CSO Architects

What CSO Architects does

CSO Architects, Inc. is an Indianapolis-headquartered architecture and interior design firm established in 1961, operating as a privately held Indiana corporation owned internally by its principals. The firm provides comprehensive professional services across architecture, interior design, furniture/fixtures/equipment (FF&E), branded environments, art integration, visualization, and master planning for large-scale built environment projects across eight market sectors: K-12 education, higher education, workplace/corporate, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics, community/government, hospitality, and housing/mixed-use. Its practice is anchored by an integrated studio of over 100 professionals led by a President and a bench of Principals, each typically promoted from within over multi-decade tenures, with a dedicated Director of Business Development and Community Relations driving enterprise field sales.

The firm's technical stack is industry-standard for design services — BIM (Revit), AutoCAD, digital and physical models, VR walkthroughs, animations, and Matterport scanning for existing-conditions documentation — layered with specialty service lines in biophilic design, branded environments, custom furniture solutions, and curated art integration. Revenue is generated exclusively through project-based professional services fees, billed on multi-year contracts tied to scope and complexity, with no disclosed pricing tiers and no SaaS, product, or licensing revenue. The firm operates a single Indianapolis headquarters and reaches customers via direct principal-led engagement, while selectively collaborating with national design firms (HOK, IwamotoScott, David M. Schwarz Architects, Goody Clancy, Hanbury) and participating in joint ventures such as CURIS Design for healthcare pursuits. Named enterprise clients span Marriott International, Walmart, IU Health, Saab, Ball State University, Ivy Tech, Elanco, Indianapolis Airport Authority, and SEP, with marquee projects including the 1,178,000 sf Indianapolis International Terminal, the 1,005-key JW Marriott Indianapolis, and the National Desert Storm Memorial on the National Mall.

Name

CSO Architects

Legal name

CSO Architects, Inc.

Website

https://csoinc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CSO Architects is a privately held Indianapolis-based architecture and interior design firm founded in 1961, serving enterprise clients across education, healthcare, corporate, hospitality, government, and manufacturing sectors with over 100 professionals under principal-led project delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Interior design services
• Master planning services
• Commercial building design
• Educational facility design

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture and interior design services for commercial projects including K-12, higher education, healthcare, workplace, manufacturing, community, hospitality, and housing sectors. Revenue generated through project-based fees for design, documentation, and construction administration services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CSO Architects provides comprehensive architecture, interior design, furniture fixtures and equipment (FF&E), branded environments, and master planning services for commercial projects. The firm delivers integrated design services spanning multiple market sectors including K-12 and higher education, healthcare, workplace/corporate, manufacturing and logistics, community/government, hospitality, and housing/mixed-use developments, from concept through construction administration.

Product overview

CSO Architects is an Indianapolis-based architecture and interior design firm with over 60 years of experience offering comprehensive design services. The firm's portfolio spans multiple market sectors including K-12 education, higher education, workplace/corporate, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics, community facilities, hospitality, and housing/mixed-use developments. Their service offering is organized around core architecture and interior design services supplemented by specialty expertise in Art Integration, Biophilic Design, Branded Environments, Furniture Fixtures & Equipment (FFE), Physical Models, and Visualization Tools. Projects range from educational facilities and corporate headquarters to healthcare campuses, hospitality venues, and national memorials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Architectural Record Top 300 Firms ranking demonstrates industry recognition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and notable.

• CURIS Design (Joint Venture with BSA and RATIO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCURIS Design is a joint venture between CSO, BSA, and RATIO formed to deliver transformative, resilient healthcare design. CSO leads project management for the IU Health New Downtown Hospital project, overseeing the large, diverse project team.
• HOKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration with HOK on JW Marriott Indianapolis (1,000,000 sf, largest JW in world at completion) and Indianapolis International Airport (1,178,000 sf LEED Certified terminal).
• IwamotoScott ArchitectureflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration on Moravec Hall at Ivy Tech Columbus campus (82,600 sf), which received AIA Indiana Honor Award. IwamotoScott Architecture was selected via design competition sponsored by Cummins Foundation.
• HanburynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration on North Dining Facility at Ball State University (71,203 sf, LEED Silver certified).
• David M. Schwarz ArchitectsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on The Palladium (160,000 sf, 1,600-seat concert hall) serving as Architect of Record alongside David M. Schwarz Architects for design.
• Artec Consultants, Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcoustical consulting partnership on The Palladium concert hall, working on state-of-the-art acoustics including variable acoustic devices and glass acoustic canopy.
• Goody ClancynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Lacy School of Business at Butler University (103,000 sf, LEED Gold certified), which features experiential learning spaces and innovation commons.
• Flick·MarsnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior design collaboration on Westin Indianapolis Airport Hotel (253 keys, anticipated completion 2027).
• Carson Design AssociatesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior design collaboration on Westin Indianapolis Airport Hotel.
• Cummins FoundationnotableOthersGrant funding through Cummins Foundation Architectural Program in 2019 for Moravec Hall project. Foundation sponsored design competition that selected IwamotoScott Architecture.

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf: Indianapolis-based architecture, interior design, and planning firm of similar size and Midwestern regional footprint. Competes head-to-head with CSO on education, workplace, and community projects.
• Schmidt Associates: Indianapolis-headquartered architecture and engineering firm of comparable scale, with strong civic, education, and cultural practices that overlap directly with CSO's segments.
• BSA LifeStructures: Indianapolis-based architecture and engineering firm of comparable size with deep healthcare, education, and workplace practices. Co-founder of the CURIS Design joint venture with CSO and RATIO, making it a directly comparable regional peer.
• Goody Clancy: Architecture, planning, and preservation firm with strong higher-education and civic practices. Documented CSO collaborator on Butler University's Lacy School of Business, directly comparable in segment focus and project scale.
• RATIO Design: Indianapolis-headquartered architecture, interior design, and planning firm similar in scale to CSO. Also a CURIS Design co-founder, with overlapping healthcare, education, and workplace practices.
• Hanbury: Architecture and planning firm of comparable size focused on education, workplace, and community projects. Documented CSO collaborator on Ball State's North Dining Facility, with directly overlapping higher-education expertise.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Large international architecture firm with strong healthcare and education practices that overlap CSO's primary verticals. Frequently competes for academic medical center and university projects of similar profile.
• HOK: Global architecture and engineering firm and a documented CSO design collaborator on JW Marriott Indianapolis and Indianapolis International Airport. Overlaps with CSO in aviation, hospitality, and healthcare verticals at much larger scale.
• Gensler: Largest global architecture and design firm, consistently #1 in Architectural Record's Top 300. Competes with CSO on workplace, hospitality, and healthcare projects at national scale but operates across a far broader portfolio.

Regional players

• MSKTD & Associates: Indianapolis-based architecture and interior design firm of comparable size serving Midwest markets in higher education, healthcare, and workplace — directly overlapping CSO's core verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CSOArchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cso-architects
• Xx.com/CSOArchitects

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 CSO Architects