Apeiro Design

What Apeiro Design does

Apeiro Design is a privately held professional services design consultancy specializing in theatre and performance environments, architectural lighting, and audiovisual (AV) technology for complex venue projects. Founded in 1972 by S. Leonard Auerbach as Piacentini/Auerbach and rebranded to Apeiro Design around 2019–2020 after consolidating predecessor entities (Auerbach Pollock Friedlander and Auerbach Glasow), the firm operates four US studios in San Francisco (headquarters), New York, Minneapolis, and Washington D.C., and delivers projects globally across North America, China, Mexico, and Macao.

The firm's core offering is an integrated design service that combines theatrical systems consulting (rigging, automation, show control, water effects, projection mapping), architectural lighting design (facade, interior, and programmable color-changing LED systems), and AV technology design (audio, video, broadcast, and networked media infrastructure). These disciplines are typically bundled per project, allowing the firm to serve as a single point of accountability for the experiential and technical systems within performance venues, cultural institutions, corporate campuses, educational facilities, cruise ships, and large commercial developments. Proprietary expertise includes show control system architecture, tracking-camera-based projection mapping, sustainable LED retrofit design, and aquatic theatrical pool systems.

Apeiro generates revenue through project-based professional services fees tied to scope and complexity, secured through direct enterprise engagement with architects, developers, entertainment producers, and institutions. Its GTM motion is enterprise field sales driven by industry reputation, repeat flagship clients (Cirque du Soleil, Franco Dragone, MGM Mirage, Walmart, Vornado, Virgin Voyages, CDFG, ASU, and others), and an award track record spanning AIA, IES, USITT, Architizer, and CTBUH. With 11–50 employees and no external investment, the firm operates as a partner-led boutique consultancy competing on specialized domain expertise rather than scale.

Name

Apeiro Design

Legal name

Apeiro Design

Website

https://apeirodesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Apeiro Design is a privately held design consultancy specializing in theatre and performance environments, architectural lighting, and AV technology for complex venue projects worldwide. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in San Francisco, the firm serves enterprise clients across entertainment, education, hospitality, and commercial real estate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theatre Consulting Services

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Theatre consulting services
• Architectural lighting design
• AV systems design
• Performance venue design
• Immersive entertainment design

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design Consulting Services: Project-based professional consulting fees for theatre design, architectural lighting, and AV technology services. Fees are determined by project scope, complexity, and scope of services provided.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Apeiro Design is a design consulting firm providing planning and design services across three integrated disciplines: Theatre/Performance Environments, Architectural Lighting, and AV Technology. The firm collaborates with architects, developers, entertainment producers, and institutions to design immersive performance venues, auditoriums, and entertainment spaces, delivering services from pre-architectural planning through construction administration.

Product overview

Apeiro Design is a design consulting firm offering three integrated service disciplines: Theatre/Performance Environments Services, Architectural Lighting Services, and AV Technology Services. These services are provided together on projects to deliver comprehensive design solutions for performance venues, with the firm collaborating with architects and experience creators to design immersive performance environments that elevate audience engagement. The firm operates across multiple offices (San Francisco, New York, Minneapolis, Washington D.C.) and serves clients globally on projects ranging from Broadway theatres to large-scale entertainment venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatre/Performance Environments Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 completed projects globally across multiple decades
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Wētā WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Wētā Workshop on the 'Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky' installation at Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex. Apeiro designed the power, data, and structural infrastructure to support Wētā's forest elements and immersive experience.
• Atelier OneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated alongside Wētā Workshop and Atelier One on the Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex installation project.
• Zhejiang Dafeng Industry Co., Ltd.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContractor for the Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex installation, handling fabrication and installation of the 'Aura' installation components.
• Cirque du SoleilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partner for Cirque du Soleil venue design, having completed seven permanent venues including LUDÕ at VidantaWorld, Viva ELVIS at MGM, ZAIA at Venetian Macao, and multiple other theatrical venues.
• Franco Dragone / DragonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for Dragone immersive theatre productions including Wuxi Taihu Show Theatre (third collaboration), Le Perle at Habtoor City Dubai, and multiple other Dragone show venues globally.
• Grupo VidantamajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeveloper and architect for VidantaWorld's LUDÕ theatre, working with Cirque du Soleil on the submersive dinner show venue in Nuevo Nayarit-Vallarta, Mexico.
• Vornado Realty TrustmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeveloper of PENN 2 (2 Penn Plaza) in Manhattan. Apeiro Design designed the 4,000 SF Town Hall multi-use auditorium suspended above the 33rd Street plaza.
• Virgin VoyagesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShip-wide entertainment venue design partner for Virgin Voyages cruise ships, designing the flexible Red Room Theatre and Manor Nightclub with specialized rigging and stage machinery systems.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fisher Dachs Associates: Theatre planning and design consultancy specializing in performance venue planning, sightlines, and theatrical systems. Highly comparable to Apeiro Design's Theatre/Performance Environments practice and competes for the same institutional and cultural clients.
• Schuler Shook: Theatre planning and architectural lighting design firm with deep performance-venue expertise. Closely overlaps with Apeiro Design's integrated theatre + lighting offering and competes for performing-arts centers, auditoriums, and cultural facilities.
• Theatre Projects Consultants: International theatre planning and design consultancy with significant cultural and entertainment venue portfolio. Direct competitor to Apeiro in theatre consulting, rigging, and performance-environment design for cultural and entertainment clients.
• Jaffe Holden: Acoustics, audio-video, and theatre systems consulting firm serving performing arts centers and cultural venues. Comparable to Apeiro's AV Technology practice and frequently engaged on the same project teams.
• Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design: Architectural lighting design firm with strong cultural, civic, and higher-education portfolio. Direct competitor to Apeiro Design's Architectural Lighting studio and frequently partnered on competing bids.
• Lighting Design Alliance: Architectural lighting design consultancy with significant entertainment, hospitality, and commercial portfolio. Comparable to Apeiro's Architectural Lighting group, particularly in hospitality and themed-environment work.
• Cerami & Associates: AV technology, acoustics, and technology systems consulting firm serving cultural, healthcare, and commercial clients. Directly comparable to Apeiro's AV Technology practice and competes for similar technology integration mandates.
• Pivotal Lighting Design: Architectural lighting design firm serving commercial, hospitality, and cultural markets. Comparable to Apeiro's Architectural Lighting studio in scope and client base, particularly in hospitality and themed environments.

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Global engineering and design consultancy with significant theatre consulting, AV, and lighting practices serving cultural and entertainment venues. A larger, broader competitor offering similar performance-venue capabilities as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Buro Happold: International engineering consultancy with established theatre consulting and performance-environment practice. Competes with Apeiro on complex cultural buildings while offering broader structural and MEP engineering services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apeirodesign
• Instagraminstagram.com/apeiro_design/?next=%2F
• Facebookfacebook.com/apeirodesign

Compliance5 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 Apeiro Design