Chipman Design Architecture
Chipman Design Architecture is a private, family-owned architecture and interior design firm based in Des Plaines, Illinois, providing project-based design services, including consultation, construction documentation, and permitting, for enterprise clients across restaurants, retail, hospitality, and corporate sectors nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersDes Plaines, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chipman Design Architecture does
Chipman Design Architecture (CDA) is a private, family-owned architecture and interior design firm headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, founded in 1979. The firm delivers project-based professional architectural services for large enterprise clients across the United States and is actively licensed in every state. Its service offering is organized into three integrated lines: Consultation + Strategy (pre-project brand and concept definition), Construction Documents + Oversight (fully coordinated architectural and engineering documents delivered with engineering partners), and Permit + City Liaison (municipal code compliance nationwide). The firm describes its approach as combining traditional "pencil to paper" design methodology with "the latest technology" to innovate the design process, though no specific technology stack or proprietary tools are disclosed.
CDA's client base spans multiple consumer-facing verticals and includes a high-profile logo set: quick-service and fast-casual restaurants (Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, Jollibee, Nutella Cafe), specialty retail and apparel (Tesla, Ulta Beauty, Whole Foods, Old Navy, Gap, H&M, Banana Republic, New Balance), food halls (Time Out Market), hospitality (Hotel Versey, Harbor Grand Hotel), fitness (Planet Fitness), sports retail (Chicago Cubs, Chicago Blackhawks), financial services cafes (Capital One Café), coworking (WeWork), luxury retail (Mejuri, Akris, UGG), and automotive (Lexus of Highland Park). Revenue is generated through custom-quoted design fees on a project basis, with no standardized pricing or publicly disclosed rates. The go-to-market motion is direct enterprise engagement with no intermediaries, supported by thought-leadership content (The Bumwad blog), Instagram, an email newsletter, and participation in industry events such as FE&S Tour the Trends, IRDC, and Chicago Build Expo.
The firm is led by CEO Lauren Chipman and Founder/Chairman John A. Chipman, employs 101-250 people, and holds a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certification from WBENC (2020) as well as U.S. Green Building Council membership. Ownership remains within the Chipman family with no referenced institutional investors, private equity, or public listing. The firm has no disclosed revenue, funding history, or M&A activity.
Chipman Design Architecture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chipman Design Architecture
- Legal name
- Chipman Design Architecture
- Website
- https://chipman-design.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Chipman Design Architecture is a private, family-owned architecture and interior design firm based in Des Plaines, Illinois, providing project-based design services, including consultation, construction documentation, and permitting, for enterprise clients across restaurants, retail, hospitality, and corporate sectors nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chipman Design Architecture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where Chipman Design Architecture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Plaines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chipman Design Architecture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Project-based professional services revenue model. The firm provides consultation and strategy, construction documents and oversight, and permit and city liaison services. Revenue is generated through design fees for architectural projects spanning commercial, retail, hospitality, and corporate sectors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Chipman Design Architecture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chipman Design Architecture is an architectural and interior design firm that delivers comprehensive design services for commercial spaces including restaurants, retail environments, corporate offices, hotels, and hospitality venues. The firm operates nationally with licensure in every U.S. state, providing Consultation + Strategy, Construction Documents + Oversight, and Permit + City Liaison services from concept through ribbon cutting. It partners with client teams and engineers throughout construction to deliver fully coordinated architectural and engineering documents.
Product overview
Chipman Design Architecture is an architectural design firm offering a unified suite of services spanning consultation, construction documentation, and permit liaison. Their core offering combines Consultation + Strategy, Construction Documents + Oversight, and Permit + City Liaison into a comprehensive architectural service. The firm specializes in commercial spaces including restaurants, retail environments, corporate offices, hotels, and hospitality venues, operating nationally with licensure in every state.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Consultation + Strategy Pre-project architectural service that identifies communication styles and defines project goals, then develops the design and visual language of the space to imbue brand identity within every physical element. Aimed at enterprise clients planning new commercial, retail, hospitality, or corporate interior projects.
- Construction Documents + Oversight Delivers fully coordinated architectural and engineering documents nationally, partnering with client teams and General Contractors throughout construction from breaking ground to ribbon cutting. Designed for enterprise clients executing commercial, retail, hospitality, or corporate interior buildouts.
- Permit + City Liaison Works with building departments nationwide to ensure safety standards and full code compliance, understanding each municipality's unique process and personality. Aimed at enterprise clients executing projects across multiple U.S. jurisdictions.
Companies that use Chipman Design Architecture
Customer profileNamed customers25 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Chipman Design Architecture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chipman Design Architecture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- US Green Building CouncilsupportingMembership in the US Green Building Council indicates commitment to sustainable building practices and LEED certification knowledge. This partnership supports the firm's focus on sustainability in design projects.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chipman Design Architecture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HOK: HOK is a major global architecture firm with hospitality, retail, and commercial practices that overlaps with Chipman's enterprise client base. Acts as a broad incumbent competitor for large national and international mandates.
- Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a global architecture practice with significant interior design and commercial practice. While broader in scope, it competes with Chipman for enterprise commercial interior design mandates.
- Gensler: Gensler is the largest global architecture and design firm with a deep retail, hospitality, and consumer-experience practice serving many of the same enterprise brands as Chipman. It is a broad incumbent reference point for national design roll-outs, though vastly larger in scale.
Direct peers
- FRCH Design Worldwide: FRCH is a Cincinnati-based retail and hospitality architecture firm with a national client roster of consumer brands. It is one of the most direct competitors to Chipman in the retail/restaurant design space.
- CallisonRTKL: CallisonRTKL is a global architecture practice with a large retail and hospitality design practice serving enterprise brands on flagship and roll-out programs. It competes head-to-head with Chipman for major retail, restaurant, and hospitality design mandates.
- IA Interior Architects: IA Interior Architects is a large interior design and architecture firm specializing in workplace, retail, and hospitality interiors for Fortune 500 clients. Comparable to Chipman in serving enterprise retail and corporate interior design needs across multiple geographies.
- JGA Incorporated: JGA is a Michigan-based architecture and design firm specializing in retail, restaurant, and hospitality environments for national brands. Directly comparable to Chipman in retail/restaurant brand-experience design.
- Bergmeyer: Bergmeyer is a Boston-based architecture and design firm specializing in retail, hospitality, and commercial interiors for national brands. Directly comparable to Chipman in serving enterprise retail and hospitality clients on roll-outs.
- Fogarty Finger Architecture: Fogarty Finger is an architecture and interiors firm with strong practice areas in commercial, hospitality, and adaptive reuse for enterprise clients. Comparable in scale and customer-type to Chipman for retail and corporate interior work.
- WD Partners: WD Partners is a leading retail and restaurant-focused architecture and design firm specializing in restaurant, retail, and experiential roll-outs for major national brands. It is the closest direct competitor to Chipman in the QSR/retail national-program segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chipman Design Architecture social profiles
Digital presenceChipman Design Architecture compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Chipman Design Architecture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chipman Design Architecture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Chipman Design Architecture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chipman Design Architecture 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 Chipman Design Architecture
What does Chipman Design Architecture do?
Chipman Design Architecture is an architectural and interior design firm that delivers comprehensive design services for commercial spaces including restaurants, retail environments, corporate offices, hotels, and hospitality venues. The firm operates nationally with licensure in every U.S. state, providing Consultation + Strategy, Construction Documents + Oversight, and Permit + City Liaison services from concept through ribbon cutting. It partners with client teams and engineers throughout construction to deliver fully coordinated architectural and engineering documents.
Is Chipman Design Architecture a public or private company?
Chipman Design Architecture is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Chipman Design Architecture founded?
Chipman Design Architecture was founded in 1984. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Chipman Design Architecture based?
Chipman Design Architecture is headquartered in Des Plaines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chipman Design Architecture make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are Chipman Design Architecture's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are HOK, Perkins&Will and Gensler. Direct peers are FRCH Design Worldwide, CallisonRTKL, IA Interior Architects, JGA Incorporated, Bergmeyer, Fogarty Finger Architecture and WD Partners.
Does Chipman Design Architecture have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chipman Design Architecture.
What industry is Chipman Design Architecture in?
Chipman Design Architecture's product category is Architectural Design 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.