Chartersills & Associates
CharterSills & Associates is a Chicago-based architectural lighting design firm founded in 1994 that provides concept, specification, and oversight services to architects, developers, interior design groups, and private clients across commercial, institutional, hospitality, and residential projects in the US and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chartersills & Associates does
CharterSills & Associates is a Chicago-based architectural lighting design firm founded in 1994 that provides consulting services for new construction and renovation projects across commercial, institutional, hospitality, and residential sectors. The firm delivers work through a structured three-pillar methodology: Vision (concept creation or refinement of existing design ideas), Focus (specifications, code compliance, and construction drawings), and Oversight (expert contribution throughout the project lifespan). Its technical toolkit comprises full-scale physical mockups and computer-based lighting calculations and modeling used to validate design feasibility before implementation.
The firm generates revenue through project-based professional services fees, with pricing calibrated to each engagement's scope. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting architectural firms (John Ronan Architects, Goettsch Partners, Gensler, Hufft, Cannon Design), commercial real estate (CBRE), hospitality operators (The Hoxton Hotel), financial institutions (Northern Trust), and select private clients. Client acquisition runs through direct outreach via the firm website, supplemented by content marketing via its 'Enlightening News' blog and a curated 'Join Our Architect Team' registration process that matches incoming projects to specific designers.
CharterSills operates as a privately held boutique with 1-10 employees, drawing on a distributed model of collaborating designers and three decades of brand equity reinforced by AIA and IES awards and features in architectural publications. Its project footprint extends across multiple US states and internationally into Qatar, China, and Egypt. The firm maintains no disclosed funding, subsidiaries, or parent company and is positioned as a design-led consultancy rather than a technology or product company.
Chartersills & Associates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chartersills & Associates
- Legal name
- CharterSills
- Website
- https://chartersills.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CharterSills & Associates is a Chicago-based architectural lighting design firm founded in 1994 that provides concept, specification, and oversight services to architects, developers, interior design groups, and private clients across commercial, institutional, hospitality, and residential projects in the US and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chartersills & Associates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Lighting Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Chartersills & Associates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chartersills & Associates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Architectural Lighting Design Services: Professional services revenue generated through architectural lighting design consulting. Services include vision (concept creation), focus (specifications, codes, construction drawings), and oversight (expert contribution through project lifespan). Pricing is project-based, adapting scope to suit client needs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Chartersills & Associates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CharterSills provides architectural lighting design services for projects of any size or complexity, delivered through three pillars: Vision (initial concept creation or working with existing design ideas), Focus (drilling down on details from specifications and codes to construction drawings), and Oversight (contributing expertise through the project's lifespan). The firm uses full-scale mockups and computer lighting calculations and modeling to evaluate and deliver buildable, inspired lighting solutions.
Product overview
CharterSills is an architectural lighting design firm founded in 1994 that operates as a single-service consultancy rather than a software or technology product company. Their core offering is architectural lighting design services, delivered through a structured approach comprising three pillars: Vision (initial concept creation or working with existing design ideas), Focus (detailed specifications, code compliance, and construction drawings), and Oversight (expert contribution throughout the project lifecycle). They utilize full-scale mockups, computer lighting calculations, and modeling to evaluate innovative design ideas. The firm has received numerous awards from the AIA and IES and has completed projects for clients including John Ronan Architects, Goettsch Partners, Gensler, and others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Lighting Design Services
Companies that use Chartersills & Associates
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chartersills & Associates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Chartersills & Associates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Chartersills & Associates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ME Engineers: Engineering firm providing lighting design alongside mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services for sports, cultural, and commercial buildings. Broad incumbent offering lighting as part of a larger technical portfolio.
- Arup (Lighting Design): Global engineering consultancy whose Lighting Design practice delivers architectural lighting as part of multidisciplinary MEP commissions. A broad incumbent that competes with independent boutiques on larger, integrated projects.
- Buro Happold (Lighting Design): International engineering consultancy offering architectural lighting design within integrated building services. Competes with specialty firms by bundling lighting into full MEP packages for enterprise developers.
Direct peers
- Available Light: Boutique architectural lighting design firm serving commercial, institutional, and residential clients across the US. Comparable independent specialist delivering concept-to-construction lighting design services.
- The Lighting Practice: Philadelphia-based architectural lighting design consultancy serving commercial, healthcare, and education markets. Direct peer with similar professional services model and enterprise client focus.
- Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design: Multi-office architectural lighting design firm with NYC and West Coast presence, serving cultural, educational, and commercial architecture. Direct peer in independent specialty lighting consulting with similar enterprise client base.
- Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design: Independent New York–based lighting design practice focused on architectural interiors and museums. Comparable boutique model targeting architects, developers, and cultural institutions.
- Fisher Marantz Stone: Long-established (founded 1971) New York–based architectural lighting design consultancy serving museums, civic, and commercial commissions. Comparable in scale, reputation-driven positioning, and focus on high-design architectural projects.
- Focus Lighting: Independent architectural lighting design firm headquartered in New York, specializing in concept-through-construction delivery for museums, hospitality, and commercial projects. Closely comparable boutique with similar project-based professional services model.
- Lam Partners: Cambridge, MA–based architectural lighting design firm specializing in academic, institutional, and cultural projects. Comparable independent specialty practice with a similar mission-driven, design-led approach.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chartersills & Associates social profiles
Digital presenceChartersills & Associates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chartersills & Associates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Chartersills & Associates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chartersills & Associates 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 Chartersills & Associates
What does Chartersills & Associates do?
CharterSills provides architectural lighting design services for projects of any size or complexity, delivered through three pillars: Vision (initial concept creation or working with existing design ideas), Focus (drilling down on details from specifications and codes to construction drawings), and Oversight (contributing expertise through the project's lifespan). The firm uses full-scale mockups and computer lighting calculations and modeling to evaluate and deliver buildable, inspired lighting solutions.
Is Chartersills & Associates a public or private company?
Chartersills & Associates is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chartersills & Associates founded?
Chartersills & Associates was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chartersills & Associates based?
Chartersills & Associates is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chartersills & Associates make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Lighting Design Services.
Who are Chartersills & Associates's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ME Engineers, Arup (Lighting Design) and Buro Happold (Lighting Design). Direct peers are Available Light, The Lighting Practice, Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design, Fisher Marantz Stone, Focus Lighting and Lam Partners.
Does Chartersills & Associates have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chartersills & Associates.
What industry is Chartersills & Associates in?
Chartersills & Associates's product category is Architectural Lighting Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAJ, Lighting Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541310.