller facilities, Shure headquarters, and the Obama Foundation office.
• Master Planning Large-scale site and campus planning integrating landscape, connectivity, urban design, and architecture. Includes transit-oriented mixed-use master plans (Reston Crossing), embassy campuses, corporate innovation centers, and educational campus planning.
• Landmark Preservation Restoration and preservation of architecturally and culturally significant buildings, including Mies van der Rohe's 860-880 Lake Shore Drive, the Farnsworth House, and S.R. Crown Hall at IIT, honoring heritage while adapting buildings for modern use.
• Renovation & Repositioning Adaptive reuse and repositioning of existing buildings to extend useful life, improve performance, and unlock commercial and cultural value. Examples include the CME Center lobby repositioning, Oliver Street roof terrace and lounge, and 1313 Moorman.
• Exhibit & Showroom Design Design of temporary and permanent exhibitions, pavilions, and showroom environments. Notable projects include the Spertus Institute splash page, Chicago Boogie-Woogie (Architecture Biennial), Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, and the Thonet Showroom.
• Art in Architecture Integration of commissioned and curated artworks into architectural projects, including the Ann Hamilton art installation at the University of Chicago Joe and Rika Mansueto Library / Oriental Institute, Crown Fountain (in collaboration with Jaume Plensa), and custom facades and installations.
• Architectural Competitions Participatory and winning entries in international and national architecture competitions, including Chicago Union (C40 Competition), Gwanghwamun (Seoul, Korea), Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial (Washington, DC), Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, McCormick Place Event Center, Abrahamic Interfaith Center, and the Museum of Architecture competition in Wrocław, Poland.
• Resilient & Secure Design Design of secure, hardened facilities for federal clients including U.S. Embassies, Marine Security Guard Residences, and federal courthouses, balancing blast/forced-entry protection with dignified architectural expression and high environmental performance.
• Public Space Design Design of civic plazas, parks, streetscapes, and shared public environments, including outdoor dining interventions (ARC & The Nest on Chicago's 75th Street) and embassy land bridges and courtyards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced leased-space vacancy from 19% to 4% (81% to 96% occupancy) and increased market rents by 20% during the pandemic market via the CME Center lobby repositioning.
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Sweet Water FoundationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe Sweet Water Foundation, a regenerative neighborhood development organization, trained and cultivated skills in art, design & build projects, carpentry, sustainability, and agriculture. They constructed the off-the-shelf plywood touchdown meeting areas for the Obama Foundation office designed by KSP, supporting the foundation's goal of involving the community in construction.
• Plutzik Goldwasser Family FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSP began a collaboration with the Plutzik Goldwasser Family Foundation in March 2020 to design a new five-acre facility for Zara's Center in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The foundation supports AIDS-impacted children through school fees, community, tutoring, and meals. Phase 1 includes a 200-square-meter Resource Center for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, with Phase 1 buildings on schedule for spring 2025 completion. KSP-led team provided pro-bono services.
• Buro HappoldminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided MEP and Environmental engineering services for the Zara's Center for AIDS-Impacted Youth project in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, as part of the KSP-led pro-bono team.
• Design WorkshopminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided Landscape architecture services for the Zara's Center for AIDS-Impacted Youth project in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, as part of the KSP-led pro-bono team.
• LanganminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided Civil engineering services for the Zara's Center for AIDS-Impacted Youth project in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, as part of the KSP-led pro-bono team.
• HNTBflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerServed as Prime & Architect of Record on the United Airlines Terminal 7 at LAX renovation, with KSP as Design Architect. The joint team collaborated closely to identify and preserve critical structural elements and determine phasing strategies that permitted passengers to access all airport components during construction.
• Hensel PhelpscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerServed as Contractor on the United Airlines Terminal 7 at LAX renovation, working alongside KSP (Design Architect) and HNTB (Prime/Architect of Record) to deliver the project while maintaining full airport operations.
• ARC (Action, Response, Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC is a network of design leaders committed to making Chicago safe, healthy, and economically resilient for all. KSP was part of the ARC network that collaborated with the City of Chicago and other design firms (Site Design Group, Brook Architecture, IIT Architecture, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Thornton Tomasetti) on rapid-response outdoor dining interventions across the city's south and west sides. The first project was completed on Chatham 75th Street with the "The Nest" dining shelter.
• Site Design Group, Ltd.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated as part of the ARC design network alongside KSP on the All Reimagining Chicago — ARC & The Nest project, providing landscape architecture expertise for the outdoor dining interventions on Chicago's south and west sides.
• Brook ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated as part of the ARC design network alongside KSP on the All Reimagining Chicago rapid-response outdoor dining project for Chicago's south and west side corridors.
• IIT Architecture (Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated as part of the ARC design network alongside KSP on the All Reimagining Chicago outdoor dining interventions for Chicago's south and west side corridors.
• Chicago Architecture BiennialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated as part of the ARC design network alongside KSP on the All Reimagining Chicago outdoor dining interventions for Chicago's south and west side corridors.
• Thornton TomasettiminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated as part of the ARC design network alongside KSP on the All Reimagining Chicago outdoor dining interventions for Chicago's south and west side corridors.
• PyxidminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated on the University of Illinois at Chicago – Jefferson and Henry Halls Renovation project, providing renderings alongside KSP.
• Site Design (landscape)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided landscape architecture for the University of Illinois at Chicago – Jefferson and Henry Halls Renovation project, with rain gardens to filter, collect, and manage all stormwater on site with native landscaping.
• Chicago Architecture FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKSP collaborated with the Chicago Architecture Foundation on the L'eftspace exhibit, and was named Chicago Architecture Foundation Patron of the Year for 1100 First Street, NE. The firm designed the Herman Miller National Design Center exhibit experience in collaboration with the foundation.
• Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois (implied through preservation practice)coreOthersImplied through KSP's practice in landmark preservation including 860-880 Lake Shore Drive, Farnsworth House, S.R. Crown Hall at IIT, and the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.
• Tishman SpeyerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner/developer of International Square at 1850 K Street NW in Washington, D.C. Tishman Speyer commissioned KSP to transform the ground floor and 12-story atrium into The Square at International Square food hall with mega-scale awning-style glazed overhead doors and automated natural ventilation, partnering with Union Market creator.
• Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS Chicago) and NHS Redevelopment Corporation (NHSRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSP is collaborating with NHS Chicago and NHSRC to advance affordable, community-based housing on Chicago's South and West sides. The 2-Flat prototype responds to the city's urgent shortage of affordable housing and abundance of vacant lots, offering thoughtful, cost-attainable design that reinforces neighborhood fabric and supports wealth-building through architecture.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SmithGroup: Large integrated design firm with federal, cultural, higher-education, and science-and-technology practices. Larger incumbent peer competing for the same GSA, embassy, and academic commissions as KSP, with broader service lines but less boutique positioning.

Direct peers

• Handel Architects: Large-scale architecture practice with strong commercial real estate repositioning, mixed-use, and tall-building portfolio. Comparable to KSP on the corporate real estate repositioning discipline and Class A office repositioning mandates.
• Allied Works Architecture: Portland- and New York-based cultural architecture practice of similar size known for museums, memorials, and cultural institutions. Direct overlap with KSP on competition-driven cultural commissions such as memorials and museum master plans.
• KieranTimberlake: Philadelphia-based architecture firm of similar size and prestige, recognized for high-performance envelope design and sustainability leadership (LEED, net-zero). Direct overlap with KSP on cultural, higher-education, and federal projects, and on integrated design workflows.
• Ennead Architects: New York-based practice with strong cultural, institutional, and civic portfolio (natural history museums, libraries, government buildings). Competes for the same federal, cultural, and academic commissions as KSP and shares the integrated art-in-architecture discipline.
• Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Mid-sized, multi-office architecture practice with comparable diversity across cultural, civic, residential, and institutional typologies. Shares KSP's emphasis on design excellence, sustainability, and craftsmanship, and competes for similar cultural and higher-education commissions.
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro: New York-based practice known for cultural and institutional architecture plus art-in-architecture integration. Comparable to KSP on art-in-architecture discipline, cultural commissions, and competition-driven pipeline.
• Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects: New York-based practice specializing in cultural, civic, and institutional buildings including memorials and library work (Obama Presidential Center). Direct overlap with KSP on landmark cultural commissions and civic memorial work.
• Annabelle Selldorf / Selldorf Architects: Boutique New York practice with comparable scale and a portfolio spanning cultural institutions, galleries, residential, and adaptive reuse. Comparable in typology mix and design-led positioning to KSP's arts-and-culture and repositioning work.
• Studio Gang: Chicago-headquartered architecture practice with strong cultural, civic, and sustainability portfolio. Geographic and typological peer to KSP, competing for similar Chicago civic and national cultural commissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Krueck Sexton Partners