What Legat Architects does

Legat Architects is an employee-owned architecture and interior design firm founded in 1964 in Waukegan, Illinois, and now headquartered in Chicago. The firm delivers architectural design, renovation, construction administration, master planning, interior design, sustainability consulting, and specialized building envelope and life safety assessment services through six Midwestern studios (Chicago, Columbus, Indianapolis, Iowa City, Oak Brook, Quad Cities). It serves institutional clients primarily in education (PreK-12 and higher education), healthcare and wellness, and community sectors (hospitality, municipal, transit, corporate commercial), with a portfolio spanning more than 30 countries and 800+ building envelope projects over the firm's history.

The firm's underlying technical capabilities center on sustainable, net-zero, and high-performance building design, supported by energy modeling tools that simulate building orientation, massing, materials, and daylighting. Proprietary and differentiating assets include a research-driven "How Buildings Teach" framework for educational environments, an internal Sustainability Action Plan, seven years of AIA 2030 Commitment reporting via the Design Data Exchange, and an in-house Special Projects team executing infrared moisture surveys, leak detection, and condition assessments. Twenty-four LEED Accredited Professionals and four WELL Accredited Professionals staff projects, and the firm is one of fewer than 2% of U.S. architecture firms committed to the AIA 2030 carbon-neutral target. Notable delivered projects include the Heartland Community College Net Zero Agriculture Complex (LEED/Green Development of the Year), Bright Futures Preschool (multiple 2023 awards), the Tinley Park Oak Park Avenue Metra Station, and over $75M in construction across eight Galesburg CUSD #205 facilities.

Legat generates revenue through professional services fees — typically project-based as a percentage of construction cost or fixed-fee arrangements — delivered via direct enterprise field sales and long-cycle institutional relationships. Go-to-market is regional, with dedicated business development directors in each studio and pre-referendum community engagement services that position the firm upstream of public capital allocation decisions. In March 2026, Legat expanded into Central Indiana by acquiring Indianapolis-based Studio 3 Design, adding healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily portfolio capabilities. The firm is privately held, employee-owned, and operates with no parent company or external equity sponsor.

Name

Legat Architects

Legal name

Legat Architects

Website

https://legat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Legat Architects is an employee-owned architecture and interior design firm founded in 1964, operating six Midwest studios and serving institutional clients in education, healthcare, municipal, and hospitality sectors with sustainable and high-performance building design services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Educational facility design
• Healthcare facility design
• Sustainable building design
• Master planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architecture and interior design services including architectural design, renovation/remodeling, construction documents, construction administration, consultant coordination, and post-occupancy services. Revenue is generated through project-based fees, typically calculated as a percentage of construction costs or fixed fee arrangements.
2. Master Planning and Consulting: Facility needs studies, site selection/analysis, feasibility studies, campus planning, space utilization studies, and urban planning services.
3. Special Projects Services: Building envelope repairs, life safety surveys, code compliance, ADA compliance, condition assessments, and quality assurance inspections.
4. Sustainability Consulting: Net zero design, sustainable campus master plans, climate action plans, LEED certification, green building standards, renewable energy integration, and grant writing research.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Legat Architects is an architecture and interior design firm that provides comprehensive design, master planning, sustainability consulting, building envelope assessment, and project management services. Engagements span new construction, renovation/remodeling, adaptive reuse, campus planning, energy and net-zero design, LEED/WELL/Fitwel certification support, and post-occupancy services for PreK-12, higher education, healthcare, municipal, hospitality, corporate, and transit clients.

Product overview

Legat Architects is an architecture and interior design firm offering a comprehensive suite of design services organized around three main market sectors: Learning (educational facilities), Wellness (healthcare and senior living), and Community (hospitality, commercial, transit, municipal, and recreation). The firm's core service offerings include Architecture, Community Engagement, Sustainability and Energy, Special Projects (building envelope and life safety), Master Planning, Interior Design, Project Management, Graphic Design, and Laboratory Design. These services are delivered through a multi-studio structure with locations across the Midwest, providing regional expertise while maintaining firm-wide design standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Comprehensive architectural design services including architectural design, renovation/remodeling, construction documents, construction administration, consultant coordination, post-occupancy services, and programming for education, healthcare, hospitality, municipal, and commercial clients across the Midwest.
• Interior Design Interior architectural design services including space planning, interior architectural design, furniture finishes and equipment selection, move coordination, and interior standards development.
• Master Planning Strategic facility and campus planning services including facility needs studies, site selection/analysis, feasibility studies, campus planning, space utilization studies, planned communities, urban planning, and mixed-use developments.
• Sustainability and Energy Services Sustainable design and energy efficiency services including net zero design, sustainable campus master plans, climate action plans, high-performance building design, LEED certification, green building standards, renewable energy integration, and sustainability/energy studies.
• Special Projects (Building Envelope & Life Safety) Building envelope and life safety assessment services including building enclosure repairs, life safety surveys, code compliance, ADA compliance repositioning, condition and compliance assessment, infrared moisture survey, repair/replacement budget projection, storm damage assessment, leak detection, remedial design, bidding and permitting assistance, and quality assurance inspections. The team has delivered 800+ building envelope projects and assessed 300+ facilities.
• Community Engagement Services Community engagement and stakeholder consultation services including pre-referendum services, client surveys, fundraising assistance, media presentations, graphic design/brochures, and public relations support for facility projects.
• Project Management Construction and project delivery management services including cost estimating, scheduling, life cycle costing, value engineering, project delivery strategy, and construction management.
• Laboratory Design Specialized laboratory facility design services including lab design standards, laboratory planning, teaching lab design, research lab design, and sustainable lab design.
• Graphic Design & Environmental Signage Environmental graphics and signage design services including signage, wayfinding, wall graphics, identity design, digital solutions, brochures, and conference graphics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced behavioral problems and increased student performance at Bright Futures Preschool with wait lists growing and parent involvement intensifying
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Studio 3 DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Indianapolis-based Studio 3 Design was acquired by Legat Architects, strengthening their reach across the Midwest corridor. The acquisition adds healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily portfolio expertise while maintaining Studio 3's client-focused culture.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Legat King (no such firm):

Direct peers

• Wight & Company: Wight & Company is a Midwest-based integrated design firm with strong K-12 and higher education practices. Comparable to Legat in regional Midwest presence, education vertical focus, and integrated architecture plus planning services.
• SmithGroup: SmithGroup is one of the oldest continuously operating architecture and engineering firms in the US with strong higher education, healthcare, and science & technology practices. Comparable to Legat in vertical mix (especially education and healthcare) and commitment to integrated design, though at larger national scale.
• LPA Design Studios: LPA is a mid-sized architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Irvine, CA with strong education, healthcare, and civic portfolios. It is comparable to Legat in scale, vertical focus on K-12/higher education and healthcare, and integrated design practice serving institutional clients.
• CannonDesign: CannonDesign is a national architecture, engineering, and planning firm with deep healthcare and education practices. It is comparable to Legat for its focus on learning and wellness verticals, although it operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Little Diversified Architectural Consulting: Little is a mid-sized integrated design firm with healthcare, education, and workplace practices. Comparable to Legat in scale, vertical mix (especially healthcare and education), and integrated delivery model serving institutional clients.

Broad incumbents

• DLR Group: DLR Group is a national integrated design firm with integrated architecture and engineering across education, healthcare, civic, and commercial. Comparable to Legat for its K-12/higher education focus and integrated delivery, but operates at much larger scale across multiple US regions.
• Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a global architecture and design firm with leadership in healthcare, education, and science & technology. Comparable to Legat in core vertical focus on learning and wellness and in commitment to sustainability (LEED, AIA 2030), though at much larger global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/legat_architect
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LegatArchitects
• Facebookfacebook.com/legatarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/legat-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/legatarchitects

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Legat Architects