Charles Rose Architects

What Charles Rose Architects does

Charles Rose Architects is a privately held architecture, planning, and interiors studio founded in 1990 by Charles Rose, FAIA, and headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts. The firm designs site-specific buildings across four primary project categories: high-end residential, educational, civic/cultural, and design arts, with over 50 completed buildings throughout the United States and selective international competition work in South Korea. Core services span architecture, interior design, landscape design, graphic design, feasibility studies, and master planning, delivered through a transdisciplinary, discovery-based process that emphasizes the relationship between architecture and the natural environment. The practice is recognized for sustainable and net-zero design expertise, evidenced by AIA COTE Top Ten recognition for the John W. Olver Transit Center and LEED Gold certification for the Currier Center for the Performing Arts.

The firm operates on a project-based professional services revenue model, acquiring clients through design competitions, direct relationships, and reputational pull from an award-winning portfolio. Notable clients include Brandeis University, the Putney School, the University of South Dakota, MassDOT/MBTA, the City of Busan, the Atlantic Center for the Arts, and high-net-worth private clients such as Joshua Bell. The firm holds selections in the GSA National Design Excellence Program and the NYC DDC Design Excellence Program, which provide preferential access to federal and municipal commissions. Operations are run from a single Somerville headquarters with 11-50 staff, and Charles Rose remains the sole named principal. The firm has no external institutional investors, no subsidiaries, no M&A history, and no disclosed revenue figures, and it is a signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment with USGBC membership for sustainability accountability.

Name

Charles Rose Architects

Legal name

Charles Rose Architects, Inc.

Website

https://charlesrosearchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charles Rose Architects is a privately held, founder-led architecture, planning, and interiors studio in Somerville, MA, designing site-specific residential, educational, and civic/cultural buildings across the United States and selectively in South Korea.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture Services

NAICS

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

• Architectural design services
• Interior design services
• Landscape architecture
• Master planning services
• Sustainable architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Somerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Project-based professional fees for architecture, interior design, landscape design, graphic design, feasibility studies, and master planning services. Revenue is generated through direct client engagements for specific projects rather than recurring subscriptions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Charles Rose Architects is an architecture, planning, and interiors studio that designs site-specific, sustainable buildings and spaces through a transdisciplinary, inclusive, discovery-based design process. The firm delivers comprehensive services spanning architecture, interior design, landscape design, graphic and design-arts work, feasibility studies, and master planning for residential, educational, civic, and cultural clients throughout the United States.

Product overview

Charles Rose Architects is an architecture, planning, and interiors studio offering a unified portfolio of services centered on site-specific, sustainable architectural design. The core offering comprises architecture services (residential, educational, civic/cultural projects), complemented by integrated interior design, landscape design, graphic design, feasibility studies, and master planning. The practice also explores design arts including custom furniture, metalwork, and lighting. Projects span residential homes, university buildings, memorials, transit centers, and government facilities across the United States, with international work including the Busan Opera House in South Korea and Jongno-gu Government Center in Seoul.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Comprehensive architectural design services from initial concept through construction administration, with emphasis on site-specific design, sustainable architecture, and responsive client collaboration, for residential, educational, civic, and cultural clients.
• Interior Design
• Landscape Design
• Graphic Design
• Feasibility Studies
• Master Planning
• Residential Projects
• Educational Projects
• Civic/Cultural Projects
• Design Arts Products

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Institute of ArchitectscoreOthersCharles Rose is a Fellow of AIA and the firm is a member. The firm participates in AIA Design Excellence Programs including GSA and NYC DDC programs.
• U.S. Green Building CouncilcoreOthersFirm is a member and signatory to AIA 2030 Commitment, demonstrating commitment to sustainable design and LEED certification.
• Boston Society for ArchitecturecoreOthersFirm maintains membership in local professional architecture society.
• Urban Land InstituteminorOthersFirm is a member supporting sustainable urban development.
• GSA Design Excellence ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm was selected for the GSA National Design Excellence Program, resulting in commissions including Pease Federal Offices.
• NYC DDC Design Excellence ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirm selected for NYC Department of Design and Construction Design Excellence Program for public architecture projects.
• ARUPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternational engineering firm collaborating on MEP, structural, and sustainability systems for projects including Busan Opera House and John W. Olver Transit Center.
• Reed Hilderbrand LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture firm collaborating on multiple projects including Arnold Arboretum, Brandeis University Admissions Center, and Muenster University Center.
• RSE Associates Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering firm providing structural engineering services on numerous projects including Orleans House, Currier Center, and Joshua Bell Penthouse.
• Acentech Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcoustical and IT consulting on projects including Brandeis Admissions Center and Currier Center for Performing Arts.
• Year UpminorOthersNonprofit organization supported by the firm for workforce development.
• Pan-Mass ChallengeminorOthersNonprofit fundraising event supported by the firm.
• Trust for Public LandminorOthersNonprofit organization supported by the firm for public land access.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based mid-sized studio with an internationally recognized residential, hospitality, and civic portfolio and comparable award density — directly comparable in scale, typology mix, and craft-driven site-specific approach.
• Studio Gang: Chicago-based mid-sized studio with a comparable sustainability-driven, site-specific portfolio across civic, educational, and residential typologies and similar award profile including AIA Honor recognition.
• Ann Beha Architects: Boston-based practice of comparable size with overlapping higher-education and civic client portfolio (universities, libraries, cultural institutions) and similar award-driven, contextually sensitive approach — direct regional peer.
• Selldorf Architects: New York studio of similar size with a comparable portfolio spanning high-end residential, cultural institutions, and academic buildings, recognized for restrained, contextually sensitive design and award-winning civic/cultural work.
• TenBerke (Deborah Berke Partners): New York-based practice of similar scale, known for award-winning academic, cultural, and residential architecture with strong university and institutional client relationships — direct overlap in education and high-end residential segments.
• Lake|Flato Architects: San Antonio-based mid-sized studio of comparable scale with parallel site-specific, sustainability-led design philosophy and an award-winning portfolio across residential, educational, and civic typologies — most direct competitive analog.
• Robert A.M. Stern Architects: Larger New York firm with comparable residential, educational, and civic portfolio and overlapping client base among universities and cultural institutions; competes for the same institutional commissions at greater scale.
• Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Pittsburgh/Seattle/Philadelphia practice of similar size and reputation, known for site-specific, craft-driven work across residential, civic, and academic commissions, with multiple AIA Honor Awards — directly competes in the same niche.

Broad incumbents

• Snøhetta: Larger, internationally operating practice with a comparable design philosophy of site-responsive, sustainability-led architecture across cultural, civic, and educational typologies — broader portfolio and global footprint but overlapping client pool in cultural and civic competitions.

Others

• Reed Hilderbrand: Landscape architecture firm that is both a direct collaboration partner (Arnold Arboretum, Brandeis, USD Muenster) and a partial overlap in integrated site-design services — adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/charlesrosearch
• Facebookfacebook.com/charlesrosearchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charles-rose-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Charles Rose Architects