We are an international design firm. Our clients trust us to reimagine places of business, living, education, and community. We design with creativity and empathy, collaborating across our disciplines to inspire, sustain and enhance our communities. Good design is inclusive, contextual, and timeless. At RATIO, we design for impact.
History
Since our founding in 1982, RATIO has partnered with a diverse list of clients to deliver innovative design solutions across the globe. Originally focused on historic preservation, our firm has achieved international recognition on projects requiring complex consensus-building and contextual design in urban and campus environments. Today, RATIO’s six studio locations provide our clients with a wealth of international design experience while remaining firmly rooted in the authentic character of our communities.
Approach
We embrace our responsibility for the greater good — working with clients to inspire community members, sustain their resources, and delight users. We enhance lives, drawing upon decades of local knowledge and the international resources of RATIO.
OUR DISCIPLINES
- Architecture
- Interior Design
- Landscape Architecture
- Historic Preservation
- Urban Design
- Graphic Design
STUDIOS
INDIANAPOLIS
CHICAGO
DENVER
RALEIGH
CHAMPAIGN
MILWAUKEE
DISCIPLINES
ARCHITECTURE
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
INTERIOR DESIGN
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
URBAN DESIGN
GRAPHIC DESIGN
200
Design professionals and support staff across six studios
87
LEED Certified or Registered Facilities
73%
Since 2020, 73% of RATIO’s projects have been awarded by existing clients.
28%
Percent of Revenue Paid to XBE Consultants
Clients rely on us to reimagine their buildings and outdoor spaces, integrate emerging trends and technologies, and design for flexible uses.
MCNICHOLS CIVIC CENTER BUILDING DENVER, CO
Civic Buildings
RATIO excels in navigating the complexities of community-based projects. We are committed to the greater good, overcoming funding challenges, administration changes, and public/private partnership intricacies. Our inclusive approach builds consensus, evaluates needs, and solves problems. We immerse ourselves in each community, bringing creativity and authenticity to the design process.
1. MONTEZUMA CO. COMBINED COURTHOUSE CORTEZ, CO
2. MCNICHOLS CIVIC CENTER BUILDING
3. EAST CIVIC TOWER
4. UPTOWN STATION + TOWN HALL NORMAL, IL
5. STATE ARCHIVES BUILDING INDIANAPOLIS, IN
6. TOWN HALL + CULTURAL ARTS CENTER PLAINFIELD, IN
Public Libraries
The public library has evolved into a community landmark with makerspaces and kitchens for cooking classes, reflecting the values and vitality of its people. Modern library design incorporates expertise from various fields like education, hospitality, and STEM. Our interdisciplinary approach leverages these to enhance and sustain communities for years to come.
1. CARMEL PUBLIC LIBRARY CARMEL, IN
2. THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY RENOVATION KETCHUM, ID
3. FORSYTH COUNTY CENTRAL LIBRARY WINSTON-SALEM, NC
4. CARBONDALE BRANCH LIBRARY GREENCASTLE, IN
5. GREEN VALLEY RANCH BRANCH LIBRARY DENVER, CO
6. LEESVILLE COMMUNITY LIBRARY RALEIGH, NC
Cultural Facilities
Our cultural practice designs uplifting public spaces that unite us, inspire appreciation for art and history, and capture our imagination. RATIO’s inclusive engagement builds consensus, and our interdisciplinary approach brings museums, theaters, and civic spaces to life, creating authentic places where visitors feel connected and inspired.
1. EYKAMP PAVILION + KOCH IMMERSIVE THEATER EVANSVILLE, IN
2.
5. INDIANA STATE MUSEUM INDIANAPOLIS, IN
6. PLANETARIUM + SPACE OBJECT THEATER AT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS
7.
MUSEUM
Recreation + Community Centers
Recreation centers are vital for community building, sharing cultural heritage, promoting healthy lifestyles, and fostering friendships. We design spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together. From large complexes to small impactful spaces, our designs create sustainable, comfortable environments that enhance community quality of life.
1. MARTENS COMMUNITY CENTER CHAMPAIGN, IL
2. POYNER YMCA RALEIGH, NC
3. SOUTHEAST RALEIGH YMCA + ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RALEIGH, NC
4. NORTHWEST YMCA BLOOMINGTON, IN
5. POOLE FAMILY YMCA GARNER, NC
6. CHASE NEAR EASTSIDE LEGACY CENTER INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Affordable Housing
We strive to create welcoming places that connect people to their community through excellent housing design. By designing living spaces that enliven their context, we aim to promote community pride and social responsibility that empowers residents to see themselves as members of a community, not just tenants. Our ultimate goal is to create neighborhoods where residents feel rooted, secure, and stable.
1. ATLANTIS APARTMENTS DENVER, CO 2. CANNELTON COTTON MILL APARTMENTS
1. EDITH SPURLOCK SAMPSON APARTMENTS
IL 4. SACRED HEART APARTMENTS GARRETT, IN
Parks + Recreation
The RATIO team understands the important role parks play in developing and maintaining a sense of place and community. In addition, a well-planned and wellrun park system can dramatically increase the quality of life. Our landscape architectural studio provides the professional diligence and innovative thinking necessary to create and enhance these public spaces.
1. BROWN FAMILY AMPHITHEATER AT BSU MUNCIE, IN
2. MAPLEWOOD PARK FIELDHOUSE CHICAGO, IL
3. FEDERAL HILL COMMONS NOBLESVILLE, IN
4. CRYSTAL LAKE PARK FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER URBANA, IL
5. GARFIELD PARK SUNKEN GARDENS INDIANAPOLIS, IN
6. FISHERS CENTRAL GREEN FISHERS, IN
7. MILLER SHOWERS PARK BLOOMINGTON, IN
8. TAGGART MEMORIAL AMPHITHEATER INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Transit Facilities
RATIO’s team understands the intricacies involved in designing highly visible public transportation centers. Working with both private and public entities, our team has designed more than 125 facilities, that total more than 68,000 parking spaces. From national sports facilities to international cultural museums, RATIO’s designers have accommodated a number of community buildings and designed the supportive parking facilities which they require.
1. VIRGINIA AVENUE PARKING GARAGE
4. MIXED-USE PARKING DEVELOPMENT
5. UPTOWN STATION
6. GARAGE ADDITION + OFFICE AT UK
7. BROAD RIPPLE GARAGE + MIXED USE
Historic Preservation
RATIO’s historic preservation studio is focused on projects that celebrate local and regional identity, heritage, and culture. Our team is committed to finding design solutions that celebrate the unique identity of a place while practicing responsible stewardship of its cultural and architectural resources.
3.
8.
1. AMERICAN WOODMEN BUILDING DENVER, CO
2. BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION RALEIGH, NC
5. COLORADO STATE CAPITOL DOME RESTORATION DENVER, CO
6. FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH TOWER REPAIR COLUMBUS, IN
7. BENJAMIN HARRISON PRESIDENTIAL SITE INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Perched on an 11-acre site at the east end of Indianapolis’ historic Massachusetts Avenue, the former Coca-Cola bottling factory is an Art Deco showpiece.
Urban Design
We design cities for growth and vitality, envisioning urban spaces that foster socialization, collaboration, and opportunity. Our focus is on creating places that connect us to living systems, with a sense of permanence and finely crafted details. We prioritize making great public spaces, facilitating relationships between people in the interplay of private and public realms, transforming strangers into community through small daily gestures.
3. SHELBYVILLE DOWNTOWN SQUARE
4. ALLEN COUNTY COURTHOUSE GREEN
5. DOWNTOWN CANAL WALK
6. BICENTENNIAL PAVILION + PROMENADE
1. GEORGIA STREET IMPROVEMENTS
The design features a curbless environment, clay brick paving, new trees, and site furnishings. Parallel parking spaces have been designed to serve as flexible venues for vendors during festivals.
Community Master Planning
RATIO brings extensive experience in communityfocused master planning, guiding cities, campuses, and mixed-use districts from vision through implementation. Through data-driven analysis and inclusive engagement processes, RATIO develops flexible, phased frameworks that respond to growth, enhance connectivity, and create vibrant, resilient communities built for lasting impact.
1. BUCK CREEK DEVELOPMENT STUDY MOHAWK, IN
2. HERITAGE SQUARE MASTER PLAN DURHAM, NC
3. 825 MASS AVE MASTER PLAN INDIANAPOLIS, IN
4. CNO DISTRICT MASTER PLAN CARMEL, IN
5. WEST LOOP MASTER PLAN CHICAGO, IL
This plan introduced diverse housing, civic and commercial uses organized around vibrant public spaces, with connected, traffic-calmed streets and a canal-andlake system that manages stormwater while supporting recreation.
