Building Culture
Building Culture is a vertically integrated design-build-development firm in Oklahoma City that develops, designs, and constructs walkable mixed-use real estate projects using structural brick masonry, selling for-sale units, syndicating patient capital to accredited investors, and operating Apollo Workspace for small-business tenants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersOklahoma City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Building Culture does
Building Culture is a privately held, founder-led, vertically integrated design-build-development firm headquartered in Oklahoma City that originates, designs, builds, and holds walkable mixed-use real estate projects, primarily in Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, and Carlton Landing). The firm is one of a small number of U.S. operators that runs development, architecture, and construction under one team, using structural brick masonry (load-bearing brick walls rather than brick veneer), timber ceilings, arched openings, and deep-set windows as its signature construction system. Its completed portfolio includes The Bend at Carlton Landing (2020) and Selah in Norman (2021); its current flagship is the $30M Townsend project in downtown Edmond, with Apollo Workspace (curated private offices for 1-6 person teams) opening as Phase 1 in Spring 2027, and the 34-unit Wren pocket neighborhood entering capital raise in summer 2026. Building Culture is co-sponsor on Wren with Canvas Development & Architecture.
The firm's business model blends multiple revenue streams: developer fees on originated projects, architecture and construction services captured in-house, one-time sales of for-sale residential and live-work units (Townsend Phase 2 townhomes pre-selling fall 2026; Wren units), long-term rental cash flow and appreciation on held commercial assets (notably Apollo Workspace), patient-capital syndication to accredited investors under Reg D 506(c) with performance hurdles, and workshop fees from the recurring Build Beautiful two-day program ($2,500 per attendee, capped at 25). Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: Austin Tunnell personally replies to investment inquiries; pre-leasing and pre-sales are managed directly by the firm through dedicated property websites (townsendneighborhood.com, apolloworkspace.com); and brand awareness is generated through The Building Culture Podcast (49+ episodes as of May 2026), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, and long-form essays. Customers include home buyers seeking walkable housing, small-business tenants needing curated workspace, accredited investors seeking tax-efficient long-hold real estate exposure, and practitioners (architects, developers, builders) attending workshops.
Operations are concentrated in Oklahoma with a small team of roughly 11 people spanning founder/CEO, partner/director of architecture and construction, project architects, designers, controller, sales/marketing, field technicians, a superintendent, and graphic design. The firm has been recognized with the 2020 ICAA Emerging Excellence in the Classical Tradition award and the 2021 Urban Guild Design Excellence Award for The Bend. Leadership includes Austin Tunnell (Founder & CEO; former KPMG CPA, Peace Corps, masonry apprentice) and Matt Hayes, AIA (Partner, Director of Architecture and Construction; previously G.P. Schafer Architect in Manhattan, joined 2022).
Building Culture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Building Culture
- Legal name
- Building Culture
- Website
- https://buildingculture.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Building Culture is a vertically integrated design-build-development firm in Oklahoma City that develops, designs, and constructs walkable mixed-use real estate projects using structural brick masonry, selling for-sale units, syndicating patient capital to accredited investors, and operating Apollo Workspace for small-business tenants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Building Culture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real Estate Development
- NAICS
- Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Architectural Services (54131)
- SIC
- Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes) (IMAFABAB), Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)
Keywords
Where Building Culture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oklahoma City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Building Culture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Real Estate Development Fees: Building Culture acts as developer and sponsor on projects, earning developer fees for originating, structuring, and managing projects.
- Design and Construction Services: The firm designs and builds its own projects, capturing fees and margin across the architecture and construction phases.
- Long-Term Real Estate Holdings: Building Culture and its investing partners hold projects long-term. Apollo Workspace is explicitly held for the long term with partners. Cash flow from rent and eventual appreciation constitutes long-term upside. Capital is returned tax-efficiently through refinance rather than forced sale.
- For-Sale Residential and Live-Work Units: Townsend townhomes, live-work units, and Wren units are sold to end buyers, generating one-time transaction revenue.
- Workshop Revenue: Build Beautiful workshop generates $2,500 per attendee, with up to 25 attendees per cohort. Covers sessions, materials, and meals. 2026 cohort is full; 2027 planning underway.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Build Beautiful Workshop — $2,500 per person |
| Subscription | Monthly | Apollo Workspace — private offices for 1–6 person teams |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Townsend Townhomes — for-sale residential units |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Building Culture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Building Culture is a vertically integrated design-build-development firm that develops, designs, and constructs walkable mixed-use real estate projects using structural brick masonry. The firm's portfolio includes completed pocket neighborhoods (The Bend at Carlton Landing, Selah), projects under construction (Townsend, Apollo Workspace), and projects in development (Wren). Beyond real estate, Building Culture offers accredited investor syndications under Reg D 506(c), a long-form podcast on architecture and urbanism, and the hands-on Build Beautiful Workshop for practitioners.
Product overview
Building Culture is a vertically integrated design-build-development firm in Oklahoma City offering real estate development projects, architectural services, construction, and investment opportunities. Their portfolio includes completed developments (Selah, The Bend at Carlton Landing), projects under construction (Townsend, Apollo Workspace), and projects in development (Wren). Beyond development, they offer The Building Culture Podcast (long-form conversations on architecture and urbanism), the Build Beautiful Workshop (hands-on training for practitioners), and investment opportunities for accredited investors. The firm is organized as a vertically integrated platform where the same team handles development, design, and construction across all projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Townsend A walkable mixed-use block in downtown Edmond, Oklahoma, comprising workspace, live-work units, and for-sale townhomes set around shared courtyards. Developed in phases with Apollo Workspace as Phase 1.
- Apollo Workspace Curated private workspace inside the Townsend development in downtown Edmond, Oklahoma, featuring structural brick masonry construction, timber ceilings, and a window in every office. Phase 1 of Townsend, designed for 1-6 person teams and held long-term with investing partners.
- Wren A 34-unit pocket neighborhood in downtown Edmond, Oklahoma, comprising 18 townhomes, 4 flats, and 6 live/work units organized around shared interior courtyards instead of parking lots. Jointly developed with Canvas Development & Architecture.
- Build Beautiful Workshop A two-day hands-on workshop in Oklahoma City for architects, developers, builders, and investors, focused on making beautiful, durable, human-scaled places. Covers masonry craft, pocket neighborhood design, and funding structures for long-hold projects. $2,500 per attendee; max 25 participants per cohort.
- Investment Opportunities Patient capital syndication for accredited investors under Regulation D 506(c), structured around long-term ownership of walkable mixed-use real estate. Features vertically integrated execution, conservative leverage, performance hurdles before developer participation, and refinance-based capital return.
Quantifiable outcome
- Townsend is a $30M mixed-use infill project in downtown Edmond, with 10-minute walk to 35+ restaurants, coffee shops, and a three-acre park.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Building Culture
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Building Culture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Building Culture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Canvas Development & ArchitecturecoreCanvas Development & Architecture is co-sponsor of the Wren project, a 34-unit pocket neighborhood in downtown Edmond. Building Culture and Canvas are jointly developing Wren, with capital raise opening summer 2026.
- Wheeler DistrictminorWheeler District is a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) in Oklahoma City where the Build Beautiful workshop is hosted. It is a partner in that the workshop takes place in Wheeler District, and the district itself represents the type of place Building Culture advocates for. The relationship is experiential and community-based rather than formal commercial.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Building Culture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The St. Joe Company: Florida-based real-estate developer that originated the Seaside Traditional Neighborhood Development model — the conceptual ancestor of Building Culture's walkable pocket neighborhoods. Compares as a broad incumbent in Traditional Neighborhood Development at scale.
- Newland Communities: One of the largest U.S. developers of master-planned Traditional Neighborhood Developments, with roots in the Seaside 30A TND movement. A scaled incumbent comparable in typology (walkable, mixed-use, traditional urbanism) but operating at meaningfully larger project scale and broader geographic footprint.
- Robert A.M. Stern Architects: New York architecture firm practicing contextual, traditional, and classical design across residential and institutional buildings. Broad incumbent with deep overlap to Building Culture's classical-architecture orientation, but operating at much larger scale and project scope.
- G.P. Schafer Architect: New York classical-architecture firm specializing in custom residences and institutional buildings; Partner/Director of Architecture & Construction Matt Hayes worked here before joining Building Culture. Broad incumbent comparable in classical-architecture aesthetic and craft, though G.P. Schafer is a pure architecture firm without Building Culture's developer + constructor scope.
Direct peers
- Mistral Homes: Design-driven residential developer/builder focused on traditional and classical custom homes in the Midwest. Comparable in craft orientation and small-scale residential execution; positioned similarly in the high-end traditional residential market to Building Culture's for-sale townhome product.
- Carlton Landing: New-urbanist lakeside community in Oklahoma where Building Culture completed The Bend at Carlton Landing (2020). Sales & Marketing lead Sarah Tunnell previously directed the Carlton Landing Community Foundation, making it a directly adjacent Traditional Neighborhood Development operation in the same state.
- Dwell Development: Urban infill design-builder in the Pacific Northwest focused on sustainable, design-forward townhomes and small multifamily in walkable neighborhoods. Direct comparable in design-build model, infill orientation, and small-team execution, though Building Culture emphasizes traditional/classical rather than modern aesthetic.
- Canvas Development & Architecture: Oklahoma-based design-build-development firm working at small-to-mid scale on walkable, traditional urbanism projects. Direct partner with Building Culture on Wren (co-sponsors), making the two firms mutually comparable in vertical integration, geography, and project type.
- Wheeler District: Traditional Neighborhood Development in Oklahoma City where Building Culture hosts the Build Beautiful workshop. Wheeler is a comparable Oklahoma walkable-mixed-use development, demonstrating demand for the pocket-neighborhood / courtyard typology Building Culture is building in Edmond.
Others
- Urban Guild: Education and advocacy organization for traditional and classical architecture that awarded Building Culture the 2021 Design Excellence Award for The Bend at Carlton Landing. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor — comparable as a community/thought-leadership node in the same niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Building Culture social profiles
Digital presenceBuilding Culture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Building Culture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Building Culture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Building Culture 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 Building Culture
What does Building Culture do?
Building Culture is a vertically integrated design-build-development firm that develops, designs, and constructs walkable mixed-use real estate projects using structural brick masonry. The firm's portfolio includes completed pocket neighborhoods (The Bend at Carlton Landing, Selah), projects under construction (Townsend, Apollo Workspace), and projects in development (Wren). Beyond real estate, Building Culture offers accredited investor syndications under Reg D 506(c), a long-form podcast on architecture and urbanism, and the hands-on Build Beautiful Workshop for practitioners.
Is Building Culture a public or private company?
Building Culture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Building Culture founded?
Building Culture was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Building Culture based?
Building Culture is headquartered in Oklahoma City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Building Culture make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Real Estate Development Fees are the primary driver. The others are design and Construction Services, long-Term Real Estate Holdings, for-Sale Residential and Live-Work Units and workshop Revenue.
Who are Building Culture's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The St. Joe Company, Newland Communities, Robert A.M. Stern Architects and G.P. Schafer Architect. Direct peers are Mistral Homes, Carlton Landing, Dwell Development, Canvas Development & Architecture and Wheeler District. Urban Guild is listed as an others.
Does Building Culture have an API?
No public API is recorded for Building Culture.
What industry is Building Culture in?
Building Culture's product category is Real Estate Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders, with a secondary code of IMAFABAB, Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes). Its NAICS code is 236220 and its SIC code is 6513.