Trade Architects
Trade Architects was a two-person residential architecture and interiors firm founded in 2021, serving homeowners in Philadelphia and Richmond with renovations, historic preservation, and contemporary additions. The partnership concluded in 2025, with founders continuing as independent practices Troupe Architects and Davis Projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Trade Architects does
Trade Architects was a residential architecture and interiors firm established in 2021 by co-founders Katherine Treppendahl and Alex Davis, operating across the Philadelphia and Richmond, Virginia markets. The firm provided professional design services for residential clients, with a portfolio centered on thoughtful renovation, historic preservation, and the integration of contemporary interventions into existing structures, including Victorian rowhouses, 1920s-era homes, and multi-unit-to-single-family conversions in historic districts. Services encompassed full-house renovations, additions, interior design, custom millwork coordination, and multi-year project management, typically delivered through direct client engagement and referrals. The firm maintained a professional portfolio website and an Instagram presence, and earned third-party recognition including a feature in Dwell magazine's November 2025 issue for the Fitler Square rowhouse project.
The underlying operating model was straightforward professional services revenue: custom-quoted engagements per project, no disclosed pricing tiers, no proprietary technology platform, and no recurring or productized revenue stream. Client acquisition was sales-led, driven by portfolio quality, referrals, and earned media rather than paid marketing. Trade Architects worked alongside a consistent bench of regional contractors and specialty fabricators (Osborne Construction, Hivemind, David Biche Custom Builders, Loubier Design, Black Sheep Design, Moring Building, Bluebird Cabinetry) and collaborated with New York-based General Assembly on the Fitler Square multi-year engagement. The firm was a two-person partnership with no external funding, no parent entity, and no institutional investors.
In 2025, after approximately four and a half years of operation, Trade Architects concluded as a formal partnership. The entity's operating status is closed; Katherine Treppendahl continues her practice based in Philadelphia under the name Troupe Architects, and Alex Davis operates independently in Richmond as Davis Projects. The two founders have indicated they continue to collaborate on projects despite the dissolution of the formal partnership structure.
Trade Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trade Architects
- Legal name
- Trade Architects
- Website
- https://trade-architects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Trade Architects was a two-person residential architecture and interiors firm founded in 2021, serving homeowners in Philadelphia and Richmond with renovations, historic preservation, and contemporary additions. The partnership concluded in 2025, with founders continuing as independent practices Troupe Architects and Davis Projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trade Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Historic Home Renovation & Preservation (HSAPAEAG), Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB)
Keywords
Where Trade Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Trade Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architecture and Interior Design Services: Professional services revenue from residential architecture projects including renovations, additions, historic preservation, and interior design. Projects are custom engagements typically involving multi-year timelines for full renovations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Trade Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trade Architects was an architecture and interiors firm providing professional architectural and interior design services for residential properties. Core offerings included full house renovations, historic preservation projects, modern additions, multifamily-to-single-family conversions, custom millwork design, and interior design collaborations. Projects typically spanned multi-year timelines and required collaboration with contractors, fabricators, and other design partners.
Product overview
Trade Architects was an architecture and interiors firm established in 2021 by Katherine Treppendahl and Alex Davis. The firm offered comprehensive architectural and interior design services across residential and commercial projects. Following the conclusion of the formal partnership, the practice has split into two independent operations: Troupe Architects (Katherine Treppendahl, Philadelphia) and Davis Projects (Alex Davis). The portfolio included projects such as Fan House Renovation, Fitler Square, Osage Avenue Renovation, St James Place, and the Quirk Hotel.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services
Companies that use Trade Architects
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Trade Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Trade Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- General AssemblycoreNew York-based architecture firm with whom Trade Architects collaborated on the Fitler Square multi-year renovation project in Philadelphia. General Assembly served as the primary client representative while Trade Architects oversaw the renovation.
- Osborne ConstructioncoreContractor partner for the Fitler Square renovation project. Described as 'very skilled contractor' with excellent team of subcontractors.
- Loubier DesignminorMillwork partner for Fitler Square and Osage Avenue renovation projects, providing custom cabinetry and built-in furniture.
- Black Sheep DesignminorSteel and glass fabrication partner for Fitler Square project, responsible for the thermally-broken steel and glass dining room addition.
- Mark WarfieldminorInterior design collaborator on Fan House Renovation project in Richmond. Worked alongside Trade Architects on the project.
- Moring BuildingcoreConstruction contractor for Fan House Renovation project in Richmond.
- Bluebird Cabinetry and Stephan BurgerminorCabinet makers for Fan House Renovation project, providing custom cabinetry.
- HivemindcoreConstruction contractor for Osage Avenue Renovation project in Philadelphia.
- David Biche Custom BuilderscoreConstruction contractor for St James Place renovation project in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse neighborhood.
- Elizabeth NielsenminorPhotographer for St James Place and Fan House Renovation projects, documenting completed work.
- Matthew WilliamsminorPhotographer for Fitler Square and Osage Avenue renovation projects, documenting completed work.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Trade Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bates Masi + Architects: Residential architecture firm recognized for highly crafted, materially-rich houses that respond to context and history. Closely parallels Trade Architects' bespoke residential work and design-led approach.
- Olson Kundig: Renowned custom residential architecture practice known for integrating crafted materials, industrial elements, and bespoke detail. Comparable to Trade Architects on high-craft, single-family residential commissions.
- Aidlin Darling Design: Award-winning architecture studio with deep residential work and emphasis on craft, materiality, and indoor-outdoor integration. Comparable niche and design philosophy to Trade Architects.
- General Assembly: Architecture firm that collaborated with Trade Architects on the Fitler Square project; operates in similar boutique residential space with a comparable urban, historic-aware sensibility.
- WORKSHOP/APD: Boutique architecture and interior design practice specializing in high-end residential and hospitality projects. Highly comparable to Trade Architects in scale, design sensibility, and the integration of architecture with interior design.
- Studio DB: Residential architecture and interiors practice with a portfolio of historic and contemporary renovations. Strong overlap with Trade Architects in blending old and new within urban historic contexts.
Emerging players
- Apparatus: Design studio operating at the intersection of architecture, interiors, and furnishings for high-end residential and hospitality. Overlaps with Trade Architects' interior design and custom millwork emphasis.
Broad incumbents
- Brooks + Scarpa: Established architecture firm with residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse portfolio. Comparable on adaptive reuse and renovation dimensions but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
- Handel Architects: Multi-disciplinary architecture firm with a residential portfolio including urban infill and historic-adjacent work. Comparable on the architecture-of-urban-residential dimension but at much larger scale.
- Robert A.M. Stern Architects: Large, established architecture firm with significant residential practice emphasizing contextual and historicist design. Broader portfolio but overlapping expertise in historic residential architecture.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trade Architects social profiles
Digital presenceTrade Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trade Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Trade Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trade Architects 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 Trade Architects
What does Trade Architects do?
Trade Architects was an architecture and interiors firm providing professional architectural and interior design services for residential properties. Core offerings included full house renovations, historic preservation projects, modern additions, multifamily-to-single-family conversions, custom millwork design, and interior design collaborations. Projects typically spanned multi-year timelines and required collaboration with contractors, fabricators, and other design partners.
Is Trade Architects a public or private company?
Trade Architects is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was Trade Architects founded?
Trade Architects was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Trade Architects based?
Trade Architects is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trade Architects make money?
One revenue line is on record: architecture and Interior Design Services.
Who are Trade Architects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bates Masi + Architects, Olson Kundig, Aidlin Darling Design, General Assembly, WORKSHOP/APD and Studio DB. Apparatus is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Brooks + Scarpa, Handel Architects and Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
Does Trade Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trade Architects.
What industry is Trade Architects in?
Trade Architects'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 and its SIC code is 8711.