What Ushijima Architects does

Ushijima Architects, Inc. (UAI) is a Hawaii-based architectural firm founded in 1994 and headquartered at 2226 Young Street in Honolulu. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of professional services including architectural design, interior design, planning, master planning, feasibility studies, program management, project management, and construction administration. UAI serves government agencies, educational institutions (K-12, community colleges, and universities), credit unions and financial institutions, real estate developers, hospitality operators, and commercial clients across the Hawaiian Islands.

The firm's core product is its architectural service delivery, supported by industry-standard design software and building information modeling (BIM) tools. UAI's primary differentiator is its proprietary Quality Control Program (QCP), which combines senior PM constructability review, early consultant drawing delivery, and scheduled progress drawing reviews, yielding an average change order rate of less than 1% over 10+ years due to incomplete construction documents. The firm has delivered multiple LEED-certified projects, including two LEED Gold certified facilities, and operates in compliance with Hawaii-specific regulatory frameworks covering State Historic Preservation, Navy blast zones, Special Management Areas, and ADA accessibility.

UAI generates revenue through project-based professional fees, typically procured through competitive bidding for public sector work, design-build or design-assist delivery with contractors, or direct engagement for private sector clients. The firm operates as both a prime architect and a sub-consultant to larger Hawaii-based architecture firms (e.g., Fukunaga & Associates, Wilson Okamoto Corporation). Its revenue is concentrated entirely within the Hawaiian market, with no disclosed geographic expansion. UAI is privately held, with no disclosed external investment, funding rounds, or ownership changes.

Name

Ushijima Architects

Legal name

Ushijima Architects, Inc.

Website

https://usharch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ushijima Architects is a Honolulu-based architecture firm founded in 1994 that provides design, planning, interior, and construction administration services to government, educational, financial, and commercial clients throughout Hawaii.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (541410), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Interior design services
• Construction administration
• Sustainable building design
• Master planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

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 Design Services: Professional fees for architectural design, interior design, planning, master planning, feasibility studies, program management, project management, and construction administration services. Revenue is project-based, typically procured through competitive bidding, design-assist, or design-build delivery methods.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Ushijima Architects, Inc. (UAI) provides comprehensive architectural design, interior design, planning, master planning, feasibility studies, program management, project management, and construction administration services for commercial, educational, financial, hospitality, recreational, religious, and government building projects in Hawaii. The firm differentiates through its proprietary Quality Control Program, which has produced a less than 1% change order rate over 10+ years, and through expertise in LEED-certified sustainable design and Hawaii-specific regulatory requirements.

Product overview

Ushijima Architects, Inc. (UAI) is a Hawaii-based architecture and design firm offering a comprehensive suite of professional services centered around architectural design and interior design. The firm's core offerings include Architecture Services, Interior Design, Sustainable Design, Planning, Master Planning, Feasibility Studies, Program Management, Project Management, and Construction Administration. UAI differentiates itself through its proprietary Quality Control Program (QCP), a methodology that has resulted in less than one percent change orders over ten years. The firm specializes in commercial, educational, industrial, recreational, and religious building projects across Hawaii, with demonstrated expertise in LEED-certified sustainable design and design-build delivery methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services
• Interior Design Interior design services encompassing space planning, finish selection, furniture specification, and interior detailing for various building types and tenant improvements in Hawaii.
• Sustainable Design Sustainable and green building design services, including LEED certification preparation and energy-efficient design strategies for projects requiring environmental compliance, including multiple LEED Gold certified projects.
• Planning Services Planning services including site analysis, feasibility studies, and master planning for new developments and facility expansions.
• Feasibility Studies Pre-design feasibility assessments evaluating site conditions, regulatory requirements, budget considerations, and project scope viability.
• Construction Administration Construction administration services including submittal review, site observations, RFIs, and change order processing during the construction phase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 1% change order rate over 10+ years due to incomplete construction documents
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Ralph S. Inouye Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing design-build partnership with general contractor Ralph S. Inouye Co., Ltd. Collaborated on multiple projects including Saint Francis School Gymnasium (2013), Kapi'olani Community College Culinary Institute of the Pacific Phase II, and Hawaii Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union (2021). Partnership enables design-build delivery method benefiting clients with budget alignment.
• Yost Grube Hall ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Oregon-based Yost Grube Hall Architecture on University of Hawaii at Manoa Warrior Recreation Center project. UAI provided site planning, design, construction documentation, and construction administration while YGH served as design partner on this 66,000 s.f. LEED Gold certified facility.
• Fukunaga & Associates, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSub-consultant relationship with Fukunaga & Associates, Inc. on multiple Department of Education projects including Waiakea High School track and field improvements, Campbell High School softball field improvements, and University of Hawaii at Hilo women's soccer & softball fields.
• Wilson Okamoto CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsultant relationship on Kaunanakai Harbor project where UAI provided design and construction administration services as sub-consultant to Wilson Okamoto Corporation for DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation improvements.
• Core ConceptsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Massachusetts-based Core Concepts on Chaminade University P.O.D. Market project, combining UAI's local architecture expertise with Core Concepts' food service facility design specialization.
• Robert M. Kaya Builders, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign-build partnership with Robert M. Kaya Builders, Inc. on Gyotaku Aikahi restaurant renovation project (3,950 s.f.).
• Albert C. Kobayashi, Inc. (ACK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign-assist partnership on MCH New Parking Structure project (97,862 s.f., 228-stall precast parking structure). ACK collaborated with UAI and Marianist Center of Hawaii to value engineer the project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with a Honolulu office serving commercial, hospitality, and institutional clients across Hawaii. Overlaps with UAI on commercial and tenant-improvement work but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• HOK: Global design, architecture, and planning firm with sports/recreation, education, and civic practices that overlap with UAI's Warrior Recreation Center and university portfolio. Larger incumbent competing on similar institutional RFPs in the Pacific region.
• Perkins&Will: International architecture firm with strong higher-education and healthcare practices and active Pacific-region presence. Comparable in LEED/sustainable design expertise and education-sector work, but with significantly broader geographic and sector reach.

Direct peers

• Yost Grube Hall Architecture: Oregon-based architecture firm with public-sector and higher-ed expertise that has partnered with UAI on the LEED Gold UH Warrior Recreation Center. Comparable in scale and delivery model on institutional and higher-education projects.
• Fukunaga & Associates, Inc. Honolulu-based architecture and engineering firm focused on public-sector and educational facilities throughout Hawaii. Direct peer in DOE and higher-ed markets; UAI has served as sub-consultant to Fukunaga, evidencing direct overlap in project types and clients.
• Belt Collins: Long-established Hawaii and Asia-Pacific architecture, planning, and landscape design firm with comparable public-sector, resort, and master-planning work. Overlaps with UAI on planning, master planning, and large-scale institutional projects in Hawaii.
• Architects Hawaii Ltd. One of the largest Hawaii-headquartered full-service architecture firms, providing architectural, planning, and interior design services to government, education, healthcare, and commercial clients across the Hawaiian Islands. Most directly comparable to UAI in vertical mix, delivery methods, and geographic scope.
• Wilson Okamoto Corporation: Hawaii-based engineering and architecture firm with deep state and county government contract experience, including DLNR work. Direct peer on government and harbor/infrastructure projects; UAI has served as sub-consultant on Wilson Okamoto-led engagements.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

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 Ushijima Architects