Simons Architects
Simons Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architecture firm founded in 1995, serving K-12, higher education, library, municipal, and cultural clients with specialized Passive House, Living Building Challenge, and Net-Zero design services across northern New England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Simons Architects does
Simons Architects is a private architecture firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Portland, Maine. The firm provides architectural design, landscape architecture, planning, and interior design services with a documented specialization in sustainable building practices, including Passive House, Living Building Challenge, and Net-Zero design. Its client base is institutional in nature, spanning K-12 schools, higher education institutions, public libraries, municipalities, and cultural organizations, with a geographic focus historically anchored in Maine and northern New England.
The firm operates a project-based professional services model, generating revenue primarily through design fees tied to individual construction and renovation engagements. It employs approximately 20 people organized around five partners, and has accumulated 35+ AIA awards over its 30-year operating history. The firm has begun extending its footprint into New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York, and has added affordable housing developer work (Avesta Housing) and digital design visualization services to its practice offering.
Simons Architects differentiates through concentrated expertise in high-performance sustainable design, a multi-decade award track record, and long-standing institutional relationships that generate repeat engagements. The firm is currently navigating a leadership transition, with founder Scott Simons announcing retirement in late 2025 and a new-generation partner cohort (including Matt Maiello, promoted 2024) formalizing succession depth.
Simons Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Simons Architects
- Legal name
- Simons Architects
- Website
- https://simonsarchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Simons Architects is a Portland, Maine-based architecture firm founded in 1995, serving K-12, higher education, library, municipal, and cultural clients with specialized Passive House, Living Building Challenge, and Net-Zero design services across northern New England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Simons Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Simons Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Simons Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Professional architecture fees for new construction, renovation, expansion, and master planning projects for institutional clients including schools, libraries, municipal buildings, and cultural institutions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Simons Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Simons Architects is a multi-disciplinary architecture firm providing integrated architectural design, landscape architecture, planning, and interior design services for institutional clients. Core offerings include new construction, renovation and expansion, campus master planning, historic renovation and adaptive reuse, and sustainable design for schools, libraries, cultural organizations, municipalities, and housing developments across Maine and New England.
Product overview
Simons Architects is an innovative multi-disciplinary architecture firm providing a unified suite of design services centered around architectural design, landscape architecture, planning, and interior design. The firm operates as a single integrated practice rather than a platform with modular products. Key service offerings include sustainable design services (Passive House, Living Building Challenge, LEED), campus and master planning, 3D visualization services, pre-design programming and feasibility studies, construction documentation and observation, and specialized adaptive reuse and historic renovation services. Projects span commercial, cultural, educational, housing, institutional, and library building types throughout Maine and New England.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design for commercial, cultural, educational, housing, institutional, and library projects, including new construction, renovations, additions, and construction observation. Provided to institutional clients in Maine and northern New England.
- Sustainable Design Services High-performance sustainable design practice delivering projects targeting Passive House certification, Living Building Challenge 3.1, Net-Zero energy, and LEED Platinum certification, including mass timber construction techniques.
- Campus and Master Planning Comprehensive campus and master planning services for educational institutions and organizations, including needs assessments, feasibility studies, and phased development strategies.
- Historic Renovation and Adaptive Reuse Renovation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings, including National Register-listed properties, balancing preservation of architectural heritage with modern performance and accessibility needs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Passive House certification reduces energy use to 80% less than energy code requirements
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Simons Architects
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Simons Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Simons Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Lassel ArchitectsminorCollaborated with Lassel Architects on the Rice Public Library project in Kittery to develop solutions for adding 10,400 SF to the historic structure
- Maclay ArchitectsminorCollaborated with Maclay Architects on the Bosarge Family Education Center at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Maine's first Net-Zero, LEED Platinum institutional building
- Kaplan Thompson ArchitectsminorOne of three Portland architecture firms collaborating on The Ecology School campus plan, specifically designing the dormitories and dining commons
- BriburnminorOne of three Portland architecture firms collaborating on The Ecology School campus plan
- Avesta HousingcoreOngoing partnership on housing projects including Seavey Terrace development providing 186 units of mixed-income housing in Westbrook
- New Ventures LLCcorePartnership on Dana Street Housing and Seavey Terrace housing projects in Westbrook
- Ryan Bent PhotographyminorPhotographer for multiple projects including Waynflete Lower School, Casco Bay Ferry Terminal, Freeport Historical Society, and Falmouth Memorial Library
- Lever ArchitectureminorCollaborating with Lever Architecture (Portland, Oregon) on Dana Street Housing project featuring mass timber floor plates and prefab wall construction
- Ac舜ann HermannminorInterior design collaboration on makers mill project with Leslie Benson Designs
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Simons Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shepley Bulfinch: Boston-based architecture firm with deep institutional practice across higher education, libraries, healthcare, and cultural clients. Highly comparable to Simons in building type mix, regional New England presence, and long-tenured institutional client relationships.
- Sasaki Associates: Watertown, MA-based practice integrating architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and interior design. Directly comparable to Simons' multi-disciplinary model and campus master planning work for educational and cultural institutions.
- Ann Beha Architects: Boston architecture firm specializing in libraries, academic, and cultural institutions with strong historic preservation and adaptive reuse credentials. Closely mirrors Simons' library, education, and historic renovation focus.
- Payette: Boston-based architecture firm with practices in higher education, science/research facilities, and healthcare. Comparable in designing high-performance institutional buildings for educational and research clients in New England.
- Perry Dean Rogers | Partners Architects: Boston firm with strong higher education, independent school, and cultural institution practice. Directly comparable in serving private schools, colleges, and cultural organizations in the New England market.
- HGA Architects and Engineers: National architecture and engineering firm with significant higher education, cultural, and library practices and a strong sustainable design portfolio. Comparable in design excellence, sustainability credentials, and institutional client base.
- CambridgeSeven: Cambridge, MA architecture firm with cultural, educational, aquatics, and interpretive experience design practices. Comparable in cultural institution work (museums, performing arts) and selective public-facing projects like Simons' Casco Bay Ferry Terminal and Kiwanis Pool.
- HMFH Architects: Cambridge architecture firm focused on K-12 and higher education learning environments. Closely comparable to Simons' education vertical, campus planning expertise, and New England geographic focus.
- Kaplan Thompson Architects: Portland, Maine-based architecture firm with strong Passive House and sustainable design credentials. Directly comparable as a regional Maine peer and as a collaboration partner on The Ecology School campus plan.
Broad incumbents
- CannonDesign: Large national architecture, engineering, and planning firm with significant higher education, science, and healthcare practices. Overlaps Simons' institutional client base but at much broader scale and geographic reach.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Simons Architects social profiles
Digital presenceSimons Architects compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Simons Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Simons Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Simons Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Simons Architects 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 Simons Architects
What does Simons Architects do?
Simons Architects is a multi-disciplinary architecture firm providing integrated architectural design, landscape architecture, planning, and interior design services for institutional clients. Core offerings include new construction, renovation and expansion, campus master planning, historic renovation and adaptive reuse, and sustainable design for schools, libraries, cultural organizations, municipalities, and housing developments across Maine and New England.
Is Simons Architects a public or private company?
Simons Architects is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Simons Architects founded?
Simons Architects was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Simons Architects based?
Simons Architects is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Simons Architects make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are Simons Architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shepley Bulfinch, Sasaki Associates, Ann Beha Architects, Payette, Perry Dean Rogers | Partners Architects, HGA Architects and Engineers, CambridgeSeven, HMFH Architects and Kaplan Thompson Architects. CannonDesign is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Simons Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Simons Architects.
What industry is Simons Architects in?
Simons Architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAD, Urban Planning & Master Planning. Its NAICS code is 54131.