RACER Design Studio
RACER Design Studio PC is a Chicago-based architecture and interior design firm founded by Robert Benson, serving institutional and enterprise clients across education, research, government, commercial, and hospitality sectors through project-based professional services, often partnering with larger firms as architects of record.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What RACER Design Studio does
RACER Design Studio PC is a Chicago-based architecture firm offering full-service architectural and interior design services across educational facilities (K-12 and higher education), research laboratories, commercial offices, hospitality venues, government buildings, and arts and cultural spaces. Founded by Robert Benson—previously Design Principal at CannonDesign and 4240 Architecture—the studio operates as an Illinois Professional Corporation and serves institutional and enterprise clients directly. Notable projects span specialized quantum computing, laser, and BSL-3 laboratories for the University of Chicago; LEED Gold-certified adaptive reuse offices for the GSA Region 5; the 75,000sf Echo Global Logistics corporate headquarters in Chicago; Showtime Networks workplace; and the 400,000sf Chamonix Casino Hotel in Colorado.
The studio's technical capabilities center on integrated architecture and interior design across multiple typologies, with demonstrated specialization in technically complex research environments (quantum computing, laser, cryogenic, genomics, BSL-3) alongside adaptive reuse and historic preservation work. Project delivery is collaborative: RACER frequently partners with larger firms—CannonDesign, 4240 Architecture, Kahler Slater, and Brayton Hughes—who serve as architects of record on joint engagements, allowing the studio to participate in enterprise-scale projects as the design lead without bearing full project delivery overhead. Work has been recognized by AIA, IIDA, Interior Design Best of Year, and Fast Company Innovation by Design.
RACER generates revenue through professional services fees on a project-by-project basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by scope, complexity, and square footage. No firm-level metrics—headcount, revenue, backlog, or margins—are publicly available, and no external capital has been raised. The studio maintains an active digital presence (2026 website copyright), ongoing construction projects (notably the $80M Illini Hall renovation at the University of Illinois), and a continuous cadence of project announcements and award recognitions suggesting sustained operations.
RACER Design Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RACER Design Studio
- Legal name
- RACER Design Studio PC
- Website
- https://racer.design
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- RACER Design Studio PC is a Chicago-based architecture and interior design firm founded by Robert Benson, serving institutional and enterprise clients across education, research, government, commercial, and hospitality sectors through project-based professional services, often partnering with larger firms as architects of record.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RACER Design Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410), Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)
Keywords
Where RACER Design Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
RACER Design Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture and interior design services for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects across multiple sectors including education, healthcare, government, hospitality, and commercial real estate.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
RACER Design Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RACER Design Studio provides professional architecture and interior design services for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects across multiple building typologies. The studio's work spans science and technology facilities (research laboratories, clean rooms, quantum computing and laser labs), educational facilities (K-12 schools, university buildings, student centers), commercial and corporate interiors, hospitality projects (hotels, casinos), and arts and cultural spaces. Projects emphasize sustainable, high-performance design, light-focused architecture, and collaborative engagement with clients and end users.
Product overview
RACER Design Studio is an architecture and design firm offering comprehensive architectural services across multiple typologies. The firm provides specialized design for science and technology facilities (laboratories, clean rooms, quantum computing spaces), educational institutions (K-12 schools, universities), commercial interiors, hospitality projects, and arts/cultural spaces. The studio emphasizes collaborative design with clients, focusing on architecture that performs, endures, and creates inclusive spaces. Notable projects include research laboratories for the University of Chicago, K-5 prototype schools, hotel developments, and corporate headquarters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services Full-service architecture and interior design studio offering comprehensive design services across commercial, educational, hospitality, and research facilities, collaborating with clients to create architecture that performs, endures, and empowers communities.
- Science & Technology Facilities Design Specialized laboratory design for research institutions including quantum computing labs, laser labs, clean rooms, and nanotechnology facilities with EMI shielding, cryogenic infrastructure, and specialized equipment housing.
- Educational Facilities Design Design of K-12 schools, university buildings, student centers, and academic complexes including modern instructional and research laboratories, with a child-centered inclusive design process for K-12 environments.
- Commercial & Corporate Interiors Design Office headquarters design, workplace environments, and commercial interiors including adaptive reuse projects and brand-aligned corporate spaces for media, logistics, and financial services enterprises.
- Hospitality Design Hotel, casino, and resort design including new construction and historic preservation, blending luxury amenities with local architectural character through parametric Victorian revival and adaptive hospitality techniques.
- Arts & Cultural Spaces Design Performance venues, light installations, and art-integrated architectural experiences including live performance design and public art collaborations.
Quantifiable outcome
- LEED Gold certification achieved for GSA Region 5 project
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use RACER Design Studio
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
RACER Design Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
RACER Design Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Brayton HughesminorInterior design partner for Chamonix Casino Hotel project, providing interior design services alongside RACER's architectural design.
- Kahler SlatercoreArchitect of record for UW Milwaukee Chemistry Building project, working with RACER as design architect.
- CannonDesigncoreArchitect of record for multiple RACER projects including Michigan Plaza Light Sculpture, UW Milwaukee Chemistry Building, Chamonix Hotel, and various educational projects. Collaboration where RACER provides design leadership while CannonDesign serves as architect of record.
- 4240 ArchitecturecoreArchitect of record for 900 West Washington private law firm project. Robert Benson's experience as design principal at 4240 Architecture for this project.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
RACER Design Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Valerio Dewalt Train: Mid-sized Chicago architecture firm with similar education, civic, and workplace portfolio. Comparable project scale and design-led positioning, often competing for the same institutional and corporate clients in the Chicago/Midwest market.
- Wheeler Kearns Architects: Chicago-based design-focused architecture studio with similar boutique scale, residential and education portfolio, and emphasis on collaborative client process. Comparable size and design-led ethos to RACER.
- Booth Hansen: Chicago architecture firm with comparable commercial, hospitality, and institutional project portfolio. Similar mid-size scale and award-winning design reputation in the Midwest market.
- Studio Gang: Chicago-based architecture and urban design studio with comparable boutique scale, design-led reputation, and emphasis on sustainability and community-focused projects. Operates in education, cultural, civic, and research-adjacent typologies at a similar fee-tier to RACER.
- Dirk Denison Architects: Chicago-based boutique architecture firm with similar scale and design-led approach, working across cultural, educational, and commercial typologies. Comparable client base and project size to RACER.
Broad incumbents
- Perkins&Will: Major global architecture firm with deep education and healthcare/research laboratory practices. Regularly competes for the same university, government, and research-facility commissions RACER targets, but at much larger scale.
- SmithGroup: Large integrated design firm with strong higher education, science & technology, and workplace practices. Competes directly for university laboratory and corporate headquarters commissions where RACER also bids.
- CannonDesign: Large national architecture and engineering firm that was Robert Benson's former employer and is currently RACER's primary architect-of-record partner. Overlaps heavily across education, healthcare, and research lab sectors where RACER competes.
- HDR Architecture: Large architecture and engineering firm with significant education, healthcare, and research facilities practices. Competes for the same institutional clients and laboratory projects as RACER at substantially greater scale.
Emerging players
- Kahler Slater: Mid-sized architecture and design firm serving as architect-of-record on RACER's UW Milwaukee Chemistry Building project. Operates in adjacent education and workplace sectors with comparable boutique-to-mid-tier scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RACER Design Studio social profiles
Digital presenceRACER Design Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RACER Design Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
RACER Design Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RACER Design Studio 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 RACER Design Studio
What does RACER Design Studio do?
RACER Design Studio provides professional architecture and interior design services for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects across multiple building typologies. The studio's work spans science and technology facilities (research laboratories, clean rooms, quantum computing and laser labs), educational facilities (K-12 schools, university buildings, student centers), commercial and corporate interiors, hospitality projects (hotels, casinos), and arts and cultural spaces. Projects emphasize sustainable, high-performance design, light-focused architecture, and collaborative engagement with clients and end users.
Is RACER Design Studio a public or private company?
RACER Design Studio is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RACER Design Studio founded?
RACER Design Studio was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is RACER Design Studio based?
RACER Design Studio is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does RACER Design Studio make money?
One revenue line is on record: architecture and Design Services.
Who are RACER Design Studio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Valerio Dewalt Train, Wheeler Kearns Architects, Booth Hansen, Studio Gang and Dirk Denison Architects. Broad incumbents are Perkins&Will, SmithGroup, CannonDesign and HDR Architecture. Kahler Slater is listed as an emerging player.
Does RACER Design Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for RACER Design Studio.
What industry is RACER Design Studio in?
RACER Design Studio'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.