Quackenbush Architects + Planners

What Quackenbush Architects + Planners does

Quackenbush Architects + Planners (Q+) is a Columbia, South Carolina-based architecture and planning firm founded in 2004 by P. Douglas Quackenbush alongside longtime collaborator Barbara Haller. The firm specializes in three integrated practice areas: Higher Education Architecture (university campuses, athletic facilities, student housing, campus master planning), K-12 Education Architecture (elementary, middle, and high schools with a focus on collaborative learning environments and CTE facilities), and Community/Civic Architecture (parks, plazas, recreation facilities, and public spaces). Across 21+ years, the firm has delivered over 400 projects spanning more than 2.8 million square feet of K-12 work and impacting more than 30,000 students and educators.

The firm operates on a collaborative studio model emphasizing a hands-on interactive design process, sustainability, and LEED-certified outcomes; it has accumulated LEED Gold, LEED Silver, LEED for Schools, and Two Green Globes certifications across multiple institutional projects. The technical delivery relies on conventional architectural practice — programming, schematic design, construction documentation, and construction administration — without disclosed proprietary technology, software products, or digital platforms. Service delivery is anchored by co-design partnerships with nationally recognized firms including Perkins+Will, Gensler Sports, Ayers Saint Gross, Mackey Mitchell Architects, and WTW Architects, which enable Quackenbush to participate in larger-scale institutional projects (e.g., USC Football Operations Center, Coastal Carolina housing and student union, Midlands Technical College facilities) than its headcount would otherwise permit.

Quackenbush generates revenue through project-based professional fees billed to institutional, public-sector, and private clients, primarily in South Carolina and the broader Southeast. The firm is private, founder-led, and self-funded with no disclosed external investment or parent company. Client concentration sits heavily in South Carolina public-sector education procurement, with anchor clients including the University of South Carolina, Midlands Technical College, Coastal Carolina University, and multiple K-12 districts (Richland Two, Lexington-Richland Five, Charleston County, Horry County, Beaufort County). Brand development is driven by industry recognition — more than 25 AIA design awards, a 2023 A4LE National Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2025 AIA South Carolina Firm Award — rather than by outbound marketing or paid channels.

Name

Quackenbush Architects + Planners

Legal name

Quackenbush Architects + Planners

Website

https://quackenbusharchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Quackenbush Architects + Planners is a Columbia, South Carolina-based architecture firm founded in 2004 that designs higher-education, K-12, and civic facilities, primarily serving South Carolina public institutions and universities via project-based professional services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Educational architecture
• Campus master planning
• K-12 school design
• LEED-certified design
• Civic architecture services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Project-based professional fees for architectural design, planning, and interior design services across higher education, K-12, and community/civic sectors. Revenue is generated through negotiated or competitively bid contracts with institutional, public, and private-sector clients.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Quackenbush Architects + Planners (Q+) is an architecture and planning firm offering integrated design services across three core practice areas: Higher Education Architecture (university campuses, athletic facilities, student housing, campus master planning), K-12 Education Architecture (elementary through high school design), and Community Architecture (civic, public, and recreational facilities). The firm has delivered over 400 projects across South Carolina, specializing in education-focused architecture with emphasis on sustainable design, collaborative learning environments, and LEED-certified buildings.

Product overview

Quackenbush Architects + Planners (Q+) is an architecture and planning firm offering integrated design services across three core practice areas: Higher Education Architecture (university campuses, athletic facilities, student housing), K-12 Education Architecture (elementary through high school design), and Community Architecture (civic, public, and recreational facilities). The firm also provides campus master planning services. With fewer than 15 employees, the company has delivered over 400 projects across South Carolina, specializing in education-focused architecture with emphasis on sustainable design, collaborative learning environments, and LEED-certified buildings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Higher Education Architecture Comprehensive architectural design services for colleges and universities, including academic buildings, athletic facilities, student housing, and campus master planning across South Carolina.
• K-12 Education Architecture Design of elementary, middle, and high schools with focus on collaborative learning environments, flexible spaces, and modern educational pedagogy for public and charter school districts.
• Community Architecture Public and civic architecture including parks, plazas, recreation facilities, parking structures, and community gathering spaces for municipalities, nonprofits, and community organizations.
• Campus Master Planning Comprehensive campus planning services including landscape enhancements, building renovations, and new facility development strategies for educational institutions such as the Winthrop University Campus Plan (2022) and The Citadel Master Plan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.8 million square feet of K-12 projects delivered
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Perkins + WillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with Perkins + Will's K-12 Studio on multiple award-winning K-12 education projects including Muller Road Middle School (LEED for Schools) and Chapin Middle School.
• Perkins & WillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration on USC Center for Health & Well-Being (LEED Gold Certified), a nationally recognized student wellness facility.
• Mackey Mitchell ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Freshman Housing (Elvington Property) at Coastal Carolina University — a 1,270-bed student housing complex that achieved LEED Silver certification.
• Gensler SportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Gensler Sports on the USC Long Family Football Operations Center (110,000 SF), described as the 'headquarters and crown jewel of Gamecock Football' with Two Green Globes certification.
• Ayers Saint GrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Ayers Saint Gross on Winthrop University Campus Plan (2022) and The Citadel Master Plan, both comprehensive long-range campus planning engagements.
• WTW ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with WTW Architects on Lib Jackson Student Union (Phase I) at Coastal Carolina University, a 40,000 SF expansion and renovation project achieving LEED Gold certification.
• LPA GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLPA Group served as Architect of Record on the Lincoln Street Garage project in Columbia's Vista district, with Quackenbush serving as Design Architect.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Liollio Architecture: Charleston, SC-based architecture firm with a deep K-12 and education design portfolio. Highly comparable in scale, vertical focus, and regional market to Quackenbush.
• LS3P Associates: South Carolina-based architecture firm with multiple practice areas including education, civic, and commercial work. Comparable in regional footprint, scale, and institutional client mix.
• McMillan Pazdan Smith: South Carolina-headquartered architecture firm with a strong K-12 and higher education portfolio across the Southeast. Closest comparable to Quackenbush by geography, size band, and institutional-client focus.
• WTW Architects: Architecture firm with higher-education practice and prior collaborator with Quackenbush on the LEED Gold Lib Jackson Student Union. Comparable in scale and education market overlap.
• Mackey Mitchell Architects: Mid-size architecture firm with strong higher-education practice and prior collaborator with Quackenbush on Coastal Carolina Freshman Housing. Comparable in scale and education-architecture focus.

Broad incumbents

• CannonDesign: National architecture firm with a substantial education practice across K-12 and higher education. Comparable as a larger, multi-region competitor pursuing similar institutional clients.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm operating a dedicated K-12 Studio with extensive institutional work. Repeated design collaborator with Quackenbush on USC and K-12 projects; represents the larger-firm counterpart in the same niche.
• Ayers Saint Gross: Architecture and planning firm specializing in higher-education campuses and community design. Past collaborator with Quackenbush on Winthrop and The Citadel master plans and a broader competitor in campus planning.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with a dedicated sports practice that collaborated with Quackenbush on the USC Football Operations Center. Represents a much larger incumbent competing in select institutional segments.
• LPA Design Group: Integrated design firm with significant education and civic practices, particularly in the Southeast. Served as Architect of Record alongside Quackenbush on the Lincoln Street Garage project; a larger, multi-office peer.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QuackenbushArch
• Facebookfacebook.com/quackenbusharchitects

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Quackenbush Architects + Planners