Architrave
Architrave, Ltd. is a privately-held Chicago architecture firm founded in 1986 that delivers full-service institutional design across healthcare, education, science and technology, and transportation sectors for clients including the University of Chicago, CTA, and Chicago Public Schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Architrave does
Architrave, Ltd. is a privately-held architecture firm founded in 1986 by Ruben Gil and headquartered at 211 W. Wacker Drive in Chicago, Illinois. The firm provides full-service architectural design across institutional verticals — healthcare, education, science and technology, transportation, and institutional/commercial — and is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois. Core offerings include pre-design, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration services, delivered entirely in-house by a staff of 35+ professionals, of whom 80% are registered Architects or pursuing registration, 40% are registered Architects, and over 30% are LEED Accredited Professionals. The firm has completed projects ranging from LEED Platinum rehabilitation of senior housing to LEED Gold K-12 schools, and participates in the Studio Gang-led design team for the $8.5B O'Hare Global Terminal (ORD21) program.
The firm's go-to-market is traditional and sales-led: projects are secured through competitive bidding, RFPs, and direct relationships with institutional clients, with no consumer-facing marketing channels. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees, with contracts structured across the standard architectural phases and multi-year duration. Customer concentration centers on a handful of large Chicago-area institutional anchors — most notably the University of Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Public Schools, and the Chicago Housing Authority — alongside a broader roster of regional healthcare systems (Rush University Medical Center, Swedish Covenant Hospital, Howard Brown Health, Advocate, Neomedica) and federal research facilities (Argonne National Laboratory). The firm is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with no external investment or parent company structure, and is led by Founding Principal Ruben Gil alongside Principals Michele Hunter and Todd Svoboda.
Architrave's primary differentiators are its institutional track record, its credential-dense staff composition, and its delivery of LEED-certified projects across all certification levels (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Certified). It has received the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, the Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation, and the Chicago Building Congress Merit Award. The firm relies on a stable network of engineering partners — including IMEG Corp., TERRA Engineering, KJWW Engineering Consultants, Globetrotters Engineering, McDonough Associates, and David Mason & Associates — across MEP, structural, civil, and LEED consulting disciplines.
Architrave firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Architrave
- Legal name
- Architrave, Ltd.
- Website
- https://architraveltd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Architrave, Ltd. is a privately-held Chicago architecture firm founded in 1986 that delivers full-service institutional design across healthcare, education, science and technology, and transportation sectors for clients including the University of Chicago, CTA, and Chicago Public Schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Architrave industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Institutional Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
Keywords
Where Architrave is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Architrave business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Architectural Services: Revenue generated through architectural design and consulting services across the full project lifecycle, from pre-design and schematic design through design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration. Services include sustainable building design, site planning, feasibility studies, and space planning. Projects range from new construction to renovations, restorations, and tenant space developments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based architectural services — fee structures vary by project scope and complexity |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Architrave product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Architrave, Ltd. is an architecture firm providing full-service architectural design for institutional clients across healthcare, education, science & technology, transportation, and institutional/commercial sectors. Services include sustainable building design and LEED certification, construction administration, urban and site planning, feasibility studies, and space planning, organized into standard phases from pre-design through construction administration and delivered entirely in-house.
Product overview
Architrave, Ltd. is an award-winning architecture firm offering comprehensive architectural services. The firm provides a unified platform of design services including sustainable building design, construction administration, site planning, feasibility studies, and space planning. Services are organized into phases: Pre-design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Bidding, and Construction Administration. The firm's core service offerings span Transportation Design (transit stations, bus facilities), Healthcare Architecture (hospitals, clinics), Education Architecture (schools, universities), Science & Technology Design (laboratories, research facilities), and Institutional/Commercial Architecture (public buildings, commercial spaces). All services are provided in-house by Architrave staff.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design for institutional clients, including sustainable building design, construction administration, urban and site planning, feasibility studies, and space planning. Services are organized into six standard project phases and delivered entirely in-house by Architrave staff.
- Healthcare Architecture Architectural design for inpatient and outpatient healthcare facilities, from primary care clinics to inpatient operating rooms, serving providers including Advocate Healthcare, Loyola University, Rush University, and University of Chicago Medicine.
- Education Architecture Architectural design services for educational facilities from elementary through higher education, including teaching spaces, complete campus development, additions, renovations, ADA compliance upgrades, STEM labs, and performing arts facilities.
- Science & Technology Design Architectural design for research and science facilities, including laboratory spaces, STEM labs, research laboratories, and high-bay experiment facilities for universities and research institutions.
- Transportation Design Architectural design for transit infrastructure including multimodal terminals, in-line stations, rail platforms, bus facilities, transit offices, and rail and bus maintenance facilities for transit agencies such as CTA, Metra, Amtrak, and Pace.
- Institutional / Commercial Architecture Architectural design for institutional and commercial projects including office building renovation, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and institutional facilities for universities, housing authorities, public building commissions, and capital development boards.
- Sustainable Building Design and LEED Certification Sustainable architecture services delivered alongside project design, targeting LEED Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Certified ratings across new buildings, renovations, and restorations for institutional clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- LEED Platinum certification achieved on Pomeroy Senior Apartments (CHA senior housing project)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Architrave
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Architrave technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Architrave partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.coreAlbert Kahn Associates served as the primary Architect and MEPFP on the University of Chicago Medicine's Center for Care and Discovery project ($80M construction cost). Architrave acted as Associate Architect on this major inpatient healthcare project.
- AECOMcoreAECOM served as Lead Architect on the Joint Public Safety Training Center (JPSTA) project for the City of Chicago, with Architrave as Associate Architect focusing on interior architecture for the Office/Classroom block including community spaces, offices, training classrooms, locker rooms, support spaces, and an indoor firing range.
- Jensen HughescoreJensen Hughes leads the Life Safety & Code Compliance team for the O'Hare Global Terminal project (ORD21, $8.5B program). Architrave participates as part of this team.
- Studio GangcoreStudio Gang is the lead design architect for the O'Hare Global Terminal (Jeanne Gang, Lead Architect). Architrave is part of the integrated architectural design and engineering team alongside SCB, Corgan, Milhouse, and STLarchitects.
- Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB)corePart of the integrated design team for the O'Hare Global Terminal project alongside Studio Gang, Corgan, Milhouse Engineering, and STLarchitects.
- CorgancorePart of the integrated design team for the O'Hare Global Terminal project alongside Studio Gang, SCB, Milhouse Engineering, and STLarchitects.
- Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc.corePart of the integrated design team for the O'Hare Global Terminal project alongside Studio Gang, SCB, Corgan, and STLarchitects.
- STLarchitectscorePart of the integrated design team for the O'Hare Global Terminal project alongside Studio Gang, SCB, Corgan, and Milhouse Engineering.
- IMEG Corp.corePrimary MEP engineering partner across multiple projects including UC SBRI Lobby, Dauphas Lab, Zapata Elementary Annex, UIC Auditorium, STEM Labs, and King Lab.
- TERRA EngineeringcoreCivil and Landscape engineering partner across numerous projects including UC High Bay Research Building, Shields Middle School, Marsh Elementary, UNO Charter School, Juarez High School, 54th Cermak Terminal, and others.
- KJWW Engineering ConsultantscoreMEP/FP and Structural engineering partner on multiple projects including Grossman Institute, Jamieson Elementary Annex, ORs renovation at Advocate Illinois Masonic, and others.
- Globetrotters Engineering Corp.coreMEP/FP consultants on Shields Middle School, Marsh Elementary, Locke Elementary, and Juarez High School projects.
- McDonough Associates Inc.coreStructural and engineering consultant on Shields Middle School, Marsh Elementary, Wilson Station, and 54th Cermak Terminal projects.
- HJKessler and Associates (HJ Kessler and Associates)minorLEED Consultant on Shields Middle School, Zapata Elementary Annex, and Jamieson Elementary Annex projects.
- David Mason & AssociatescoreStructural engineering partner on the UC High Bay Research Building and DUNE Lab projects.
- db HMScoreMEPFP engineering partner on UC High Bay Research Building and DUNE Lab buildout.
- Holabird & RootcoreArchitect and engineering partner on CTA Administrative Office Building and Locke Elementary projects.
- Grumman/Butkus AssociatescoreMEP/FP engineering partner on Breast Imaging Center at Rush University Medical Center and Argonne F127 CFCT Lab Buildout.
- Calor Design Group, Ltd.minorMEP/FP engineer on Nephron Dialysis Clinic, Radiology Department at Swedish Covenant Hospital, and Facets Multimedia project.
- HERA, Inc.minorLab consultants on the Grossman Institute renovation at University of Chicago.
- Studio LabminorDisplay/Graphic Design partner on UC SBRI Lobby project for University of Chicago Medicine.
- The Concord GroupminorCost Estimating partner on UC SBRI Lobby project.
- TRC (Companies)minorCompleted Facilities Assessment alongside Architrave for the Smart Museum of Art planning study.
- OWP&P (Partners, Wright & Pedersen)coreManaging Architect on Marsh Elementary and Benito Juarez High School projects, with Architrave as Architect of Record.
- SMNG-A Architects, Ltd.corePBC Design Architect on James Shields Middle School, with Architrave as Architect of Record.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Architrave competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Corgan: Dallas-headquartered architecture firm with a strong aviation/transit practice; partner on O'Hare ORD21 alongside Architrave. Comparable in mid-to-large institutional delivery, especially in transportation infrastructure.
- OWP&P (formerly OWP/P): Chicago-area architecture firm specializing in K-12 education design and serving as Managing Architect on Architrave-co-delivered projects (Marsh Elementary, Benito Juarez High School). Highly comparable in size, vertical mix, and Chicago institutional client base.
- Legat Architects: Chicago-area architecture firm specializing in K-12 education, higher education, and community/civic projects. Direct overlap with Architrave's education and institutional commercial segments in the Chicago market.
- Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB): Chicago architecture firm with deep higher-education, healthcare, and transit exposure; part of the same integrated team on the O'Hare ORD21 project. Closest peer in terms of size, vertical specialization, and Chicago institutional client mix.
- Wight & Company: Chicago-area architecture, engineering, and construction firm with institutional, healthcare, and education focus. Comparable mid-sized Midwest firm competing for similar Chicago institutional RFPs.
- SMNG-A Architects: Chicago architecture firm that served as PBC Design Architect on James Shields Middle School with Architrave as Architect of Record. Directly comparable mid-sized Chicago institutional practice with overlapping education and civic work.
Broad incumbents
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm founded in Chicago with deep healthcare and higher education practices. Competes for the same large institutional RFPs in Chicago and would be the benchmark incumbent Architrave competes against on marquee programs.
- DLR Group: Omaha-headquartered integrated design firm with strong K-12, higher education, and civic practice and growing Chicago presence. Larger and national, but directly comparable in vertical mix and project type.
- Albert Kahn Associates: Detroit-based architecture firm with deep healthcare and industrial practice; served as primary architect on UChicago Medicine's Center for Care and Discovery with Architrave as Associate Architect. Larger and more diversified, but directly comparable in healthcare institutional design.
- HOK (now part of HKS): Global architecture firm with strong healthcare, science & technology, and transit practices. Large incumbent competing for the same institutional programs that drive Architrave's healthcare and S&T pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Architrave social profiles
Digital presenceArchitrave financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Architrave leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Architrave funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Architrave M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Architrave
What does Architrave do?
Architrave, Ltd. is an architecture firm providing full-service architectural design for institutional clients across healthcare, education, science & technology, transportation, and institutional/commercial sectors. Services include sustainable building design and LEED certification, construction administration, urban and site planning, feasibility studies, and space planning, organized into standard phases from pre-design through construction administration and delivered entirely in-house.
Is Architrave a public or private company?
Architrave is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Architrave founded?
Architrave was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Architrave based?
Architrave is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Architrave make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Architectural Services.
Who are Architrave's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Corgan, OWP&P (formerly OWP/P), Legat Architects, Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB), Wight & Company and SMNG-A Architects. Broad incumbents are Perkins&Will, DLR Group, Albert Kahn Associates and HOK (now part of HKS).
Does Architrave have an API?
No public API is recorded for Architrave.
What industry is Architrave in?
Architrave's product category is Institutional Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 8700.