Architectural Design Associates

What Architectural Design Associates does

Architectural Design Associates Inc. (ADA) is a private, full-service architectural firm founded in 1991 by Jerry Kavanaugh and headquartered at 1670 Mercer St, Windsor, Ontario. The firm is co-led by founder and Senior Directing Partner Jerry Kavanaugh and Owner/Principal Architect Stephen Berrill OAA, who became managing partner in 2006, and operates with a technical team of approximately 17 staff including senior project managers, interior designers, architectural technologists, and project managers. ADA delivers four integrated core services — Architecture, Interiors, Site Planning, and 3D Visualization — applied across five project categories: Commercial (retail, office, healthcare, automotive dealerships), Multi-Residential (condominiums, high-density housing), Hospitality (restaurants, hotels, breweries), Interiors (tenant fit-ups), and Industrial (warehouses, manufacturing facilities). A distinguishing capability is adaptive re-use of heritage and industrial buildings, demonstrated through projects such as the BDC Walker Power Building and Global Excel warehouse-to-office conversion.

The firm's client base spans nationally branded enterprises (BDC, BMO Bank, Rocket Mortgage, Nissan, Holiday Inn Express) as well as regional and SMB customers (Joseph Anthony jewelry, Making Waves Swim School, Cucina 360), with a particular concentration in Windsor-Essex and broader Ontario including the GTA and Chatham. The firm relies primarily on direct client engagement, with referrals and return customers cited as core demand drivers; marketing channels include Facebook, Instagram, and Google Places for top-of-funnel visibility.

ADA operates on a project-based professional services model with quote-based pricing that varies by project scope, size, and complexity. Multi-year contracts are typical, and fees are derived from schematic design through construction detailing and building code application. The firm is privately held by its two principals with no institutional investment, parent company, or external funding identified. It is not a software or platform business; revenue is generated entirely through billable architectural and interior design services rendered by its licensed and technical staff.

Name

Architectural Design Associates

Legal name

Architectural Design Associates Inc.

Website

https://ada-architect.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Architectural Design Associates is a Windsor, Ontario-based private architectural firm founded in 1991 delivering architecture, interiors, site planning, and 3D visualization across commercial, multi-residential, hospitality, interior, and industrial projects primarily for clients across Ontario, Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Commercial architecture
• Multi-residential design
• Adaptive reuse
• Interior design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Windsor

HQ country

Canada

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Project-based professional fees for architectural design, interior design, site planning, and 3D visualization services for commercial, residential, hospitality, and industrial projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Architectural Design Associates provides full-service architectural design, interior design, site planning, and 3D visualization for commercial, multi-residential, hospitality, and industrial projects. Services span from schematic design and building code application through to construction detailing and adaptive re-use of heritage and warehouse buildings. Deliverables are sold on a project-based professional services basis, primarily to commercial developers, property owners, banks, automotive dealerships, and hospitality operators across Ontario.

Product overview

Architectural Design Associates Inc. (ADA) is a full-service architectural firm offering a unified portfolio of design services. The core offerings include Architecture, Interiors, Site Planning, and 3D Visualization, which work together to deliver comprehensive project design from concept through construction. The firm specializes across five project categories: Commercial (retail, office, healthcare, automotive), Multi-Residential (condominiums, apartments), Hospitality (restaurants, hotels, breweries), Interiors (tenant fit-ups, renovations), and Industrial (warehouses, manufacturing facilities). The services are delivered as an integrated practice rather than as separate modules, with the firm's principals and technical staff collaborating across all service areas on each project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Full-service architectural design covering schematic design through construction detailing and building code application, with extensive experience in multi-residential and commercial projects for developers, property owners, and businesses across Ontario.
• Interiors Interior design services including space planning, finishes selection, and custom millwork design for commercial, residential, and tenant fit-up projects such as office interiors, restaurants, and renovations.
• Site Planning Site analysis, planning, and development design services for new construction and renovation projects, supporting commercial, residential, and industrial developments.
• 3D Visualization Architectural rendering and 3D visualization services for project presentation and design development, used by ADA to present architectural designs to clients before construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Many return customers and referral-based business indicates high client satisfaction

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Global Excel Inc.client relationshipOthers · 1 January 2022ADA completed an adaptive reuse project converting an existing warehouse facility into Global Excel Inc.'s new Windsor offices in Twin Oaks Business Park.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IBI Group (Arcadis IBI): Global design and architecture firm with significant multi-residential, commercial, and hospitality practices. Overlaps with ADA across multiple service categories but at materially larger scale and with technology/digital engineering capabilities ADA does not have.
• Architecture49: National Canadian architecture firm with strong multi-residential, commercial, and institutional portfolios. Overlaps with ADA in service categories and Ontario presence but with significantly broader geographic reach and larger headcount.
• B+H Architects: Toronto-headquartered global design firm with strong multi-residential, hospitality, and commercial architecture practices. Comparable in service categories but with international footprint and larger project scale than ADA.
• Diamond Schmitt Architects: Major Canadian architecture firm with deep multi-residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse experience across Ontario and beyond. Comparable in service breadth (architecture, interiors, visualization) but operates at materially larger scale and project budget than ADA.

Direct peers

• WZMH Architects: Toronto architecture firm with comparable multi-residential, commercial, and hospitality portfolio. Similar service breadth and Ontario base, with established track record on institutional and developer-led projects.
• Parkin Architects: Ontario-based full-service architecture firm with comparable multi-residential, healthcare, commercial, and interior design offerings. Closest scale and market match to ADA among Ontario peers, with similar project-based fee model.
• Moriyama & Teshima Architects: Established Toronto architecture firm with broad commercial, institutional, and multi-residential practice. Comparable in service breadth to ADA but typically operates at larger project scale and has stronger institutional client base.
• Montgomery Sisam Architects: Toronto-based architecture firm with comparable multi-residential, adaptive reuse, and commercial portfolio. Similar design philosophy and Ontario market focus to ADA, with strong renovation/retrofit experience.
• Teeple Architects: Mid-sized Toronto architecture firm with similar commercial, multi-residential, and institutional focus. Closely comparable in size, design-led positioning, and Ontario project base to ADA.
• Kearns Mancini Architects: Ontario architecture firm of comparable size with multi-residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse expertise. Closest headcount and segment match to ADA, including notable experience with heritage/retrofit projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ArchitecturalDesignAssociatesIncArchitect
• Instagraminstagram.com/adaarchitect
• Xx.com/ada_windsor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Architectural Design Associates