We help mission-driven organizations turn community investment into dignified architecture that strengthens neighborhood trust and delivers high-impact affordable housing and civic spaces within the real-world challenges of funding, policy, and place. Aggregate Studio is a City of Chicago DPD-Approved Architect for the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF).
Collaborative, empathetic, diverse, and optimistic, as a design partner, we look at each project with an aspirational lens and grounded technical knowledge.
At Aggregate Studio, three things set us apart from other architecture firms: an engaged, collaborative, empathetic design process; principal-led accountability and delivery; and the lived experience that shapes our values – including founder Josh Mings’ upbringing in Columbus, Indiana, and in Section 8 housing.
We see being a small firm as a strength – we’re agile, communicative, and can take on projects other firms cannot and give them the attention they deserve.
"Aggregate's engagement has helped build Here to Stay's reputation as a provider of well designed, high quality homes. They've been a trusted partner who supports our mission and shares our values in creating permanently affordable housing for those deeply rooted in the communities we serve."
We are a design partner for non-profits and community land trusts, providing dignified housing design delivered with an experienced understanding of regulatory policy and funding complexities, combined with an empathetic and collaborative design process.
We help community-based developers deliver responsible, high-value outcomes through effective budget management and a deep knowledge of code and zoning policy. We help funding go further and projects move faster without compromising quality and design.
Aggregate exists to design architecture that uplifts people and places in the context of housing equity, community resilience, and community benefit. We aggregate ideas, perspectives, and community voices into a unified design that doesn’t deny constraints but seeks positive transformation.
We celebrate modest, but real, material improvements in housing and small-scale projects. Our culture of curiosity and innovation, combined with grounded technical knowledge, allows us to tackle design problems large and small, serving as a guide throughout the design process.