Merlino Design Partnership

What Merlino Design Partnership does

Merlino Design Partnership (MDP) is a privately held architecture and interior design firm founded in 1973, headquartered in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania, with additional offices in Orlando, Florida and Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm specializes in senior living environments — independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), and university retirement communities — and serves faith-based, nonprofit, and national-operator senior living providers including Erickson Living, LCS Development, SageLife, Christian Health Care Center, and Friendship Senior Options. MDP also operates a smaller multifamily residential practice and a hospitality-focused dining design line.

MDP operates a division-based platform model: the core Senior Living, Multifamily, and Hospitality design services are supported by three wholly-owned specialized units — MDP Contract Furnishings (turnkey procurement, warehousing, and installation, est. 1998), Renaissance Culinary Innovation (hospitality-inspired dining design, est. 2012), and MDP International (cross-border senior living design, seeded by the 2008 Tokyo Charming Square Shirogane project). The firm is project-based, generating revenue through multi-year B2B professional services engagements with developers and operators acquired via direct relationships, industry awards, and thought leadership rather than competitive bidding channels. Internationally recognized, MDP holds a sustained record of awards from AIA, Environments for Aging, Argentum, NAHB, and Senior Housing News, including the AIA Design for Aging Review 2025 and SHN Architecture & Design Award 2025 for the Broadview at Purchase College intergenerational project.

The firm is led by Principal Bruce Hurowitz (37+ years tenure, joined 1988) and Partner Kimberly Hyduke (promoted 2018) following founder Sam Merlino's 2019 retirement. The partnership is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity. Underlying technology stack comprises standard visualization and specification tools (Greengrass for design rendering, BlueFingerprint for specification management) with no proprietary AI/ML systems.

Name

Merlino Design Partnership

Legal name

Merlino Design Partnership

Website

https://mdpdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Merlino Design Partnership is a private architecture and interior design firm founded in 1973 that specializes in senior living environments, serving national operators and developers with project-based design services across the United States and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture and Interior Design Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Senior living design
• Interior design services
• Architecture firm
• Multifamily design
• Continuing care design

Headquarters

HQ city

Conshohocken

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Interior Design Services: MDP generates revenue through comprehensive architecture and interior design services for senior living communities, multifamily developments, and hospitality projects. Revenue is project-based, typically involving multi-year engagements with developers and senior living providers for new construction and renovation projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Merlino Design Partnership (MDP) provides award-winning architecture and interior design services specializing in senior living environments, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and continuing care retirement communities. The firm also delivers interior design for multifamily residential developments and hospitality-inspired dining venues, supported by three specialized divisions: MDP Contract Furnishings for turnkey procurement, MDP International for global projects, and Renaissance Culinary Innovation for dining experience design.

Product overview

Merlino Design Partnership (MDP) is an award-winning architecture and interior design firm with a focus on senior living environments. The firm operates as a platform of specialized divisions: the core Senior Living, Multifamily, and Hospitality design services serve as the primary offerings, supported by three specialized divisions—MDP Contract Furnishings for turnkey procurement, MDP International for global senior living projects, and Renaissance Culinary Innovation for dining experience consulting. The company celebrates 50 years of operation in 2023, with offices in Philadelphia and Orlando, serving clients across the senior living, multifamily, and hospitality industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Senior Living Design Services Award-winning interior design and architecture services specializing in senior living environments, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and continuing care retirement communities (CCRC). Services target senior living providers, faith-based and non-profit operators, national developers, and senior living operators across the U.S. and select international markets.
• Multifamily Design Services Interior design and architecture services for multifamily residential developments, including new construction and repositioning projects for apartment communities and mixed-use developments. Targets residential and multifamily developers seeking market differentiation through distinctive amenity design.
• Hospitality Design Services Interior design services for hospitality settings, including resort-style senior living communities and dining venues such as restaurants, pubs, and food halls. Targets senior living communities seeking hospitality-inspired dining experiences.
• MDP Contract Furnishings Comprehensive turnkey procurement package that handles purchasing, warehousing, and installing all furnishings and furniture. Acts as purchasing agent dealing directly with manufacturers and representatives to ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
• MDP International International division serving the global senior living marketplace, providing architecture and interior design services for senior living projects outside the U.S. Initial project was Charming Square Shirogane, a 10-story, 160-unit retirement community in Tokyo, Japan.
• Renaissance Culinary Innovation Strategic multidisciplinary alliance focused on creating hospitality-inspired dining experiences that surpass resident and guest expectations. Includes food hall concepts, teaching kitchens, and varied dining venue design for senior living communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award recognition from Senior Housing News, Environments for Aging, Argentum, and AIA demonstrates industry-leading design quality.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Hord Coplan MachtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm collaboration on Broadview at Purchase College project. Hord Coplan Macht served as the architecture firm while MDP provided interior design for the intergenerational university retirement community.
• LCS DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational senior living developer and MDP collaborate on multiple projects including Broadview at Purchase College and The Arlington of Naples. LCS Development serves as developer for university retirement community and luxury Life Plan Community projects.
• LSC/SCD Partners, LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper partner for Broadview at Purchase College project representing the senior living development entity.
• BartonPartners Urban Design & ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm collaborated with MDP on Hawk Ridge at The Hill at Whitemarsh project. MDP provided interior design services while BartonPartners handled architecture.
• Pure Project ManagementminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject developer for Hawk Ridge buildings at The Hill at Whitemarsh. MDP provided interior design customization services for the luxury independent living project.
• Spiezle Architectural GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner on Friendship Village project in Schaumburg, Illinois. MDP provided interior design for the CCRC dining transformation.
• Scopos HospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood service consulting partner providing operational expertise for senior living dining programs. Collaborated with MDP on Friendship Village Mosaic and Smith Village Food Hall projects.
• Morrison LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior living food service operator partnering with MDP on dining design projects. Provides foodservice design expertise and operational perspective for hospitality-inspired dining experiences.
• AG ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner on Greenleaf Rehab at Smith Crossing and Smith Village projects. MDP provides interior design services for rehabilitation and senior living communities.
• Grant Architects & KSBA ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm team for Artisan at Hudson project in Massachusetts. MDP provides interior design in collaboration with SageLife.
• Minno Wasko ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner on Echo Lake project and Crossings at Brick Church Station. MDP provides interior design for live-work-play senior living and multifamily communities.
• Bozzuto ManagementminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProperty management company for Crossings at Brick Church Station multifamily development. MDP provides interior design services for the 820-unit mixed-use development.
• SFCS Architects / HoffmancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm team for The Arlington of Naples luxury resort-style Life Plan Community. MDP provides interior design services for the 39-acre Florida development.
• LAN / HCM ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm team for The Vista at Christian Health Care Center. MDP provides interior design for the 400,000 sq.ft. CCRC.
• Kura Architects & Engineers, Inc. and KDA ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm collaboration for Charming Square Shirograne in Tokyo, Japan. This project launched MDP International division serving the global senior living marketplace.
• Eventus Strategic PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for The Vista at Christian Health Care Center and Greenleaf Rehab at Smith Village. MDP provides interior design services for these senior living projects.
• BartonPartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner on The Flats at Pavilion Town Center. MDP provides interior design for the urban, edgy multifamily product.
• Nexdine HospitalityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood service partner for RiverSpring Rehabilitation project. Provides operational expertise for the world-class rehabilitation center design.
• Jeffrey Totaro PhotographyminorOthersProfessional photographer for multiple MDP projects including Broadview at Purchase College, White Horse Village, and The Residences at Vantage Point.
• Eugene Elikh PhotographyminorOthersProfessional photographer for Friendship Village project.
• Keith Williams PhotographyminorOthersProfessional photographer for The Vista at Christian Health Care Center.
• Erickson LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational senior living operator managing 20 continuing care retirement communities. MDP collaborated on Riderwood Fitness Hub project, a two-story, 25,000 sq.ft. fitness and aquatic center on the 120-acre Riderwood campus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/merlino-design-partnership-inc-
• Facebookfacebook.com/MerlinoDesignPartnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Merlino Design Partnership