What Shade Architects does

Shade Architects is a veteran-owned commercial architecture firm headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, founded by Justin Trexler, AIA, a U.S. Air Force veteran with dual Master's degrees from Arizona State University in Architecture and Real Estate Development. The firm delivers commercial architecture, tenant improvements, restaurant and retail buildouts, building permit drawings, IBC code compliance analysis, construction administration, and owner's representation across the Phoenix metro area, including Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Glendale, and greater Maricopa County. Projects are executed under both design-bid-build and design-build delivery methods, with a single accountable architect coordinating structural, MEP, civil, and specialty consultants from feasibility through closeout.

The firm has delivered $980M+ in cumulative construction value across 48 projects and 6.2M SF of building area over a 20+ year career. Notable engagements span retail (Greenway Plaza, Progress Plaza, Goodwill, Proof Bread), industrial (Earthgrains Baking Companies), healthcare (Mayo Clinic Integrated Education and Research Building, Profile Health), civic (AZ Veterans Resource Center, Town of Gilbert City Hall), hospitality (Teles Event Center), religious (Iglesia de Dios), and education/research projects. The principal's prior-firm work includes LAX Terminal 4, Phoenix Towers, and University of Arizona's Engineering Innovation Building, which are presented as career credentials rather than current Shade Architects engagements.

Shade Architects generates revenue through project-based professional services fees. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, varying by project scope, complexity, and delivery method. The firm is privately held, operates without disclosed external funding, and pursues public-sector work through its VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) designation. The principal's concurrent service on the City of Mesa Planning and Zoning Board (and prior Design Review Board tenure, 2022–2025) signals embedded regulatory positioning in the firm's primary East Valley market. The firm's go-to-market combines a project portfolio showcase, thought-leadership content via its Insight Blog, LinkedIn presence, and direct contact via a website form that qualifies leads by project type, timeline, and company.

Name

Shade Architects

Legal name

Shade Architects

Website

https://shadearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shade Architects is a veteran-owned commercial architecture firm in Mesa, Arizona, founded by Justin Trexler, AIA, delivering ground-up construction, tenant improvements, code compliance, and construction administration for commercial, civic, and institutional clients across the Phoenix metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Commercial architecture services
• Tenant improvement design
• Building permit drawings
• Code compliance consulting
• Construction administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Mesa

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services - Project Fees: Professional architectural services billed on a project basis for commercial architecture, tenant improvements, and civic projects. Revenue generated through design fees from concept through construction administration.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shade Architects delivers commercial architecture services including ground-up new construction, tenant improvements, restaurant and retail buildouts, building permit drawings, and code compliance analysis for commercial, industrial, and civic projects across the Phoenix metro area. The firm coordinates structural, MEP, civil, and specialty consultants under one accountable point of contact, delivering projects via both design-bid-build and design-build methods from feasibility through construction administration.

Product overview

Shade Architects is a veteran-owned commercial architecture firm offering a portfolio of architectural services for commercial projects in Arizona. The core offerings include Tenant Improvements (permit-ready drawings for retail, restaurant, office, medical, and fitness spaces) and Commercial Architecture (ground-up new construction and renovation). Supporting sub-services include Restaurant Buildouts (with kitchen/hood/health-department coordination), Retail Buildouts (shell-to-suite and storefront work), Building Permit Drawings, Code Compliance & Analysis, New Commercial Construction, Construction Management/Owner's Representation, and Test Fits & Feasibility. Services are delivered through both design-bid-build and design-build delivery methods, with one accountable point of contact from concept through construction administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tenant Improvements Permit-ready construction documents for retail, restaurant, office, medical, and fitness tenant improvements across the Phoenix metro, including existing-conditions verification, code and occupancy analysis, space planning, and permit submittal coordination. Designed for commercial tenants who need buildouts delivered on schedule to protect lease and opening dates.
• Commercial Architecture Ground-up new construction and renovation for commercial, industrial, and mixed-use buildings across Arizona, coordinating structural, MEP, civil, and specialty consultants from feasibility through construction administration. Delivered under both design-bid-build and design-build methods.
• Restaurant Buildouts Restaurant and café tenant improvements including kitchen layout, workflow planning, hood and grease-duct coordination, health-department review, and dual building and health-department permit coordination. Targeted at restaurant operators and franchisees in the Phoenix metro area.
• Retail Buildouts Retail and showroom tenant improvements, storefront design, shell-to-suite buildouts, and reconfiguration work, coordinating landlord design criteria with jurisdiction code requirements. For retail tenants in anchored centers and existing-space reconfigurations.
• Building Permit Drawings Stamped, permit-ready construction documents and submittal packages for commercial projects throughout the Phoenix metro, including plan review management and comment resolution across jurisdictions.
• Code Compliance & Analysis IBC compliance review covering use and occupancy classification, construction type, allowable area and height, egress, fire and life-safety systems, and accessibility for commercial projects.
• New Commercial Construction Ground-up commercial buildings carried from site study through occupancy, coordinating structural, MEP, and civil consultants under one point of contact so projects open on schedule.
• Construction Management / Owner's Representation Owner's representation through construction, keeping budget, schedule, and quality aligned and resolving issues before they reach the bottom line. Provides owners with a single accountable party through the build.
• Test Fits & Feasibility Fast, accurate test fits and feasibility studies that help brokers and owners evaluate whether a space works before committing to a lease.

Quantifiable outcome

• $980M+ construction value delivered across 48 projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cuningham Group: Multi-office architecture firm with commercial, hospitality, and entertainment expertise. Direct peer because it pursues similar commercial and adaptive reuse work and competes for comparable mid-market commercial clients.
• Jones Studio: Phoenix/Tempe-based architecture firm with a strong civic and commercial portfolio in Arizona. Direct peer because it competes for analogous municipal, educational, and commercial clients in the same regional market.
• RSP Architects: Multi-office architecture firm with strong commercial, retail, and mixed-use portfolio. Direct peer because it serves similar commercial property owner and retail tenant segments with comparable middle-market project types.
• Orcutt Winslow: Phoenix-based architecture firm with a strong commercial, civic, and education portfolio across Arizona. Direct peer because it competes for the same municipal and commercial clients in the same metro area with similar service offerings.
• Weddle Gilmore Architects: Scottsdale-based architecture firm with comparable commercial, retail, and civic work across the Phoenix metro. Direct peer because it serves the same commercial property owner and contractor segments with similar mid-market project scope.

Emerging players

• Will Bruder Architects: Phoenix-based architecture firm known for civic and design-forward commercial work. Emerging player because it operates in the same regional market with overlapping civic and commercial capability but a smaller, more design-focused portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• SmithGroup: National architecture and engineering firm with Phoenix presence serving commercial, civic, and institutional clients. Broad incumbent because it pursues overlapping workstreams but as part of a national portfolio rather than a local commercial specialist.
• DLR Group: Large national AEC firm with a major Phoenix office practicing commercial, civic, and institutional architecture. Broad incumbent because it competes for the same project types but at a larger scale with broader service offerings including engineering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shade-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Shade Architects