What Mikiten Architecture does

Mikiten Architecture is a privately held, founder-led architectural practice founded in 1991 by Erick Mikiten, AIA, FAIA, LEED-AP and Elisa Mikiten, operating from a single office at 2415 Fifth Street, Berkeley, California with a deliberately lean staff of 4-7 people supplemented by a network of former employees and outside consultants. The firm provides full-service architectural design across residential (single-family homes and remodels), multi-family housing (with a strong track record in affordable housing for non-profit developers throughout the SF Bay Area), and selected commercial projects, with a stated specialization in Universal Design that exceeds ADA accessibility requirements and ecological/sustainable design that has produced LEED Platinum-certified work. The underlying methodology combines Universal Design principles with lived-experience insight from the principal architect, who is a wheelchair rider and is hard of hearing, and is increasingly formalized through the proprietary Inclusive Design Standards certification system co-developed with the non-profit The Kelsey and modeled after LEED.

Name

Mikiten Architecture

Legal name

Mikiten Architecture

Website

https://mikitenarch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mikiten Architecture is a Berkeley-based, founder-led architectural practice specializing in Universal Design and ecological design, serving homeowners, non-profit affordable housing developers, and select commercial clients across the Bay Area, the US, and internationally through consultation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Universal design architecture
• Accessible architecture services
• Multifamily affordable housing
• Ecological building design
• Inclusive design consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural studio providing design services for residential (homes, multi-family), commercial projects, and universal design consultations. Revenue generated through project-based professional fees for design, construction documents, and construction administration services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mikiten Architecture is a full-service architectural studio providing design, construction documents, and construction administration services for residential, multi-family, and commercial projects with deep specialization in Universal Design (accessibility that goes beyond ADA standards) and Ecological/Sustainable Design. The firm also provides paid Universal Design consulting engagements for design teams across the US, Europe, and Asia.

Product overview

Mikiten Architecture is a full-service architectural firm offering residential, multi-family, and commercial architectural design with deep expertise in Universal Design (accessibility beyond ADA compliance) and Ecological Design. The core offering is architectural services complemented by specialized consulting through its sister brand The Art of Access, which provides inclusive design certification standards and advocacy. The firm also offers free project resource guides. The company does not offer software products but rather architectural and design consulting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Art of Access: A sister organization founded by Erick Mikiten to advocate for radical levels of Universal Design and to demonstrate that accessibility doesn't limit architects' creativity. It creates guidelines and rating systems for inclusive design.

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design, construction documents, and construction administration for residential homes, multi-family housing developments, and commercial projects with deep expertise in Universal Design and accessibility.
• Universal Design Consulting Expert consulting on inclusive design strategies that exceed ADA requirements for design teams and building owners. Services include Universal Design training, accessibility audits, and inclusive design strategy support across the US, Europe, and Asia.
• Ecological Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• LEED Platinum certification achieved on Shinsei Gardens affordable housing project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The KelseycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with San Francisco non-profit The Kelsey to create the Inclusive Design Standards - a guidebook and certification system modeled after LEED to create better, more accessible, more inclusive multifamily projects. This certification system is being used by design teams nationwide.
• The Art of AccesscoreOthersFounded by Erick Mikiten as a separate firm to advocate for radical levels of Universal Design and to demonstrate that UD doesn't limit architects' creativity or mean buildings have to look institutional. The Art of Access gathers lived-experience designers and consultants forming an unmatched consortium of talent for inclusive design.
• California Building Standards CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErick Mikiten serves as a Governor-appointed commissioner on the California Building Standards Commission, which creates the State Building Code. This position allows influence over statewide building codes that impact millions of California residents.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KieranTimberlake: Innovative architecture firm recognized for research-driven, sustainability-focused design across residential, institutional, and civic projects. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture through its emphasis on design research, innovation, and aesthetic integration of performance goals.
• David Baker Architects: A Bay Area architecture firm with deep specialization in affordable and supportive multifamily housing, including buildings for formerly homeless, low-income, and special-needs populations. Highly comparable to Mikiten Architecture due to overlapping regional focus on affordable housing design with social impact.
• MASS Design Group: A nonprofit architecture and design firm using built environments to advance social equity, with significant work in affordable housing, healthcare, and civic projects. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture for its mission-driven approach and focus on architecture serving vulnerable populations.
• Mithun: Integrated design firm with strong sustainability and social equity orientation, working across housing, education, and urban planning. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture for its integrated sustainability and human-centered design philosophy.
• Pyatok Architects: Bay Area architecture firm with a four-decade focus on affordable and market-rate multifamily housing, mixed-use developments, and community-centered design. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture in its Bay Area geographic concentration and deep affordable housing design expertise.
• Page & Turnbull: Architecture firm with deep expertise in historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and accessibility upgrades. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture for its accessibility-focused practice and California presence.
• Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects: San Francisco architecture firm recognized for sustainability leadership and socially equitable design, with projects spanning affordable housing, education, and civic buildings. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture through its Bay Area base, integrated sustainability practice, and social equity mission.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: One of the largest global architecture practices with significant affordable housing, healthcare, and civic portfolios. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture as a broader incumbent that addresses overlapping segments including multifamily housing and accessibility-led design, though at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Gensler: The world's largest architecture and design firm, with global reach across commercial, residential, and hospitality. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture as a broad incumbent offering multifamily and accessibility-relevant services, but with dramatically larger scale and a much broader portfolio.
• KTGY Architecture + Planning: Architecture and planning firm with strong multifamily housing, mixed-use, and urban infill focus, particularly in California. Comparable to Mikiten Architecture for its multifamily housing specialization and California presence, though at much larger scale across market-rate and affordable segments.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mikiten-architecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/theartofaccess
• Pinterestpinterest.com/mikitenarch
• Facebookfacebook.com/MikitenArch

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 Mikiten Architecture