Whitney Architecture
Whitney Architecture is a privately held, three-person boutique architecture firm in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, designing sustainable custom residences and remodels across the Pacific Northwest with deep specialization in Passive House construction methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Whitney Architecture does
Whitney Architecture is a privately held, independent residential architecture firm headquartered at 2851 NW 64th Street in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The firm is led by Principal Paul Whitney and operates with a small three-person team consisting of the Principal, an Office Manager (Amy Kastelin), and a Project Architect (Mirta Villaran). It serves mid-market residential homeowners seeking custom new homes, residential remodels, and sustainable building projects, with a portfolio of 27 documented projects spanning numerous Seattle neighborhoods and broader Pacific Northwest markets including Bellevue, Issaquah Highlands, and South Whidbey Island.
The firm's core technical differentiator is specialization in Passive House design — a rigorous, building-science-driven approach to energy-efficient construction. Projects are engineered to slash heating energy consumption by approximately 90% through a combination of super-insulated building envelopes, ultra-high-performance windows, airtight construction at 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals, elimination of thermal bridging, and heat-recovery ventilation systems. The firm also incorporates Built Green and LEED sustainability principles into its design work. Signature technical achievements include a net-positive-energy Passive House in Blue Ridge with extensive solar generation and a 45,000-gallon residential water management system — the first of its kind permitted in King County. The firm collaborates with Certified Passive House Consultants for certification and works with specialized construction partners including Dyna Contracting, Hammer and Hand, and YS Built to deliver projects.
Whitney Architecture generates revenue through professional architectural design services billed on a project-by-project basis (fees not publicly disclosed). The engagement model is direct sales-led: clients engage the firm through initial consultation and proceed through four interconnected design phases — Preliminary Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, and Construction & Permit Documents — with the firm remaining available through construction administration. The firm relies on a website portfolio as its primary marketing channel and is currently operating, with the Bellewood Farms Passive House guest cottage in Bellevue scheduled to begin construction in Fall 2025 under builder Triple Bottom Line.
Whitney Architecture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Whitney Architecture
- Legal name
- Whitney Architecture
- Website
- https://whitneyarchitecture.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Whitney Architecture is a privately held, three-person boutique architecture firm in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, designing sustainable custom residences and remodels across the Pacific Northwest with deep specialization in Passive House construction methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Whitney Architecture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB), Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build) (HSAPAEAI)
Keywords
Where Whitney Architecture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Whitney Architecture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural design for residential projects including preliminary design, schematic design, design development, and construction/permit document phases. Services provided from initial meeting through project completion with ongoing support during construction.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Whitney Architecture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Whitney Architecture provides full-service sustainable residential architectural design for custom homes, remodels, and Passive House projects across the Pacific Northwest. Services span preliminary design, schematic design, design development, and construction/permit document phases, with collaborative engagement from initial meeting through construction support. The firm's core differentiator is expertise in Passive House design, Built Green, and LEED sustainability standards.
Product overview
Whitney Architecture offers sustainable residential architecture and planning services as a single, unified service offering. The core product is architectural design services encompassing all project phases from preliminary design through construction documents. The firm specializes in Passive House design, a key differentiator that represents a specialized service module within their portfolio. Their design process follows five interconnected phases: Preliminary Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, and Construction & Permit Documents. The company also incorporates Built Green and LEED sustainability principles alongside Passive House standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sustainable Residential Architecture Services Full-service architectural design, permitting, and construction document services for residential projects including new homes, remodels, and sustainable buildings, delivered to homeowners across the Pacific Northwest through a collaborative five-phase process.
- Passive House Design Energy-efficient building design following Passive House standards, capable of slashing heating energy consumption by 90% through super-insulated envelopes, airtight construction, heat-recovery ventilation, and passive solar strategies; delivered with Certified Passive House Consultants for certification.
Quantifiable outcome
- Passive House design slashes heating energy consumption by 90%
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Whitney Architecture
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Whitney Architecture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Whitney Architecture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Triple Bottom LineminorConstruction builder for Bellewood Farms Passive House guest cottage in Bellevue, with construction beginning Fall 2025.
- Dyna ContractingcorePrimary construction partner for multiple residential projects including Northwest Ballard New Modern and Blue Ridge Passive House. Dyna Contracting builds the firm's designed residences including the first residential water management system permitted in King County.
- Hammer and HandcoreConstruction partner for Wallingford Passive House, Whitney Architecture's fourth Passive House project. Specializes in high-performance building.
- YS BuiltminorConstruction partner for Issaquah Highlands Passive House project.
- Andrew StoreyminorPhotographer for multiple projects including Northwest Ballard New Modern, Blue Ridge Passive House, and Issaquah Highlands Passive House.
- Kara MercerminorPhotographer for East Queen Anne project by Dyna Builders and Dyna Interiors.
- Jake HoltminorPhotographer for Honeymoon Bay Residence on South Whidbey Island.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Whitney Architecture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SkB Architects: Seattle-based architecture practice with a strong custom residential portfolio spanning the Pacific Northwest. Comparable to Whitney Architecture in client base (private homeowners) and architectural design service offering.
- SHED Architecture & Design: Seattle firm with a portfolio of custom residential and small-scale sustainable projects. Comparable to Whitney Architecture in regional focus, residential specialty, and emphasis on thoughtful design and sustainability.
- Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Pacific Northwest–based architecture firm with a strong custom residential practice alongside civic and commercial work. Comparable to Whitney Architecture in delivering high-design residential projects in the Pacific Northwest.
- Olson Kundig: Seattle-based architecture firm renowned for custom residential design across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Comparable to Whitney Architecture as a high-end residential practice with deep local market presence and a strong portfolio-driven brand.
- Hoedemaker Pfeiffer: Seattle-based architecture firm specializing in custom residential projects, including sustainable and high-performance homes. Directly comparable to Whitney Architecture in target client (private homeowners) and Seattle/Pacific Northwest focus.
- Board & Vellum: Seattle architecture and design firm offering custom residential and small commercial services. Comparable to Whitney Architecture on Seattle-based residential architecture service delivery and direct-to-client model.
- The Artisans Group: Olympia, Washington-based architecture firm specializing in sustainable, energy-efficient residential design including Passive House projects. Highly comparable to Whitney Architecture on sustainability specialization and Pacific Northwest residential focus.
Broad incumbents
- Miller Hull Partnership: Seattle-based architecture firm with a broader portfolio spanning residential, civic, and sustainable design. Overlaps Whitney Architecture on residential and sustainability work but operates at much larger scale and across multiple building types.
- Mithun: Seattle-based integrated design firm with significant residential and sustainability practices. Comparable to Whitney Architecture on Pacific Northwest presence and sustainability orientation, but at far greater scale and broader typology.
Emerging players
- Green Hammer: Portland-based design-build firm specializing in Passive House and net-zero residential construction. Comparable to Whitney Architecture on Passive House expertise and Pacific Northwest sustainable residential focus, though operating as a design-build rather than pure architecture practice.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Whitney Architecture social profiles
Digital presenceWhitney Architecture compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Whitney Architecture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Whitney Architecture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Whitney Architecture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Whitney Architecture 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 Whitney Architecture
What does Whitney Architecture do?
Whitney Architecture provides full-service sustainable residential architectural design for custom homes, remodels, and Passive House projects across the Pacific Northwest. Services span preliminary design, schematic design, design development, and construction/permit document phases, with collaborative engagement from initial meeting through construction support. The firm's core differentiator is expertise in Passive House design, Built Green, and LEED sustainability standards.
Is Whitney Architecture a public or private company?
Whitney Architecture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Whitney Architecture founded?
Whitney Architecture was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Whitney Architecture based?
Whitney Architecture is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Whitney Architecture make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Design Services.
Who are Whitney Architecture's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SkB Architects, SHED Architecture & Design, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Olson Kundig, Hoedemaker Pfeiffer, Board & Vellum and The Artisans Group. Broad incumbents are Miller Hull Partnership and Mithun. Green Hammer is listed as an emerging player.
Does Whitney Architecture have an API?
No public API is recorded for Whitney Architecture.
What industry is Whitney Architecture in?
Whitney Architecture's product category is Residential Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of HSAPAEAB, Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations. Its NAICS code is 54131.