Muller Design Studio | Architecture
Residential | Commercial | Consulting
Led by founder and principal designer Robert Muller, our architecture studio delivers expert residential design and construction, commercial planning, and architectural support services—including concepts, 3D renderings, and production work.
Committed to Craftsmanship
We are a single source for your residential design and construction needs, acting as lead designer and general contractor for our residential projects. From initial sketches to the final stages of construction, we dedicate ourselves to refining every detail, ensuring each project achieves an unmatched level of elegance and quality.
Plan with Purpose
Our approach to commercial projects is shaped by experience at leading Chicago firms like Jahn, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Goettsch Partners, and Gensler, where we learned to focus on what truly matters—identifying the core idea of the building and staying true to it, removing unnecessary elements to create designs that are beautiful, functional, precision-detailed, and efficient.
Think Critically
Curiosity is at the heart of MDS. We explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and imagine what’s next to shape thoughtful, forward-looking design. Research, competitions, and creative studies aren’t just side pursuits—they ground our philosophy and guide real-world decisions. This mindset drives us to go beyond the status quo in every project.
Collaborate
Beyond our design and construction work, MDS offers standalone services including 3D visualizations, construction documentation, and architect-of-record support for projects in Chicago. These services are available independently or as part of your project team—tailored to fit your specific needs.
Robert Muller
Rob began his career in Helmut Jahn’s office and has worked for high-profile firms in Chicago throughout his career. In addition to his commercial work, he owned and operated his own homebuilding business, where he designed and built single-family homes and led numerous additions and renovations. He brings broad experience in commercial and residential design, residential construction, and 3D visualization. He’s committed to delivering high-quality work, values collaboration, and takes pride in exceeding client expectations.
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Robert Muller is a licensed architect with over 25 years of experience leading complex, high-profile projects across commercial, residential, and civic sectors. He is known for his thoughtful approach to design, his ability to navigate complex project requirements, and his commitment to both aesthetic integrity and technical excellence.
Rob most recently served as Managing Partner and Lead Designer at BKV Group’s Chicago office, where he led a multidisciplinary team of 25 professionals. He was responsible for shaping the design vision and strategic direction of the studio, working across commercial, residential, and government projects.
Prior to that, Rob held lead design roles at several of the country’s most respected architecture firms, including Gensler, Goettsch Partners, Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB), and JAHN. At each, he helped drive award-winning work through every phase—from conceptual planning and design development to construction documentation and execution—advising clients, guiding teams and mentoring junior architects along the way.
In addition to his work in large-firm practice, Rob is the founder of THE Creative, a residential design-build studio where he has overseen the development of single-family homes from land acquisition through construction and sales. This hands-on experience with speculative residential development adds a specialized, grounded layer to his architectural perspective.
Rob earned his Bachelor of Architecture, cum laude, from the University of Cincinnati. Today, he brings the design rigor and collaborative mindset honed throughout his career to his own full-service practice, where he continues to explore innovation, context, and craft across all project types.
Testimonials
“We absolutely love our house. The beautiful, modern design is what draws the eye of passerbys and admiration from our guests, but what really makes a huge difference is the impeccable craftsmanship. The Muller houses are built to last. Rob is wonderful to work with, he clearly takes huge pride in his designs and construction and builds with intentionality. He is timely, responsive, and attentive with his clients. We would not hesitate working with Rob again… but we don’t want to move from our beautiful house!”
-Nelson Sanchez Pinto
"Rob was fabulous to work with at every stage of the process! This was our first renovation and we were working with a limited budget which meant we had lots of anxiety going into it. From mockup to finished design he helped us feel confident along the way and design what we wanted within our budget. He was very intentional about realizing our vision while also offering creative solutions around complicated issues. Most importantly, Rob's enthusiasm and love for this work is infectious and really helped us stay motivated and excited during the project. We were so happy with his work and would highly recommend him."
-Mary Joly
"The minute Rob walked into our kitchen, he instantly diagnosed the problem with our floor plan: to open up sight lines and make room for traffic, we needed to move the refrigerator. We hired him on the spot, and that single detail unblocked the floor plan for our downstairs remodeling."
-Anita Healy
“We are so grateful for Rob's expertise in helping us transform our historic 1901 Queen Anne from an outdated, 70's kitchen and dining room into a more modern but delineated space that honors the traditional but transformed it into the modern space of our dreams. Rob listened to our vision then drew it into the plans that are now a vibrant space for our family. Our vision included adding an outdoor gathering space that is now a social hub for family and friends. Rob was willing to work with us in stages to make this happen. Rob's guidance, creative advice and excellent eye for catching the details to merge the old and the new helped us navigate a daunting task.”
-Lisa Schneider and Matthew Jenkins
Robert is one of the most talented architects I ever worked with. We worked together at SCB between 2005-2014. He is a true leader in our profession, one of a very few that is able to cover all aspects of design, from conception to completion. His dedication and professionalism is inspiration to his colleagues.
-Vladimir Andrejevic, Principal Architect at Goettsch Partners
Rob is the consummate professional. He is always willing to go the extra mile to help out on a number of projects. His technical skills and creativity are second to none. I have worked with Rob for over seven years now, and can honestly say that although he is great at what he does, he is even a better person.
-Michael Ricamato, The Alter Group
I've had the pleasure of working as a climate engineer with Rob on a variety of projects. Rob has the exceptional capability of focus on design quality at all scales, ranging from challenging the very nature of building types with his live/work tower proposal, to massing and space planning, to development of design details. He is collaborative and open to multiple perspectives, seeking to synthesize them into a single appropriate solution, and I look forward to every chance we have to work together.
-Erik Olsen, Transsolar Klimaengineering
I have known Rob since college both on an academic and professional level in the industry of architecture and design. Rob is one of the most talented people I know in the business, with an unmatched work ethic, passion for design, and attention to detail. Rob cares deeply for his work and for the relationships that he has established.
To illustrate, I would share the following story about Rob:
While in the final stages of our architectural thesis at UC, I was working late on an architectural building model for my final presentation that week. I accidentally dropped my model and it broke apart into a thousand pieces. Devastated and exhausted by hours of work, I literally gave up knowing that I could not get the model done in time. I came into studio the next morning to find my building model completely re-built, sitting on my desk. During the night, Rob had taken the initiative to help a colleague in need and he had meticulously put my model back together. At a time when most of our studio was panicked about getting everything ready for our final presentations, Rob took valuable time away from his presentation to help someone else in need. My presentation went great and Rob finished with one of top thesis projects in our class.
If you have the opportunity to get to know Rob or to work with him on a project, you will understand while I think Rob's approach to his work and his relationships is truly the best.
-Peter Horton, Co-Founder at Terrex Development & Construction