What FGM Architects does

FGM Architects (FGMA) is an employee-owned architecture and interior design firm founded in 1945, headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, and operating across eight offices in Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin with approximately 250 staff. The firm delivers full-lifecycle architecture, planning, and interior design services across nine practice areas: PK-12 Education, Higher Education, Civic + Municipal, Public Safety (fire stations, police stations, dispatch), Federal (DoDEA, USACE), Corporate, Faith-Based, Recreation, and Multifamily/Mixed-Use, with specialty capabilities in high-performance net-zero design (PHIUS+ Source Zero), adaptive reuse and preservation, storm shelter architecture (NSSA), and Red/Yellow/Green contaminant-control zoning for fire stations.

The firm generates revenue through project-based professional services fees scoped per engagement, secured via competitive bidding (RFQ/RFP), federal procurement, design-build partnerships, and repeat engagements with institutional clients. Distribution is direct and relationship-led: clients are predominantly public-sector or institutional buyers — school districts, community colleges, municipalities, federal agencies, and community organizations — with named engagements including DoDEA child development centers, USACE barracks, the PHIUS+ Source Zero Prairie Trails School, Arlington Fire Station 8 (LEED Gold), and St. Charles Community College's Center for Immersive Learning developed with Dreamscape Learn.

Strategic posture is stable growth with offensive moves in 2025: the firm acquired Spring Architects, Inc. in June 2025 to extend into Texas and multifamily design, integrated Spring's co-founders as Principals, and deepened federal and immersive-learning practices through partnerships with EXP Federal, Dreamscape Learn, and Hensel Phelps. Operating indicators include 80+ years of continuous operation, a 93% Great Place to Work employee approval score, an employee-ownership ESOP model, and a recent Crain's Chicago Business Fast 50 recognition signaling external validation of growth momentum.

Name

FGM Architects

Legal name

FGM Architects

Website

https://fgmarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FGM Architects is an employee-owned architecture and interior design firm founded in 1945, operating across eight U.S. offices with ~250 staff. It serves K-12 districts, higher education institutions, municipalities, and federal agencies through full-lifecycle design, planning, and specialty services in high-performance, public safety, and federal architecture.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Education & Public Sector Interior Fit-Out (IMAFANAD)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• K-12 school design
• Public safety facilities
• Higher education architecture
• Federal building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Brook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Professional architecture and interior design services billed on a project basis. Revenue is generated through project fees for design, planning, and consulting services across multiple practice areas including PK-12 education, higher education, municipal, federal, corporate, and public safety sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FGM Architects provides comprehensive architectural and interior design services across the full project lifecycle—from planning and programming through design and construction administration—serving institutional clients in nine practice areas: Civic + Municipal, Corporate, Faith-Based, Federal, Higher Education, PK-12 Education, Multifamily/Mixed-Use, Public Safety, and Recreation. The firm differentiates through specialty expertise in high-performance/net-zero design, adaptive reuse and preservation, and domain-specific solutions such as storm shelter architecture, fire station contaminant control zoning, and immersive VR-integrated learning environments.

Product overview

FGM Architects (FGMA) is an architecture firm founded in 1945 offering comprehensive architectural and design services. The firm's service portfolio includes core offerings of Architecture + Interior Design, Planning + Programming, High-Performance Design, and Adaptive Reuse + Preservation. The company serves multiple practice areas including Civic + Municipal, Corporate, Faith-Based, Federal, Higher Education, PK-12 Education, Multifamily/Mixed-Use, Public Safety, and Recreation. FGMA operates across eight offices in Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, with approximately 250 team members. The firm has delivered over $300 million in federal projects and specializes in community-centered design that strengthens schools, supports public safety, and enhances communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture + Interior Design Services Comprehensive architectural and interior design services encompassing the full project lifecycle from concept through construction administration, serving diverse building types and client needs across FGMA's nine practice areas.
• Planning + Programming Strategic planning and programming services that help clients define project requirements, spatial needs, and operational objectives before design begins.
• High-Performance Design Sustainable and energy-efficient building design focused on reducing environmental impact, achieving net-zero goals, and creating healthier indoor environments; demonstrated through PHIUS+ Source Zero certification.
• Adaptive Reuse + Preservation Renovation and historic preservation services that transform existing structures while maintaining architectural heritage and character.
• Civic + Municipal Design Architecture services for government buildings, civic centers, and municipal facilities that serve community needs.
• Corporate Design Commercial and corporate office architecture focusing on workplaces that enhance productivity and employee experience.
• Faith-Based Design Architectural services for churches, religious institutions, and faith-based community facilities.
• Federal Design Architecture for military installations, government facilities, and federal projects including barracks, child development centers, and security campuses, with cumulative delivery of more than $300M in federal projects.
• Higher Education Design College and university architecture including classroom buildings, labs, student centers, and specialized facilities such as transportation education centers and immersive VR learning spaces.
• PK-12 Education Design Elementary, middle, and high school architecture focused on creating effective learning environments with inclusive, sensory-conscious design principles and a proven community engagement methodology.
• Multifamily / Mixed-Use Design Multifamily residential and mixed-use development architecture combining housing with commercial and community spaces, with a strengthened Texas presence following the Spring Architects acquisition.
• Public Safety Design Fire stations, police stations, 911 emergency call centers, and first-responder training facilities with Red/Yellow/Green contaminant control zoning and wellness-focused design.
• Recreation Design Parks, recreation centers, aquatic facilities, sports complexes, and community wellness spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Prairie Trails School achieved 68% reduction in Energy Use Intensity (EUI reduced from 75 to 24 kbtu/yr/sf) and generated 1,280,978.5 lbs CO2 savings equivalent to planting 9,679 trees
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Dreamscape LearncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2025Strategic partnership to develop immersive virtual reality learning environments. FGMA designs the physical spaces while Dreamscape Learn provides VR curriculum and technology. Partnership established first Midwest implementation at St. Charles Community College Center for Immersive Learning.
• Spring Architects, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2025Acquisition of Austin-based firm effective June 30, 2025. Spring Architects' leadership team Andrea Freiburger and Jon Salinas joined FGMA as Principals, enhancing multifamily portfolio and Texas presence.
• CBREsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 10 February 2025Real estate partnership for office relocation from Oak Brook to Westbrook Corporate Center. CBRE helped evaluate available spaces meeting criteria for location, size, and amenities.
• Whitney ArchitectssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 10 February 2025Architecture and interiors firm partnered for design of new Westbrook Corporate Center office space including layout, specific space use, aesthetic, and furniture details.
• Executive ConstructionsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 10 February 2025Construction partner bringing vision to life for Westbrook Corporate Center office relocation project.
• Page/now StanteccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Architecture partnership on St. Austin Parish and School Redevelopment. Page served as Architect for Housing Tower and Exterior Architect for Parish School while FGMA served as Interior Architect for Parish School.
• Windsor Group LLCsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Development partner for St. Austin Parish and School Redevelopment project bringing affordable student housing component.
• GreystarsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Development partner for St. Austin Parish and School Redevelopment affordable housing component.
• HENSEL PHELPSsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Construction partner for St. Austin Parish and School Redevelopment project.
• MCN BuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction partner for Arlington Fire Station 8 project. Collaboration with MCN Build, Urban Engineering, Ehlert Bryan, and Brinjac Engineering delivered the award-winning facility.
• EXP FederalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership on federal projects. FGMA has developed repeatable collaboration with EXP Federal who values FGMA's reliability and flexibility in meeting project requirements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wiley|Wilson: Mid-sized architecture and engineering firm with federal, higher-education, and public-safety practices. Comparable to FGM in federal and institutional portfolio, with overlapping service offerings for government clients.
• DLR Group: National architecture firm with established K-12, higher-ed, civic, and federal practices. Directly comparable to FGM in practice-area mix and public-sector client focus, though at materially larger scale.
• Legat Architects: Midwest-based architecture firm of comparable size with a strong PK-12 and higher-education practice serving Illinois school districts. Directly comparable to FGM Architects in client type, geography, and K-12 referendum-driven go-to-market.
• LPA Design Studios: Large architecture firm with nationally recognized K-12 and higher-education design practice. Comparable to FGM in education-segment specialization and integrated interior-design capabilities.
• Wight & Company: Illinois-headquartered architecture and engineering firm with overlapping civic, education, and recreation practices. Closely comparable to FGM in geography, practice-area mix, and mid-market institutional client base.
• Hastings+Chivetta Architects: St. Louis-area architecture firm focused on PK-12, higher-ed, and recreation projects with strong Midwest presence. Comparable to FGM in regional footprint and education/recreation client mix.
• CannonDesign: Large architecture firm with deep PK-12, higher-ed, and healthcare practices serving institutional clients. Highly comparable to FGM in education segment focus and federal/state-mandated project types.

Broad incumbents

• HOK: Global architecture firm with strong civic, education, and federal practices including sports/public-safety work. Comparable to FGM in institutional client mix but with vastly broader geographic and sector reach.
• Perkins&Will: International architecture firm with broad education, healthcare, civic, and federal practices. Comparable in practice-area overlap but much larger and more diversified than FGM's mid-market positioning.
• Stantec (including Page): Global design and engineering firm with significant education, civic, and federal practices after acquiring Page. Comparable to FGM in education/civic client base but at substantially larger scale and broader service mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fgmarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fgmarchitects
• Instagraminstagram.com/fgmarchitects

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FGM Architects