Every city has buildings that quietly become part of everyday life. People work in them, learn in them, visit them, and often pass by without thinking about the planning behind their design. Yet every well-designed building begins with a team that understands both people and place. The firm’s history traces back more than a century through its predecessor firms. From public buildings and commercial spaces to workplaces and civic facilities, TESSERE has built its reputation by bringing multiple design disciplines together under one roof.
Rather than focusing on a single specialty, TESSERE combines architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and civil engineering to create projects that serve communities and businesses alike. The firm’s history, employee-owned structure, and collaborative approach have helped it grow into a multidisciplinary practice with projects across the United States.
A Design Firm With Deep Roots
TESSERE traces its history back to 1919. While the company in its current form was created later, its origins come from design firms that had served clients for decades before joining together.
The name “TESSERE” means “to weave.” The firm uses that idea to describe the way it approaches every project. Instead of treating architecture, interiors, engineering, and landscape design as separate services, it brings specialists together from the beginning of each project. The goal is to create designs that balance appearance, function, technical performance, and long-term value. The company presents collaboration as one of its defining characteristics. Clients work with integrated teams rather than several independent consultants, allowing different perspectives to shape projects from the earliest planning stages through construction.
The 2010 Merger That Created TESSERE
One of the most significant milestones in the company’s history came in 2010. TESSERE was formed through the merger of Gossen Livingston Associates and McCluggage Van Sickle and Perry, commonly known as MVP.
The merger brought together two long-established firms into one multidisciplinary practice. Rather than presenting the merger as a financial event, the company describes it as an opportunity to expand expertise, strengthen collaboration, and provide broader services to clients. Today, that merger remains one of the major publicly documented corporate developments in the firm’s history. It also explains why TESSERE combines long-established experience with a modern organizational structure.
A 100 Percent Employee-Owned Company
One of the features that distinguishes TESSERE from many design firms is its ownership model. The company states that it is 100 percent employee-owned. This means the people designing projects also share ownership in the business. TESSERE connects this structure with accountability, teamwork, and long-term commitment to clients.
The firm’s website also highlights the scale of its operations. It says the company has more than 150 employees nationwide, more than 60 licensed professionals, works across 11 project markets, and holds professional licenses in 48 states. These figures reflect the firm’s ability to serve projects across a wide geographic area while maintaining expertise across multiple design disciplines.
Bringing Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering, and Landscape Design Together
TESSERE offers architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and civil engineering as integrated services. Its architecture practice focuses on understanding client goals before moving into design development and construction documentation. The company says its teams emphasize communication throughout every phase of a project while developing practical and cost-effective design solutions.
Because architects, engineers, landscape architects, and interior designers work together throughout the design process, the firm says this integrated approach helps improve coordination while supporting both technical requirements and client goals. This multidisciplinary approach allows the company to serve clients with a wide range of project needs instead of focusing on only one market sector.
A Portfolio Across Many Project Types
TESSERE’s published project portfolio shows experience across commercial, civic, institutional, workplace, and public safety facilities.
Among the projects featured on the company’s website are P&G Gas Station, Scholfield Honda Renovation, Crash Champions, Andover Fire Station, NetApp Wichita Headquarters, Wichita Police Department Patrol East, Lee’s Summit Fire Stations 4 and 5, City of Great Bend Police and Courts Facility, and Phillips Fundamental Learning Center.
These projects illustrate the firm’s ability to work in different environments and with different client requirements. Commercial facilities require efficient planning and customer-focused design, while civic buildings often emphasize accessibility, durability, and public service. Public safety facilities involve specialized operational requirements, and educational buildings require spaces that support learning and community engagement. Its published portfolio shows experience with projects that serve both private businesses and public organizations.
Interior Design That Supports People and Place
Interior design plays an important role in the firm’s overall practice.
Rather than treating interiors as a separate discipline, TESSERE integrates interior design into the broader planning process. This allows interior spaces to reflect both the architectural vision and the practical needs of building users.
The firm’s interior designers work alongside architects and engineers from the early stages of projects. This collaboration helps ensure that layouts, materials, lighting, furniture planning, and circulation support how people actually use a building. The company presents interior design as a way to improve everyday experiences while reinforcing each client’s identity and operational goals.
A Documented Interior Design Award
One of the firm’s publicly documented recognitions comes from the American Institute of Architects Wichita chapter. According to TESSERE, its remodel of the KMUW Radio Station received a Merit Award for Excellence in Interior Design from AIA Wichita.
The project transformed approximately 7,000 square feet of office space in Old Town Wichita. The design sought to create a more welcoming environment for employees, donors, visitors, and members of the community while maintaining the station’s established brand identity. The company credits the project to Catie Shaffer and Matt Cortez. This award provides public recognition of the firm’s interior design work and offers an example of how TESSERE approaches renovation projects that combine functionality with community engagement.
Matt Cortez Leads the Company
Matt Cortez serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of TESSERE.
According to the company’s leadership announcement, Cortez joined MVP in 2003 shortly after graduating from the University of Kansas. Over the years, he advanced through several leadership positions, including Senior Vice President and Opportunities Studio Lead, before becoming President and CEO. His progression through several leadership roles reflects a long career within the organization. TESSERE says Cortez has helped guide the company’s leadership transition while focusing on employee development, leadership training, client relationships, and long-term growth. The company also describes him as a leader committed to creating opportunities for staff while maintaining strong client relationships and high standards for project delivery.
Education and Professional Background
Matt Cortez earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Kansas.
He later completed a Master of Business Administration at Wichita State University. In addition, he holds LEED AP BD+C certification, reflecting professional knowledge in sustainable building design and construction practices. His combination of architectural education, business training, and sustainability credentials supports his leadership role within the employee-owned firm.
A Culture Built on Collaboration
TESSERE consistently emphasizes collaboration. Instead of highlighting individual designers, the company focuses on teamwork across professional disciplines. Architects, engineers, landscape architects, and interior designers work together to solve design challenges from multiple perspectives.
This integrated process also helps clients by improving communication throughout planning, design, and construction. The firm’s employee-owned structure reinforces this collaborative culture by encouraging employees to think beyond individual responsibilities and contribute to the long-term success of both projects and the organization.
Serving Clients Across Multiple Markets
TESSERE states that it serves clients across 11 project markets.
Its published portfolio includes public buildings, municipal facilities, corporate workplaces, educational environments, automotive facilities, commercial spaces, and public safety infrastructure. Working across multiple sectors allows the firm to apply experience gained from different project types while continuing to expand its multidisciplinary services. This broad range of work enables the company to support clients whose needs extend beyond traditional architectural services.
TESSERE’s public materials place strong emphasis on communication, collaboration, and understanding client goals before design begins. By bringing architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, and interior design together within one organization, the company aims to simplify project coordination and maintain consistent communication throughout each stage of development. Its employee-owned structure also supports a long-term approach by encouraging staff to focus on lasting value for clients and communities.
Continuing a Tradition of Collaborative Design
Drawing on a history that traces back to 1919 through its predecessor firms, TESSERE continues to build on a foundation of integrated design, collaboration, and employee ownership. Its documented history includes the 2010 merger that created the present-day company, while its multidisciplinary services allow it to deliver architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and civil engineering through one coordinated team.
The firm’s available record also includes the Merit Award for Excellence in Interior Design from AIA Wichita for the KMUW Radio Station remodel. Alongside a diverse project portfolio and nationwide reach, this recognition highlights one of the firm’s documented achievements. Under the leadership of President and CEO Matt Cortez, TESSERE continues to emphasize staff development, collaborative project delivery, and client-focused design. His architectural education, business training, LEED AP BD+C certification, and long career within the organization reflect the firm’s commitment to developing leadership from within.
As the architecture and design industry continues to evolve, firms that combine technical expertise with strong collaboration continue to play an important role in delivering multidisciplinary projects. TESSERE’s history, integrated services, employee-owned structure, documented merger, and recognized interior design work illustrate how the firm continues to serve clients across a wide range of markets.
At Modern Construction360, we regularly follow companies that contribute to the built environment through thoughtful design, engineering, and innovation. TESSERE’s journey offers an example of how long-term experience, collaborative design, and steady leadership can shape projects that serve businesses, public institutions, and communities.
