Torch Architecture
Torch Architecture is a privately held, owner-led commercial architecture firm in Naperville, Illinois, delivering full-service design from pre-design through construction observation for Chicagoland retail, food service, office, medical, educational, religious, and municipal clients, with secondary residential work.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersNaperville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Torch Architecture does
Torch Architecture, Inc. is a privately held, full-service commercial architecture firm headquartered at 300 E. 5th Ave, Suite 102 in Naperville, Illinois. Founded in 2009 by owners Rob Costello and Tory Hannan—who together bring over 30 years of combined industry experience—the firm delivers architectural services across the full project lifecycle, including pre-design, programming, budgeting, 3D renderings, bidding assistance, and construction observation. Its primary focus is the Chicagoland commercial market, serving retail, food service, office, medical office, educational, religious, and municipal project types ranging from landlord work and interior build-outs to renovation, additions, and new construction, with residential renovation and new construction offered as a secondary line.
The company's underlying delivery model is labor- and expertise-intensive rather than technology-driven. No SaaS platform, app, proprietary technology stack, AI features, or disclosed integrations are part of the offering; the principal inputs are the owners' direct involvement in every phase of every project and the firm's accumulated portfolio of named work (including KLA Schools, The Washington, Altered Stage, Quiubo Restaurant, LLT Group, Ellsworth Apartments, Santo Cielo, and CG Life).
Commercially, Torch Architecture operates a project-based professional services model, charging quote-based, project-specific fees rather than disclosing standardized pricing. Go-to-market is direct-to-client: the firm markets through its website portfolio and generates business via direct inquiries, phone, email, and referrals within the Chicagoland commercial market. There is no evidence of external funding, partnerships, M&A activity, hiring expansion, or geographic extension beyond the single Naperville office, indicating a small, owner-led boutique rather than a scaling platform.
Torch Architecture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Torch Architecture
- Legal name
- Torch Architecture, Inc.
- Website
- https://torcharchitecture.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Torch Architecture is a privately held, owner-led commercial architecture firm in Naperville, Illinois, delivering full-service design from pre-design through construction observation for Chicagoland retail, food service, office, medical, educational, religious, and municipal clients, with secondary residential work.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Torch Architecture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
Keywords
Where Torch Architecture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Naperville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Torch Architecture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Architectural Services: Full-service architectural firm providing services from pre-design through construction observation. Revenue generated through professional service fees for commercial architecture projects including retail, food service, office, medical office, educational, religious, and municipal project types. Also serves residential renovation and new construction clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Torch Architecture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Torch Architecture is a full-service commercial architecture firm providing pre-design, programming, budgeting, 3D renderings, bidding assistance, and construction observation for commercial and residential projects. The firm is based in Naperville, Illinois and was founded in 2009 by principals Rob Costello and Tory Hannan, who bring more than 30 years of combined architectural experience.
Product overview
Torch Architecture is a full-service commercial architecture firm providing a unified offering of architectural design services from pre-design through construction observation. The core service encompasses programming, budgeting, 3D renderings, bidding assistance, and construction observation for commercial projects including retail, food service, office, medical office, educational, religious, and municipal sectors. Project types span landlord work, interior build outs, renovation, additions, and new construction. The portfolio showcases 8 named project case studies (KLA Schools, The Washington, Altered Stage, Quiubo Restaurant, LLT Group, Ellsworth Apartments, Santo Cielo, CG Life) demonstrating the firm's completed work. Residential services are offered as an add-on to the primary commercial practice. No technology platform, SaaS product, or AI-powered features are offered.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Commercial Architecture Services End-to-end architectural design services for commercial clients in sectors such as schools, restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, and places of worship, covering every phase from pre-design programming through construction observation.
- Residential Architecture Services Architectural design services for homeowners undertaking renovations, additions, and custom residential projects in the Chicagoland area.
- 3D Rendering and Visualization 3D rendering service that produces visual representations of architectural designs to help clients understand and approve project scope before construction begins.
Companies that use Torch Architecture
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Torch Architecture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Torch Architecture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Torch Architecture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DLR Group: National design firm with Midwest presence covering education, civic, and commercial architecture — overlapping in client categories Torch Architecture serves.
- Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture: Chicago-based large-scale architecture firm with a much broader portfolio and global reach, but operating in the same regional market and commercial design category.
- HKS: Large national architecture firm active in commercial, healthcare, and education design — competing for the same enterprise client types in the Midwest region.
- VOA Associates: Established Chicago architecture firm with a broader national footprint and larger headcount, serving commercial, hospitality, and institutional clients overlapping with Torch's verticals.
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with deep Chicago presence, designing commercial, healthcare, education, and workplace projects that intersect directly with Torch's market sectors.
- Gensler: Major global design and architecture firm with a large Chicago office, frequently competing for retail, hospitality, and workplace work in the Chicagoland commercial market.
Direct peers
- Wight & Company: Architecture and engineering firm based in the Chicago western suburbs (near Naperville) offering commercial and institutional design services similar to Torch Architecture's full-service model.
- Pappageorge Haymes Partners: Chicago-based commercial architecture firm serving retail, hospitality, office, and education clients in the same Chicagoland market with comparable mid-size project scope and client mix.
- Cordogan Clark: Chicago-area architecture firm providing commercial, retail, hospitality, and educational facility design, overlapping directly with Torch Architecture's project types.
- Legat Architects: Midwest architecture practice with offices in Illinois delivering commercial, education, and public-sector design similar in scope and regional focus to Torch Architecture.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Torch Architecture social profiles
Digital presenceTorch Architecture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Torch Architecture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Torch Architecture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Torch Architecture 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 Torch Architecture
What does Torch Architecture do?
Torch Architecture is a full-service commercial architecture firm providing pre-design, programming, budgeting, 3D renderings, bidding assistance, and construction observation for commercial and residential projects. The firm is based in Naperville, Illinois and was founded in 2009 by principals Rob Costello and Tory Hannan, who bring more than 30 years of combined architectural experience.
Is Torch Architecture a public or private company?
Torch Architecture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Torch Architecture founded?
Torch Architecture was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Torch Architecture based?
Torch Architecture is headquartered in Naperville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Torch Architecture make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Services.
Who are Torch Architecture's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DLR Group, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, HKS, VOA Associates, Perkins&Will and Gensler. Direct peers are Wight & Company, Pappageorge Haymes Partners, Cordogan Clark and Legat Architects.
Does Torch Architecture have an API?
No public API is recorded for Torch Architecture.
What industry is Torch Architecture in?
Torch Architecture's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541310.