Design Collective
Design Collective is an employee-owned, multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm founded in 1978, with offices in Baltimore and Chicago. It provides architecture, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, and sustainability services to higher education, K-12, developer, and public-sector clients across the U.S.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Design Collective does
Design Collective, Inc. is a multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm founded in 1978 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, with a second office in Chicago. The firm provides architecture, planning and urban design, landscape architecture, interior architecture, and sustainability/LEED consulting services to public and private sector clients, with primary market segments in higher education, K-12 education, residential/mixed-use development, planning and urban design, and workplaces. The firm operates with over 80 professionals across offices in Baltimore (100 East Pratt Street, 18th Floor) and Chicago (233 South Wacker Drive in the Willis Tower), and is structured as an employee-owned enterprise through an ESOP program with no external venture capital or private equity ownership. The portfolio spans nearly five decades and includes 49 LEED-certified projects, with the firm holding LEED Gold, Silver, and Platinum certifications including its first Platinum project.
The firm is differentiated by its integrated multi-discipline model, allowing architecture, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, and sustainability to be delivered as a single engagement. Over 30% of design staff hold LEED accreditation, and Seonhee Kim serves as Director of Sustainability while Katarina Carlin serves as Director of Interior Architecture and Design, indicating discipline-specific leadership. Notable institutional and developer clients include the University of Maryland (multiple engagements including Health Sciences Facility II and III and Aviation Landing Master Plan), Stevens Institute of Technology, Rutgers, Marquette, Colorado School of Mines, Bowie State, Coppin State, Baltimore City and Baltimore County Public Schools, Federal Realty Investment Trust, LCOR, Bozzuto Group, Crescent Communities, Hines, and Under Armour. The firm has received industry awards from AIA (Baltimore and Maryland chapters), ULI, USGBC, the National Apartment Association, NAIOP, the Congress for New Urbanism, ASLA Maryland, Delta Associates, and the Baltimore Downtown Partnership, and was named a Baltimore Best Places to Work in 2019.
Design Collective generates revenue through negotiated, project-based professional services engagements with fees set per project based on scope, complexity, and client requirements; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Project values in the public portfolio range from roughly $16M (West Towson Elementary) to $75M (The Fitzgerald, a 275-unit TOD), with active work in transit-oriented development, mixed-use high-rise, life science and biomedical research facilities, student housing, K-12, and urban master plans. The go-to-market motion is sales-led enterprise field sales targeting universities, K-12 systems, government agencies (MPOs, transit agencies, planning departments, housing authorities, non-profits), and real estate developers. Distribution relies on a portfolio website, social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), industry awards, professional organization participation, and repeat client referrals, with no public or partner-facing API or software platform offered.
Design Collective firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Collective
- Legal name
- Design Collective, Inc.
- Website
- https://designcollective.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Design Collective is an employee-owned, multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm founded in 1978, with offices in Baltimore and Chicago. It provides architecture, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, and sustainability services to higher education, K-12, developer, and public-sector clients across the U.S.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Collective industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architecture and Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Design Collective is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Design Collective business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and interior design services for public and private sector clients. Services are project-based with fees negotiated per engagement.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Design Collective product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Collective is a multi-disciplinary design firm providing architecture, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, interior design, and sustainability/LEED consulting services. It delivers project-based design solutions to public and private sector clients across higher education, K-12, residential/mixed-use, workplace, and civic sectors.
Product overview
Design Collective is a multi-disciplinary architecture, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and interior design firm with offices in Baltimore and Chicago. Founded in 1978, the firm operates as a service-based practice rather than a software product company. Their portfolio spans architecture (commercial, residential, institutional, mixed-use), planning and urban design, landscape architecture, interior design, and sustainability/LEED consulting services. The firm serves diverse market sectors including higher education, K-12, residential/mixed-use, workplaces, retail/entertainment, civic/cultural, life science/research, and planning/urban design projects throughout the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architecture Services Full-service architectural design spanning commercial, residential, institutional, and mixed-use projects including new construction, adaptive use, and renovations.
- Planning & Urban Design Urban planning, master planning, corridor plans, community master plans, transit-oriented development, and urban revitalization services for public agencies and private developers.
- Landscape Architecture Landscape architectural services including site planning, open space design, streetscape design, and environmental planning.
- Interior Design Interior architectural design for commercial interiors, residential, and mixed-use projects including workplace, retail, and hospitality environments.
- Sustainability & LEED Consulting Sustainable design consulting with LEED certification expertise across multiple rating systems including New Construction, Existing Buildings, Commercial Interiors, and Core & Shell.
Quantifiable outcome
- 49 LEED certified projects with several LEED Gold projects and first LEED Platinum certification
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Design Collective
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Design Collective technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Design Collective partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Goldenberg GroupcoreDevelopment partner on 1213 Walnut Street project in Philadelphia - a 26-story, 322-unit mixed-use high-rise.
- HinescoreDevelopment partner on 1213 Walnut Street project - a 26-story, 322-unit mixed-use high-rise in Center City Philadelphia.
- ASB Real Estate InvestmentscoreInvestment partner on 1213 Walnut Street project - a 26-story, 322-unit mixed-use high-rise in Center City Philadelphia.
- The Bozzuto GroupcoreJoint developer and partner on The Fitzgerald project - a $75M transit-oriented mixed-use development in Baltimore featuring 275 Class A apartments and 25,000 SF of retail space.
- Payette AssociatescoreArchitecture partner on University of Maryland, Baltimore Health Sciences Facility II project - a $67M, 191,319 SF biomedical research building.
- Capstone Development Partners, LLCcoreLead developer partner on Mines Park Redevelopment at Colorado School of Mines - a P3 project with over 1,000 beds targeting net zero and LEED Gold/Platinum.
- TreanorHLminorArchitect of record for Mines Park Redevelopment project at Colorado School of Mines.
- Puttman InfrastructureminorUtility infrastructure developer for Mines Park Redevelopment project.
- RJ AdvisorsminorP3 team member for Mines Park Redevelopment at Colorado School of Mines.
- Mosaic Development PartnerscoreP3 partner on Aviation Landing Master Plan - a 20-acre mixed-use TOD district adjacent to College Park Airport and Metro stations.
- Terrapin Development CompanycoreUMD's development arm and P3 partner on Aviation Landing Master Plan - 20-acre mixed-use TOD district.
- University of MarylandcoreLand owner and P3 partner on Aviation Landing Master Plan - 20-acre mixed-use TOD district adjacent to College Park Airport.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Design Collective competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SmithGroup: Multi-disciplinary design firm with integrated architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning capabilities, serving higher education, workplace, and urban design clients. Comparable integrated delivery and similar sector mix.
- CannonDesign: Integrated architecture, engineering, and design firm of comparable size and multi-disciplinary model, with strong higher-education, healthcare, and science & technology practices. Closely comparable on customer mix and integrated delivery model.
- KieranTimberlake: Award-winning mid-size architecture firm with comparable higher-education and sustainability focus, including pioneering research-driven design and integrated practice. Comparable in scale and reputation-driven positioning.
- Moody Nolan: Multi-disciplinary architecture firm of comparable size with strong higher-education and community-focused practices. Similar integrated delivery model and project-based revenue mix make it a relevant direct peer.
- EwingCole: Mid-size East Coast architecture and engineering firm with comparable higher-education, healthcare, and workplace practices. Similar headcount, ESOP-style culture, and project-based delivery make it a strong direct comparable.
- Ballinger: Philadelphia-headquartered architecture and engineering firm with strong higher-education, healthcare, and science facilities practices. Comparable in scale and East Coast institutional client mix to Design Collective.
Broad incumbents
- HOK: Global design, architecture, and engineering firm competing for higher-education, science & technology, and workplace mandates. A broader incumbent that Design Collective frequently competes against on larger campus and institutional pursuits.
- HKS Architects: Large national architecture firm with significant higher-education and healthcare practices. Competes with Design Collective on campus and mixed-use commissions but at meaningfully larger scale.
- Perkins&Will: Large global architecture firm with extensive higher-education, healthcare, and urban design practices. Competes for the same institutional clients as Design Collective but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
Emerging players
- Beyer Blinder Belle: Mid-size East Coast architecture firm with strong urban design, civic, and adaptive reuse practices. Comparable on urban design and TOD-adjacent work but with a New York-centric footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Design Collective social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Collective financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Collective leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Design Collective funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Collective 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 Design Collective
What does Design Collective do?
Design Collective is a multi-disciplinary design firm providing architecture, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, interior design, and sustainability/LEED consulting services. It delivers project-based design solutions to public and private sector clients across higher education, K-12, residential/mixed-use, workplace, and civic sectors.
Is Design Collective a public or private company?
Design Collective is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Design Collective founded?
Design Collective was founded in 1978. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Design Collective based?
Design Collective is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does Design Collective make money?
One revenue line is on record: architecture and Design Services.
Who are Design Collective's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SmithGroup, CannonDesign, KieranTimberlake, Moody Nolan, EwingCole and Ballinger. Broad incumbents are HOK, HKS Architects and Perkins&Will. Beyer Blinder Belle is listed as an emerging player.
Does Design Collective have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Collective.
What industry is Design Collective in?
Design Collective's product category is Architecture and 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.