ai3

What ai3 does

ai3 is a privately held, founder-owned architecture and interior design firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 2004 by three partners — Lucy Aiken-Johnson, Patrick Johnson, and Dan Maas — who continue to lead the firm. The firm specializes in purpose-driven design across four experiential categories: eating, working, gathering, and relaxing, with a portfolio spanning hospitality (Hotel Indigo brand properties, chef-driven restaurants), private clubs (golf and member clubs), corporate and tech campuses (a major unnamed Global Tech Company's Atlanta and Toronto facilities), residential developments (including the CERES culinary community in Chattahoochee Hills), and adaptive re-use projects (Stockyards Atlanta).

The firm operates through six integrated service modules: Architecture, Interior Design, Master Planning, Branding, Product Development, and Procurement (FF&E). Every engagement begins with the signature Day One Workshop, a collaborative session designed to align the design narrative with the client's purpose before any design work commences. The firm delivers the full project lifecycle from concept through construction administration and relies on co-development partnerships with architects of record (John Portman Architects, KDC Architects, Smith Dalia Architects, Perkins + Will) on larger projects beyond its solo delivery capacity.

ai3 generates revenue through project-based professional services fees across hospitality, private club, corporate real estate, high-end residential, and brand development clients. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct inquiries, repeat clients, and referrals, supported by a portfolio website, industry awards (63 to date), and earned media in architectural and hospitality publications. The firm is founder-owned with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries, operating from its Atlanta headquarters with a secondary operational footprint indicated in Wellington, New Zealand.

Name

ai3

Legal name

ai3

Website

https://ai3online.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ai3 is a founder-owned Atlanta architecture and interior design firm founded in 2004, delivering purpose-driven design across hospitality, private clubs, corporate campuses, and residential developments for enterprise and SMB clients in the US and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Interior Design Services: ai3 generates revenue through fees for professional architecture and interior design services. Projects span hospitality, residential, commercial, mixed-use, and branding/design work. Revenue is project-based, with fees determined by scope, complexity, and services rendered.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ai3 provides full-service architecture and interior design for hospitality, residential, commercial, mixed-use, and corporate projects. Service modules include architecture, interior design, master planning, branding, product development, and FF&E procurement, with every engagement beginning in the firm's Day One Workshop. Clients engage ai3 on a project basis to create impactful spaces for eating, working, gathering, and relaxing.

Product overview

ai3 is an Atlanta-based architecture and interior design firm founded in 2004, offering design services across six integrated modules: Architecture Services, Interior Design Services, Master Planning Services, Branding Services, Product Development Services, and Procurement Services. The firm works across diverse project categories including residential (Dwell), workplace (Work), social venues (Gather), dining (Eat), hospitality (Relax), and brand identity (Brand). The Architecture and Interior Design modules form the core offerings, supplemented by Master Planning for larger developments, Branding for visual identity, Product Development for custom product design, and Procurement for furniture, fixtures, and equipment purchasing. All projects begin with the firm's signature Day One Workshop process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architecture including concept development, programming, schematic and design development, construction documents, bid analysis, permitting assistance, and construction administration. Provided to hospitality, residential, commercial, and mixed-use clients.
• Interior Design Services Interior design encompassing Day One Workshop, programming, test fit/space planning, benchmarking, full-service interior design, custom artwork development, art consultant coordination, and accessorizing and styling. Provided to hospitality, residential, commercial, and mixed-use clients.
• Master Planning Services Long-term conceptual planning documents identifying phasing and implementation, prioritizing goals and objectives, and guiding project growth and development. Provided to developers and large-scale project clients.
• Branding Services Brand development including name and logo development, business collateral, exterior and interior signage, wayfinding, environmental graphic design, branded packaging, check presenters, menu design, staff attire, and guest takeaways. Provided primarily to restaurants and hospitality brands.
• Product Development Services Product design including market evaluation and benchmarking, story and concept development, product design, collaboration with product manufacturers, engineers and PD teams, and development of product names and marketing strategies. Provided to hospitality and residential clients.
• Procurement Services FF&E purchasing, schedule management, and oversight of warehouse and installation. Provided as part of integrated design engagements for hospitality, residential, and commercial clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 175 completed projects and 63 awards over 20+ years of operation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• John Portman ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerai3 partnered with John Portman Architects and Portman Holdings on the CODA Collaborative Core project in the Portman Tower in Atlanta. ai3 designed the tenant amenity spaces within the Lantern — a light-filled, multi-story open space connected by the tallest spiral staircase in the world. This was a co-development design partnership where ai3 brought interior design expertise to complement John Portman Architects' architectural design.
• Third & UrbancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird & Urban (also referenced as Third and Urban) engaged ai3 as the design firm for the Stockyards Atlanta project — an adaptive re-use of historic warehouses into 143,500 SF of retail, offices, and dining in Atlanta's West Midtown. The project won ULI's Project of the Year 2018 and ULI Award of Excellence. Third & Urban also commissioned Common Ground, an 80,000 SF mixed-use Beltline development, demonstrating a recurring partnership relationship.
• KDC ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKDC Architects collaborated with ai3 on multiple projects including Ansley Golf Club (2025 clubhouse renovation) and Reynolds Lake Oconee Richland Pointe (wellness center and restaurant). KDC Architects served as the architect of record while ai3 provided interior design services, a recurring co-development partnership on private club and residential amenity projects.
• Smith Dalia ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmith Dalia Architects served as the architect of record for the Metropolitan Library project in Atlanta. ai3 engaged in conceptual design consultation for architecture and interior design services alongside members from the Fulton County Library System and the Steward-Lakewood Community.
• Leapley ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLeapley Construction was the general contractor for the Global Tech Company Atlanta Campus project. ai3 received the Build GA Award from AGC in 2023 for this project completed with Leapley Construction.
• Perkins + Will TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor the Global Tech Company Canadian Headquarters project (132,000 SF in Toronto, Ontario), ai3 worked in conjunction with the client's design team and Perkins + Will Toronto as the Architect of Record. ai3 provided interior design services for this flagship campus project.
• Trillium ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrillium Management engaged ai3 to develop the Common Ground mixed-use development — 80,000 SF of premium Beltline property directly on Atlanta's east side trail. The project features a beer garden and expansive rooftop views.
• SWA BalsleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn conjunction with landscape architecture firm SWA Balsley, ai3 collaborated on the Global Tech Company Atlanta Campus Amenities Plaza project, creating a connected community space with the Speaker Shell and courtyard areas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AvroKO: New York-based hospitality-focused interior design firm creating hotels, restaurants, bars, and residential projects. Directly comparable to ai3 in service mix (hospitality interiors, branding) and client profile, at a similar boutique scale with national reach.
• BHDM Design: Restaurant-focused interior design firm with a national portfolio of bar and dining concepts. Directly comparable to ai3's restaurant practice (Holeman & Finch, Lure, Cooks & Soldiers) and similar in scale and service scope.
• Parts and Labor Design: New York-based hospitality design studio focused on restaurant, bar, and hotel interiors. Directly comparable to ai3's restaurant and hotel work (Miller Union, AIX, Hotel Indigo projects), sharing a similar narrative-driven design approach.
• Meyer Davis Studio: New York-based interior design firm with a strong hospitality, residential, and retail portfolio. Directly comparable to ai3 in project typology and design-led positioning, serving similar upscale hospitality and residential clients.
• Studio Munge: Toronto-based interior design firm specializing in luxury hospitality, residential, and restaurant projects. Directly comparable to ai3 in hospitality design philosophy and international project execution, including corporate amenity work.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm and direct collaborator of ai3 on the Global Tech Company Canadian Headquarters project as Architect of Record. Overlapping client base and corporate amenity / mixed-use project types, though at significantly greater scale and scope.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with extensive hospitality, corporate workplace, and mixed-use practices. Overlaps with ai3 in client segments (corporate campuses, hospitality brands) but operates at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• HOK: Global architecture firm with practices across hospitality, corporate workplace, sports, and mixed-use developments. Overlaps with ai3 in corporate amenity and hospitality segments, but HOK operates as a large incumbent that often competes for or anchors the same enterprise client relationships.

Regional players

• John Portman & Associates: Atlanta-based architecture firm and direct collaborator of ai3 on the CODA Collaborative Core project in the Portman Tower. Comparable as a regional architecture peer with whom ai3 partners on mixed-use and corporate amenity developments.
• tvsdesign: Atlanta-based architecture firm with sports, hospitality, corporate, and mixed-use practices. Regionally comparable to ai3 and overlapping in project categories, though operating at a larger scale and serving as a potential partner or competitor in the Southeast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ai3inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/ai3-40207909045
• LinkedInau.linkedin.com/company/ai3
• Instagraminstagram.com/ai3inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 ai3