What
We’re About
pro·for·mus [n.]
Origin: Neo-Latin, from pro (“for, in favor of”) + formus (from forma, “shape or structure”).
Proformus suggests “for form” or “in favor of form for us,” evoking a strong sense of intentionality, design, and structure. It implies shaping or giving form to the city in a meaningful, joyous way.
1. The act or philosophy of shaping environments through purposeful design, data-informed strategy, and contextual urban form.
2. A practice grounded in the belief that planning is not about imposing structure, but about uncovering the latent potential of place through four-dimensional planning.
3. A consultancy focused on the intersection of policy, pattern, and place-keeping, where form is not a final product, but an evolving framework for civic life.
Example Sentence: Proformus transforms overlooked parcels into living, layered neighborhoods by aligning physical form with its potential.
Meet the Team
(sortof…it’s just one for now)
Jeffery Tompkins, AICP, ASAI
Principal & Founder
Proformus is the brainchild of Jeffery Tompkins, a Midwest-based urban planner and strategist. His previous experience as a Design Director at global architecture firm Meticulous helped him to understand the pitfalls involved when the scale of thinking becomes too big. Sometimes to create more meaningful human-centric places of joy, we must think small.
Proformus was founded as a counterpoint to the monolithic mindset that dominates city-building today. It champions block-by-block urbanism, granular infill, and the power of local actors to shape extraordinary outcomes through modest interventions. Whether advising public agencies, community developers, or mission-aligned institutions, Tompkins approaches planning as both art and strategy, balancing data and empathy, systems and stories.
At its core, Proformus is about restoring agency to the city. It operates on the belief that every site holds latent value and every neighborhood deserves design that respects its rhythm, its people, and its promise. From zoning overlays and housing prototypes to catalytic redevelopment plans, Proformus offers precise, nimble, and place-based approaches that foster resilient, walkable, and joyous communities.
How can we help your place to go?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to reclaim your street from cars. Maybe your neighborhood is undergoing rapid change and needs a blueprint. Or maybe you have a creative vision for your municipality. Whatever it is, Proformus can help make your place go. Get in touch.