Partners In Design Architects

What Partners In Design Architects does

Partners In Design Architects (PIDA) is a privately held, mid-sized architecture firm founded in 1991 by Thomas J. O'Connell Jr. and Werner H. Brisske, headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin with a secondary office in Riverwoods, Illinois. The firm provides full-service architectural design across 15 market segments including commercial, corporate/industrial, healthcare, higher education, K-12 education, municipal, recreation, religious, residential, historic preservation, interiors, financial, and sustainable design. The firm holds licensure in 18 U.S. states and has delivered over 4,600 projects to more than 1,074 clients, with notable first-of-kind sustainable credentials including Illinois' first dual LEED Silver/Three Green Globe certified building (Prairie Medical) and Kenosha County's first LEED certified building (Riley Construction headquarters).

PIDA's revenue model is project-based professional services, generating design fees tied to project scope and complexity across a horizontally diversified portfolio. The firm operates a sales-led, principal-driven go-to-market motion targeting institutional, commercial, and municipal clients through established relationships and a 4,600-project portfolio. The team of 28 includes three Principals (Werner H. Brisske, Mark A. Molinaro Jr., Jeffrey E. Bridleman) supported by licensed architects, LEED-accredited professionals, and project staff. Marketing relies primarily on portfolio-based website showcase, industry awards, and community involvement in the Kenosha and Northern Illinois markets rather than paid acquisition. The firm celebrated its 35th anniversary in May 2026 and in 2024 transitioned leadership following the retirement of co-founder Tom O'Connell Jr., with Jeff Bridleman elevated to Partner.

Name

Partners In Design Architects

Legal name

Partners in Design Architects, Inc.

Website

https://pidarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Partners In Design Architects is a privately held, 28-person architecture firm founded in 1991 that provides sustainable architectural design services across 15 market segments including commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, and municipal projects, serving 1,074+ clients from offices in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable building design
• LEED certification consulting
• Educational facility architecture
• Commercial industrial architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Illinois City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Project-based architectural design services for commercial, corporate, industrial, healthcare, higher education, K-12 education, municipal, recreation, religious, and residential projects. Revenue is generated through design fees based on project scope and complexity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Partners In Design Architects (PIDA) provides full-service architectural design across 15 market segments, including commercial, corporate/industrial, healthcare, K-12 and higher education, municipal, recreation, religious, residential, financial, office, interiors, historic preservation, on the boards, and sustainable design. The firm delivers projects from concept through construction administration, with recognized specialization in LEED and Green Globes certified sustainable design and historic preservation/adaptive reuse.

Product overview

Partners in Design Architects is an architectural firm offering comprehensive design services rather than a software product company. The firm provides architectural services across 15 market segments including Commercial, Corporate/Industrial, Financial, Healthcare, Higher Education, Historic Preservation, Interiors, K-12 Education, Municipal, Office, On the Boards, Recreation, Religious, Residential, and Sustainable Design. The core offering is architectural design services, supplemented by specialized sustainable/green building design capabilities. Projects range from small residential designs to large-scale industrial, educational, and municipal facilities. The firm has delivered over 4,600 projects across 1,000+ clients and operates from two offices in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design from concept through construction administration across 15 market segments, delivered to enterprise, institutional, public-sector, and private clients throughout the Midwest and 18 licensed states.
• Sustainable and Green Building Design Specialized architectural services focused on energy-efficient, environmentally responsible design, LEED certification, Green Globes certification, geothermal systems, and long-term operating cost optimization for buildings and their occupants.
• Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse Design Design services for historic building restoration and adaptive reuse, balancing authentic preservation, code compliance, and modern functionality within historic contexts.
• K-12 Education Facility Design Architectural design for elementary, middle, and high schools including new construction, renovations, additions, and specialized facilities such as performing arts centers and athletic facilities for K-12 school districts.
• Higher Education Facility Design Architectural design for colleges, technical schools, and career training facilities, including modern learning environments, specialized training facilities, and energy-efficient campus buildings.
• Healthcare Facility Design

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,600 projects delivered across 35 years of operation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Planners, Engineers, Interior Designers, Specialty Consultants, and ContractorscoreOthersPartners with planners, engineers, interior designers, specialty consultants, and contractors who share PIDA's values of passion, collaboration, and vision. These project partners work together to provide clients with rewarding building experiences that exceed project expectations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• SmithGroup:

Direct peers

• Legat Architects: Mid-size Midwest architecture firm serving K-12, higher education, healthcare, and municipal clients from Illinois and Wisconsin offices—nearly identical target market and scale to PIDA.
• Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (HGA): Mid-size Midwest AEC firm with comparable portfolio across healthcare, education, corporate, and cultural sectors, with strong sustainable-design credentials—directly overlapping PIDA's segment mix.
• Kahler Slater: Milwaukee-based full-service design firm covering workplace, healthcare, higher education, and living communities—strong overlap with PIDA's commercial, healthcare, and education segments.
• Eppstein Uhen Architects: Wisconsin-headquartered architecture firm of similar size serving corporate, education, healthcare, and community clients across the Midwest—comparable scale and market coverage.
• Zimmerman Architectural Studios: Wisconsin-based architecture firm focused on healthcare, senior living, education, and community projects—directly comparable to PIDA's healthcare and K-12 segments.
• Wight & Company: Illinois-headquartered architecture, engineering, and construction firm with strong K-12 and higher education portfolios—directly comparable market and geographic focus.
• Moody Nolan: Largest African-American-owned architecture firm with strong K-12, higher education, sports, and community portfolios—comparable segment focus and mission-driven positioning.
• KSS Architects (Kaplan Gehring McCarroll): Mid-size architecture practice with deep K-12, higher education, and public-sector work—similar firm size, client type, and project typology to PIDA.

Broad incumbents

• CannonDesign: Large national AEC firm (multiple hundred employees) with major healthcare, higher education, and science & technology practices—a scaled incumbent competing for the same institutional clients as PIDA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pidarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/partners-in-design-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Partners In Design Architects