Sowell Ferris Architects

What Sowell Ferris Architects does

Sowell Ferris Architects is a privately held, full-service architectural firm headquartered in Conway, Arkansas, providing design services across six vertical sectors: commercial, religious, civic and community, healthcare, higher education, and high-end residential. The firm was founded in 1995 as Sowell Architects by Rik Sowell and rebranded in 2025 to Sowell Ferris Architects when longtime partners Emily Ferris and Cody Ferris assumed ownership following Rik Sowell's retirement. Core service delivery runs from initial concept sketches through photo-realistic renderings and construction administration, executed by a lean team of approximately five to six professionals that includes two AIA-credentialed partners, an architectural designer with construction background, and two interior designers (one Allied ASID).

The firm operates a project-based professional services model with custom-quoted engagements tailored to scope, complexity, and client requirements. Revenue is generated per project across sectors such as corporate offices, restaurants, churches and worship centers, behavioral health facilities, schools, municipal buildings (justice buildings, airports, expo centers, city halls), and luxury residences. The firm's go-to-market is referral- and portfolio-driven: it maintains direct client relationships across Central Arkansas and surrounding communities (Conway, Searcy, Clarksville, Oxford, Izard County, Little Rock), supported by a website portfolio and presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sowell Ferris has completed more than 500 projects over 30 years, with reference projects including a 45,000 SF adaptive reuse of the former Kohler factory for Fellowship Bible Church in Searcy, a 13,000–14,000 SF Program Center for Birch Tree Communities in Clarksville, a 6,500 SF office for American Safeguard Insurance in Conway, a 4,000 SF standalone restaurant for Don Pepe's, and a 28,000 SF high school addition for Conway Christian School, as well as multiple Faulkner County civic facilities. The firm is independently owned with no parent company, no institutional investors, and no disclosed funding.

Name

Sowell Ferris Architects

Legal name

Sowell Ferris Architects, Inc.

Website

https://sowellarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sowell Ferris Architects is a privately held, full-service architectural firm in Conway, Arkansas, providing design services across commercial, religious, civic, healthcare, higher education, and high-end residential sectors for clients across Central Arkansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Commercial architecture services
• Religious facility design
• Healthcare facility architecture
• Civic community buildings
• Higher education campus planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Conway

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: Project-based fees for architectural design services including initial concept through construction administration. Revenue generated on a per-project basis for commercial, religious, civic, healthcare, higher education, and residential clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sowell Ferris Architects is a full-service architectural firm that designs buildings across commercial, religious, civic/community, healthcare, higher education, and high-end residential sectors. The firm delivers projects from initial concept sketches through photo-realistic renderings to construction administration, primarily serving Central Arkansas and surrounding regions. Headquartered in Conway, Arkansas, the firm has completed more than 500 projects since its founding in 1995.

Product overview

Sowell Ferris Architects is a full-service architectural firm offering specialized design services across six core sectors: commercial, religious, civic and community, healthcare, higher education, and high-end residential architecture. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Conway, Arkansas, the firm has completed over 500 projects throughout the region. Their integrated approach combines design expertise with advanced visualization technology, leveraging the latest tools from initial concept sketches through photo-realistic renderings to help clients clearly visualize their projects at every stage. The firm specializes in tailoring solutions to unique project goals, challenges, and character while maintaining practical budget stewardship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Architecture Services Design services for corporate headquarters, restaurants, veterinary clinics, and office buildings in Central Arkansas. Projects feature modern forms that bring the outdoors in and showcase structural elements, with signature branding integration for clients.
• Religious Architecture Services Comprehensive design solutions for churches and religious organizations throughout Arkansas, ranging from small renovations to full campus master planning, with extensive experience in adaptive reuse of existing structures (e.g., former factories) into worship facilities.
• Civic and Community Architecture Public infrastructure design for county and municipal clients in Central Arkansas, including justice buildings, airports, expo centers, city halls, and recreational facilities such as tennis centers.
• Healthcare Architecture Services Patient-centered facility design for dental and oral surgery practices, medical clinics, behavioral health facilities, and long-term care environments, emphasizing comfort, caregiver support, and clinical workflow efficiency.
• Higher Education Architecture Campus master planning and design services for colleges and universities, including student housing, libraries, wellness centers, and educational facility expansions.
• High-End Residential Architecture Exclusive residential design services for luxury custom homes in Central Arkansas, delivered with precision and excellence on a limited annual basis.
• Concept to Completion Design Services Full-service architectural process delivered across all six sectors: from initial concept sketches through photo-realistic renderings, construction documents, and construction administration, enabling clients to clearly visualize projects before construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ completed projects throughout the region

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• LiveCo ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborated with Sowell Ferris Architects on Birch Tree Communities Oxford branch renovation project. Joint effort for renovation of former school gymnasium into behavioral health facility.
• Corco ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Served as General Contractor for American Safeguard Insurance 6,500 SF new construction office building project in Conway, AR. Collaboration between architectural design and construction execution.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Roberson Pollard Martin & Associates: Arkansas regional architectural firm with a similar mix of commercial, civic, religious, and educational work in Central and Northwest Arkansas. Direct competitor on institutional RFPs.
• Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects: Arkansas-headquartered architecture firm with comparable size and a multi-sector portfolio (civic, education, healthcare, commercial). Direct regional competitor for the same Arkansas institutional clients Sowell Ferris serves.
• Wier Boerner Allin Architecture: Bentonville, Arkansas-based architectural firm of comparable scale serving commercial, religious, healthcare, and civic clients in the same regional market. Same project-fee model and vertical mix.
• AMR Architecture: Little Rock-based architecture practice of similar size with comparable services across commercial, civic, healthcare, and religious sectors in the Arkansas market.

Broad incumbents

• HKS Architects: Large national architecture firm with deep healthcare, civic, and higher-education practices. Competes against Sowell Ferris on larger institutional RFPs and brings design-build scale that small regional firms cannot match.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture practice with major healthcare, civic, and education portfolios. Competes on larger Arkansas institutional jobs and sets the design-quality benchmark that Sowell Ferris must meet.
• SmithGroup: National integrated design firm with strong healthcare, higher-education, and civic practices. Represents the larger incumbent that small regional firms face on bigger pursuits.

Regional players

• Tackett Architecture: Small Arkansas-based architecture firm serving healthcare, civic, and commercial clients — closely matches Sowell Ferris's boutique scale and project-based fee model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sowellarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sowell-ferris-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/sowellarchitects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Sowell Ferris Architects