What TESSERE does

TESSERE is a full-service architecture and design firm headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, with regional offices in Kansas City, Independence, and Houston. Founded in 1919 as Glen H. Thomas Associates and rebranded from GLMV Architecture, Inc. to TESSERE in 2024, the firm operates as a 100% employee-owned company (ESOP since 2011) and is licensed to practice architecture in 48 states. TESSERE offers integrated services across architecture, interior design, civil engineering, landscape architecture, historical preservation, master planning, sustainability/LEED consulting, and visualization, organized around 11 vertical markets including education, community/public safety, zoo & aquarium, healthcare, government/federal, aviation, commercial, industrial, hospitality, automotive, and restaurant.

The firm serves a diversified mix of enterprise, government, educational, and franchise clients — including Textron Aviation, Spirit AeroSystems, YUM! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Freddy's), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Veterans Administration, Wichita State University, and Living Desert Zoo & Gardens. TESSERE holds LEED Proven Provider status with 30+ certified projects and maintains dedicated market-specialized teams, including a differentiated zoo & aquarium division staffed with former industry practitioners. Revenue is generated through custom, project-based professional services fees under multi-year engagements, acquired via direct enterprise sales, RFP responses, and long-term repeat-client relationships.

Business operations are anchored by ~159 employees, of which 60+ are licensed professionals (architects, landscape architects, interior designers, LEED-accredited staff). The firm was formed through the 2010 merger of Gossen Livingston Associates and McCluggage, Van Sickle & Perry Corporation and previously expanded via the 1998 acquisition of C/A-R Alliance, which established its Houston office. Recent strategic emphasis includes a 2024 brand refresh, a 2025 partnership with SSA Group in the zoo & aquarium vertical, and ongoing thought-leadership content through its ECHO Digital platform.

Name

TESSERE

Legal name

GLMV Architecture, Inc.

Website

https://tessere.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

TESSERE is a 100% employee-owned, full-service architecture and design firm founded in 1919, serving enterprise, government, education, and franchise clients nationwide across 11 verticals including a specialized zoo and aquarium division from offices in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural and Engineering Design Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (541410), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Interior design services
• Civil engineering services
• Landscape architecture services
• LEED sustainable design

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional fees for architecture, interior design, civil engineering, and landscape architecture services for commercial, institutional, and government projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TESSERE is a full-service architecture and design firm providing integrated architecture, interior design, civil engineering, and landscape architecture services from conceptual design through construction administration. The firm delivers comprehensive design solutions across 11 specialized vertical markets including Education, Government/Federal, Healthcare, Zoo & Aquarium, Aviation, Commercial, Community/Public Safety, Industrial, Hospitality, Restaurant, and Automotive for enterprise, institutional, and government clients nationwide.

Product overview

TESSERE is a full-service architecture and design firm offering integrated services including Architecture, Civil Engineering, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Historical Preservation, Master Planning, Sustainability/LEED Consulting, and Visualization. The firm operates across 11 specialized market sectors: Automotive, Aviation, Commercial, Community, Education, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industrial, Restaurant, and Zoo & Aquarium. As a 100% employee-owned company founded in 1919, TESSERE serves clients nationwide with offices in Wichita, Kansas City, Independence, and Houston, providing comprehensive design solutions from conceptual design through construction documents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural design covering conceptual design through construction documents, with specialization across multiple industries including award-winning designs. Delivered to enterprise, institutional, and government clients nationwide.
• Civil Engineering Services Civil engineering team providing integrated design solutions balancing project goals with the built environment, site, and surrounding infrastructure.
• Interior Design Interior design services creating beautiful, comfortable, and efficient environments with integrated approach working alongside the architectural team.
• Landscape Architecture Landscape architecture services including overall site design, drainage and grading, outdoor space creation, and sustainable design implementation.
• Historical Preservation Historical preservation services for heritage buildings including comprehensive evaluation, code compliance, and transformative redesign or meticulous expansion.
• Master Planning Master planning process enabling comprehensive strategy for future development of land, building complexes, and facilities with permitting and construction support.
• Sustainability / LEED Consulting LEED Proven Provider offering sustainable design with over 30 certified projects including platinum, gold, and silver ratings.
• Visualization Services Technology-driven visualization services bringing projects to life, used for quality control and budget maximization.
• Education Market Services Education facility design spanning K-12 and higher education, including master planning, programming, classroom design, and public-private partnerships.
• Government Market Services Federal government facility design with expertise in government procedures, codes, practice standards, laws, and regulations.
• Healthcare Market Services Healthcare facility design creating healing, efficient, versatile, and technologically advanced environments reflecting evolving medical technology.
• Zoo and Aquarium Market Services Zoo and aquarium design including immersive habitats, integrated facilities plans, and purpose-driven strategies connecting people and wildlife.
• Aviation Market Services Aviation facility design spanning general, commercial, and military aviation segments including terminals, hangars, and testing facilities.
• Commercial Market Services Comprehensive commercial services including programming, space and site planning, and LEED consulting for commercial and corporate clients.
• Community Market Services Community space design strengthening and defining communities through purposeful and inspiring architecture.
• Hospitality Market Services Hospitality design including full-service boutique hotels to prototype designs for various location types.
• Industrial Market Services Industrial and manufacturing facility design delivering high-performance facilities supporting evolving business needs.
• Restaurant Market Services Restaurant design incorporating back-of-house functions, dining area design, and points of sale for brand elevation.
• Automotive Market Services Design and management of automotive facilities including auto body shops, convenience stores, car dealerships, recharging stations, and car washes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 LEED-certified projects including platinum, gold, and silver ratings
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SSA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with SSA Group for the annual Zoo & Aquarium Professional Troublemakers of the Year awards program. This collaboration recognizes innovation leaders in the zoo and aquarium industry and includes joint event hosting and nomination processes.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DLR Group: DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning across education, government, healthcare, and commercial—closely aligned with TESSERE's multi-discipline service mix and similar mid-market positioning.
• SmithGroup:

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is an employee-owned (largely) global architecture practice with deep healthcare, education, and civic portfolios; its integrated design studios and LEED expertise directly parallel TESSERE's full-service, sustainability-focused approach.
• HOK (Populous competitor in some segments): HOK is a global architecture, engineering, and planning firm offering integrated design services across healthcare, education, aviation, sports, and government verticals—directly comparable to TESSERE's multi-discipline, multi-vertical model but at significantly larger scale.
• HKS Architects: HKS is a national architecture and design firm with prominent healthcare, education, government, and hospitality practices; comparable to TESSERE in vertical breadth and integrated delivery, but at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TESSEREdesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/we-are-tessere

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 TESSERE