What CDP Architecture does

CDP Architecture, LLC is a privately held architecture and design firm founded in 2007 by Charles D. Polk in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating as a boutique practice of approximately 6-7 team members, the firm delivers architectural design, interior design, development planning, master planning, and construction administration services to residential, commercial, hospitality, civic, and institutional clients. Its project portfolio spans custom homes and renovations, restaurants and breweries, boutique hotels and multifamily developments, adaptive reuse and mixed-use commercial projects, and educational and healthcare facilities, with notable clients including Hattie B's Hot Chicken, Bridgestone Arena F&B, Goo Goo Cluster, Salt Ranch Boutique Hotel, and LeMoyne-Owen College.

The firm produces all design work in Autodesk Revit, a Building Information Modeling platform, and supports client review through 3D rendering and virtual reality walkthroughs. It is licensed in 16 U.S. states plus Washington D.C. via NCARB certification, enabling project delivery across the Southeast and beyond while maintaining its Nashville headquarters. Design workflows follow a five-phase process (Discovery, Schematic Design, Design Development, Permitting, Construction Administration), and the firm differentiates on its handling of complex, constrained, or "messy" projects that require creative problem-solving.

CDP's business model is professional services with project-based fees, typically structured as fixed fees for defined scope phases and hourly rates for additional services, scoped jointly with clients. Go-to-market is consultative and referral-driven, with no external sales force; leads originate from repeat developer relationships (e.g., Vintage South Development, Tenant Building Group), direct website inquiries, and visibility on Houzz and Instagram. Marketing is portfolio-led and organic, supported by an Architectural Digest feature, multiple AIA Middle Tennessee awards, and consecutive Best of Houzz recognitions. The firm holds no external funding, operates as an independent LLC, and is owner-led by its founder.

Name

CDP Architecture

Legal name

CDP Architecture, LLC

Website

https://cdparchitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CDP Architecture is a privately held, Nashville-based boutique architecture and interior design firm founded in 2007 by Charles D. Polk, serving residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional clients across 16 U.S. states and Washington D.C. with a 6-7 person team using Revit BIM and VR visualization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Architecture Services: Professional architecture services for residential and commercial projects. Fees scoped together with clients, often fixed for defined phases, hourly for extras. Residential projects typically run 4-8 months for design + permitting; commercial timelines depend on scope.
2. Interior Design Services: Interior design services for both residential and commercial projects including thoughtful, functional, and timeless interiors that enhance user experience and spatial identity
3. Development Planning & Master Planning: Strategic guidance for site feasibility, zoning, and financial planning to ensure project viability. Large-scale planning that connects buildings, landscapes, and infrastructure into cohesive environments
4. Construction Administration: On-site coordination and oversight to ensure design intent is realized with precision and quality during construction phase

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CDP Architecture is a boutique architecture and design firm providing full-service architecture, interior design, development planning, master planning, rendering and visioning, and construction administration for residential and commercial clients. The firm uses Revit-based 3D modeling and virtual reality to produce design visualizations. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Nashville, the firm is licensed in 16 states plus Washington, D.C.

Product overview

CDP Architecture is an architecture and design firm offering a comprehensive suite of professional services. The core offering includes architectural services (residential and commercial), interior design, development planning, rendering and visioning (using 3D modeling with Revit and virtual reality), master planning, and construction administration. The firm specializes in project types including custom residential homes, commercial/buildout projects, mixed-use and retail spaces, hotels and multifamily developments, restaurants/breweries/bars, and civic/educational/institutional projects. Founded by Charles D. Polk in 2007, the firm operates from Nashville, Tennessee and is licensed in 16 states and Washington D.C.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services
• Interior Design
• Development Planning Strategic planning services covering site feasibility, zoning analysis, and financial planning to validate project viability before design work begins.
• Rendering + Visioning 3D modeling and virtual reality visualization services that produce renderings to help clients and stakeholders experience and review designs before construction.
• Master Planning Large-scale site planning that connects buildings, landscapes, and infrastructure into cohesive, integrated environments.
• Construction Administration On-site construction-phase coordination and oversight to ensure that design intent is realized with precision and quality during building.

Quantifiable outcome

• Featured in Architectural Digest July/August issue for Excellence in Architecture in Nashville
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wilson GirgentiminorOthersArchitectural firm partner on multiple commercial projects including Bangarang Beauty Co., Garage Sale Vintage, Otaku Ramen, and Kisser BBQ. Appears on project pages as project partner.
• Eshelman ConstructionminorOthersConstruction firm partner on Bangarang Beauty Co. project. General contracting services.
• Vintage South DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner on Highland Yards adaptive reuse project and multiple other East Nashville commercial projects. Deep collaboration on mixed-use development projects.
• Dowdle ConstructionminorOthersConstruction firm partner on Southern Grist Taproom project.
• Hidden Valley Homes NashvilleminorOthersHome builder/contractor partner on Franklin House & Pool Addition project.
• Jewell ConstructionminorOthersConstruction firm partner on Brentwood Family Residence project. Builders Stanley Jewell & Kevin Fowler.
• Bell Construction (Derek Bell)minorOthersConstruction firm partner on Cheekwood 'The Giver' Treehouse project.
• Jordan Powers PhotographyminorOthersPhotography partner appearing on multiple project pages for professional project photography.
• Van Mol Restoration (Derek Van Mol)minorOthersRestoration contractor on Green Hills Outdoor Living project.
• The Carter Group (Lee Carter)minorOthersProject partner on Lucchese retail project in Nashville.
• Tenant Building GroupminorOthersDevelopment partner on Otaku Ramen, Kisser BBQ, and Garage Sale Vintage projects at Douglas Avenue locations.
• Digital Love PhotographyminorOthersPhotography partner credited on Otaku Ramen East Nashville project pages.
• Brookfield PropertiesminorOthersProperty management/development partner on Garage Sale Vintage project at 5th + Broadway location.
• Gill GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration partner on Forward Post-Production Video Editing Studio, which received AIA Middle TN Honor Award.
• City Construction LLCminorOthersConstruction partner on New Heights Taproom Nashville project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Looney Ricks Kiss: Larger Memphis/Nashville architecture, planning, and interiors firm operating across residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. Broader service portfolio and greater headcount than CDP, but overlapping Middle Tennessee territory.
• Hart Howerton: National architecture, planning, and design firm with strong hospitality, residential, and mixed-use portfolio. Overlaps with CDP's hospitality and multifamily work though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based design firm known for residential and hospitality architecture with strong awards profile and individualized client attention. Comparable boutique design ethos though at materially larger scale and national/international reach.

Direct peers

• McAlpine: Atlanta/Southeast architecture firm with residential, hospitality, and commercial practice. Comparable boutique size, Southeast regional focus, and design excellence reputation including AIA recognition.
• Historical Concepts: Atlanta-based boutique architecture and planning firm with similar premium residential, hospitality, and adaptive reuse portfolio. Comparable boutique scale and award-winning design-led positioning.
• Centric Architecture: Nashville-headquartered architecture and interiors firm with similar boutique positioning, hospitality and residential portfolio, and Middle Tennessee geographic concentration. Closely comparable business model and project types.
• Bauer Askew Architecture: Nashville boutique architecture firm specializing in residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse projects. Comparable scale and design-led boutique positioning with strong regional reputation.
• Smith Gee Studio: Nashville-based architecture firm with mixed residential, commercial, and civic portfolio. Comparable in size and project mix, with similar Middle Tennessee market focus and boutique design orientation.
• Hastings Architecture Associates: Nashville-based boutique architecture firm of comparable size serving residential, commercial, and hospitality clients across Tennessee. Directly comparable in scale, service mix (architecture + interiors), and Middle Tennessee market focus.
• Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio: Atlanta architecture firm with Nashville project presence, offering residential, hospitality, and commercial work. Comparable boutique design orientation and Southeast geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cdparchitecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 CDP Architecture