Place Architects
Place Architects is a private architecture firm operating a distributed network across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, delivering custom design services and a prefab housing product line for residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Place Architects does
Place Architects (legal entity: PLACE architect ltd.) is a private architecture and design firm founded in 1999 in Seattle, Washington, and relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia in 2007. The firm operates as a distributed network of architects, designers, technologists, and engineers collaborating from its West Vancouver hub, delivering custom architectural services across residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily project types. Its core service is a five-phase design process (predesign, schematic design, permit drawings, construction documents, and construction phase services) with a practice emphasis on sustainable design, LEED certification, passive design strategies, and community-centered outcomes. The firm holds a portfolio of 60+ completed projects spanning live/work developments, retail, breweries, recreation facilities, and heritage renovations.
The firm's secondary product line, PLACE Houses, offers a catalog of prefabricated modular homes (Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, and PH-1) manufactured and distributed through a partnership with DLH Inc. PLACE Houses leverages streamlined modular construction to deliver 20-30% cost savings and approximately half the on-site construction time relative to custom builds, targeting eco-conscious consumers. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for architectural design and one-time product sales of prefab houses. The firm is privately held, with no disclosed funding, and is led by Founding Principal Heather Johnston, who holds architectural registrations across five North American jurisdictions. Clients include Knoll Development, City of Seattle, King County Housing Authority, Cascade Bicycle Club, and Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, with a project mix spanning private developers, government agencies, nonprofits, and individual homeowners primarily across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
Place Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Place Architects
- Legal name
- PLACE architect ltd.
- Website
- https://placearchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Place Architects is a private architecture firm operating a distributed network across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, delivering custom design services and a prefab housing product line for residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Place Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Place Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle, Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Place Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Custom architectural design services for residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily projects. Revenue generated through professional service fees for design, permitting, and construction phase services across five phases: predesign, schematic design, permit drawings, construction documents, and construction phase services.
- PLACE Houses Prefab Sales: Sale of prefabricated houses (PH Tiny, PH Small, PH Medium, PH Large) through partnership with DLH Inc. Streamlined modular construction offers 20-30% cost savings and half the on-site construction time of custom builds.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Place Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PLACE Architects is an award-winning architecture and design firm that delivers comprehensive custom architectural design services across residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily projects, executed through a five-phase process (predesign, schematic design, permit drawings, construction documents, and construction phase services). In parallel, the firm sells the PLACE Houses line of modern prefabricated houses (Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, and the custom PH-1) through a manufacturing partnership with DLH Inc, achieving 20-30% cost savings and roughly half the on-site construction time of conventional custom construction.
Product overview
Place Architects is an award-winning architecture and design firm offering a combination of architectural services and prefabricated house products. The core offering is comprehensive architectural design services spanning residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily projects, delivered through a five-phase design process (predesign, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction phase services). The firm's prefab line, branded as PLACE Houses and developed in partnership with DLH Inc., offers four stock modular house designs (Tiny, Small, Medium, and Large) plus the customized PH-1 model. The prefab houses utilize streamlined modular construction achieving 20-30% cost savings and half the on-site construction time of custom builds, featuring green construction, sustainable materials, and energy-efficient systems. The prefab products complement the firm's custom architectural services, with the same design principles applied across both offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services Full-service custom architectural design covering residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily projects for private developers, businesses, government agencies, non-profits, and homeowners across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
- PLACE House Tiny A 1,100 square foot modern, prefabricated house featuring an eat-in kitchen, two-story living room, efficient service core, and an upper-level balcony over the living room, designed as an accessory building or getaway cottage for eco-conscious consumers.
- PLACE House Small A 1,250 square foot green construction prefab house with two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, built-in storage, and a large kitchen/dining area, featuring natural light, natural ventilation, and cost-effective designer finishes.
- PLACE House Medium A just-over-2,500 square foot flexible 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath two-storey prefab house with a single-car garage or workspace, featuring a rainwater-collecting roof, super-insulated walls, energy-efficient systems, and indoor-outdoor connections.
- PLACE House Large A 2,650 square foot 3-4 bedroom family prefab home with lofty family spaces, cozy bedrooms and workspaces, featuring a super-efficient family bath, top-of-stairs flex space, balconies, and green construction throughout.
- PH-1 A 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath open-plan prefab home based on the PLACE House Large design with an additional accessory building featuring two-car parking and office space above, including solar domestic hot water heating for a backyard lap pool.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20-30% cost savings and half the on-site construction time compared to custom builds
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Place Architects
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Place Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Place Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DLH InccorePartnership with DLH Inc to launch PLACE Houses line of modern, prefab houses for eco-conscious 21st century consumers. The collaboration combines PLACE's architectural design expertise with DLH's manufacturing capabilities to deliver streamlined modular construction with 20-30% cost savings and half the on-site construction time.
- Kevin Spence ArchitectminorCollaboration on Diva live/work building project, working together on spatial concepts, design research, and programming for the steep-site industrial Ballard project.
- MacLeod ReckordminorLandscape architecture firm that invited PLACE to join master planning and renovation of Lake Goodwin Park in Snohomish, Washington.
- Knoll DevelopmentcoreLong-standing partnership designing multiple live/work projects including Knoll Roosevelt & Ravenna (first project, 15,000 SF ten-unit complex), Knoll Morgan Junction (14-unit courtyard development), and Knoll 52nd & 15th (3-unit live/work building).
- Alchemy ConstructionminorBuilder for Take Two duplex project in East Vancouver. Special recognition given for exceptional patience, diligence, and attention to detail.
- BODA ConstructionminorBuilder for Braeside Street renovation project. Special thanks noted for exceptional patience, diligence, and attention to detail.
- Bri Ragona InteriorsminorInterior designer for North Point Brewing project, collaborating on the cabin-style craft brewery design in North Vancouver's Shipyards District.
- Cascade Bicycle ClubminorLong-standing relationship with multiple projects including the Sand Point fire station renovation proposal to create a cycling community hub with offices, community space, training rooms, and cafe.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights10 records
Place Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- LMN Architects: Seattle-based architecture firm with a comparable civic, cultural, and commercial portfolio in the Pacific Northwest. Larger and broader in scale, but competes with PLACE for the same public-sector and developer clients in the region.
- Perkins&Will: Large global architecture firm with a strong sustainability practice and offices across North America. Competes with PLACE for institutional and public-sector sustainable building commissions, though at significantly larger scale.
- Mithun: Seattle-based integrated design firm practicing architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture with a strong sustainability lens. Operates at a larger size than PLACE but overlaps directly on multifamily, civic, and sustainable design commissions in the PNW market.
Direct peers
- Olson Kundig: Seattle-based architecture and design firm with comparable focus on residential, commercial, and civic work in the Pacific Northwest and a similar commitment to sustainable, materially-driven design. Closest regional peer in scale and reputation.
- Hybrid Architecture: Vancouver, BC-based architecture firm serving residential, commercial, and multifamily clients in the same Pacific Northwest/BC corridor. Similar scale and cross-border service area to PLACE.
- Revery Architecture: Vancouver, BC-based architecture firm with a portfolio spanning residential, cultural, civic, and commercial projects. Comparable in regional focus and architectural services offering to PLACE.
- Coates Design Associates: Seattle-area architecture firm focused on residential, multifamily, and commercial work in the Pacific Northwest with an emphasis on sustainable design. Closely comparable in size, regional focus, and project mix.
Emerging players
- Plant Prefab: California-based custom prefabricated home builder with a sustainable, design-forward product line. Comparable to PLACE Houses in targeting eco-conscious buyers with modern prefab offerings.
- Dvele: Tech-enabled, sustainable prefab home company offering modern, energy-efficient modular houses. Competes with the PLACE Houses product line for eco-conscious buyers seeking streamlined, design-forward prefab homes.
- Method Homes: Pacific Northwest-based prefabricated and modular home manufacturer offering modern, sustainable prefab houses. Direct competitor to PLACE Houses in the PNW prefab housing market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Place Architects social profiles
Digital presencePlace Architects compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Place Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Place Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Place Architects subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Place Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Place Architects 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 Place Architects
What does Place Architects do?
PLACE Architects is an award-winning architecture and design firm that delivers comprehensive custom architectural design services across residential, commercial, civic, and multifamily projects, executed through a five-phase process (predesign, schematic design, permit drawings, construction documents, and construction phase services). In parallel, the firm sells the PLACE Houses line of modern prefabricated houses (Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, and the custom PH-1) through a manufacturing partnership with DLH Inc, achieving 20-30% cost savings and roughly half the on-site construction time of conventional custom construction.
Is Place Architects a public or private company?
Place Architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Place Architects founded?
Place Architects was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Place Architects based?
Place Architects is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Place Architects make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Architectural Design Services are the primary driver. The others are PLACE Houses Prefab Sales.
Who are Place Architects's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are LMN Architects, Perkins&Will and Mithun. Direct peers are Olson Kundig, Hybrid Architecture, Revery Architecture and Coates Design Associates. Emerging players are Plant Prefab, Dvele and Method Homes.
Does Place Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Place Architects.
What industry is Place Architects in?
Place Architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 54131.