What Paragon Architecture does

Paragon Architecture is a privately held, full-service architecture and interior design firm headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, founded in 2010 by Brad Erwin. The firm provides professional services including programming, interior design, strategic master planning, project management, workplace design, branding integration, modern learning environment design, adaptive reuse, and sustainable design, delivered through a collaborative process branded as the Paragon Approach. Its client base is concentrated in institutional public-sector and nonprofit segments — PreK-12 school districts, higher education institutions, healthcare providers, municipalities, and select commercial clients — primarily across Missouri and adjoining states where the firm is licensed (Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas).

The firm's technical differentiation centers on safety-focused design competencies, particularly FEMA 361-compliant tornado safe rooms and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), backed by a credentialed team holding AIA, NCARB, LEED-AP, WELL AP, ACHA, NCIDQ, and CPTED Professional Designation certifications. It has completed over 600 projects since founding and operates from five regional offices in Springfield, Joplin, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR), supporting a team of approximately 28 architects, interior designers, and administrative staff as of 2022.

The business model is project-based professional services revenue, with pricing quote-driven by scope, size, and complexity and no publicly disclosed fee schedules. Projects are secured through direct relationships, RFP responses, and long-term client partnerships rather than through intermediaries. The firm is founder-owned, has no disclosed institutional investment, no parent company, and no M&A activity on record, with Brad Erwin serving as President and Principal Architect as the public face of the company. Recognition includes Inc. 5000 honors in 2016 and 2017, five consecutive years on Biz 417's Best Places to Work list (2021-2025), and multiple regional and vertical design awards.

Name

Paragon Architecture

Legal name

Paragon Architecture LLC

Website

https://paragonarchitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paragon Architecture is a privately held architecture and interior design firm founded in 2010, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, with five offices serving PreK-12, higher education, healthcare, municipal, and commercial clients across the central United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Interior design services
• Tornado safe room design
• Educational facility planning
• Healthcare architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 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 Services: Professional architecture services for municipal governments, counties, healthcare providers, school districts, higher education institutions, park boards, and corporate clients. Includes new buildings and renovation design services.
2. Interior Design Services: Interior design services integrated with architectural projects, focusing on flexible, adaptable, and durable interior settings that reflect client brands.
3. Master Planning Services: Strategic master planning services considering available resources and growth goals for long-term client objectives.
4. Project Management: Project management services ensuring projects stay on task and on budget through open communication channels, regular reviews, updated reports, and design scheduling.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paragon Architecture is a full-service architecture and interior design firm providing programming, design, project management, and master planning services for institutional clients. The firm specializes in PreK-12 and higher education facilities, healthcare architecture, municipal/civic buildings, commercial spaces, multi-family residential, and FEMA 361-compliant tornado safe rooms, delivered through its collaborative Paragon Approach process.

Product overview

Paragon Architecture is a full-service architecture and interior design firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional services centered around The Paragon Approach™ collaborative design process. The firm provides core services including Programming, Interior Design, Strategic Master Planning, Project Management, Workplace Design, Branding Integration, Modern Learning Environments, Adaptive Reuse, and Sustainable Design. These services are delivered across multiple market sectors: PreK-12 Education, Higher Education, Healthcare, Commercial, Municipal/Civic, and Multi-Family Residential. The firm specializes in Tornado Safe Rooms built to FEMA 361 specifications. Paragon operates five offices (Springfield, Joplin, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Northwest Arkansas) serving clients throughout Missouri and surrounding states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programming Services Develops tailored architectural solutions based on each client's unique goals and objectives through a collaborative approach that delivers effective and innovative outcomes.
• Interior Design Designs interior settings that are flexible, adaptable, and durable while reflecting each client's brand throughout the business space.
• Strategic Master Planning Develops long-term facility and campus plans that consider available resources and growth goals to complement client objectives across multiple sectors.
• Project Management Manages projects from conception through construction administration, ensuring they stay on task and on budget through open communication, regular reviews, updated reports, and design scheduling.
• PreK-12 Education Architecture Architecture services for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educational facilities, including schools, early childhood centers, secure entrances, and learning environments.
• Higher Education Architecture Architecture services for colleges and universities, including classroom buildings, labs, residence halls, and athletic facilities.
• Healthcare Architecture Architecture services for healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics, medical office buildings, catheterization labs, dermatology clinics, and specialized healthcare environments.
• Municipal/Civic Architecture Architecture services for municipal governments, public safety facilities, libraries, emergency call centers, and civic buildings.
• Tornado Safe Room Design FEMA 361-compliant safe room design and construction administration for protection during tornado events, serving schools, municipalities, and community facilities.
• Sustainable Design Design approach with sustainability at the forefront, utilizing resources that enhance energy efficiency to improve clients' bottom line and reduce carbon footprint, supported by LEED-AP credentials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed over 600 projects since 2010 across Missouri and surrounding areas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GLMV ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with GLMV Architecture on the Joplin Fire Station No. 7 project. Paragon served as the lead architectural firm while GLMV provided collaborative partnership on this modern, three-bay drive-through facility for the City of Joplin.
• Sapp Design ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Sapp Design Architects on multiple Springfield Public Schools Prop S bond projects including the Adah Fulbright Early Childhood Center and Williams Elementary School. The firms worked together as design partners on these major educational facilities.
• ACE Mentor Program of the OzarksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon Architecture serves as Board President for the ACE Mentor Program of the Ozarks, a program that introduces high school students to architecture, construction, and engineering careers through mentorship relationships with industry professionals.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership and leadership involvement in AIA Springfield MO Board of Directors, including roles on the Architectural Registration Examination Seminar and Young Architects Forum Steering Committee.
• United States Green Building CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in USGBC supporting sustainable building practices and LEED certification expertise for projects.
• Design Build Institute of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvolvement in the Design Build Institute of America Springfield Steering Committee, supporting integrated project delivery approaches.
• Springfield Area Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive involvement in Springfield Chamber including Leadership Springfield program and various committees supporting regional economic development.
• Community Partnership of the OzarksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon serves on the Community Partnership of the Ozarks Board of Directors and has completed projects for the organization, including property renovation and project management.
• Partnership for SustainabilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Committee membership supporting regional sustainability initiatives and environmentally conscious design practices.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GLMV Architecture: Wichita, Kansas-based architecture firm partnering with Paragon on Joplin Fire Station No. 7. Comparable regional Midwest firm with civic and educational project experience.
• Wight & Company: Midwest architecture and engineering firm with strong K-12 and higher education practice. Comparable in size and vertical specialization, with similar geographic focus on Illinois/Indiana.
• Legat Architects: Illinois-based architecture firm with strong K-12 and education practice. Comparable size, regional scope, and educational vertical focus, with similar licensure strategy across multiple states.
• BRR Architecture: Overland Park, Kansas-based architecture firm serving retail, commercial, and institutional clients across the Midwest. Comparable regional Midwest firm with multi-state operations.
• Hastings+Chivetta: St. Louis-based architecture firm specializing in education, healthcare, and civic projects. Closely comparable in size, regional footprint, and vertical mix—head-to-head competitor in the Missouri/Illinois education market.
• Sapp Design Architects: Springfield, Missouri-based architecture firm and Paragon's collaboration partner on major Springfield Public Schools Prop S projects. Closest comparable in geography and primary K-12 client base.
• FGM Architects: Midwest architecture firm specializing in K-12 and higher education, serving Illinois, Indiana, and surrounding states. Closely comparable in scale, vertical mix, and institutional client base.

Broad incumbents

• DLR Group: National integrated design firm with a top-tier K-12 and higher education practice and significant Midwest presence. Comparable for institutional education design at scale, though much larger and broader in scope.
• CannonDesign: National architecture firm with strong education and healthcare practices, including HCAHPS-informed healthcare planning. Direct overlap with Paragon's primary verticals, though significantly larger.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with major education and healthcare practices, including patient-experience-informed healthcare design. Overlaps with Paragon's healthcare and learning environment verticals at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paragonarchmo

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Paragon Architecture