MKSD architects
MKSD Architects is a 20-person, certified Women-Owned architectural design firm in Allentown, PA delivering planning, architecture, interior design, and historic preservation services to healthcare networks, universities, municipalities, and corporate clients across the Lehigh Valley region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersAllentown, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What MKSD architects does
MKSD Architects is a privately held, certified Women-Owned architectural design practice founded in 2005 and headquartered at 1209 Hausman Road, Suite A, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The firm employs a 20+ person team of registered architects, LEED-accredited professionals, NCIDQ-certified interior designers, and historic preservation specialists, governed by three partners (Silvia Hoffman, Todd Chambers, Jill Hewes) and an Associate Partner (Jessica Klocek). MKSD delivers planning, architecture, interior design, and historic preservation services to institutional and corporate clients, with healthcare networks (LVHN, St. Luke's, Geisinger) and higher-education institutions (Northampton Community College, East Stroudsburg University, Lehigh University) as its two anchor verticals, complemented by K-12, government, corporate, manufacturing, recreation, hospitality, and arts & culture work concentrated in the Lehigh Valley region.
The firm's technical capabilities center on REVIT/BIM-based design and documentation, 3D laser scanning, photorealistic renderings, and virtual reality walkthroughs used to align stakeholders during design. Service offerings span programming, master planning, schematic design, design development, contract documents, and construction administration, often delivered in design-build collaboration with construction managers such as Boyle Construction, Wohlsen Construction, Whiting-Turner, and engineering partners including Barry Isett & Associates and CBRE. Specialty work includes evidence-based and LEAN healthcare design, LEED-accredited sustainable design (with multiple LEED AP partners and projects such as the NCC Monroe Campus pursuing LEED Gold), historic preservation on National Register-listed properties (PA DGS Ryan Building, Stroud Mansion, Wilbur Mansion), and adaptive reuse (ArtsQuest Creative Factory, Social Still distillery).
MKSD generates revenue through fee-based professional services agreements, typically structured as fixed fee or hourly engagements negotiated on a project-by-project basis. Project budgets disclosed in the firm's portfolio range from roughly $3.8 million (Perkasie Borough community pool) to $38 million (East Stroudsburg University Science and Technology Center), with architecture/interior design fees implicit in standard industry ratios. The go-to-market model is direct, partner-led enterprise engagement built on referrals, RFP/bid participation (a public Bids page lists active opportunities), and long-tenured relationships — some exceeding 20 years — rather than channel, marketplace, or licensing distribution. The firm is privately held with no disclosed investors, parent company, or external funding.
MKSD architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MKSD architects
- Legal name
- MKSD Architects
- Website
- https://mksdarchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- MKSD Architects is a 20-person, certified Women-Owned architectural design firm in Allentown, PA delivering planning, architecture, interior design, and historic preservation services to healthcare networks, universities, municipalities, and corporate clients across the Lehigh Valley region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MKSD architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)
Keywords
Where MKSD architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Allentown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MKSD architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural and Planning Professional Services: Primary revenue stream: fee-based professional services encompassing all phases of planning, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration for new buildings, additions, and renovations. Engagements are project-based, typically structured as fixed fee or hourly professional services agreements with institutional clients.
- Interior Design and Furniture Specification Services: Secondary revenue stream embedded in project work: interior design, finish selection, furniture selection/specification/bidding, signage design, and space planning delivered alongside architectural services (e.g., Buckeye Partners furniture package, Martin Guitar Custom Shop interior fit-out, Quadrant Capital fit-out).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
MKSD architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MKSD Architects is a 20+ person full-service architectural design firm providing planning, architectural design, interior design, and historic preservation services across all project phases — from programming and schematic design through construction documents and construction administration. The firm serves institutional, healthcare, higher education, government, corporate, and community clients in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, with secondary specialties in LEED-accredited sustainable design, evidence-based healthcare design, and immersive 3D/VR visualization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architecture
- Planning
- Interior Design
- Historic Preservation
Quantifiable outcome
- Designed $38 million, 125,500 sq ft East Stroudsburg University Science and Technology Center (in association with Gensler), awarded AIA Eastern Pennsylvania Special Citation
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use MKSD architects
Customer profileNamed customers49 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
MKSD architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
MKSD architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Boyle ConstructioncoreBoyle Construction has partnered with MKSD on multiple design-build and construction projects across the Lehigh Valley, including the St. Luke's Lanark Road Health Center design-build venture, The Hamilton Kitchen & Bar, and the Sierra Circle fit-out. Sean Boyle, President of Boyle Construction, has publicly endorsed MKSD.
- Wohlsen ConstructioncoreWohlsen Construction partnered with MKSD Architects and Barry Isett & Associates in a design-build collaboration for Foley, Inc.'s new CAT branch in Breinigsville, PA. The team maintained continuous communication to address issues collaboratively.
- Barry Isett & AssociatescoreBarry Isett & Associates collaborated with MKSD Architects and Wohlsen Construction in a design-build team for Foley, Inc.'s CAT branch. Barry Isett is also a long-term MKSD client (its own new headquarters was designed by MKSD).
- Whiting-Turner Contracting CompanycoreMKSD worked with Whiting-Turner's Allentown office as part of a design/build team to design, document and construct 645 Waterfront Drive, one of the Lehigh Valley's premier mixed-use developments along the Lehigh River.
- CBREminorCBRE's real estate and project management professionals partnered with MKSD on early planning for the Buckeye Partners Pennsylvania offices, including validation of programming, schematic master planning, and test fits.
- Gensler Architecture and PlanningminorMKSD partnered with Gensler Architecture and Planning (Chicago office) in association to design the East Stroudsburg University Warren E. '55 and Sandra Hoeffner Science and Technology Center.
- Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc.coreMKSD teamed with renowned aquatics specialist Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates on aquatic projects including the Hatfield Community Pool and the Perkasie Menlo Park Pool, where MKSD served as architect of record.
- Celano Design StudiominorCelano Design Studio from NYC collaborated with MKSD on The Shelby and The Hamilton Kitchen & Bar interior designs.
- ArmstrongminorArmstrong was one of three vendor partners (alongside Interface and Garden State Tile) featured at MKSD's Fall Vendor Showcase at the Allentown studio, sharing updates on flooring and ceiling innovations.
- InterfaceminorInterface participated in MKSD's Fall Vendor Showcase at the Allentown studio, sharing updates on flooring, ceilings, and tile innovations.
- Garden State TileminorGarden State Tile participated in MKSD's Fall Vendor Showcase at the Allentown studio, sharing tile product innovations.
- ArtsQuest (Creative Factory Powered by PPL)coreMKSD is collaborating with ArtsQuest on the Creative Factory powered by PPL — replacing the historic Banana Factory with a new state-of-the-art visual, performing arts, and educational hub in Bethlehem, PA. MKSD is also featured in Building Enclosure magazine for the adaptive reuse of the LVHN Turn & Grind Shop at the ArtsQuest SteelStacks campus.
- Noble PropertiesminorNoble Properties (Construction Manager) worked closely with MKSD on the expansion and interior fit-out of the historic Wilbur Mansion into a hospitality and event destination.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MKSD architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spillman Farmer Architects: Bethlehem, PA-based architecture firm of comparable size with deep regional roots across healthcare, higher education, civic, and commercial work in the Lehigh Valley — the closest geographic and scale peer to MKSD and a direct competitor for the same institutional clients.
- EwingCole: Philadelphia-based architecture and engineering firm with a nationally recognized healthcare and higher-education practice; competes with MKSD on Pennsylvania hospital systems and university campuses and offers a relevant benchmark for healthcare design specialization.
- Ballinger: Philadelphia-based architecture and engineering firm specializing in healthcare, higher education, and science/research facilities — directly comparable on project type, regional footprint, and evidence-based-design methodology MKSD applies.
- Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Pennsylvania-rooted (Wilkes-Barre) architecture firm with a national reputation for civic, higher-education, and institutional work — comparable on regional Pennsylvania origin, design-award recognition pattern, and integrated architecture-plus-interior-design model.
- Ware Malcomb: Commercial architecture and engineering firm with significant corporate/developer office, healthcare, and industrial practice — overlaps directly with MKSD's corporate commercial developer segment and brings a comparable integrated architecture-and-interior design offering.
Broad incumbents
- CannonDesign: National architecture and design firm with a deeply established healthcare practice (including evidence-based design) and active higher-education and science/tech portfolios — a broader incumbent competing for the same hospital systems and university clients MKSD serves.
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with one of the strongest healthcare design practices (including research-driven, evidence-based design) plus higher-education and science work — a national incumbent that competes with MKSD on larger health-system and university commissions.
- HKS, Inc. National architecture firm with one of the largest U.S. healthcare practices (hospitals, MOBs, outpatient facilities) plus higher-education and corporate work — competes with MKSD for large-scale regional health-system commissions in Pennsylvania.
- Stantec Architecture: Global design and engineering firm with large healthcare, higher-education, community, and industrial practices — relevant broad incumbent competing for the same Pennsylvania institutional and developer clients as MKSD.
- SmithGroup: Integrated architecture and engineering firm with strong healthcare, higher-education, and science/research practices — comparable on integrated services, evidence-based design positioning, and competition for the same institutional client segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MKSD architects social profiles
Digital presenceMKSD architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MKSD architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
MKSD architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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MKSD architects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about MKSD architects
What does MKSD architects do?
MKSD Architects is a 20+ person full-service architectural design firm providing planning, architectural design, interior design, and historic preservation services across all project phases — from programming and schematic design through construction documents and construction administration. The firm serves institutional, healthcare, higher education, government, corporate, and community clients in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, with secondary specialties in LEED-accredited sustainable design, evidence-based healthcare design, and immersive 3D/VR visualization.
Is MKSD architects a public or private company?
MKSD architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MKSD architects founded?
MKSD architects was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MKSD architects based?
MKSD architects is headquartered in Allentown, United States, in the North America region.
How does MKSD architects make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Architectural and Planning Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are interior Design and Furniture Specification Services.
Who are MKSD architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spillman Farmer Architects, EwingCole, Ballinger, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Ware Malcomb. Broad incumbents are CannonDesign, Perkins&Will, HKS, Inc., Stantec Architecture and SmithGroup.
Does MKSD architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for MKSD architects.
What industry is MKSD architects in?
MKSD architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 54131.