What Seed Architecture does

Seed Architecture is a full-service architecture and planning firm operating as a privately held LLC in Columbia, South Carolina. Founded in 2015 by John K. Powell, an AIA, NCARB-certified, and LEED AP architect, the firm offers architectural design services across commercial office, medical, hospitality and retail, faith-based, industrial, and residential client segments, with named project experience ranging from small residential commissions to multi-million-dollar commercial and industrial work. Its project base spans the Greater Columbia area, Charleston, and Greenville, and includes notable clients such as Indah Coffee, Raymond James, Heritage Condos, MIRCI, CEEUS INC., and Urban Cookhouse, as well as repeat developer relationships with Cason Development Group and Quattlebaum.

The firm operates on a project-based professional services model, with fees tied to architectural scope and construction cost, and goes to market through relationship-driven business development, design-build partnerships with regional developers, and selective preservation work. Its technical stack centers on industry-standard Building Information Modeling (BIM) and architectural design software rather than proprietary technology, and it has earned specialty recognition including 2018 Historic Columbia Preservation Awards and a Tilt-Up Achievement Award. The team is small, around half a dozen named staff, including the founding principal, two interior designers, two designers, and an executive assistant, and the firm reports delivering more than fifty projects within its first six months of operation, indicative of fast early traction in its core Midlands market.

Name

Seed Architecture

Legal name

SEED Architecture, LLC

Website

https://seedarchitect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seed Architecture is a Columbia, South Carolina-based architecture firm founded in 2015 that delivers full-service design for commercial, medical, hospitality, faith-based, industrial, and residential clients across South Carolina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Commercial architecture services
• Residential architecture design
• Adaptive reuse design
• Master planning services
• Historic preservation architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: SEED Architecture generates revenue through fees for architectural and planning services. Projects range from small residential renovations to commercial and industrial projects with construction costs of $6-7 million. Services include new construction design, renovation, master planning, and interior design.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SEED Architecture is a full-service architectural design and planning firm providing commercial, residential, faith-based, hospitality, medical, and industrial architecture services. The firm delivers new construction design, renovation, master planning, interior design, and historic preservation/adaptive reuse services primarily across the greater Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville regions of South Carolina. Projects range from small residential renovations to commercial and industrial builds with construction costs of $6-7 million.

Product overview

SEED Architecture is a full-service architecture and planning firm founded in 2015, offering commercial and residential design services. The firm operates across multiple project categories including Industrial architecture (warehouses, manufacturing facilities), Hospitality & Retail design (restaurants, coffee shops), Faith-Based architecture (church campuses, sanctuaries), Office & Medical design (corporate interiors, medical office buildings), and Historic Preservation services. The firm also provides interior design capabilities including space planning and finish selection. Their project portfolio spans projects from $6-7 million industrial facilities to smaller residential renovations, primarily serving the greater Columbia, SC region as well as Charleston and Greenville markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Planning Services Full-service architecture and planning services for commercial, residential, faith-based, hospitality, medical, and industrial clients, delivered through a relationship-based design methodology that spans from concept and master planning through construction administration.
• Industrial Architecture Design of industrial facilities including self-storage buildings, multi-tenant tilt-up warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and corporate headquarters renovations.
• Hospitality and Retail Design

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cason Development GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term development partner on multiple projects including Indah Coffee (Dunn Electric building adaptive reuse), SEED Architecture's own office relocation (2144 Sumter Street), and various Cottontown neighborhood redevelopment projects. Multiple buildings in the Dave's Transmission complex were repurposed through this partnership.
• Montgomery ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor partner on Indah Coffee adaptive reuse project that received 2018 Historic Columbia Preservation Award. Also worked on 301 South Saluda Avenue historic renovation project.
• Kenneth B. Simmons Associates (KBSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning landscape, architecture and land planning firm collaborated with on Camden Classically Carolina Tennis Complex project.
• Quattlebaum Development Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-time client partner on multiple self-storage projects including Extra Space Storage on Saint Andrews Boulevard and Coleman Storage in Mt. Pleasant. SEED Architecture works within branded style requirements for Extra Space Storage.
• Cohn ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor partner on multiple projects including Sandhills Periodontics and Flatrock Dental new office buildings.
• Boyer Commercial ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor partner on Urban Cookhouse locations and Blythewood Presbyterian Church sanctuary project.
• Mashburn Construction Co.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor on St. Mary's Episcopal Church and Raymond James office upfit projects.
• NAI AvantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial real estate firm partnered with on Palmetto Health-USC Medical Group office suite project at Landmark I building.
• Hill ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner on Loveland Coffee first storefront location in Irmo.
• Bobbitt Design BuildminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign-build partner on Autism Academy of South Carolina gym renovation and Urban Cookhouse projects.
• Burriss ContractingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor on Providence Home dormitory and chapel new construction project.
• Landmark BuildersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor on Vantage II multi-tenant industrial project in Ridgeville, SC.
• Taylor GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesign-build partner with SEED Architecture on Blackbridge Financial 3,500 square foot office building.
• Hood ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor on The Heritage Condos renovation project including common areas and pool cabana.
• McCroryminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor on CEEUS INC. 313,500 SF headquarters renovation project projected for Spring 2024 completion.
• Kirk Commercial ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor on MIRCI Clinical and Executive Offices 11,845 square foot upfit project.
• Duckworth Interior DesignminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInterior design partner on The Heritage Condos renovation providing interiors and furnishings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Historical Concepts: Architecture and planning firm specializing in traditional design, master planning, and historic-inspired communities across the Southeast. Comparable to SEED in the adaptive reuse and faith-based/community design segments where SEED's preservation awards were earned.
• LS3P: Southeast US-based architecture, interiors, and planning firm headquartered in Charleston, SC with offices across the Carolinas. Directly comparable to SEED given overlapping geography, service mix, and developer/contractor relationships in the South Carolina market.
• Studio 2LR: Columbia, SC-based architecture firm serving commercial, residential, and adaptive reuse clients. Comparable to SEED as a similarly-sized Columbia firm with shared Midlands clientele.
• McMillan Pazdan Smith: South Carolina-headquartered architecture firm with offices in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. Directly comparable to SEED given shared geography, project categories (commercial, healthcare, education, community), and relationship-based GTM.
• GMK Associates: Architecture, planning, and interiors firm with a long-standing South Carolina presence including a Columbia office. Comparable to SEED for its regional focus, public-sector and commercial portfolio, and historic preservation capabilities.
• Jumper Carter Sease Architects: South Carolina-based architecture firm with offices in Columbia and Charleston serving commercial, healthcare, education, and adaptive reuse clients. Comparable to SEED as a regional peer with similar project mix and SC footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture and design firm with a Charlotte, NC office and active projects across the Southeast. Comparable as a much larger incumbent competing for healthcare, institutional, and commercial work that SEED also pursues in the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Seed Architecture