Practice for Architecture Urbanism

What Practice for Architecture Urbanism does

Practice for Architecture Urbanism (PAU) is a privately held, New York-headquartered architecture and urban design firm incorporated as a New York professional corporation and founded in 2016 by Vishaan Chakrabarti following his tenure at SHoP Architects. The firm operates as a full-service design practice spanning cultural/institutional architecture, public space and infrastructure, housing and neighborhood planning, and office/commercial work, with a team in the 51-100 range distributed across architecture, urban design, visualization, and operations roles. Core technology and methodology center on a "palimpsest" approach—layering historical, cultural, and civic memory into contemporary built environments—plus proprietary protocols such as the F4 Air Traffic Control Tower prototype (the 14th generation FAA design, deployed at 31 municipal airports) and the Goldilocks Module low-rise/high-density/net-zero housing prototype presented at TED 2021.

PAU's revenue model is professional services for architectural design across master planning, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration. Project acquisition runs through three repeatable channels: competitive design competitions (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, FAA F4), competitive government RFPs (Amtrak Penn Station, NYC DOB sidewalk sheds, USA Niagara, NYCEDC Sunnyside Yard), and direct commissions from mission-driven private developers and institutions (Two Trees, Brandywine, Gotham, JPMorgan Chase, Princeton, NYT, TF Cornerstone). The client roster is split roughly evenly between public-sector entities (FAA, Amtrak, NYC agencies, Empire State Development, Princeton University as public-mission institution) and private enterprise developers, with the $8 billion Penn Station redevelopment serving as the lead-design flagship alongside the JPMorgan Chase 2.5M GSF global headquarters, where PAU founder served as Collaborating Architect with Foster + Partners.

The firm operates from a single Midtown Manhattan office (19 W 34th St) under founder-led creative direction, with senior principals overseeing studio, operations, finance, urban design, and visualization. Geographic footprint is U.S.-centric across New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and federal-level deployments, with one disclosed international engagement in Mongolia.

Name

Practice for Architecture Urbanism

Legal name

Practice for Architecture Urbanism DPC

Website

https://pau.studio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PAU is a New York-based architecture and urban design firm founded in 2016, serving government, institutional, and private developers with cultural, transit, housing, and adaptive reuse design across flagship projects including Penn Station, FAA control towers, and Hobson College at Princeton.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural and Urban Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning
• Master planning
• Adaptive reuse design
• Transit infrastructure design

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: PAU generates revenue through professional fees for architectural design services across master planning, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration phases. Projects span cultural/institutional buildings, public space/infrastructure, housing/neighborhood planning, and office/interior projects. Revenue is derived from both public sector clients (FAA, NYC DOB, Amtrak, NYCEDC, USA Niagara, Empire State Development) and private sector clients (Two Trees Management, Brandywine Realty Trust, Gotham Organization, JPMorgan Chase, TF Cornerstone).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Practice for Architecture Urbanism (PAU) provides professional architectural design and urban planning services spanning cultural/institutional buildings, public space and infrastructure, housing and neighborhood master planning, and office/commercial adaptive reuse projects. The firm delivers services from early-stage visioning through architectural development across master planning, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration. PAU also produces design prototypes (e.g., Goldilocks Module, F4 Airport Traffic Control Tower, Better Sheds Ahead) and research-driven advocacy initiatives for major urban challenges.

Product overview

Practice for Architecture Urbanism (PAU) is an architecture and urban design firm offering comprehensive services across cultural and institutional architecture, public space and infrastructure, and housing and neighborhood planning. The firm's portfolio includes major infrastructure projects (Pennsylvania Station Renewed, F4 Airport Traffic Control Towers, Wave Bridge), adaptive reuse developments (The Refinery at Domino, Wanamaker Building), mixed-use developments (JFK Towers at Schuylkill Yards, Innovative Urban Village), educational facilities (Hobson College), cultural institutions (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame expansion), and planning/advocacy initiatives (Sunnyside Yard Master Plan, Affordable New York, The Goldilocks Module). PAU operates as a full-service design firm providing architecture, urban planning, and design services from early-stage visioning through architectural development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pennsylvania Station Renewed Lead design architect engagement for the renewal of Pennsylvania Station, the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere, delivering a monumental, inspiring, and place-rooted civic transit hub.
• The Refinery at Domino Adaptive reuse transformation of the historic 19th-century Domino Sugar Factory in Brooklyn into a contemporary office complex of approximately 460,000 rentable square feet with public and retail ground-floor uses, completed in 2023.
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Expansion Architectural design for the expansion (approximately 50,000 GSF) and renovation (36,100 GSF) of the I.M. Pei-designed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
• Hobson College, Princeton University Design of Princeton University's newest residential college of approximately 273,000 GSF on a 5-acre site, featuring mass timber construction and geothermal systems, named for Mellody Hobson—Princeton's first college named for a person of color.
• Wave Bridge Multi-modal bridge in Indianapolis spanning 342 feet long and 65 feet wide, connecting historically disenfranchised neighborhoods with the city's research and medical corridor; winner of the NCSEA Outstanding Project award.
• InterOculus Public pavilion built over an active intersection in Columbus, Indiana, creating a focal point for community gathering, events, and pedestrian activity.
• JFK Towers at Schuylkill Yards Two mixed-use towers (East and West Tower) adjacent to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, totaling over 1.5 million square feet of transit-oriented office, residential, and retail space.
• JPMorgan Chase Global Headquarters Collaborating architect role for the new 2.5 million GSF all-electric, net-zero global headquarters for JPMorgan Chase at 270 Park Avenue in New York City.
• F4 Airport Traffic Control Tower Prototype The 14th generation FAA Air Traffic Control Tower prototype design featuring a cruciform configuration, all-electric building systems, geothermal heating and cooling, and adaptability for 31 municipal airports nationwide.
• Innovative Urban Village An 11-acre, 2.2 million GSF mixed-use development in Brooklyn's East New York, featuring approximately 2,050 income-based apartments and cultural amenities—one of the largest fully affordable private developments in NYC history.
• Better Sheds Ahead Redesign of New York City's sidewalk sheds for the Department of Buildings, delivering six new standardized designs with sloped roofs, netting, expanded post spacing, and diffused lighting.
• Wanamaker Building Rehabilitation of the historic Wanamaker Building in Philadelphia, including the Grand Court, primary entrances, and arcades of approximately 120,000 GSF, preserving the historic Beaux-Arts facade.
• Sunnyside Yard Master Plan Master plan for the 184-acre Sunnyside Yard in Queens, NY, proposing the largest rail deck in the world with mixed-use development and potential for thousands of affordable homes.
• Niagara Falls Heritage Gateways Public space design including a 3.3-acre park, 1,500 SF pavilion, and 115-foot Riverway Tree Walk as part of the Heritage Path connecting downtown Niagara Falls to the state park.
• Downtown Niagara Falls Development Strategy Development strategy for 16.75 acres of state-acquired parcels in downtown Niagara Falls, recommending mixed-use development and heritage tourism.
• Goldilocks Module Housing Prototype A low-rise, high-density, net-zero housing prototype using simple local materials, rooftop solar panels, battery storage, thermal ice storage, and food waste composting—designed to be carbon negative and adaptable to local climates globally.
• Affordable New York Research Initiative Housing research proposal for New York City identifying opportunity to build 520,000 new homes and house 1.3 million new residents without demolishing any existing building, developed for The New York Times.
• Penn Palimpsest Vision for Penn Station as a new public commons, developed for The New York Times Opinion Section in 2016 with support from the Ford Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• The F4 Tower design won the open 2021 FAA design competition and will be adapted to 31 municipal airports nationwide
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Penn Transformation Partners (Halmar and Skanska-led Consortium)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026PAU serves as the lead design architect for the $8 billion Penn Station redevelopment as part of Penn Transformation Partners, a consortium led by Halmar and Skanska, competitively selected by Amtrak and the Trump Administration in 2026. PAU leads the architectural vision in partnership with HOK (managing architect) and Severud Associates (structural engineering).
• NYC Department of BuildingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026NYC DOB selected PAU (alongside ARUP) to design new sidewalk shed prototypes to replace the 1980s-era uniform structures across New York City. PAU developed six new shed designs with LERA Consulting Structural Engineers.
• Thornton TomasetticoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Thornton Tomasetti served as structural engineering partner for the FAA F4 Tower prototype design competition, which PAU won in 2021. Thornton Tomasetti also serves as structural engineering partner for the Goldilocks Module and Niagara Falls Heritage Gateways projects.
• Public for Penn StationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Following PAU's 2016 Penn Palimpsest proposal published in the New York Times, a community advocacy organization named Public for Penn Station was formed as a 501(c)(3) in support of the proposal.
• HOKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOK serves as managing architect alongside PAU (lead design architect) for the Penn Station redevelopment project. HOK collaborates on the architectural execution within the Penn Transformation Partners consortium.
• Severud AssociatescoreTechnology or IntegrationSeverud Associates serves as structural engineers for the Penn Station redesign, working with PAU and HOK to develop the parabolic train hall, colonnade, and overall structural system for the renewed station.
• Halmar InternationalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHalmar International is the construction lead for the Penn Station redevelopment project within the Penn Transformation Partners consortium, responsible for constructability and civil works alongside Skanska.
• SkanskacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSkanska is the construction partner for the Penn Station redevelopment within the Penn Transformation Partners consortium, working alongside Halmar International.
• Field OperationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField Operations serves as landscape architect for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame expansion and was the landscape firm that collaborated with Vishaan Chakrabarti on the original Domino Sugar Factory master plan.
• Two Trees ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Trees Management commissioned PAU to adapt the Domino Sugar Factory structure for creative office space, an event venue, and ground-floor food, beverage, and retail uses. Two Trees previously collaborated with Vishaan Chakrabarti (while at SHoP Architects) on the original 11-acre Domino site master plan including the waterfront park.
• Brandywine Realty TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrandywine Realty Trust commissioned PAU to design the JFK Towers (East and West) at Schuylkill Yards in Philadelphia in collaboration with Drexel University. Brandywine is the lead developer for the 14-acre Schuylkill Yards revitalization project.
• Gotham OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGotham Organization partnered with PAU and the Christian Cultural Center to develop Innovative Urban Village in East New York, an 11-acre, 2,050-unit affordable housing and cultural campus.
• Princeton UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrinceton University selected PAU from a vetted shortlist of leading global architecture firms to design Hobson College—the university's newest residential college, replacing the 1960s-era First College on the historic campus.
• USA Niagara / Empire State DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSA Niagara (a subsidiary of Empire State Development, New York State's economic development entity) engaged PAU to establish a development strategy for 25 parcels in Downtown Niagara Falls and subsequently selected PAU through a competitive RFP to design the first state-funded investments recommended by the plan.
• NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC EDC engaged PAU to lead the planning team for the Sunnyside Yard Master Plan—a 184-acre rail yard in Queens, NY. PAU assembled an interdisciplinary team including engineers, landscape architects, finance specialists, and stakeholder engagement experts.
• Foster + PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAU Founder Vishaan Chakrabarti served as Collaborating Architect alongside Lord Norman Foster's firm for the JPMorgan Chase Global Headquarters at 270 Park Avenue. The collaboration touched on every aspect of the building's design from inception through completion.
• sbp / schlaich bergermann partnercoreTechnology or Integrationsbp served as structural engineering and erection engineering partner for the Wave Bridge in Indianapolis, collaborating with PAU on the unique fan-arrangement 'cable-stay' design that creates the signature wave form.
• Christian Cultural Center (CCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Christian Cultural Center, led by Reverend A.R. Bernard, partnered with PAU and Gotham Organization to create Innovative Urban Village—an 11-acre equitable community and cultural hub in East New York. CCC is the anchor institution for the development.
• TF CornerstonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTF Cornerstone (with Alterra Property Group) engaged PAU to design the adaptive reuse of the historic Wanamaker Building in Philadelphia, including the rehabilitation of the Grand Court, primary entrances, and arcades.
• LERA Consulting Structural EngineerscoreTechnology or IntegrationLERA Consulting Structural Engineers collaborated with PAU on the Better Sheds Ahead project for NYC DOB and on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame expansion.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WXY architecture + urban design: NYC-based firm with similar dual architecture-plus-urban-design practice, mission-driven civic focus, and comparable involvement in public-sector planning and adaptive reuse commissions.
• Handel Architects: NYC-based architecture firm of similar scale with strong residential, mixed-use, and adaptive reuse portfolio, including affordable housing and large-scale neighborhood developments comparable to PAU's Innovative Urban Village.
• Ennead Architects: NYC-based architecture firm with strong cultural, institutional, and civic portfolio (museums, libraries, academic buildings), comparable in scale and similar focus on monumental public architecture.
• Snøhetta: Profile-comparable firm combining architecture, landscape, and urban design on civic, cultural, and public-realm commissions, with a comparable philosophy of contextually rooted, mission-driven design.
• SHoP Architects: NYC-based architecture firm of comparable scale and project profile, where founder Vishaan Chakrabarti was previously a Principal. SHoP works across cultural, residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects with similar public/private client mix.
• Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): Profile-comparable architecture firm with strong cultural, institutional, and residential portfolios, similar reliance on founder brand, and a track record of winning high-profile competitions and large-scale civic commissions.
• Studio Gang: High-profile architecture firm with similar civic, cultural, and sustainability-driven portfolio and comparable reliance on founder-led design identity for competition wins.
• Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF): NYC-headquartered architecture firm with comparable mix of large-scale commercial towers, mixed-use, and cultural projects, plus similar involvement in transit-oriented and civic commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architecture firm at much larger scale, recently collaborating with PAU on the JPMorgan Chase HQ. Competes on mega-scale civic and commercial commissions but as a broadly diversified global incumbent rather than a focused urban-architecture boutique.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Global architecture and engineering firm at substantially greater scale; founder Vishaan Chakrabarti previously worked there. SOM competes on the same large-scale cultural, civic, and commercial commissions but as a much broader, multi-discipline incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/we.are.pau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/practiceforarchitectureandurbanism

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Practice for Architecture Urbanism