CSS Architects
CSS Architects is a Wakefield, Massachusetts-based, Women-Owned architectural firm founded in 1980 delivering architecture, preservation, renovation, feasibility, and Net Zero-ready design services to Massachusetts state agencies, municipalities, Housing Authorities, the National Guard, and select private clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersWakefield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CSS Architects does
CSS Architects Inc. is a privately held, Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) architectural firm founded in 1980 and headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts. The firm provides comprehensive architecture, planning, preservation architecture, interior design, and sustainable design services across four practice areas: new construction (commercial, multi-family, municipal, residential), renovation (commercial, National Guard, educational, multi-family, municipal), historical preservation of historically significant buildings, and feasibility studies. Technical scope spans all building trades — architecture, building envelope, MEP systems, and civil engineering — with a stated capability to design every project to be Net Zero-ready at the owner's discretion. Notable technical projects include exterior restoration of the Lowell Superior Courthouse (60,000 s.f., Romanesque Revival and Neoclassical), the Fitchburg District Court (40,000 s.f. preservation plan and full building envelope work), the 96-unit Capen Court senior affordable housing project, and preservation work at Faneuil Hall and the Massachusetts State House Library. The firm employs 11-50 staff, led by President and owner Kaja Martin-Savasta (registered Architect and Interior Designer with 40 years of experience).
The firm's business model is professional services revenue generated through project-based contracts with government and private clients. Go-to-market is principal-led direct engagement with state agencies (MSBA, DCAMM, EOHLC, Massachusetts Historic Commission), federal entities (Massachusetts Army National Guard), municipalities (City of Boston, multiple Massachusetts towns), and over 25 Housing Authorities across Massachusetts, plus a smaller book of private commercial clients including Johnson Controls and hospitality operators. The Women's Business Enterprise certification from the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office is a deliberate commercial lever, qualifying the firm for state, education, and municipal contracts that require or weight supplier diversity. Pricing is project-quote based and not publicly disclosed. Marketing relies on a portfolio website, LinkedIn, and Instagram rather than paid acquisition, consistent with relationship-driven government and institutional procurement. Revenue, employee count, and backlog are not publicly disclosed.
CSS Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CSS Architects
- Legal name
- CSS Architects Inc.
- Website
- https://cssarchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CSS Architects is a Wakefield, Massachusetts-based, Women-Owned architectural firm founded in 1980 delivering architecture, preservation, renovation, feasibility, and Net Zero-ready design services to Massachusetts state agencies, municipalities, Housing Authorities, the National Guard, and select private clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CSS Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Engineering Services (54133)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where CSS Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wakefield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CSS Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: CSS Architects provides comprehensive architectural design services for new construction, renovation and restoration projects. Revenue is generated through professional services contracts with government and private clients on a per-project basis.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
CSS Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CSS Architects provides comprehensive architectural design services for new construction, renovation, and historic restoration projects across commercial, multi-family, municipal, residential, educational, and National Guard facilities. Service scope spans feasibility studies through construction administration and includes architecture, planning, preservation architecture, interior design, sustainable and Net Zero-ready design, building envelope, MEP, and civil engineering design across all building trades.
Product overview
CSS Architects is a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) architecture firm founded in 1980 providing comprehensive design services for new construction, renovation, and restoration projects. The company operates as a single unified firm offering architecture, planning, preservation architecture, interior design, and sustainable design services across a portfolio of specialized offerings including New Construction Services (Commercial, Multi-Family, Municipal, Residential), Renovation Services (Commercial, National Guard, Educational, Multi-Family, Municipal), Historical Preservation, Feasibility Studies, Comprehensive Design Services, Sustainable Design, and Exterior Mitigation. The firm serves diverse clients including MSBA, DCAMM, EOHLC, National Guard, the City of Boston, and Housing Authorities throughout Massachusetts, with a focus on sustainable and Net Zero ready building design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- New Construction Services Comprehensive new construction design services including architecture, planning, interior design, and sustainable design for commercial, multi-family, municipal, and residential projects. Delivered to government agencies, housing authorities, private commercial clients, and homeowners.
- Renovation Services Renovation and exterior mitigation services for commercial buildings, National Guard facilities, educational institutions, multi-family housing, and municipal structures. Addresses building envelope failures, water infiltration, window/roof replacement, and modernization needs.
- Historical Preservation Preservation architecture services for historically significant buildings including exterior repairs, restoration of traditional building materials (slate and copper roofing, decorative cast iron, masonry, wood), heritage conservation, and historic commission compliance work.
- Feasibility Studies Pre-design assessment services including existing conditions assessment, space needs analysis, conceptual design, cost estimating, and project planning for various building types. Performed for municipal, educational, and commercial clients prior to committing to full design engagement.
- Comprehensive Design Services Full spectrum of architectural services including programming, space needs assessments, master planning, code analysis, construction cost estimating, construction administration, MEP design, structural engineering, and ADA compliance design.
- Sustainable Design Sustainable and environmentally sensitive design services including Net Zero ready building design, incorporating architecture, building envelope, MEP systems, and civil engineering. Includes Passive House methodology as demonstrated by Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School project.
- Exterior Mitigation Specialized exterior shell remediation services including roof/window/door replacement, brick repairs, moisture protection, insulation, and building envelope restoration. Targeted at housing authorities and educational institutions with building envelope failures.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully completed 96-unit senior affordable housing project for Somerville Housing Authority at Capen Court
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CSS Architects
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CSS Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
CSS Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CSS Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CBT Architects: Boston-based architecture practice with broad civic, commercial, and educational work; similar size tier and overlapping client mix with CSS.
- DiMella Shaffer: Mid-size New England architecture firm with strong K-12, higher education, and healthcare work; directly comparable to CSS in scale and public-sector focus.
- Sasaki Associates: Watertown, MA-based planning, urban design, and architecture practice of comparable regional reach; overlaps with CSS in civic, institutional, and multi-family work.
- Bruner/Cott & Associates: Cambridge-based architecture firm with a similarly strong historic preservation and adaptive reuse portfolio, competing directly on Massachusetts civic and academic commissions.
- Finegold Alexander Architects: Boston-area architecture firm with comparable historic preservation, civic, and educational portfolio; competes head-to-head with CSS for Massachusetts public preservation and adaptive reuse projects.
- Ann Beha Architects: Boston-based firm known for cultural, civic, and historic preservation projects — overlapping with CSS on institutional and preservation commissions in New England.
- Symmes Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA): Massachusetts-based architecture and engineering firm of comparable regional scale with deep public-sector and K-12/higher-ed work, directly competing for MSBA and DCAMM-style commissions alongside CSS.
- The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM): Mid-size architecture firm with substantial K-12, healthcare, and civic work in the Northeast; comparable to CSS in service mix and project scale.
Broad incumbents
- Stantec Architecture: Global design and engineering firm with major Massachusetts presence (including legacy ADD Inc); competes for the same public-sector commissions as CSS from a much larger bench and broader service portfolio.
- Perkins&Will: Large global architecture firm with significant Boston presence, regularly competing for healthcare, higher-ed, and civic projects that overlap with CSS's institutional pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CSS Architects social profiles
Digital presenceCSS Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CSS Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
CSS Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CSS Architects M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CSS Architects
What does CSS Architects do?
CSS Architects provides comprehensive architectural design services for new construction, renovation, and historic restoration projects across commercial, multi-family, municipal, residential, educational, and National Guard facilities. Service scope spans feasibility studies through construction administration and includes architecture, planning, preservation architecture, interior design, sustainable and Net Zero-ready design, building envelope, MEP, and civil engineering design across all building trades.
Is CSS Architects a public or private company?
CSS Architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CSS Architects founded?
CSS Architects was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CSS Architects based?
CSS Architects is headquartered in Wakefield, United States, in the North America region.
How does CSS Architects make money?
One revenue line is on record: architecture and Design Services.
Who are CSS Architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CBT Architects, DiMella Shaffer, Sasaki Associates, Bruner/Cott & Associates, Finegold Alexander Architects, Ann Beha Architects, Symmes Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA) and The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM). Broad incumbents are Stantec Architecture and Perkins&Will.
Does CSS Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for CSS Architects.
What industry is CSS Architects in?
CSS Architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 8700.