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The Architecture of Cozy: Designing the Ultimate Cold Weather Interiors

Ema is a trained architect, writer and photographer who works as a Junior Architect at REX in NYC. Inspired by her global experiences, she shares captivating insights into the world’s most extraordinary cities and buildings and provides travel tips on her blog, The Travel Album.

As the colder seasons arrive, our homes and interiors take on a new role: they become sanctuaries from the chill, offering warmth, comfort and a sense of refuge. The concept of “cozy” isn’t merely about aesthetics; it’s about creating spaces that nurture the senses and promote well-being. In architectural design, achieving this level of comfort requires a thoughtful blend of elements such as materials, lighting, textures, and spatial arrangements. Since the colder months are quickly approaching, I want to explore key architectural strategies that help create interiors that feel inviting and serene during fall and winter, offering practical insights into how architects can enhance seasonal comfort.


“Hygge”

Split View Mountain Lodge, Geilo, Norway by Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter

Having spent several years immersed in Danish culture, I frequently encountered the term hygge during this time of the year. It is a Danish concept that embodies a sense of comfort, warmth, and well-being, often associated with creating cozy, inviting environments. I learned that it’s more than just aesthetics — hygge emphasizes slowing down, savoring simple pleasures and fostering meaningful connections. This philosophy aligns perfectly with the principles of designing for comfort during the fall and winter seasons.

Architects and designers inspired by hygge focus on creating spaces that nurture the senses, using natural materials, warm lighting and thoughtful spatial arrangements to evoke feelings of safety and contentment. Whether through soft textiles, crackling fireplaces or intimate seating areas, hygge encourages an atmosphere that balances function with emotional well-being, making spaces feel like sanctuaries from the colder seasons outside. I believe this term lies at the heart of everything associated with “coziness.” Once you understand the concept of hygge, it becomes easy to visualize the architectural elements that evoke this feeling, from warm materials to intimate spaces designed for comfort and connection.


Embracing Natural Materials for Warmth and Texture

Agate Pass Cabin Bainbridge Island, WA, United States by Olson Kundig

Agate Pass Cabin, Bainbridge Island, WA, United States by Olson Kundig

Agate Pass Cabin by Olson Kundig, Bainbridge Island, Washington

One of the most effective ways to create a cozy atmosphere is by using natural materials that bring warmth and texture to interiors. Wood, stone, leather and even cork are particularly effective in establishing an inviting ambiance. Wooden beams, wall cladding, or exposed timber ceilings add an organic touch, while reclaimed wood introduces character and history to a space. Natural stone elements, such as hearths or accent walls, evoke a grounded, timeless feeling, ideal for cooler months.

In my own home, during Canada’s cold months, cork flooring is always a welcome feature, especially in a kitchen that opens to the backyard, where cold air tends to seep in. Cork is a great example of a material that provides a soft, warm and comfortable surface, making it an excellent choice for areas prone to exposure to the cold, ensuring the space remains cozy and inviting.

Architects also often turn to tactile materials such as wool, linen or leather for soft furnishings, complementing the natural hard surfaces. These textures contribute to a layered design that feels warm and comfortable to the touch. For example, Scandinavian-inspired designs frequently rely on natural materials to create minimalist yet cozy environments, underscoring the idea that simplicity does not sacrifice comfort.


Fireplaces: The Heart of Cozy Design

Tye River Cabin, Skykomish, WA, United States by Olson Kundig

Tye River Cabin, Skykomish, WA, United States by Olson Kundig

Tye River Cabin by Olson Kundig, Skykomish, Washington

In my view, Frank Lloyd Wright was many things, one of which is the “king of fireplaces” in architecture. Looking at Wright’s work, he always masterfully integrated fireplaces into his designs, making them not just functional features but also key architectural elements that anchored spaces and fostered connection. For Wright, a fireplace symbolized the heart of the home, serving as a focal point that brought warmth — both physically and emotionally — into his spaces. Few architectural features evoke the feeling of coziness more than a fireplace. Beyond their functional role of providing heat, fireplaces become focal points that anchor a room, drawing people together and promoting relaxation. Whether it’s a traditional wood-burning hearth or a sleek, modern gas fireplace, this element provides both warmth and a visual glow that enhances the atmosphere of any space.

Fireplaces can also be designed as multifunctional architectural features. Built-in shelving units flanking the hearth, for example, can hold books, candles and seasonal décor, adding a personalized touch. In open-plan homes, double-sided or see-through fireplaces provide warmth to multiple rooms while preserving sight lines, creating seamless connections between spaces. Architects are also increasingly exploring alternative fireplace designs, such as outdoor fire pits connected to interior spaces, extending cozy living to terraces and patios.


Layered Lighting for Seasonal Ambiance

The Theatre, Barcelona, Spain by Cadaval & Solà-Morales

The Theatre, Barcelona, Spain by Cadaval & Solà-Morales

The Theatre by Cadaval & Solà-Morales, Barcelona, Spain

Lighting plays a crucial role in shaping the mood of an interior, particularly in fall and winter when natural light becomes more scarce. Architects and designers often employ a layered approach to lighting, combining ambient, task and accent lighting to achieve a comfortable and dynamic environment. Soft, warm lighting helps counter the coldness of winter, making interiors feel more inviting. While we no longer depend on candles for light, their gentle glow often provides the perfect finishing touch, enriching the atmosphere of a cozy, low-lit winter interior.

Incorporating dimmable fixtures allows occupants to adjust the lighting to suit different moods throughout the day. Pendant lights, floor lamps, and table lamps with warm-toned bulbs can create pools of soft light, contributing to a cozy atmosphere. In homes with fireplaces, the flickering glow from the hearth provides a natural, ambient light source, further enhancing the space. Architects may also integrate indirect lighting, such as LED strips beneath shelving or along architectural coves, adding depth and subtle illumination.


Spatial Arrangements and Color Palettes

North Vancouver House North Vancouver, Canada by Scott & Scott Architects

North Vancouver House, North Vancouver, Canada by Scott & Scott Architects

North Vancouver House by Scott & Scott Architects, North Vancouver, Canada

The way spaces are arranged plays a significant role in creating an inviting environment. Architects often choose to design interiors with a focus on intimacy, promoting a sense of closeness and connection among occupants. For instance, arranging furniture around a central fireplace or coffee table encourages conversation and communal activities. Smaller, well-defined spaces — such as reading nooks or alcoves — provide opportunities for solitude, offering a retreat within the larger home. Architectural elements such as window seats or built-in benches further contribute to the cozy ambiance, creating spaces where people can relax while enjoying views of the changing seasons outside. In larger homes, zoning strategies — like the use of half-walls, screens or partitions — can help create cozy pockets within open-plan layouts, balancing openness with comfort.

Color also plays a pivotal role in how a space feels, especially during colder months. Warm, earthy tones — such as burnt orange, deep browns, forest greens and soft neutrals create interiors that reflect the autumn and winter seasons. These colors evoke a sense of warmth and tranquility, making a space feel more inviting. Accent walls, rugs or upholstered furniture in seasonal hues can inject warmth without overwhelming the space. Neutral backdrops, combined with strategic pops of color, allow homeowners to easily swap out décor elements as the seasons change. Natural materials, such as wood and stone, complement these palettes by adding warmth and depth to the design.


Bringing the Outdoors In – Sound and Scent

Whistler Cabin, Whistler, Canada by Scott & Scott Architects

Connecting interiors with nature remains important even as outdoor spaces become less accessible during colder months. Elements such as indoor plants, natural wood finishes, and stone textures bring the essence of the outdoors inside. Large windows and skylights allow for natural light, framing views of the changing landscape and maintaining a connection to nature.

Since we’re likely not outside as often in the winter months, incorporating seasonal décor — like autumn leaves, pine branches or dried flowers — is a popular way to reinforce the seasonal theme and strengthen the connection between indoor and outdoor environments. Incorporating materials that age gracefully, like copper or untreated wood, mirror the natural changes of the seasons and add character to the design. But, a truly cozy interior engages more than just the visual senses.

As both designers and homeowners seeking to create cozy, comfortable spaces, we are increasingly recognizing the important role that sound and scent also play in shaping a space’s atmosphere. Wooden floors that creak softly underfoot, the crackling of a fireplace, or the muffled sound of rain outside all contribute to the sensory experience. Scent is another powerful tool for creating ambiance. Homes designed with built-in shelves or ledges for candles or diffusers allow for the easy introduction of seasonal fragrances — like cinnamon, pine or vanilla — adding to the cozy atmosphere. Architects can also specify natural materials like cedar or leather, which carry their own subtle scents that enhance the sensory richness of the space.


Conclusion: Architecture as an Expression of Comfort and Well-Being

Designing for fall and winter is about more than aesthetics — it’s about creating spaces that promote comfort, well-being, and connection. Through thoughtful use of natural materials, fireplaces, layered lighting, and spatial arrangements, architects can shape interiors that respond to the emotional and sensory needs of the colder seasons. By thoughtfully incorporating design elements that engage all the senses, these spaces transform into havens of warmth and tranquility, providing refuge from the dropping temperatures outside.

In today’s fast-paced world, the need for cozy, comfortable environments is more relevant than ever. Architects play a unique role in creating spaces that meet this need, whether collaborating with clients or designing their own environments. Their goal is to ensure that homes are not only functional but also nurturing and inspiring, evolving gracefully with the changing seasons.

Calling all architects, landscape architects and interior designers: Architizer's A+Awards allows firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of “World’s Best Architecture Firm.” Start an A+Firm Award Application today. 

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25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa

These annual rankings were last updated on October 31, 2024. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking.

Home to large mountains, vast forests and endless coasts as well as to the native Xhosa and Zulu tribes with a violent colonial history, South Africa has an array of varying landscapes and clashing cultures. Even during its contemporary history, the Apartheid era was responsible for heavily segregating South Africa in multiple of contexts.

This countrywide division is apparent to many architectural and urban settings. Spatial inequalities, most commonly found in the city of Johannesburg, as well as the infamous marginalized District Six in Cape Town, are some examples of what challenges local architects currently face. From the beginning of the 21st century these ‘lines of division’ are gradually being patched up through the design and construction of many notable architectural works, with cultural and residential architecture being the most prominent. Practices prioritize locally sourced materials such as bricks, bamboo and stone, effectively blending them with the surrounding context while supporting local material economies and becoming pioneers in environmental sustainability.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in South Africa based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2024)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2024)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2024)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2024)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2024)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of South Africa architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 25 best architecture firms in South Africa:


25. Ruben Reddy Architects PTY

© Ruben Reddy Architects PTY LTD

© Ruben Reddy Architects PTY LTD

Established in 1988, Ruben Reddy Architects is a balance of seasoned professionals and up and coming young talent, diverse architectural experience, skills and cultural backgrounds, which all merge to create innovative and inspirational design. With a staff of 59, based at six offices around South Africa, Ruben Reddy Architects has an established reputation in sport architecture, healthcare and public sector buildings, as well as extensive experience in large-scale transportation hubs, spatial planning and urban design.

We provide a full range of architectural services for projects at both a local and international level. In addition, we have the professional expertise, in-depth knowledge and proven experience to provide the specialist services in sports consulting, sport bid development, and sport event planning, as well as education, healthcare, hospitality and institutional facilities. Service delivery is key to our success. With a team that is solution-driven, we work closely with our Clients and the relevant stakeholders, to produce projects and outcomes, that meet the needs of both the client and the end-user.

Some of Ruben Reddy Architects PTY’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Ruben Reddy Architects PTY LTD achieve 25th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 1

24. Thomas Gouws Architects

© Thomas Gouws Architects

© Thomas Gouws Architects

Design of exclusive contemporary residences, holiday houses, lodges, and selective commercial projects and interiors.

Some of Thomas Gouws Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Thomas Gouws Architects achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 1

23. MMA Design Studio

© GAPP Architects and Urban Designers, Mashabane Rose Architects, MMA Design Studio

© GAPP Architects and Urban Designers, Mashabane Rose Architects, MMA Design Studio

MMA Design Studio is a Johannesburg-based award-winning architecture studio founded by owner and architect Mphethi Morojele as MMA Architects CC in 1995. The studio provides professional services in architecture, urban regeneration, design, research and strategic thinking. Our focus is on the ability of design to respond to and enhance the historical and emerging African condition at all levels of human social, cultural, artistic and economic endeavors.

Through combining practice with teaching and research we aspire to exceed our client’s expectations by providing solutions that not only conform to the brief but can also be measured against the triple bottom line of social, economic and ecological sustainability. Each project goes through a process of cultural, economic and locational diagnostics in order to provide a narrative framework for the organization of the client’s aspirations and programmatic requirements. We believe that through a transparent design process the constraints of time and cost are challenges that can positively influence the design process and design outcomes.

Some of MMA Design Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped MMA Design Studio achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 4

22. BPAS Architects

© BPAS Architects

© BPAS Architects

BPAS Architects is a solutions-focused, multidisciplinary architecture and interior design firm. Our goal is to turn your project from dream to design to reality.

We offer wide-ranging experience and expertise combined with adaptive thinking. Our digitalised practice implements top-tier technology at every point of our workflow. Bringing together practical skills and vision, we work to deliver the best results for every project, balancing financial, economic and sustainability factors.

Some of BPAS Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BPAS Architects achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 5

21. Metropole Architects

© Pitcher Architects

© Pitcher Architects

As a practice, we are inspired by the energy of the city, as it unceasingly moves, radiates and evolves like a vast living organism.we aim to generate design that stakes out new territory, and explore ideas that are intuitive, inventive, exuberant and daring. enthused by visionary architects like John Lautner and Santiago Calatrava, we aspire to create iconic and progressive architectural wonders that capture our collective imagination.

Some of Metropole Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Metropole Architects achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 5

20. BasaboseStudio

© BasaboseStudio

© BasaboseStudio

BasaboseStudio (Pty) Ltd is a creative, cross-disciplinary design firm with global reach offering services in different fields of design. Our studio has offices in Johannesburg, South Africa and Kinshasa, DR Congo. We create solutions that help each of our clients achieve the materialization of their initial thoughts in a unique collaborative manner. Even though focused on the built environment and livable spaces, each of our projects is executed by pooling any expertise needed from competent sources.

Our holistic and collaborative approach encompasses the disciplines of architecture, interior design, graphic design, industrial design, photography, urbanism and associated fields by collaboration. We engage a diverse range of industry market sectors and project types including residential, corporate, cultural, civic, retail, exhibition, entertainment, healthcare and transportation. We are passionate about creating unique, immersive “solutions” that add value and help our clients achieve their envisioned dreams.

Some of BasaboseStudio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BasaboseStudio achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 10

19. Luxury Frontiers

© Luxury Frontiers

© Luxury Frontiers

Luxury Frontiers, a pioneering design firm, specializes in alternative architecture and interior design for the immersive eco-tourism market. Founded by Luca Franco and Graeme Labe in 2011, Luxury Frontiers is the birthchild of shared passion for experiential and adventure travel. Based in Johannesburg, Luxury Frontiers’ ethos is rooted in biophilic, nature-centric and sustainable design principles, manifesting in alternative construction methodologies.

The team of over 55 radical thinkers, passionate about contextual design and experienced in travel and hospitality. This highly motivated team has been the driving force behind Luxury Frontiers’ success, propelling it to become a world leader in immersive hospitality design, with projects spanning across six continents.

Some of Luxury Frontiers’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Luxury Frontiers achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 11

18. Jenny Mills Architects

© Jenny Mills Architects

© Jenny Mills Architects

“Love for form and composition lies at the very heart of our work. We are artists on a quest to sculpt existing spaces in co-operation with nature. Our buildings are exciting and beautiful. They bring something both of ourselves and our clients into the world. We work in close partnership with our clients, focusing on their needs and stylistic preferences.”

Jenny’s work has a strong contemporary signature which is not only evident in her work in this genre but is skillfully integrated into both classic and leisure designs to match her client’s tastes.

Some of Jenny Mills Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Jenny Mills Architects achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Total Projects 3

17. C76 Architecture and Design

© C76 Architecture and Design

© C76 Architecture and Design

Established in 2014 by Principal Architect Carl Jacobsz, the Johannesburg & Cape Town based C76 Architecture is inspired by expressing sophisticated simplicity, a disciplined yet exciting approach to architecture, which searches creatively for elegance and excellence proven over time – promoting quality and timelessness over trend. We look to explore characteristics such as client lifestyle, context, culture and existing environmental conditions for inspiration, with the aim of producing quality South African architecture.

Some of C76 Architecture and Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped C76 Architecture and Design achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 1

16. Vivid Architects

© Vivid Architects

© Vivid Architects

Vivid Architects was founded in 1998 by Paolo Viotti and Trevor Versfeld. Imraan Ho-Yee joined the practice as a partner in 2000. Vivid Architects is an established award-winning medium sized design practice that concentrates predominately on medium to large scale commercial developments both locally and internationally. The practice enjoys a good reputation in designing selected upmarket private residential homes.

Vivid Architects takes great pride in providing an holistic and comprehensive professional service delivering appropriate and cost effective architectural solutions within the strict parameters of client brief, economic realities, program and budget. Vivid Architects believes firmly in the ethics and importance of a team-based philosophy throughout the design and implementation process and encourages close collaboration of all the disciplines involved.

Some of Vivid Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Vivid Architects achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 33

15. Earthworld Architects and Interiors

© DOOK Photography

© DOOK Photography

In the making of meaningful things…

With our world becoming more and more global — virtual and less defined, the need for defining the “Heimat” has become greater than ever. Meaning has become more important than ever. Falling Waters by Frank Lloyd Wright, built for the Kauffmann Family in the 20’s of the twentieth century, transcends the physical to become icons; to become “meaningful things.” It epitomized progress without being industrial: a symbol of innovation whilst acknowledging the context without trying to imitate or assimilate.

Has the role of the architect changed? Are we becoming designers of systems, applying “technology” or do we create modern cathedrals, structures that transcend reality. Buildings that become icons, gathering meaning rather than being machines. Buildings that becomes central figures in the drama of everyday life.

Some of Earthworld Architects and Interiors’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Earthworld Architects and Interiors achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 8

14. Three14 Architects

© Three14 Architects

© Three14 Architects

Three14 Architects, founded in January 2008, is an award winning studio of creative architects based in Cape Town, South Africa. The focus on designing exclusive luxury homes for discerning clients – bringing fresh ideas, rigorous detailing and creativity to the residential arena – results in elegant and sophisticated homes that are easy to live in. The office consists of a small, hands-on team taking on a limited number of projects per year. This enables both principal architects to be involved in each project from inception through to completion ensuring an efficient and thorough level of service and a highly considered and always unique end product.

Some of Three14 Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Three14 Architects achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

13. FrankiePappas

© FrankiePappas

© FrankiePappas

Imagine we could create a fictional persona — a collective pseudonym — that allowed us to put aside our egotisms, our blusters, our vanities, and find a group of people whose similar ideals and different talents create beautiful solutions for a remarkable new world. That is frankie: wonderfully similar. beautifully different. Making great public buildings that contribute to a great future. We get together the entire professional team required to find beautiful solutions for a remarkable new world.

Some of FrankiePappas’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped FrankiePappas achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 5

12. Nicholas Plewman Architects

© DOOK Photography

© DOOK Photography

Nicholas Plewman Architects was founded and is directed by Nick Plewman. He has welded a life time passion for the wilderness to two decades of design and project management experience in remote and sensitive environments. To this have been banded the skills of qualified architects, project and cost managers and technologists.

The practice has completed over 35 projects across Southern and East Africa for both public and private clients and has been published in several books and magazines.

Some of Nicholas Plewman Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Nicholas Plewman Architects achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 4

11. Architecture for a Change (A4AC Architects)

© Architecture for a Change  (A4AC Architects)

© Architecture for a Change (A4AC Architects)

Architecture for a change (A4AC Architects) is a distinguished architectural firm celebrated for its innovative designs and unwavering commitment to sustainability. Earning accolades such as the SAIA AfriSam Sustainability Awards and securing a commendable top 15% placement in global design competitions, this firm is at the forefront of architectural excellence. Embracing the future, A4AC Architects integrates cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing and AI into its design methodology. Their diverse portfolio, which spans from intimate dwellings to expansive office structures, is marked by a distinctive aesthetic. More than just design, A4AC Architects is deeply invested in social responsibility, exemplified by their impactful initiatives in creating informal housing in townships.

Some of Architecture for a Change (A4AC Architects)’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Architecture for a Change (A4AC Architects) achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 3

10. Inhouse

© Inhouse

© Inhouse

Inhouse provides a comprehensive design and project management service to the commercial, retail, hospitality and leisure industries.

Committed to the provision of commercially effective design, we place equal emphasis on creative ideas, their implementation and all commercial constraints, which means that our solutions are always conceived within a practical framework.

Since inception in 2002, Inhouse has become one of the largest and most comprehensive design consultancies in South Africa, a growth derived from its commitment to meet client’s requirements and provide business minded design solutions in four key disciplines.

Some of Inhouse’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Inhouse achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 7

9. Daffonchio & Associates Architects

© Daffonchio & Associates Architects

© Daffonchio & Associates Architects

Daffonchio and Associates Architects was established in 1996 by Enrico Daffonchio, who has qualified in Italy and registered with the Italian and South African Councils for the architectural profession. The firm has been active in private, commercial and public projects.

The design work focuses on energy efficiency and the awareness of the broader effects that building has on the environment : as well as the way in which proportion, light and color affect peoples’ mood. Building materials and structural elements are meant to be shown with integrity as graphic and sculptural patterns. Collaborations and joint ventures with other firms, artists and specialists from various disciplines are built specially around the requirements of each project.

Some of Daffonchio & Associates Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Daffonchio & Associates Architects achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Total Projects 2

8. Meyer & Associates Architects, Urban Designers

© Adam Letch Photographer

© Adam Letch Photographer

Meyer & Associates is an integrated, multi-disciplinary practice that incorporates architecture, interior design and urban design competencies into one bespoke spatial design service.

The original firm, known as MEYER+VORSTER Architects, Urban Designers and Interior Designers, was founded in 2002. In 2013, the firm was restructured and became known as Meyer & Associates Architects, Urban Designers. It is owned and managed by the founding principal of the practice, Tiaan Meyer. He has over twenty years’ experience in the architectural and urban design industry and is complemented by a staff of twelve, which include several professionally registered architects, technologists and interior designers. Team members have been hand-picked for their specialist skill-sets and design capabilities.

Some of Meyer & Associates Architects, Urban Designers’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Meyer & Associates Architects, Urban Designers achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 5

7. Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA)

© Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA)

© Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA)

DMMA is located on the second floor of a Grade 1 listed building and has been layed out to best suit the needs of an architectural studio. We enjoy its central city urban location which continues to grow and develop. At VDMMA all members of the team can and must be part of the design process. Production techniques include hand drawn sketching – diagrams, research, testing, models and ‘mock-ups’, and accessible CAD drawings. We use AutoCAD and BIM/Revit packages where appropriate and also in-house 3D software for testing models and visualization.

Our philosophy, since inception, has been to run VDMMA as a Studio and not as a cubicle culture. There are no cellular offices and no private enclaves. Communication in our industry is essential and to this end the open plan studio environment is ideal. All of our professional personnel are Architects, assisted by a limited number of Intern Architects.

Some of Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA)’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA) achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 11

6. SALT Architects

© Southland Photography - David Savage

© Southland Photography - David Savage

SALT Architects is a design studio based in Cape Town, pursuing Imagination, Humility and Commitment as core values, toward Innovating Meaningful Possibilities.

Our optimistic team provides innovative solutions while remaining contextually and conceptually relevant. Our office is experienced in all stages of a project’s development from conceptual design to completed construction. We constantly pursue work on a variety of building types and sizes, ensuring an inquisitive approach to allow opportunities to advance traditional patterns.

We are committed to designing memorable buildings delivered through effective project management.

Some of SALT Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SALT Architects achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 3

5. CS Studio

© Design.Develop.Build - GA Tech | PBSA | RWTH

© Design.Develop.Build - GA Tech | PBSA | RWTH

CS Studio Architects has developed a way in which they work which is focused on listening to the clients or end users. This is an interactive and participative process. Each project demands its own activities. Interactive processes are a powerful tool in any design phase as it allows everyone to have a say and often leads to much better spatial solutions. By listening to people, the architect is provided with a wealth of information to feed into the design process. role players are empowered and they take ownership of their design decisions.

Some of CS Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped CS Studio achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 1

4. Elphick Proome Architecture

© Elphick Proome Architecture

© Elphick Proome Architecture

Elphick Proome Architecture was established in 1989 and has grown to become a leading architectural firm in South Africa. Committed to architectural excellence, we strive to create exciting buildings, environments and spaces that respond to the unique nature of each project with integrity and purpose. Our philosophy emphasises an architecture that responds to context, region and climate and is enduring, innovative and functional. We endeavour to design intelligent solutions which rise to the diverse challenges of our social and economic context and make a significant contribution to the African reality.

Some of Elphick Proome Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Elphick Proome Architecture achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 13

3. dhk

© dhk

© dhk

dhk has established a leading reputation as a design led multi-disciplinary company which incorporates architecture, urban design and interior design. More than 100 people contribute to the success of the company across these three disciplines making dhk one of the largest architectural practices in South Africa.

dhk’s integrated approach to design in the built environment, coupled with innovative and cost effective design solutions, has garnered international recognition with projects spanning across four continents.

Some of dhk’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped dhk achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 25

2. Nico van der Meulen Architects

© Nico van der Meulen Architects

© Nico van der Meulen Architects

Nico van der Meulen Architects in Johannesburg, South Africa, is well known for designing ultra luxury dream homes all around the world. The architectural practice focuses on designing innovative, functional luxurious homes, both contemporary and traditional, tailored to enrich their client’s quality of life.

The company remains at the forefront of design by exploring new forms, pushing the boundaries and evolving with technology, without compromising on the authenticity of the design, aesthetics, materials and originality.While creating unique homes for unique tastes, the firm strives to capture every client’s vision and express it through breath-taking bespoke designs.

Some of Nico van der Meulen Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Nico van der Meulen Architects achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 32

1. SAOTA

© SAOTA

© SAOTA

SAOTA, a leading studio of architects is driven by the dynamic combination of Stefan Antoni, Philip Olmesdahl, Greg Truen, Phillippe Fouché, Mark Bullivant, Roxanne Kaye and Logen Gordon who share a potent vision easily distinguished in their practices. This, paired with both an innovative and dedicated approach to the design, documentation and execution of projects globally, has seen SAOTA become an internationally sought-after brand.

SAOTA has a global footprint with projects on six continents. We have a clear understanding of the place of design in the world and how to deliver architectural projects in diverse markets. This success is driven by a design philosophy that connects function and form, and the pursuit of true architectural design to create appropriate solutions.

Some of SAOTA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SAOTA achieve 1st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 8
Total Projects 28

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

The post 25 Best Architecture Firms in South Africa appeared first on Journal.

Windswept Designs: 6 Highly Resistant Buildings Built for Highly Windy Sites

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

In a world increasingly shaped by extreme weather events, architects are embracing the challenge of designing structures that not only withstand high winds but also enhance resilience and sustainability. From typhoon-prone coastlines to hurricane belts and mountain ranges exposed to strong gusts, innovative architecture is emerging to address these forces of nature. High-performance materials, aerodynamic forms and thoughtful siting are becoming critical components in the pursuit of both safety and beauty.

Through a curated selection of buildings, we highlight the strategies architects and engineers employ to protect against intense wind events. Projects featured span multiple climates — coastal, arid and temperate — and showcase an array of construction techniques. In each case, these solutions are tailored to meet local wind conditions, ensuring structural integrity, energy efficiency and occupant comfort. They also balance functionality and aesthetics, proving that buildings designed for wind resistance need not compromise on architectural expression. As climate change intensifies weather patterns globally, these projects offer valuable lessons in resilience, pushing the boundaries of what architecture can achieve.


Svencel? Kiteboarding and Windsurfing Centre

By DO ARCHITECTS, Svencel?, Lithuania


The kiteboarding and windsurfing center in Svencel? transformed a remote kite spot into a vibrant recreational hub in just one summer. Built from 37 portable containers, the project serves as a low-cost prototype for future development, reimagining an abandoned Soviet-era duck farm along Lithuania’s Curonian Lagoon. The design responds to the region’s strong winds, with the arrangement of containers shaping sheltered spaces for surfers and events. The waterfront buzzes with surf shops, schools and cafes, while inland units offer amenities and lodging. This innovative approach reflects a shift towards flexible urban strategies, proving that bold ideas can thrive even in uncertain times.


Cowboy Modern Eco-Retreat

By Jeremy Levine Design, Joshua Tree, California


Inspired by Pioneertown’s Old West architecture and the stark desert landscape, the 1,200-square-foot (111 square meters) Cowboy Modern Desert Eco-Retreat is a sustainable family getaway designed to blend with nature. Oriented to minimize solar heat gain, the home was also made to withstand high winds. Built lightly on the land, it uses locally reclaimed lumber, off-site fabricated steel framing, and reflective metal roofing to withstand extreme weather. The wrap-around porch provides 1,000 square feet (92 square meters) of outdoor space, including a grill area, spa and cold cowboy tub. With gray water recycling and planned solar panels, the retreat approaches net-zero sustainability.


Moldegaard Cabin

By Nordic — Office of Architecture, Norway

This cabin offers sweeping views but faces extreme weather, including hurricane-force winds and large snowfall. Designed to withstand these conditions, the L-shaped structure follows the slope, with bedrooms stepping down along the terrain. Wind protection is key, with the entrance and outdoor areas sheltered from two directions. The design balances function and materiality — living spaces and bedrooms are clad in warm wood, while entrances, bathrooms and storage areas feature local stone. Untreated Norwegian pine with high oil content provides natural protection against the harsh climate.


Ecotourism Center in France

By INCA Architectes, IDF, France

The eco-tourism center at the Gorges de Franchard, located within the Fontainebleau forest — the largest protected site in France — aims to manage visitor traffic while raising awareness of the area’s environmental fragility. Designed as a “living room in the woods,” the building’s smooth, organic forms echo the site’s eroded stones and weave gently around preserved trees. Oriented to optimize bioclimatic performance, the structure uses natural materials like wood and shelters key spaces from prevailing winds. Flexible and reversible by design, the center features a large hall for group activities and exhibitions, fostering harmony between public access and forest conservation.


College of Life Sciences, Kuwait University

By CambridgeSeven, Kuwait

The College of Life Sciences (COLS) at Sabah Al Salim Al Sabah University City merges art, environment and technology into a collaborative learning space. Its dramatic, angular façade features desert-toned perforated panels that shift in color throughout the day, filtering daylight and blocking harsh southern sun. Inspired by traditional wind towers, the design leverages natural ventilation, with multilevel atria pulling warm air upward and courtyards providing self-shading. The sloped exterior walls minimize solar exposure, while the double-layered roof acts as a heat sink by day and a radiator by night, channeling prevailing winds to cool rooftop systems.


Fogo Island Artist Studios

By Saunders Architecture, Fogo Island, Canada

The Shorefast Foundation and Fogo Island Arts Corporation commissioned Todd Saunders to design six off-grid artist studios across Fogo Island, blending arts and culture with the islanders’ traditions. Four studios are complete: the Bridge Studio overlooks an inland pond from a steep hillside, the Tower Studio stands on a rocky coastline in Shoal Bay, the Squish Studio sits near the town of Tilting, and the Long Studio, elevated on stilts, frames a view of the North Atlantic near Joe Batt’s Arm. Designed to minimize environmental impact, the studios use local materials, transported by hand to remote sites. Wind and solar energy power the structures while the structures themselves are also formed to deflect high winds along the coast.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

The post Windswept Designs: 6 Highly Resistant Buildings Built for Highly Windy Sites appeared first on Journal.

Windswept Designs: 6 Highly Resistant Buildings Built for Highly Windy Sites

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

In a world increasingly shaped by extreme weather events, architects are embracing the challenge of designing structures that not only withstand high winds but also enhance resilience and sustainability. From typhoon-prone coastlines to hurricane belts and mountain ranges exposed to strong gusts, innovative architecture is emerging to address these forces of nature. High-performance materials, aerodynamic forms and thoughtful siting are becoming critical components in the pursuit of both safety and beauty.

Through a curated selection of buildings, we highlight the strategies architects and engineers employ to protect against intense wind events. Projects featured span multiple climates — coastal, arid and temperate — and showcase an array of construction techniques. In each case, these solutions are tailored to meet local wind conditions, ensuring structural integrity, energy efficiency and occupant comfort. They also balance functionality and aesthetics, proving that buildings designed for wind resistance need not compromise on architectural expression. As climate change intensifies weather patterns globally, these projects offer valuable lessons in resilience, pushing the boundaries of what architecture can achieve.


Svencel? Kiteboarding and Windsurfing Centre

By DO ARCHITECTS, Svencel?, Lithuania


The kiteboarding and windsurfing center in Svencel? transformed a remote kite spot into a vibrant recreational hub in just one summer. Built from 37 portable containers, the project serves as a low-cost prototype for future development, reimagining an abandoned Soviet-era duck farm along Lithuania’s Curonian Lagoon. The design responds to the region’s strong winds, with the arrangement of containers shaping sheltered spaces for surfers and events. The waterfront buzzes with surf shops, schools and cafes, while inland units offer amenities and lodging. This innovative approach reflects a shift towards flexible urban strategies, proving that bold ideas can thrive even in uncertain times.


Cowboy Modern Eco-Retreat

By Jeremy Levine Design, Joshua Tree, California


Inspired by Pioneertown’s Old West architecture and the stark desert landscape, the 1,200-square-foot (111 square meters) Cowboy Modern Desert Eco-Retreat is a sustainable family getaway designed to blend with nature. Oriented to minimize solar heat gain, the home was also made to withstand high winds. Built lightly on the land, it uses locally reclaimed lumber, off-site fabricated steel framing, and reflective metal roofing to withstand extreme weather. The wrap-around porch provides 1,000 square feet (92 square meters) of outdoor space, including a grill area, spa and cold cowboy tub. With gray water recycling and planned solar panels, the retreat approaches net-zero sustainability.


Moldegaard Cabin

By Nordic — Office of Architecture, Norway

This cabin offers sweeping views but faces extreme weather, including hurricane-force winds and large snowfall. Designed to withstand these conditions, the L-shaped structure follows the slope, with bedrooms stepping down along the terrain. Wind protection is key, with the entrance and outdoor areas sheltered from two directions. The design balances function and materiality — living spaces and bedrooms are clad in warm wood, while entrances, bathrooms and storage areas feature local stone. Untreated Norwegian pine with high oil content provides natural protection against the harsh climate.


Ecotourism Center in France

By INCA Architectes, IDF, France

The eco-tourism center at the Gorges de Franchard, located within the Fontainebleau forest — the largest protected site in France — aims to manage visitor traffic while raising awareness of the area’s environmental fragility. Designed as a “living room in the woods,” the building’s smooth, organic forms echo the site’s eroded stones and weave gently around preserved trees. Oriented to optimize bioclimatic performance, the structure uses natural materials like wood and shelters key spaces from prevailing winds. Flexible and reversible by design, the center features a large hall for group activities and exhibitions, fostering harmony between public access and forest conservation.


College of Life Sciences, Kuwait University

By CambridgeSeven, Kuwait

The College of Life Sciences (COLS) at Sabah Al Salim Al Sabah University City merges art, environment and technology into a collaborative learning space. Its dramatic, angular façade features desert-toned perforated panels that shift in color throughout the day, filtering daylight and blocking harsh southern sun. Inspired by traditional wind towers, the design leverages natural ventilation, with multilevel atria pulling warm air upward and courtyards providing self-shading. The sloped exterior walls minimize solar exposure, while the double-layered roof acts as a heat sink by day and a radiator by night, channeling prevailing winds to cool rooftop systems.


Fogo Island Artist Studios

By Saunders Architecture, Fogo Island, Canada

The Shorefast Foundation and Fogo Island Arts Corporation commissioned Todd Saunders to design six off-grid artist studios across Fogo Island, blending arts and culture with the islanders’ traditions. Four studios are complete: the Bridge Studio overlooks an inland pond from a steep hillside, the Tower Studio stands on a rocky coastline in Shoal Bay, the Squish Studio sits near the town of Tilting, and the Long Studio, elevated on stilts, frames a view of the North Atlantic near Joe Batt’s Arm. Designed to minimize environmental impact, the studios use local materials, transported by hand to remote sites. Wind and solar energy power the structures while the structures themselves are also formed to deflect high winds along the coast.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

The post Windswept Designs: 6 Highly Resistant Buildings Built for Highly Windy Sites appeared first on Journal.

Jumbo Glass: 6 Crystalline Examples of Structural Glazing With Sentech

The Main Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, December 6. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.

Founded on the principles of transparency and collaboration, Sentech Architectural Systems has spent years pioneering new possibilities in glass architecture. Their portfolio includes highly engineered solutions like structural glass fin walls, tension truss systems, all-glass stairways and bespoke canopies. Beyond manufacturing, Sentech also provides consulting services to architects, helping unlock the potential of complex projects by balancing design vision with budget constraints. By combining operational excellence with a collaborative approach to problem-solving, they create beautiful designs that stand the test of time.

This year, Sentech secured two major wins in the Architizer A+Product Awards. Their innovative product VetraSpan-L earned the prestigious Jury Winner accolade in the Glass & Glazing category, in recognition of its sophisticated approach to structural glass systems. In addition, VetraSky, a standout product in glass skylights and canopies, captured the Popular Choice Award in the Windows & Skylights category — a testament to the public’s enthusiasm for cutting-edge design solutions.

These achievements underscore the company’s impact on the architectural and glazing industries, delivering products that blend precision engineering with aesthetics. As the industry shifts toward lightweight, visually seamless structures, products like VetraSpan-L and VetraSky represent not just technical innovation, but a commitment to shaping the future of built environments.

Enter A+Product Awards


Denver Art Museum Martin Building Revitalization and Expansion

By Fentress Architects and Machado Silvetti, Denver, Colorado

The Denver Museum of Art’s Sie Welcome Center is a groundbreaking example of structural glass engineering, featuring an elliptical façade made from 25-foot-tall (7.5 meter), 8-foot-wide (2.5 meter) curved glass panels — the first design of its kind to use jumbo curved panels with seismic considerations. Designed by Fentress Architects and Machado Silvetti as part of a campus-wide revitalization, the Welcome Center connects the museum’s iconic Gio Ponti, Daniel Libeskind, and Michael Graves buildings.

The façade emphasizes transparency and simplicity, using minimal metal components and structural glass fins to streamline installation. This collaborative effort between architects, engineers, and contractors demonstrates the power of teamwork in creating innovative, elegant design solutions.


Sir John A. Macdonald Building

By NORR Architects & MTBA Associates, Inc., Ottawa, Canada

The former Bank of Montreal, a federally classified heritage building, has been transformed alongside an adjacent lot into the Confederation Room for the House of Commons, a modern conference facility for various functions. The design restores the bank’s historic grandeur while introducing a contemporary pavilion, separated by a glass-enclosed atrium that maintains views of the original west façade and serves as a public lobby with vertical circulation.

The pavilion features Sentech’s VetraFin system, utilizing insulated glass panels supported by vertical fins and complemented by bronze fittings, granite, and walnut, harmonizing with the heritage architecture. A striking all-glass atrium skylight, connected by bronze-clad steel brackets, floods the interiors with natural light, while the upper pavilion enhances the urban context across from Parliament Hill, and the lower level gracefully accommodates the sloped elevation of Wellington Street with accessible ramps and stairs.


Block 185

By Pelli Clarke & Partners, Austin, Texas

Block 185, known as Austin’s “Google Tower,” rises 35 stories with a sail-like design that emphasizes creativity, transparency, and openness. At its base, the building features Sentech’s VetraFin-G System, a structural glass façade supported by glass fins, using approximately 2,769 square feet of low-iron tempered insulated glass with SGP laminate and curved panels.

The design team overcame complex engineering challenges, including corner panel transitions and flexible joint configurations to handle movement. Completed in 2022 and LEED Platinum-certified, Block 185 makes a striking architectural statement.


Environmental Science Building (B12N) at Skyline College

By DES Architects + Engineers, San Bruno, California


The award-winning Environmental Science Building (B12N) at Skyline College in San Bruno, California, features a stunning 22-foot (6.7 meter) jumbo clear span glass façade that offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Coast, making it the first building on campus to showcase ocean vistas. This vibrant space hosts educational activities, community events, and student art displays, with the main gallery serving as a hub for academic and public engagement while enhancing the connection between campus life and the surrounding landscape.

Designed with Sentech’s VetraSpan clear span façade system, the building achieves full transparency without additional support structures, meeting California’s seismic demands and Title 24 energy efficiency standards. The insulated glass panels are seismically isolated to manage inter-story drift, while precision perimeter connections ensure glass deformation is controlled under wind loads. This seamless façade not only addresses technical challenges but also inspires students, faculty, and visitors with its expansive views, fostering learning and a shared vision for the future.


Tennessee Farmhouse

By Meyer Davis Studio Inc., Tennessee

Meyer Davis designed this modern interpretation of a hunting lodge by studying iconic Modernist residences, emphasizing a strong connection between architecture and landscape. Set on a grass plinth in the rolling hills of Tennessee, the home serves as a geometric representation of the topography, acting as a glass box that maximizes panoramic views. Using Sentech’s VetraSpan System, the design achieves uninterrupted transparency with structural glass panels that support themselves without additional out-of-plane reinforcement.

Inspired by Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House, the residence blends sleek modern lines with expansive glass walls, creating seamless indoor-outdoor living. Luxury is reflected in every detail, from a glass-enclosed bathroom with wrap-around vistas to corridors that feel like exterior rooms, offering layered views that engage the observer from every angle.


Salesforce Tower

By Pelli Clarke & Partners, Chicago, Illinois

Salesforce Tower, the final phase of the Wolf Point masterplan by Pelli Clarke & Partners, rises 57 stories and 850 feet (260 meters) at 333 Wolf Point Plaza in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, offering 1.2 million square feet of prime office space, with Salesforce occupying half a million square feet. Designed for the post-pandemic workforce, the tower emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and sustainability, integrating urban connectivity with scenic views of the Chicago River.

Sentech’s VetraFin glass façade enhances the 2-story lobby with openness and natural light, using over 13,530 square feet (1,255 square meters) of structural glass, including vestibules and elevator enclosures made from low-iron, laminated glass. The precision-engineered cantilevered glass fin wall, suspended from level 3, ensures seamless integration with the tower’s modern design while accommodating deflection and maintaining strict elevational tolerances.


Follow in the footsteps of Sentech and other innovative brands by entering this year’s A+Product Awards and receive major industry recognition from architects and designers worldwide:

Enter A+Product Awards

The Main Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, December 6. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.

The post Jumbo Glass: 6 Crystalline Examples of Structural Glazing With Sentech appeared first on Journal.

Eliminating Social Hierarchies: 7 European Architects Making Social Housing the New Creative Norm

For over a decade, Architizer’s A+Awards have been championing architectural excellence worldwide. This year, the program celebrates local innovation with global recognition. Click to enter before the Main Entry Deadline on Friday December 6th

First there was private housing, the epitome of creative freedom for architects. In materializing the dreams of (usually wealthy) private clients, architects elevated a simple residential design into an architectural masterpiece. Some examples include Peter Salter’s Walmer Yard — a 22 million development — Mies Van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House and Frank Loyd Wright’s Falling Water. However, in the last couple of years, a new residential challenge has increasingly been brought to the forefront of architectural discourse: the need for well-designed social housing.

Social housing was once regarded as a cheap design, usually found in “ugly” towers filled with flats that were frequently dark and cold and not at all inviting. Nowadays, following the rise of community living, social housing is gradually becoming associated with well-thought-out architectural proposals, quality construction and even sustainable design. Apart from public building projects, it is one other typology that does not chase profit, thus promoting design experimentation, an emphasis on well-being as well as groundbreaking progress on self-operating building technologies.


54 social housing in Inca

By Fortuny-Alventosa Morell Arquitectes, Mallorca, Spain

Jury Winner, Sustainable Multi-Unit Residential Building, 12th Annual A+ Awards, 

54 social housing in Inca_01 54 social housing in Inca_01The project consists of 54 social protection homes. It addresses two fundamental aspects of social housing design: the seamless integration of a building into its context and the synthesis of hybrid functions across space. The housing modules are organised around a central core that promotes social gatherings, while each individual home has a patio, a terrace or a private garden. The project also incorporates a series of passive house strategies to reduce the energy demand for heating and cooling and maximizes the natural light that enters the space.


Social-housing units

By Atelier du Pont, Paris, France

Social-housing units by Atelier du Pont_01 Social-housing units by Atelier du Pont_01 This project is tightly situated in-between dense, adjoining housing. Its “L” shape and architectural morphology creates a collective garden at the ground floor level, planted with tall trees. The complex features flats, terraces with unobstructed views and townhouses integrated harmoniously into one, consecutive volume. The façade is clad with black enamel terracotta tiles whose reflections change depending on the quality and direction of the light, establishing a continuity with the existing Toit et Joie designed by Philippe Gazeau in 1993.


159 Social Housing Carabanchel

By TAAs, Madrid, Spain

159 Social Housing Carabanchel by TAAs_01 159 Social Housing Carabanchel by TAAs_01Despite its urban character, the project is located close to big city voids that act as urban heat sinks. As a result, the building is divided in two pieces that form two interior plazas, fostering social interactions. Escalating stands connect the open spaces with the flats, leading to a morphology that is heavily influenced by Madrid’s Northwestern nocturnal cool winds, ensuring the building’s climatic performance. The city’s material culture is transferred to the structure, featuring local stones as well as concrete blocks that are highly durable and require little maintenance.


62 Social Housing, the Séqué

By GARDERA-D, Bayonne, France

62 Social Housing, the Séqué_01 62 Social Housing, the Séqué_01Contrary to the usual norm, this social housing complex is situated in the countryside, addressing questions about community living in nature. The project is highly contextual, featuring spaces such as large balconies and traversing houses that take advantage of the surrounding landscape. In parallel, its simple, compact and modular structure ensures both a technical and economic efficiency in construction.


Social Housing Romea

By PICCO architetti, Ravenna, Italy

SOCIAL HOUSING ROMEA_01 SOCIAL HOUSING ROMEA_01 The project links seamlessly to the existing urban fabric. Apart from the numerous blocks of flats, its layout configuration constructs a series of outdoor areas such as gardens, paths, parking lots – all of which are defined by trees that acts as a natural barrier between the social housing complex and the city. The materials are comprised of concrete, metallic elements and timber.


10 social housing units

By Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes, Paris, France

10 social housing units_01 10 social housing units_01This project is immediately aligned with the neighbourhood’s urban character and density via its scale and materiality and establishes a visual continuity with the buildings opposite. The street façade is a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional Parisian architecture, while the shape of the building forms an interior courtyard, with an open-air staircase that provides access to the housing units. Finally, the building is part of a Cerqual type A certification process, with low-energy consumption design and reinforced insulation to comply the “primary energy standard”.


16 social housing for Granollers town hall

By ONL, arquitectura, Granollers, Spain

16 social housing for Granollers town hall_01 The conceptual strategy of the project was to design an exterior façade that seeks abstraction through colour, rhythm and movement and which contrasts the domestic, private life occurring in its interior. A series of movable panels become the dominant aesthetic element, while also serving as a filter that controls the level of privacy and the natural light entering the interior space. The apartments are “double-sided”, having access to both the street and a central courtyard, while a service core provides all the necessary functions to its inhabitants.

Fortunately, the preconceptions of social housing have been gradually fading, giving way to new interpretation of how these, fundamental, building typologies can be addressed, both in terms of architectural design, sustainable construction, contextual integration and, of course, social impact.

Featured Image: 54 social housing in Inca by Fortuny-Alventosa Morell Arquitectes, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Jury Winner, 2024 A+ Awards, Built – Sustainable Multi-Unit Residential Building

For over a decade, Architizer’s A+Awards have been championing architectural excellence worldwide. This year, the program celebrates local innovation with global recognition. Click to enter before the Main Entry Deadline on Friday December 6th

The post Eliminating Social Hierarchies: 7 European Architects Making Social Housing the New Creative Norm appeared first on Journal.

30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in Seoul

Rooted in the principles of Confucianism and harmony with nature, structures like Gyeongbokgung Palace reflect the Seoul’s ancient past. Fast forward to the 20th century, and modernist influences emerge, through buildings such as Kim Swoo Geun’s Space Group Building completed in 1971, which merges traditional Korean aesthetics with modernist principles.

More recently projects such as Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the Seoullo 7017 Skygarden by MVRDV as well as the Amorepacific Headquarters by David Chipperfield Architects have provided the blueprint for the city’s contemporary architectural direction, where modern practices emphasize sustainability, smart technology integration and eco-friendly designs. Contemporary architecture firms in Seoul now focus on smart cities and create buildings that not only stand out visually but also address environmental concerns. This evolution makes Seoul a vibrant stage for global architectural discourse, acting as a design fusion that features towering skyscrapers along with historic conservation buildings and futuristic complexes.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Seoul, South Korea based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2024)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2024)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2024)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2024)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2024)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Seoul architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in Seoul:

 


30. Leehong Kim Architects

© Leehong Kim Architects

© Leehong Kim Architects

Leehong Kim lives in Korea and operates Leehong Kim Architects in both Seoul and New York City. Work focuses on both architectural and conceptual works integrated to the given spatial condition.

Some of Leehong Kim Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Leehong Kim Architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 1

29. D Werker Architects

© D Werker Architects

© D Werker Architects

D Werker Architects is an architectural practice based in Seoul, centered around residential as well as commercial architecture.

Some of D Werker Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped D Werker Architects achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 4

28. JK-AR

© JK-AR

© JK-AR

JK-AR is an agenda-based architecture practice founded in 2017 by Jae K. Kim. JK-AR is a platform for design experiments. We create space and form to yield new experiences. We think of visions for human life through architecture. At JK-AR, we believe that the spirit of exceptional architecture can be felt through persistent design investigations that implement state-of-the-art techniques.

For these aims, JK-AR develops new means of design, construction, and structural engineering by using today’s advanced technology. Working seamlessly with the studies of design computation, digital fabrication, and material application, the office challenges current practice to transform the building industry.

Recently, JK-AR is inventing new applications of conventional materials, focusing on wood and concrete.

Some of JK-AR’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped JK-AR achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 4

27. Heesoo Kwak + IDMM Architects

© Heesoo Kwak + IDMM Architects

© Heesoo Kwak + IDMM Architects

Kwak, Heesoo graduated from Hongik University and opened the IDMM Architects Office based in Seoul in 2003. He has served as a columnist for the JoongAng Ilbo ‘Architect Kwak Heesoo’s Short City’ and is attempting to decipher architecture based on constantly occurring urban phenomenons.

Some of Heesoo Kwak + IDMM Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Heesoo Kwak + IDMM Architects achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 7

26. Seoinn Design Group

© Seoinn Design Group

© Seoinn Design Group

Established 1978, Seoinn Design Group has been dedicated to provide the high quality design works to the worship places.

Some of Seoinn Design Group’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Seoinn Design Group achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 15

25. Joongwon Architects

© Joongwon Architects

© Joongwon Architects

Jungwon Architecture was founded in 1985 and is a group of architects who have been engaged in architecture for the second generation. It makes results in the present, but respects the accumulated experience of the field, which has gone through numerous trials and errors and repetitions from the past, and strives to continue and embody the inspiration of the sparkling desk as a sense of continuity. Unlike inventors, for architects, a creative moment is a small moment that discovers our indifferent value in life through continuous observation. Jungwon Architecture is steadily creating a healthy place in our city based on a delicate understanding of life and creating spaces that can last for a long time based on a serious interest in architecture.

Some of Joongwon Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Joongwon Architects achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 2

24. UTAA

© UTAA

© UTAA

Architecture is a series of cooperative work that does not end with one person’s thought. I want to be a small but strong experimental organization, and an office that creates a fun space. I am convinced that the most ordinary thing makes the most extraordinary results rather than the unique design of the display style. We configure the space as honestly and clearly as possible within the given different conditions and value the jointing and touching of each material.

Differentiated and leading designs begin with very ordinary buildings that exist around us and in our cities. In the past, Utah Architecture will continue to contribute to creating buildings in the city with healthy homes and warm spaces with the architect. And internally, the long-term goal is to create soil where junior architects can grow and do good work, beyond the current barren architecture.

Some of UTAA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped UTAA achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 5

23. Z_Lab

© KIM Jae Kyeong

© KIM Jae Kyeong

Z_Lab is a design group to create a place and space based communication with region and reflects the individual’s desire and will. We must achieve a balance of individual aspirations and regional universality in terms of the design and regional identity. In this instance we create a new experience for staying out through space and personalized lifestyle brand.

We would like to contribute to give a new experience for many people beyond the geographic boundaries based on the place and space. So that our results can be created with a private transfer to local and sustainable value for the future to create a positive business model based on the person and region.

Some of Z_Lab’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Z_Lab achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 5

22. 2m2 architects

© 2m2 architects

© 2m2 architects

2m2 architects was founded in Seoul by architect Junghee Lee. The firm suggests new cultural and social possibility in old-fashioned, conventional existing Korean architecture and aims to produce high quality designs so that the architect, client and constructor can all be satisfied.

Based on differentiated design, the company specializes in detailed construction accumulated in the field for several years on design. In addition, while having interest in various fields such as design, music, image and street culture other than architecture, the company plans, designs and constructs the projects through broad collaborations.

Some of 2m2 architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped 2m2 architects achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 6

21. ANM

© ANM

© ANM

ANM is an architecture design studio that emphasizes diversity and differentiation as well as to technical and methodological relationships. The office explores the balance between the architect’s intention and the needs of the client.

Some of ANM’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ANM achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 6

20. WISE Architecture

© Kim Yongkwan

© Kim Yongkwan

Young Jang and Sook Hee Chun jointly established WISE Architecture in 2008. The two completed several small but meaningful projects focusing on materiality of everydayness in Seoul.

Some of WISE Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped WISE Architecture achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 6

19. HyunjoonYoo Architects

© HyunjoonYoo Architects

© HyunjoonYoo Architects

For us, architecture is to design relationships. We seek to create harmony among people and with nature through new architectural visions.

Some of HyunjoonYoo Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped HyunjoonYoo Architects achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 6

18. BCHO Architects Associates

© BCHO Architects Associates

© BCHO Architects Associates

Founded in Seoul, Korea in 1994, BCHO Architects started as a design build office with a focus on simple structures and strong regard for nature. Since 1998 the practice focus is  architecture and furniture,   however we work very closely with contractors and multiple fabrication specialists in various disciplines; including stone masons, product designers, wood workers, potters, lighting engineers, furniture and graphic designers and artists. We also have multiple professional collaborators in Montana, Massachusetts, California, Hawaii and Peru.

BCHO Architects believe that buildings, furniture and art are made, not created. Each architectural project, encompassing various scales and programs, explores the phenomenon of light and space, fabrication and construction methods , recycling and reusing, and a broad sense of sustainability (social/cultural/physical), which uses our collective creative energy to reduce our buildings demand for grid energy.

Some of BCHO Architects Associates’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped BCHO Architects Associates achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 11

17. DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE

© DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE PLLC

© DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE PLLC

Cities need more accessible and reconfigurable construction strategies to foster the culture of dynamic placemaking in the context of ephemeral and transitory programs in our contemporary city. Stick Snap Stack is an alternative construction system to offer such a resilient construction framework. The system utilizes the simplicity of ‘stacking’ inspired by the traditional wood joinery method. Without bonding agents, the system uses a ‘snapping’ induced interlocking system for the unique stacking mechanism.

The geometry of the centerpiece can be fabricated to shift the stacking angle, while modularized three legs of the assembled unit block interlock with other blocks to complete a rhombohedral unit cell acting as a self-supporting structural ‘module.’

Some of DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped DIOINNO ARCHITECTURE PLLC achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 1
Total Projects 25

16. D.LIM Architects

© D.LIM Architects

© D.LIM Architects

D·LIM is an architectural group ledby its two principals, Yeonghwan Lim and Sunhyun Kim. Lim, a professor at Hongik University and a registered architect in Pennsylvania, is responsible for creative design. Kim holds a master’s degree in project management from Harvard University and is responsible for the execution of projects. She is a registered architect in Korea.

Some of D.LIM Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped D.LIM Architects achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 5

15. YounghanChung Architects

© YounghanChung Architects

© YounghanChung Architects

Younghan Chung architects, the architectural studio based on Seoul, seeks for new typology of living in the dense and uniform picture of the city and studies experimental and creative design processes through the relationship of various phenomena of the city.

Some of YounghanChung Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped YounghanChung Architects achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 5

14. SsD

© SsD

© SsD

SsD is an architecture firm that approaches design as a convergent, interdisciplinary venture. Minimum form takes maximum effect with the goal to bridge the utopian and the pragmatic. Instead of separating aspects of architecture, landscape, history, social systems, and codes into their constituent disciplines, these agendas are simultaneously explored so that each discipline symbiotically gains from the other.  In this way sustainability emerges as an integrated rather than additive result.

Some of SsD’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SsD achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 12

13. Archium

© Archium

© Archium

Archium is a architecture design firm based in Seoul, with projects centered around large-scale residential architecture.

Some of Archium’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Archium achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 7

12. EHLA

© Archium

© Archium

Architecture is nothing. However, architecture is more significant than any others like air in our life. Architecture is not a hero. Architecture is just a stage of our living. We do not want architecture to say a lot of showing language to come forward from the surroundings. As people live healthier within clean air, we want architecture to be a clean, pure and honest artifact that holds human life silently. We do not believe architecture will change the world and we do not work in order to change the world through architecture. For now, we are about to construct the architecture with architecture itself without a metadiscourse beyond architecture.

Some of EHLA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped EHLA achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 7

11. Mass Studies

Photography (C) Yong-Kwan Kim - © Mass Studies

Photography (C) Yong-Kwan Kim - © Mass Studies

Mass Studies was founded in 2003 by Minsuk Cho in Seoul, Korea, as a critical investigation of architecture in the context of mass production, intensely over-populated urban conditions, and other emergent cultural niches that define contemporary society. Amid the many frictions defining spatial conditions in the twenty-first century, namely past vs. future, local vs. global, utopia vs. reality, and individual vs. collective, Mass Studies focuses on the operative complexity of these multiple conditions instead of striving for a singular, unified perspective. For each architectural project, which exist across a wide range of scales, Mass Studies explores issues such as spatial systems/matrixes, building materials/techniques, and typological divergences to foster a vision that allows the discovery of new socio/cultural potential.

Some of Mass Studies’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Mass Studies achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 9

10. ArchiWorkshop

© ArchiWorkshop

© ArchiWorkshop

We are architects, who think, create, enjoy and share everyday architecture.

Some of ArchiWorkshop’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ArchiWorkshop achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 15

9. HAEAHN Architecture

© Namsun Lee

© Namsun Lee

HAEAHN Architecture, marking its 34th anniversary this year, has been continuously striving to design valuable urban environmental projects based on creativity and innovation since its establishment in 1990. HAEAHN has been in alliance with H Architecture, New York, USA since 2011 and established several overseas offices which have greatly contributed to its extensive growth in becoming a world standard architectural design firm. Overseas offices such as, Baghdad Branch Office, Republic of Iraq in 2014, Ho Chi Minh City Branch Office, Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 2018.

Some of HAEAHN Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped HAEAHN Architecture achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 1
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 23

8. OBBA

© OBBA

© OBBA

OBBA, Office for Beyond Boundaries Architecture, is an international architecture studio founded in May 2012, by Sojung Lee and Sangjoon Kwak, in Seoul, Korea, committed to multiple options and blended solutions in the context of a fast changing society and emerging issues, with an integral vision not apiecemeal cognition.

OBBA’s design approach starts from a critical survey of the surrounding environment – urban conditions, existing architecture and a spectrum of elements of daily life. Rather than chase a utopian thought, it is a process of investigating the social issues of today and proposing realistic solutions through design.

OBBA’s focus is on the synergistic boundaries where different fields intersect and form relationships, widening and developing their expertise through various disciplines and multiple spheres. As aboundary crosser, OBBA seeks new challenges, welcoming the symbiosis of fluctuating boundaries rather than following conventional ways.

Some of OBBA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped OBBA achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 7

7. Yong Ju Lee Architecture

© Yong Ju Lee Architecture

© Yong Ju Lee Architecture

Yong Ju Lee, AIA is principal of Seoul-based Yong Ju Lee Architecture. He has been working for stimulating design for everyday life in multiple scales and media. His works are presented worldwide such as National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Seoul), Museum of Modern Art (New York) and Venice Biennale. He also received world-renowned awards including Korean Public Architecture Award, iF Design Award and Design Vanguard.

Some of Yong Ju Lee Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Yong Ju Lee Architecture achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 10

6. L’EAU design

© Kyungsub Shin

© Kyungsub Shin

L’EAU Design is a group seeking after such environment as falling under comprehensive sense and attempt the relationship with architectural design. ‘Environment’ includes meanings of social and cultural conditions that influence in human lifestyle as well as ecological and build environment.

L’EAU Design, since its establishment in 2000, has been pursuing a total design focused on ‘architecture and urbanism;’ ‘renovation and interior design;’ ‘enviroment design’ in order to architecturally design diverse concerns amid the better ‘human environment,’ which is based on our research about social and cultural background of human.

Some of L’EAU design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped L'EAU design Co.,Ltd. achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 8
Total Projects 22

5. stpmj

© stpmj

© stpmj

stpmj is an award winning design practice based in New York and Seoul. The office is founded by Seung Teak Lee and Mi Jung Lim with the agenda of “provocative realism.” It is a series of synergetic explorations that occur on the boundary between the ideal and the real, based on simplicity of form and detail, clarity of structure, excellence in environmental function, use of new materials and rational management of budget. To these we add ideas generated from curiosity in everyday life as we pursue a methodology for dramatically exploiting the limitations of reality. Resulting from new perspectives, our work is nuanced yet bold and represents a reaction against architectural clichés.

Some of stpmj’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped stpmj achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 10

4. Suh Architects

© Suh Architects

© Suh Architects

With every project, Suh Architects is defined by the marriage of function and verve. It does not adhere to a predetermined style and expects its architecture to outlast current trends. Buildings must not only make sense spatially and in an intangible way, but also keep the rain out, heat in and stay within budget. The firm is well-aware that this sort of harmony is only made possible by maintaining consistent standards and fully understanding its clients’ needs.

Its founder, Eulho Suh, is directly involved in the design and execution of each project from its initial conception, through planning, construction and completion. With every project, spatial clarity and human scale are foremost; subsequent details are held to the highest standard of execution.

Some of Suh Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Suh Architects achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 8

3. Moon Hoon

© Namgoong Sun

© Namgoong Sun

Moon Hoon is a practice located in Seoul, South Korea. The design philosophy behind its architecture lies in movies, comics and graffiti and advocates a playful design attitude towards architecture.

Some of Moon Hoon’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Moon Hoon achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 12

2. IROJE KHM Architects

© IROJE KHM Architects

© IROJE KHM Architects

IROJE KHM Architects is many kinds of award-winning architect’s office in Seoul, Korea. Kim Hyo Man, the principal of IROJE KHM Architects is architect, concurrent professor of graduate school of architecture and editorial adviser of architectural magazine.

Some of IROJE KHM Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped IROJE KHM Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 21

1. Studio Gaon

© Studio Gaon

© Studio Gaon

Completed by time, an architecture with moving spaces.

Studio_Gaon was founded in 1998 and is represented by Lim Hyoung-nam and Roh Eun-joo. Gaon means ‘center’ in Korean. We carries out various urban and architectural projects. The architecture we pursue harmonizes with nature and contemplates the locality of Korea and the present nature of architecture. We are particularly interested in traditional architecture featuring the locality of Korea and Seoul, where we are mainly active. From our point of view, the biggest feature of Korean architecture is the movement of space, compared to other oriental architectures such as that of Japan and China.

Some of Studio Gaon’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Studio Gaon achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Seoul:

Featured Projects 29
Total Projects 46

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

The post 30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in Seoul appeared first on Journal.

Bike, Lounge, Splash: How OKRA Designs Urban Spaces To Connect With Nature

Calling all architects, landscape architects and interior designers: Architizer's A+Awards allows firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of “World’s Best Architecture Firm.” Start an A+Firm Award Application today. 

What if cities could flourish as natural habitats where ecology and urban life coexist? This is a central question for OKRA, a landscape architecture firm based in the Netherlands. Established in 1994 by Hans Oerlemans, Martin Knuijt, Christ-Jan van Rooij, and Boudewijn Almekinders, the firm now includes landscape architects, urban planners, and designers from 14 different nationalities. Thorough research and a focus on craftsmanship, OKRA has become known for their resilient designs.

Central to OKRA’s philosophy is the creation of meaningful, livable spaces that connect to nature. The firm thinks of cities as natural habitats, places where urban and natural ecosystems coexist in harmony. This year, they are the Popular Choice Winner for Best Landscape Design Firm in Architizer’s A+Awards. This recognition underscores their commitment to water management, a crucial consideration in the Netherlands. The following projects showcase this idea through their “Living with Water” approach, developing water strategies that protect urban environments while preserving natural resources. Combining interdisciplinary collaboration and a focus on systems, OKRA continues to explore how we connect with nature.


Catharijnesingel

Utrecht, Netherlands

Once a neglected urban highway, the Catharijnesingel in Utrecht has been transformed into a vibrant green space and restored canal, reconnecting the city with its historical roots. This 20-year project revitalized the area, turning it into a pedestrian-friendly landscape that blends old and new, while addressing climate adaptation. The redesign prioritizes green spaces, biodiversity, and slow transportation modes, creating a park that enhances walkability and offers recreational opportunities. Catharijnesingel’s restoration has become a model for urban renewal, earning accolades for its innovative blend of history, ecology, and public space.


Marina Park

Cork, Ireland

Marina Park in Cork transforms a former industrial area into a vibrant urban park, fulfilling the city’s vision for a regional green space. Designed on a complex brownfield site, the park integrates Cork’s industrial heritage with modern needs, managing stormwater runoff and adapting to rising sea levels. The first phase includes multifunctional spaces, a renovated Gaelic sports stadium, and a pavilion repurposed from old showgrounds. With Phase 2 underway, the park will extend further, blending urban and natural elements, offering diverse recreation zones, and preserving historic structures, contributing to Cork’s Docklands regeneration and enhancing biodiversity.


Cadzand Maritime

Cadzand, Netherlands

In the seaside resort of Cadzand-Bad, coastal reinforcement was integrated into a public space upgrade, creating a safe, year-round destination for residents and tourists. Ecological dune widening enhanced biodiversity and erosion control while offering scenic routes for cyclists and pedestrians. The new marina, formed by strengthening breakwaters, provides a unique experience for visitors. At the heart of the redesign is a central maritime balcony that connects the dunes, boulevard, and marina, offering views and gathering spaces. The project not only improved safety and ecology but also boosted the local economy by creating a vibrant, year-round community.


Katwijk Coastal Defense

Katwijk, Netherlands

For the past decade, the Rijkswaterstaat and Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment have strengthened weak coastal areas while ensuring Katwijk remains a thriving tourist destination. OKRA’s design, developed through an interactive process, emphasized preserving the town’s connection to the beach. By constructing a dyke-in-dune system—where a stone embankment is reinforced and hidden by dunes—the project minimized disruption and allowed for the addition of an underground parking garage. Natural-looking dunes and paths now connect the village to the sea, with a central dune transition serving as a welcoming event space for the community.


Rotterdam Westerkade

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Not long ago, the quays of Rotterdam were neglected spaces used for parking and leftover activities. However, a new vision for a connected city transformed these areas into vibrant, green public spaces. The Westerkade and Parkkade quays were redesigned to balance leisure and traffic, creating flexible spaces for relaxation and events. With tree-lined paths, seating, and lush plantings designed by Piet Oudolf, these quays now serve as inviting recreational areas along the Maas River. The transformation revitalized Rotterdam’s riverfront, strengthening the city’s connection to the water and becoming a key feature of its public spaces.


Cutty Sark Gardens

London, United Kingdom

Cutty Sark Gardens, inspired by the ebb and flow of tides, blends a garden and public square to create a dynamic, inviting space in the heart of Greenwich. As part of the Mayor’s Great Spaces initiative, the area was revitalized ahead of the 2012 Olympics, transforming a neglected transfer space into a lively square that honors the site’s naval history and proximity to the Thames. With flexible design elements and green terraces overlooking the river, Cutty Sark Gardens serves as a link in London’s vision for a green, connected urban environment.

Calling all architects, landscape architects and interior designers: Architizer's A+Awards allows firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of “World’s Best Architecture Firm.” Start an A+Firm Award Application today. 

The post Bike, Lounge, Splash: How OKRA Designs Urban Spaces To Connect With Nature appeared first on Journal.

The Future of Architecture: Lessons from 7 Architizer A+Awards Sustainability Winners

Architizer's 13th A+Awards features a suite of sustainability-focused categories that recognizing designers that are building a green industry — and a better future. Start your entry to receive global recognition for your work!

The Architizer A+Awards celebrate the very best architectural, landscaping, planning and place-making projects from across the world. But for the last two years we’ve also looked to spotlight the most carbon efficient, green-aligned, climate-friendly blueprints, ideas and finished buildings.

Looking back at all the winners in Sustainability categories, alongside the finalists and shortlisted projects, a few things jump out. In the eyes of judges and the public alike, masterplans that provide flexibility and adaptability, are pluralistic in influence and purpose, and allow the surrounding environment to take a lead on form have garnered the most attention and win the greatest support. We also love feeling immersed in nature, with many examples in this collection blurring lines between indoors and outdoors, human-made and evolutionary worlds.


Interpretation Center of Biodiversity and Pile Dwellings in the Ljubljana Marsh Nature Park

By Atelje Ostan Pavlin, Lubljana, Slovenia

Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Cultural Building, 12th Annual A+Awards

Atelje Ostan Pavlin’s latest project is a remarkable asset to the Slovenian capital. Built in the Ljubljana Marshes, an area of outstanding natural beauty and home to prehistoric pile dwellings, the new Interpretation Center tells the area’s geological and evolutionary story, fauna and flora alike, and gives visitors a front row seat for the latest chapter in the story of local wildlife. It’s a living museum that complements rather than imposes on its location.


Amazon HQ2 at Metropolitan Park

By ZGF Architects, Arlington, Virginia

Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Commercial Building, 12th Annual A+Awards

The world’s largest new LEED Platinum v4 construction project when ground was broken, Amazon’s second Virginia HQ sets enviable green building standards; 100% renewable electricity, highly efficient HVAC, and daylighting to cut energy use by 24%. The community garden, children’s play area, protected bike lanes and ground level opportunities cement this development as part of a wider urban environment and community. As did a lengthy consultation with the public on what masterplans should include.


Manshausen – Two Towers

By Snorre Stinessen Architecture, Steigen, Norway

Jury Winner, Architecture +Environment; Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Hospitality Building; 12th Annual A+Awards

`Merging tradition and modernity, the Two Towers of the Manshausen Island Resort occupy what was once a large coal storage facility that supported the local fishing industry. Burnt wood cladding nods to this former life, making the structures stand out through a ‘negative space’ effect. The material choice reflects the history of place and people, while energy independence nods to our net zero future, bringing state-of-the-art technology into a unspoilt natural setting without visual or physical disruption.


Where the Pollinators Are

By Didier Design Studio, Pennsylvania

Jury Winner, Sustainable Landscape/Planning Project, 12th Annual A+Awards

Bees and other pollinators are in rapid decline, making any project that tries to restore local ecosystems back to their natural balance incredibly important. Rethinking an area that was once dominated by monoculture, introducing species that co-habit and support one another, Where the Pollinators Are reflects our increasing understanding that biodiversity must be fundamental to development. Spanning 3.5 acres, the site emulates Pennsylvania’s ridges and valleys, and the conditions for life to thrive.


CUCADELLUM – Funicular to the Tibidabo Amusement Park

By MIAS ARCHITECTS, Barcelona, Spain

Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Transportation Project, 11th Annual A+Awards

The upgrade to Barcelona’s Tibidabo Amusement Park funicular railway has significantly modernised the all-electric service. Passenger capacity more than doubled, from 120 to 252 seats, journey times have been brought down to just three minutes at maximum speed, and the number of trips per hour has increased as a result. Meanwhile, upgraded vehicle stock emphasises this transit mode as a ‘ride’ in itself, maximizing panoramic views and delivering local facts and information via touch screens.


Echo TU Delft

By UNStudio, Delft, Netherlands

Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Cultural/Institutional Building, 11th Annual A+Awards

We last looked at Echo TU Delft in our feature on 7 Examples of Radically Resilient and Adaptable Architecture. Now here we are again, praising this university building for its ability to transform, develop, and change with the needs of its student population over time. This essentially means it can be updated without ecologically-costly and potentially very wasteful construction work taking place, which is the definition of future-proofing.


Corrugated Cardboard-Formed Exhibition Space

By LUO Studio, Shanghai, China

Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Interior Project, 11th Annual A+Awards

LUO Studio makes a big statement about material choice with its appropriately-titled Corrugated Cardboard-Formed Exhibition Space. Highly flexible, the design offers a model for temporary exhibition spaces with significantly reduced transportation and construction needs, two of the largest contributors to carbon footprints. Once events are finished, it’s possible to pack down, relocate and reuse the lightweight exhibition space at another site, reducing the impact of a sector which has historically been notorious for its reliance on single-use materials.

Architizer's 13th A+Awards features a suite of sustainability-focused categories that recognizing designers that are building a green industry — and a better future. Start your entry to receive global recognition for your work!

The post The Future of Architecture: Lessons from 7 Architizer A+Awards Sustainability Winners appeared first on Journal.

25 Best Architecture and Design Firms in Los Angeles

These annual rankings were last updated on October 10, 2024. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking.

Los Angeles is arguably regarded as the capital of the film and television industry. The sprawling city is the epicenter of theatricality and luxury of the Western world. The cinematic scenery, the countless studio setups as well as the historic movie palaces have all imbued the cultural identity of Los Angeles with the ‘cinematic flare’, and architecture is no exception.

Home to iconic landmarks such as Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and Richard Meier’s Getty Center, Los Angeles’ architecture has become greatly influenced by the entertainment industry. Starting from its architectural schools, the city promotes alternative design practices. For instance, founded in 1972, SCI-Arch is one of the most notable, experimental architecture schools in the world. It combines state-of-the-art technologies with the reimagining of architecture as a design practice and world-building, not only in commercial buildings but also in intricately designed residences. A pole of attraction for many celebrities, Los Angeles homes can easily be considered settings from out of this world.

With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Los Angeles based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.

How are these architecture firms ranked?

The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:

  • The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2024)
  • The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2024)
  • The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2024)
  • The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2024)
  • The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2024)

Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Los Angeles architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 25 best architecture firms in Los Angeles:


25. Ball-Nogues Studio

© Ball-Nogues Studio

© Ball-Nogues Studio

Ball-Nogues Studio is an integrated design and fabrication practice operating in a territory between architecture, art, and industrial design, that is led by Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues. Their work is informed by the exploration of craft. Essential to each project is the “design” of the production process itself, with the aim of creating environments that enhance sensation, generate spectacle and invite physical engagement.

The studio has exhibited at major institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Guggenheim Museum; PS1; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Venice Biennale; the Hong Kong | Shenzhen Biennale; and the Beijing Biennale.

Some of Ball-Nogues Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Ball-Nogues Studio achieve 25th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 17

24. Griffin Enright Architects

© Griffin Enright Architects

© Griffin Enright Architects

The Los Angeles-based firm of Griffin Enright Architects, established in 2000 by Margaret Griffin, FAIA and John Enright, FAIA, fuses interests in innovation and experimentation with a desire to explore cultural complexities relative to the built environment. Their versatile practice includes projects ranging from large-scale commercial and residential commissions to furniture design and gallery installations. Their work moves beyond the traditional scope of architectural practice, underscoring connections with the surrounding urban fabric and landscape by reinforcing existing conditions or creating new ones that allow architecture, urban context and landscape to be experienced in new ways. Griffin Enright’s comprehensive approach to design depends on the simultaneous blurring and exploitation of distinctions between inside/outside, built form/landscape, site/urban context and theory/practice.

Some of Griffin Enright Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Griffin Enright Architects achieve 24th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 12

23. Whipple Russell Architects

© William MacCollum

© William MacCollum

Since 1985, we have enjoyed continued success creating architecture inspired by the people who work, live and play in our environments. During every phase of a project we ask ourselves these five questions:

>  Have we listened deeply to our clients?
>  Have we drawn from our breadth of experience?
>  Have we distilled the design to its most simple, appropriate form?
>  Have our plans and systems provided clarity and peace of mind for our clients?
>  Are we exceeding expectations?

We believe it is our commitment to achieving a resounding ‘yes’ to each of these questions which has generated Whipple Russell’s long list of diverse and satisfied clients.

Some of Whipple Russell Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Whipple Russell Architects achieve 23rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 19

22. Gehry Partners

© Gehry Partners

© Gehry Partners

Gehry Partners, LLP is a full service firm with broad international experience in academic, commercial, museum, performance, and residential projects. Frank Gehry established his practice in Los Angeles, California in 1962. The Gehry partnership, Gehry Partners, LLP, was formed in 2001. Gehry Partners employs a large number of senior architects who have extensive experience in the technical development of building systems and construction documents, and who are highly qualified in the management of complex projects.

Every project undertaken by Gehry Partners is designed personally and directly by Frank Gehry. All of the resources of the firm and the extensive experience of the firm’s partners are available to assist in the design effort and to carry this effort forward through technical development and construction administration.

Some of Gehry Partners’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Gehry Partners achieve 22nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 10

21. David Hertz Architects, Studio of Environmental Architecture

© Kevin Scott Photography

© Kevin Scott Photography

The work of David Hertz Architects Inc, Studio of Environmental Architecture (SEA), focuses on designing and constructing environmentally responsible residential and commercial buildings.

SEA engages in multiple facets of design, including product design, furniture design, public sculpture, environmental consulting, and the research and development of resource-efficient ecologic building products. In 1983 Hertz founded Syndesis Inc and invented the material manufacturing process of Syndecrete®, the innovative pre-cast lightweight concrete surfacing material. Hertz sold the technology in 2006. Evolving from a generalist nature of practice to a more specified studio has allowed for a comprehensive understanding of creative problem solving and an opportunity to view design challenges from multiple perspectives.

Some of David Hertz Architects, Studio of Environmental Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped David Hertz Architects, Studio of Environmental Architecture achieve 21st place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 4

20. Anonymous Architects

© Anonymous Architects

© Anonymous Architects

We believe that the process of design, and the building that results from that process, must have purpose. With each new project we seek to identify this purpose and develop the design around it. This incremental process we use to develop a building must be simple and lucid and expressed in every element of the final product and we strive to maintain a clear design thread from beginning to end of a project. Expressing a building’s logic is a key part of our process and is achieved with an open collaborative approach with all building consultants.

Some of Anonymous Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Anonymous Architects achieve 20th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 4

19. Assembledge+

© Assembledge+

© Assembledge+

Since its inception, Assembledge+ has steadfastly pursued an architectural vision rooted in a dedication to collaborative efforts and craftsmanship. This commitment seeks to forge enduring spaces prioritizing user experience, fostering innovation, and upholding sustainability principles.

We believe in the art of collaboration.

Founded and spearheaded by David Thompson, AIA, the name Assembledge+ was purposefully chosen to encapsulate the firm’s zeal for “assembling” the often intricate components of the design process. This results in an architecture that is timeless, attuned to its environment uplifts the human spirit. The “+” symbolizes an approach that comprehends the comprehensive interplay of interconnected elements, recognizing that architecture transcends mere drawings and an assembly of building materials.

Some of Assembledge+’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Assembledge+ achieve 19th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 37

18. Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign

© Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign

© Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign

The Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design integrates the best attributes of a design studio with the resources and reach of an international practice. The studio is comprised of a group of creative thinkers who share a commitment to pushing the boundaries of design from refining concepts of sustainability to the application of new technologies and urban initiatives. Established upon the reputation and leadership of award-winning designer Mehrdad Yazdani, the Yazdani Studio integrates the best attributes of a design studio with the resources and reach of an international practice.

Some of Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign achieve 18th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 3
Total Projects 29

17. Patrick TIGHE Architecture

© Patrick TIGHE Architecture

© Patrick TIGHE Architecture

Patrick T I G H E  Architecture is committed to creating an authentic, contemporary architecture informed by technology, sustainability and building innovation.

Some of Patrick TIGHE Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Patrick TIGHE Architecture achieve 17th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 19

16. Aaron Neubert Architects

© Aaron Neubert Architects

© Aaron Neubert Architects

Founded in 2006, Aaron Neubert Architects is a design practice committed to orchestrating poetic relationships between landscape, light,and materiality, resulting in beautifully crafted spaces that amplify the human experience and advance stewardship of the natural environment.

Led by Aaron Neubert, FAIA, the practice has produced a diverse portfolio of sustainable, site-specific work that spans museums and institutional facilities, hotels and restaurants, creative office, private residences, and multi-family housing. The practice’s inventive formal and site resiliency strategies preserve delicate and complex ecologies while improving the wellness of the community.

Some of Aaron Neubert Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Aaron Neubert Architects achieve 16th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 22

15. Standard

© Standard

© Standard

Our projects are guided by identity and culture, reflecting the narrative for which they’re designed.  Conscious of architecture’s potential to communicate, from a way of living to a company’s image, our work aspires to provide the setting that expresses the idea.  Settling in Los Angeles after living in Europe and traveling extensively, our experience gives us a distinct perspective on building and site.  It is a view that combines an elemental approach to architecture and an open relationship toward the environment.  As our practice evolves, this perspective increasingly defines our work. Our projects start with a dialogue about program and purpose, and progress toward their own identity.

Some of Standard’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Standard achieve 15th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 33

14. Steinberg Hart

© Steinberg Hart

© Steinberg Hart

For 70 years, Steinberg Hart has shaped environments and created inspiring places through and idea-driven, results-oriented approach to design that spans education, arts, residential, urban mixed-use, hospitality, civic, and commercial sectors. The firm’s team of architects, designers, planners, and sustainability experts share the belief that design can create profound and unexpected connections between people and place.

Our full-service architecture firm creates environments that sculpt space to shape lives in subtle and empowering ways. From the foundation established in 1953 by Silicon Valley architecture pioneer Goodwin Steinberg, FAIA and in 1967 by New York design trailblazer Malcolm Holzman FAIA at Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates, and now under the leadership of David Hart, Steinberg Hart has built a progressive portfolio of award-winning projects spanning multiple continents and diverse sectors.

Some of Steinberg Hart’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Steinberg Hart achieve 14th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 18

13. KOVAC

© Roger Davies

© Roger Davies

What began as a team of four has evolved into a world-renowned architecture practice centered on humanistic and sustainable design principles. Founded by Michael Kovac in 1988, our Los Angeles-based studio prides itself on a design approach that puts people first. Our highly personalized projects have received awards from such organizations as the AIA, Architizer, and Luxe and our work has been featured in Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, Wallpaper*, Galerie and Est Living amongst others.

Our services include residential, hospitality, and commercial architecture. We also offer interior design and sustainable design services.

We firmly believe each space has its own sensibility — one shaped by people, place, and material.

Some of KOVAC’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped KOVAC achieve 13th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 10

12. Synthesis Design + Architecture

© Synthesis Design + Architecture

© Synthesis Design + Architecture

Synthesis Design + Architecture is a forward thinking and multi-award winning design firm based in Los Angeles, California with architectural licenses in California, Arizona and Colorado and experience with international projects (Thailand, China, Italy and the UK). We specialize in producing innovative design work that not only challenges convention through technological, material and computational innovation, but also work that purposefully enlivens the public imagination and makes a case for the role of innovated architecture in our contemporary creative design culture.

Our office engages the discipline of architecture through the dual lenses of design and research at the intersection of technology, performance and craft – a territory that we explore through the design of architectural projects of all scales that experiment with computational design processes as a means of investigating the synthetic relationships between form, structure and skin.

Some of Synthesis Design + Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Synthesis Design + Architecture achieve 12th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 10

11. Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer

© Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer

© Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer

Pfeiffer, a Perkins Eastman Studio, is a design firm of architects, interior designers and planners, with offices in downtown Los Angeles and New York City. The firm, which works nationally and internationally — with an emphasis on cultural and educational projects for both public and private clients. Its projects marry smart planning with unusually effective client and team engagement for imaginative architectural solutions.

Some of Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer achieve 11th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 2
Total Projects 21

10. Martin Fenlon Architecture

© Zach Lipp

© Zach Lipp

MFA, an architecture firm based in Los Angeles, is committed to seeking a sustainable architecture of innovative space; a space that is shaped by the specific needs of the client, the unique qualities of the site and region, and the logic and efficiency of construction.

Some of Martin Fenlon Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Martin Fenlon Architecture achieve 10th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 12

9. asap/ adam sokol architecture practice

© asap/ adam sokol architecture practice

© asap/ adam sokol architecture practice

asap/ is a collaborative design practice founded in 2011 and based in Los Angeles, with a second office in New York, USA. We seek to identify and advance design opportunities to develop the art and craft of design at all scales — from tableware to entire cities, while also reinterpreting and re-energizing programmatic imperatives. Our work is devoted to understanding and contributing to existing cultural and architectural contexts while deploying advanced design and construction technology in ways appropriate to contemporary life.

Some of asap/ adam sokol architecture practice’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped asap/ adam sokol architecture practice achieve 9th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 18

8. Atelier Scale

© Atelier Scale

© Atelier Scale

Atelier Scale is a landscape studio that focuses on people’s livelihood with the power of design. It aims to explore the relationship within different scales in landscape, that is, to find creative solutions and expressions from the relationships between the whole and parts, groups and individuals. We focus on public space and hope to bring more meaningful experience through our thinking. At the meantime, we don’t mind participating in commercial projects, but we look forward to collaborating clients with similar values to create win-win works that benefit public interest.

Some of Atelier Scale’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Atelier Scale achieve 8th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 5

7. RIOS

© RIOS

© RIOS

RIOS is an international design collective. We are actively in pursuit of wonder within the design of built environment. We believe design is an act of optimism through which invention and ideas change the world. We practice interconnected design architecture, placemaking, and landscape architecture to harness the positive impacts of wellness and define design as a continuum. RIOS was founded in 1985 as a multi-disciplinary design firm. Today the firm has offices in Los Angeles, Singapore, Shanghai, London, Austin and Boulder with over 250 team members contributing to transformative projects globally.

We follow a process that begins with attunement, where program and context shape strong conceptual thinking to establish a holistically informed big idea.

Some of RIOS’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped RIOS achieve 7th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 18

6. CO Architects

© CO Architects

© CO Architects

CO Architects is nationally recognized for architectural planning, programming and design in the higher education, science and technology, civic and healthcare sectors, and works with leading institutions from coast to coast. In over 35 years of practice, CO Architects has led innovative and successful projects in 30 states, Canada and the UK. The firm’s specialized expertise includes transformative projects for schools of medicine and the health professions, advanced research and teaching laboratories, leading-edge museums and civic landmarks, and innovative clinical facilities on higher education, healthcare and urban campuses.

Some of CO Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped CO Architects achieve 6th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 40

5. FreelandBuck

© Eric Staudenmaier

© Eric Staudenmaier

FreelandBuck is a full service architecture design practice formed in 2009 and based in Los Angeles. Partners David and Brennan have over 15 years of experience in architecture and landscape architecture. The firm has exhibited widely and received the 2011 ArchIs Prize for emerging architects from the Los Angeles AIA. California Home + Design magazine recognized FreelandBuck as one of the “10 to Watch” new architecture offices in 2011. Our work has been featured in Architectural Record, Detail, Frame, Azure, Surface and LOG as well as several recent books on architecture and technology.

Some of FreelandBuck’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped FreelandBuck achieve 5th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

Featured Projects 8
Total Projects 28

4. Kevin Daly Architects

© kevin daly Architects

© kevin daly Architects

“Kevin Daly Ar­chi­tects is a prac­tice rooted in the be­lief that ar­chi­tec­ture has the power to trans­form the every­day built en­vi­ron­ment. Since es­tab­lish­ing the firm in 1991 as Daly Genik Ar­chi­tects and now as Kevin Daly Ar­chi­tects, Kevin Daly has guided a de­sign process that up­holds the prac­ti­cal magic of ar­chi­tec­ture — an alchemy of craft, ma­te­ri­als, and form. But­tressed by pro­ject-di­rected re­search, the work of Kevin Daly Ar­chi­tects in­ter­weaves in­no­va­tion in tech­nol­ogy and fab­ri­ca­tion, sus­tain­abil­ity and ur­ban­ism, liv­abil­ity and econ­omy. The firm’s award-win­ning port­fo­lio in­cludes en­vi­ron­men­tally and so­cially re­spon­sive ed­u­ca­tional, res­i­den­tial and in­sti­tu­tional pro­jects rang­ing in scale from sin­gle-room artist work­spaces to cam­pus mas­ter plan­ning.

Kevin Daly Ar­chi­tects is par­tic­u­larly rec­og­nized for re­claim­ing and trans­form­ing sites char­ac­ter­is­tic of the ur­ban fab­ric, turn­ing generic back­ground build­ings into mod­els of com­mu­nity iden­tity.

Some of kevin daly Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped kevin daly Architects achieve 4th place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Finalist 8
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 9

3. WOODS + DANGARAN

Best Medium Firm 2023 (Architizer’s 11th Annual A+ Awards)
© WOODS + DANGARAN

© WOODS + DANGARAN

Many firms describe their work as “transformative”— architecture as an accomplished fact. At Woods + Dangaran, we create modern homes through dialogue and exploration. By collaborating closely with our clients throughout the design process, we are better able to inspire them with the finished product. By working closely with trusted tradespersons, we can deliver work that is uncompromising in craftsmanship.

Working across the country, we design holistically and at every scale: from integrating architecture and interiors to creating custom furnishings. The result are projects that are subtle and disciplined, pure in form, and focused on realizing sublime experiences of space and light.

Some of WOODS + DANGARAN’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped WOODS + DANGARAN achieve 3rd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 6

2. Morphosis Architects

© Morphosis Architects

© Morphosis Architects

Founded in 1972, Morphosis is an interdisciplinary practice involved in rigorous design and research that yields innovative, iconic buildings and urban environments. With founder Thom Mayne serving as design director, the firm today consists of a group of more than 60 professionals, who remain committed to the practice of architecture as a collaborative enterprise. With projects worldwide, the firm’s work ranges in scale from residential, institutional, and civic buildings to large urban planning projects. Named after the Greek term for ‘to form or be in formation’, Morphosis is a dynamic and evolving practice that responds to the shifting and advancing social, cultural, political and technological conditions of modern life.

Some of Morphosis Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Morphosis Architects achieve 2nd place in the 25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles:

A+Awards Winner 5
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 6

1. Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects [LOHA]

© Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects [LOHA]

© Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects [LOHA]

Founded in 1994 by Lorcan O’Herlihy, FAIA, LOHA is an award-winning architecture and urban design firm of twenty-five talented designers, with offices in Los Angeles and Detroit. Collectively and collaboratively, driven by O’Herlihy, passion and creative vision, we have built a robust portfolio of work that is rooted in embracing architecture’s role as a catalyst for change. With a conscious understanding that architecture operates within a layered context of political, developmental, environmental, and social structures, LOHA seeks to elevate the human condition via the built environment. We work with a diverse group of stakeholders to deliver work ranging from art galleries, bus shelters and large-scale neighborhood plans, to large mixed-use developments, supportive housing and university residential complexes.

Some of Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects [LOHA]’s most prominent projects include:

A+Awards Winner ”2″
A+Awards Finalist ”8″
Featured Projects ”9″
Total Projects ”35″
” ITEM_POSITION=”1st” TITLE=”25 Best Architecture Firms in Los Angeles”]


Other Architecture firms to Consider

Several other renowned architecture firms can be found just outside the Top 25, each of which is worth considering for their experience in delivering high quality, large-scale projects across typologies. They include: John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (JFAK), Oyler Wu Collaborative, David Reddy AIA / R&D Architects, Walker Workshop, AUX Architecture, Spatial Affairs Bureau, HCRA, Tim Durfee Studio, CallisonRTKL, Cliff Garten Studio, OWIU, STUDIO COLLIN COBIA, PUNCH, ROBERT KERR architecture design, Guild, Nous Engineering, Inc., Form Found Design, Design, Bitches, Marmol Radziner, AOS works : architecture & design, SABZ Studios, Kurt Krueger Architect, doho constructivo + Iván Marín Arquitectura, SWA GROUP / Los Angeles, Studio+, Clifford Beers Housing, WATG and Wimberly Interiors, CARGO Architecture, dk designhouse, Relativity Architects, Vertebrae, Byben, Verse Design LA, MSA (Maxi Spina Architects), Jeremy Levine Design, HIS Foundation, ABCDCollaborative,InSituProject,VideTerra, HabibiInternational,HISFoundation,MedEast,CatalyticAction, WE-DESIGNS, Selbert Perkins Design, GGLO, GLAVOVIC STUDIO, domaen LTD, Robert Nebolon Architects, LEHRER ARCHITECTS LA, WET, Jones, Partners: Architecture, Atelier Vianney Boutry, Lovair, Appel Architects, Studio Murnane, Paul Vu: Photographer, CHA:COL, The Los Angeles Design Group, SUBU Design Architecture Incorporated, Hundred Mile House, A-Industrial Design/Build, WORD, Neil M. Denari Architects, Inc. (NMDA), MSP Design Inc., MAWD, kiduck.kim, J. Byron-H, Genesis Design Studio, FAR Frohn&Rojas, Darin Johnstone Architects, Bilyana Dimitrova Photography, Design Opera Architects, EDGEland Studio

Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?

With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.

Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.

An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted

A Guide to Project Awards

The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.

The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:

  • Project completed within the last 3 years
  • A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
  • Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
  • High quality, in focus photographs
  • At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
  • Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
  • Inclusion of construction photographs

There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.

 


 

We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.

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