AXIA Architects

What AXIA Architects does

AXIA Architects is a privately held, full-service architectural firm headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, with operations tracing back to 1939 across successive predecessor entities. The firm delivers architecture and design services — including master planning, site analysis, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration — to institutional, commercial, and residential clients concentrated in the North Bay region of Northern California (Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, and Marin counties). As of the most recent input data the firm operates with approximately 14 staff including six licensed architects, and serves primary verticals of educational institutions, local government/civic, residential (including Wine Country custom homes and wildfire rebuilds), corporate/commercial, and hospitality (wineries and hotels), with secondary exposure to healthcare and non-profit/community development.

The firm's go-to-market is relationship-driven enterprise field sales: principals engage directly with school district superintendents, city and county officials, and corporate executives; procurement occurs through RFPs for public work and negotiated engagements for private clients. Pricing is project-based and custom-quoted; revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees with no productized offerings, software, or recurring revenue streams. Notable delivered projects include a 100,000 SF international headquarters for Enphase Energy, a 120,000 SF adaptive reuse sports and entertainment complex (The Epicenter), and campus-wide modernizations for Piner, Elsie Allen, and Ukiah High Schools. Leadership is anchored by President Doug Hilberman (in role since 2006) and Associate Principal Drew Weigl (Director of Sustainability, AIACA Vice President); the firm carries no outside investors, debt, or M&A history.

The business is positioned around four differentiators: 80+ years of continuous Sonoma County operation with deep civic ties; expertise in sustainable and adaptive reuse design (evidenced by AIA Redwood Empire HONOR and COTE awards, and LEED certification work); a community-centered stakeholder engagement model that has proven effective in K-12 modernization and post-wildfire reconstruction; and a repeat-customer pipeline anchored by public-sector procurement familiarity and California state funding expertise. The firm is owner-operated by its principals and shows no signals of near-term capital structure change.

Name

AXIA Architects

Legal name

AXIA Architects

Website

https://axiaarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AXIA Architects is a Santa Rosa, California-based full-service architectural firm tracing to 1939, providing master planning, design, and adaptive reuse services to educational, civic, residential, commercial, and hospitality clients throughout the North Bay region of Northern California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Educational facility design
• Adaptive reuse architecture
• Master planning services
• Sustainable building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

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 Design Services: Professional architecture services including master planning, site analysis, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration for institutional, commercial, and residential projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AXIA Architects is a full-service architectural firm providing design, master planning, and interior design services for educational, governmental, residential, commercial, and hospitality clients. The firm emphasizes sustainable, LEED-certified design, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and community-centered planning approaches. Founded in 1939 and based in Santa Rosa, California, the firm operates with a team of approximately 9-14 staff, including 6 licensed architects.

Product overview

AXIA Architects is a full-service architectural firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of architectural design services. Their core offerings include educational facility design (schools, performing arts centers, gymnasiums), residential architecture (custom homes, wildfire rebuilds, wine country estates), commercial and corporate architecture, hospitality design (wineries, hotels), master planning for large-scale developments, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and sustainable/LEED design. The firm specializes in projects for Sonoma County and Northern California, with particular expertise in educational institutions, wine country hospitality, and community-focused development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Educational Facility Architecture

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully delivered 100,000 SF Enphase Energy headquarters on fast-track 10-month schedule
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Lyn Matejczyk (Interior Designer)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Interior design collaboration on Carriage House adaptive reuse project that won AIA HONOR Award. Partner contributed design talent to complement AXIA's architectural work.
• Steve Berlin (General Contractor)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024General contractor collaboration on Carriage House project. Steve Berlin of Berlin Construction served as GC on the award-winning wildfire rebuild project.
• ZFA Structural EngineersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Structural engineering partner on Carriage House remodel and other projects. Contributed to successful adaptive reuse and award-winning designs.
• Kendall Wilkinson DesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Interior design collaboration on Wine Country Hacienda II project. Kendall Wilkinson team provided interior design services featured in California Homes Magazine.
• Berlin ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023General contractor on Wine Country Hacienda II wildfire rebuild. Realization partner for Kincade Fires reconstruction project.
• Christa Moné (Landscape Designer)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Landscape design collaboration on Wine Country Hacienda II project. Contributed to seamless landscape integration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SmithGroup: National integrated design firm with significant education, workplace, and civic practices. Competes with AXIA on larger enterprise and higher education RFPs across California.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with strong sustainability credentials and significant K-12 and higher education portfolio. Comparable to AXIA on sustainability positioning and education segment expertise, but at far greater scale.
• LPA Design Studios: Large California-rooted design firm with deep K-12 and higher education practices and recognized sustainability leadership. Comparable in education focus and sustainability positioning, but at materially greater scale.
• HOK: Global architecture, engineering, and planning firm with major practices in education, civic, and workplace. Competes with AXIA on enterprise and institutional pursuits where multidisciplinary capacity matters.
• NBBJ: Global architecture and design firm with notable healthcare, education, and corporate practices. Comparable to AXIA in multi-vertical approach, though at materially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Gensler: Largest global architecture and design firm with deep workplace, education, and hospitality practices. Competes with AXIA on corporate and hospitality commissions where brand and scale are differentiators.

Direct peers

• BCV Architecture + Interiors: San Francisco-based firm with comparable practice in education, hospitality, and adaptive reuse projects. Similar multi-vertical mix and project scale to AXIA.
• TLCD Architecture: Santa Rosa-based architecture firm with a comparable multi-sector practice spanning education, civic, commercial, and residential work in the North Bay. Most direct geographic and portfolio peer to AXIA.
• WLC Architects: California-based architecture firm specializing in K-12 and community college design. Strong overlap with AXIA's education segment and experience navigating California state funding programs.
• RMW architecture & interiors: San Francisco Bay Area architecture and interiors firm with a comparable multi-sector practice including education, workplace, and science/healthcare — overlapping AXIA's commercial and education segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/axia-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 AXIA Architects