Elevate Studio Architecture Design

What Elevate Studio Architecture Design does

Elevate Studio Architecture Design is a privately held architecture and interior design firm founded in 2006 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, specializing in worship, learning, and residential environments. The firm was rebranded in 2010 when co-owner and principal architect Steve Fridsma joined founder Jim VanderMolen, and today operates with a small team of 5-10 professionals including licensed architects, a job captain, an interior design professional, and an office manager. Its core service offering is project-based professional architectural and interior design organized across five product categories: Ministry/Worship Environments (churches, chapels, sanctuaries, children's ministry spaces), Learning Environments (schools, treatment centers, YMCA camps), Master Planning, Living/Residential Design, and Conceptual Design, with supporting services in programming, feasibility studies, interactive visioning workshops, liturgical furnishings, and USGBC-accredited sustainability/LEED consulting.

The firm's underlying methodology centers on a proprietary 'Dignifying the Ordinary' design philosophy combined with a participatory client engagement model that uses congregational workshops, end-user surveys, braindrawing, and brainwriting sessions to align design with stakeholder values. It maintains LEED credentials through the USGBC and has delivered pioneering sustainable projects, including the first LEED-certified school (Goodwillie Environmental School) and the first LEED-certified public transportation facility (The Rapid Central Station). The firm has accumulated 30+ design awards including AIA Grand Valley, AIA Grand Rapids, AIA Honor Award, and the Worship Facilities Magazine Solomon Award.

Elevate Studio generates revenue through custom-quoted project fees covering programming, master planning, architectural design, interior design, and consulting, billed on a project-by-project basis with no standardized pricing tiers. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by direct principal engagement, word-of-mouth referrals from church leaders, portfolio-based content marketing via elevatestudio.net, speaking engagements at industry conferences (WFX Nashville, Christian Schools International), and earned media in trade publications. Geographic reach is achieved through direct delivery in the Great Lakes region combined with Architect-of-Record partnerships in California, Indiana, Iowa, and Bahrain, enabling multi-region service without out-of-state staffing.

Name

Elevate Studio Architecture Design

Legal name

Elevate Studio Architecture Design

Website

https://elevatestudio.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elevate Studio Architecture Design is a privately held Grand Rapids, MI architecture firm (founded 2006, 5-10 staff) specializing in worship, learning, and residential environments for churches, schools, and healthcare clients across the US and Bahrain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Church architecture design
• Worship space design
• Master planning services
• Sustainable building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural design and documentation for churches, educational facilities, and residential projects. Revenue generated through project-based fees including programming, master planning, architectural design, interior design, and consulting services.
2. Consulting Services: Pre-design programming and facility evaluation, master-planning, feasibility studies, and liturgical furnishings consulting

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Elevate Studio Architecture Design is a professional architecture and interior design firm providing full-service design, documentation, master planning, and consulting for churches, educational facilities, residential projects, and community institutions. The firm specializes in worship environments, learning environments, adaptive reuse of existing buildings, and sustainable/LEED-accredited design.

Product overview

Elevate Studio Architecture Design is a professional services firm offering architectural and interior design for worship, learning, and residential environments. The firm provides a unified suite of services organized around five project categories: Ministry/Worship Environments (churches, chapels, sanctuaries), Learning Environments (schools, treatment centers), Master Planning (site and facility planning), Living/Residential Design, and Conceptual Design. Supporting services include programming, feasibility studies, interactive visioning workshops, liturgical furnishings and art, and sustainability consulting. The firm operates as a single integrated design practice rather than a platform with separate modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ministry/Worship Environments Design
• Learning Environments Design
• Master Planning
• Living/Residential Design
• Conceptual Design

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed multiple projects under budget and below bid price
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• JE ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJE Architects served as Architect of Record for Trinity Church of Sunnyvale project while Elevate Studio provided consulting architect services.
• Fusion ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFusion Architects served as Architect of Record for St. Andrew Presbyterian Church project while Elevate Studio provided design services.
• Aref Sadeq Design ConsultantsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAref Sadeq Design Consultants served as Architect of Record for American Mission Hospital Chapel project in Bahrain while Elevate Studio provided consulting design architect and interior design services.
• Progressive AEminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProgressive AE served as Architect of Record for Goodwillie Environmental School while Elevate Studio provided design leadership. Goodwillie was the first LEED school in the world.
• r.o.i. DesigncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partnerr.o.i. Design frequently collaborated as Lead Designer on church projects including LifeChange Church, Monroe Community Church, and LifeStream Church master renovation plans.
• Rebecca Ballema Interior DesigncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRebecca Ballema Interior Design provided interior design services for multiple church projects including Christ Lutheran Church, Rush Creek Bible Church, Trinity Church of Sunnyvale, and Calvary Church Los Gatos.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HGA: National architecture and engineering firm with a strong faith-based and cultural practice including sacred spaces, worship centers, and religious education facilities — overlapping client base at a much larger scale.
• ROSSETTI: Detroit-based architecture and design firm with an established portfolio in religious, sports, and mixed-use environments; comparable in Michigan-based presence and faith/community-building work, though at significantly larger scale.
• GFF Architects: Dallas-based full-service design firm with a meaningful religious and education portfolio; comparable in serving faith-based and learning-environment clients but at significantly larger scale and broader service breadth.
• SLAM Collaborative: Multi-discipline architecture, engineering, and interiors firm with an established religious and education practice serving dioceses, private schools, and universities — overlaps with Elevate Studio's faith-based and learning segments at a larger scale.
• LS3P: Southeast U.S. architecture firm with a dedicated civic, religious, and education practice; comparable in serving institutional and faith-based clients with award-winning work, though at larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• TMP Architecture: Indianapolis-based architecture firm with a similarly-sized, faith-focused practice serving Christian congregations, schools, and ministry organizations across the Midwest — closely aligned in scale, mission, and customer profile.
• Fisher Dachs Associates: Specialist design firm focused on worship and performance spaces, providing architectural and theatre planning for religious and cultural clients — directly comparable niche specialization in sacred/audience spaces.
• William Rawn Associates: Boston-based architecture practice recognized for award-winning sacred and civic buildings; a comparable boutique firm operating in the religious/cultural architecture space with strong principal-led design reputation.
• Legat Architects: Mid-size architecture firm with a dedicated K-12 and faith-based practice serving private schools, churches, and educational communities; comparable in client mix (education + religious) and team-led delivery model.

Emerging players

• Fanning Howey: National K-12 education design firm with faith-based school experience; closely comparable in the learning-environments segment of Elevate Studio's portfolio, though less focused on sacred/worship design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elevate-studio-architecture-design

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Elevate Studio Architecture Design