CSDA Design

What CSDA Design does

CSDA Design Group is a private architecture and acoustical consulting firm founded in 1952 in San Francisco, operating two offices (San Francisco headquarters and El Segundo, Los Angeles). The firm operates two integrated service lines: educational facility architecture — primarily K-12 school design, modernization, and master planning for public, charter, and international schools — and airport noise mitigation / residential sound insulation program management for airport authorities and municipal governments. The firm employs 11-50 staff and serves clients across the U.S. (California, Arizona, Wisconsin, Montana, Hawaii, Washington D.C.) and internationally (Austria, Poland, Latvia, Argentina, Tunisia, Japan).

The firm's technical capabilities include acoustical noise modeling using the FAA's AEDT (Aviation Environmental Design Tool) software to calculate DNL noise contours and design residential sound insulation treatments (acoustically rated windows/doors, attic and wall insulation, ventilation systems). Architecture services encompass K-12 new construction, historic restoration, seismic modernization, and LEED-certified sustainable design. Notable project outcomes include 2,400 homes sound-insulated at Phoenix Sky Harbor, 1,640 homes at San Jose International, and a 12 dB average noise reduction at Hilo International Airport. The firm has delivered seven comprehensive campus modernizations for SFUSD over 14 years and is pursuing LEED Gold certification on multiple active projects.

CSDA generates revenue through project-based professional services fees on design contracts, with no public revenue disclosure. Pricing is per-engagement, with project scopes ranging from $130K advisory work to $64M+ construction programs. The go-to-market is direct enterprise sales through competitive bidding, RFP responses, and long-term institutional relationships with school districts, airport authorities, and international schools. The firm is independently owned with no external funding, no parent company, and leadership including Randall DeVoto (50 years), Christopher Ward (35+ years), Randy Waldeck, Anissa Wong, and Jesse Reyes. Sales and marketing rely on LinkedIn, industry conference participation (AAIE, CASH, Airport Noise Mitigation Symposium), earned media (Learning by Design, ArchDaily), and a project portfolio website.

Name

CSDA Design

Legal name

CSDA Design Group

Website

https://csdadesigngroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CSDA Design Group is a private San Francisco architecture and acoustical consulting firm founded in 1952, specializing in K-12 educational facility design and FAA-compliant airport sound insulation program management for school districts, airport authorities, and international schools across the U.S. and abroad.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Engineering Services (541330), 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), Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Educational facility design
• Airport sound insulation
• K-12 architecture services
• Campus master planning
• Acoustical consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture and engineering services for educational facilities, sound insulation programs, and master planning. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting fees, design contracts, and program management services for government and institutional clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CSDA Design Group provides architecture and engineering services across two core verticals: educational facility design (K-12 schools, higher education, charter schools, including new construction, modernization, and campus master planning) and airport noise/sound insulation program management (residential acoustical treatment design, noise assessments, FAA grant reporting, and construction administration for properties near airports). Projects are delivered through project-based consulting engagements with school districts, airport authorities, government agencies, and international schools.

Product overview

CSDA Design Group is an architecture and acoustical consulting firm that operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company's core portfolio consists of two integrated service lines: Architecture Services (K-12 schools, higher education, charter schools, and educational campus planning/design/construction) and Sound Insulation Services (airport noise mitigation program management and residential/commercial acoustical treatment design). These services are delivered through project-based consulting engagements, typically organized by project type (Education, Planning, Sound Insulation). The firm also offers specialized LEED-certified sustainable design as part of its architecture practice. Projects range from individual building design to district-wide modernizations and international campus master plans, with notable experience in the Vaughn Next Century Learning Center charter school network and various airport-adjacent residential sound insulation programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural design for educational facilities including K-12 schools, higher education campuses, charter schools, and community institutions. Services encompass new construction, modernization, historic restoration, and campus-wide upgrades, with specific experience in STEAM building design, gymnasiums, performing arts centers, and classroom buildings. Targets public and charter K-12 districts, higher education institutions, and international schools.
• Airport Noise & Residential Sound Insulation Comprehensive sound insulation program management and design services for residential, commercial, and institutional properties near airports. Includes noise assessments, AEDT-based flight path modeling and DNL contour calculation, acoustical treatment design (acoustically rated windows/doors, attic/wall insulation, fresh air ventilation systems), construction administration, and FAA grant reporting. Targets airport authorities and municipal governments operating FAA-funded noise mitigation programs.
• International Campus Master Planning Strategic facility planning services for educational institutions worldwide, including needs analysis, existing conditions assessment, enrollment projections, and long-term capital improvement plans. Delivered to American and international K-12 schools (e.g., American International School of Vienna, International School of Krakow, International School of Latvia, American Cooperative School of Tunis).
• LEED-Certified Sustainable Design Sustainable building design services achieving LEED certification standards. Delivered as part of the firm's architecture practice, with track record including LEED Gold Certification for commercial interiors and LEED Silver for Salesian Boys' and Girls' Club modernization; targeting LEED Gold for Hayward USD High School STEAM Classroom Buildings. Targets school districts and institutional clients seeking sustainable, energy-efficient facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced interior aircraft noise by average of 12 dB in Hilo International Airport project, resulting in aircraft being half as loud inside treated homes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GrowthPoint StructurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSDA partnered with GrowthPoint Structures on the Vaughn Portables to Project Based Pods (P3) project, which involved re-purposing shipping containers into permanent classroom buildings. This partnership enabled innovative sustainable construction using repurposed shipping containers for educational facilities, providing 14 new classrooms, student toilet buildings, and staff facilities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HMC Architects: California-headquartered architecture firm specializing in K-12 educational facilities, community colleges, and civic projects. Highly comparable to CSDA in target market (public school districts), regional concentration (California), and design-service delivery model.
• LPA Design Studios: Integrated design firm with a strong K-12 and higher education practice plus civic and community work. Comparable to CSDA in serving public school districts with sustainable/LEED-oriented design and project-based services.
• TMP Architecture: Architecture firm focused on K-12 educational facilities, higher education, and community projects. Directly comparable to CSDA's core education-architecture service line and target client base of public school districts.
• WLC Architects: Architecture and planning firm specializing in educational, community, and civic facilities, particularly in California. Overlaps with CSDA's K-12 and community institution portfolio and California geographic footprint.
• Landrum & Brown: Aviation planning and noise mitigation consulting firm serving airports and surrounding communities. Directly comparable to CSDA's FAA grant-funded residential sound insulation programs and airport-authority client relationships.
• Harris Miller Miller & Hanson (HMMH): Acoustical and aviation environmental consulting firm specializing in airport noise studies, sound insulation program design, and FAA compliance. Closest direct peer to CSDA's sound insulation and AEDT-based noise modeling services.
• Legat Architects: Architecture firm with dedicated K-12 educational facility design practice serving Midwest and national school districts. Comparable to CSDA in target client base (public school districts) and project-based delivery model.
• Wight & Company: Design and architecture firm with dedicated education, community, and civic practices serving Illinois and national clients. Overlaps with CSDA in K-12 educational facility design and community/STEAM-focused programming.

Broad incumbents

• DLR Group: Large national architecture, engineering, and planning firm with substantial K-12 and higher education practices. Competes for school district work at greater scale than CSDA but offers broader multi-disciplinary services.
• RS&H: National architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with significant aviation and educational facility practices. Competes with CSDA in airport-related planning and K-12 design as part of a broader services portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csda
• Instagraminstagram.com/csdadesign

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 CSDA Design