These annual rankings were last updated on February 14, 2025. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking.

What goes on Down Under? With such a large body of water separating this Oceanic country from the rest of the Western world, it is easy to forget Australia’s similarities to its North American counterparts. When it comes to the built environment, Australia’s architectural landscape is filled with trends and advancements quite similar to those explored in the West. Nevertheless, the country maintains a distinct architectural lexicon rooted in its particular climate, landscape, Indigenous heritage and colonial past.

The country’s Western influence can be attributed to the British colonial period, which is apparent today in the Victorian-style homes and Gothic churches found all over Australia. The nation also maintains a keen interest in heritage, with structures such as the famed Sydney Opera House, Australian Convict Sites and Royal Exhibition Building receiving UNESCO Heritage status. Beyond its British ties lies an incredible landscape well-suited for architectural exploration and indoor-outdoor living as well as a commitment to ecologically responsible design.

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 Australia 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 2025)
• The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2025)
• The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2025)
• The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2025)
• The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2025)

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 Australia architecture firms throughout the year.

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

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30. Biasol Studio

Biasol is a multidisciplinary studio producing infinite designs across interior spaces, building typologies, products and branded environments.

Some of Biasol Studio’s most prominent projects include:

• Jury, Melbourne, Australia
• The Milton, Melbourne, Australia
• Kitty Burns, Melbourne, Australia
• No. 19, Ascot Vale, Australia
• Gwynne St Studio, Cremorne, Australia

The following statistics helped Biasol Studio achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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29. Elenberg Fraser

Elenberg Fraser is an integrated architecture, interior design and urban design practice operating across the Asia-Pacific region since 1998. With a track record in delivering projects that are both design and market-driven, our buildings prove that invention and good design lead to economic, social and environmental benefits.

Some of Elenberg Fraser’s most prominent projects include:

• Luna, St Kilda, Australia
• Huski Hotel, Falls Creek, Australia
• Elm, Australia
• Ikebana, Melbourne, Australia
• St Boulevard, Melbourne, Australia

The following statistics helped Elenberg Fraser achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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28. Candalepas Associates

Candalepas Associates is a rare company having produced a unique array of projects with diversity in scale and typology. Projects from religious buildings to public parks, individual houses to large multi-residential developments have been produced by the firm.

In twenty years’ practice the firm has been the recipient of over 30 awards in architecture and almost every project the firm has completed has been published or awarded State or National Architecture Prizes including the Sulman Medal (twice), The Frederick Romberg and Seidler National Awards in Architecture, the Aaron Bolot Award numerous times and the Premier’s Award.

The success of the firm is closely related to the direct engagement undertaken by Director, Angelo Candalepas in every stage of the procurement of the work.

Some of Candalepas Associates’ most prominent projects include:

• Punchbowl Mosque, Punchbowl, Australia
• 29-35 Prince Street, Cronulla, Australia
• Francis Street, Bondi, Australia
• All Saints Gymnasium, Sydney, Australia
• Marrickville Apartments, Marrickville, Australia

The following statistics helped Candalepas Associates achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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27. Jackson Clements Burrows

JCB is an award-winning architecture, interior design and urban design practice established in 1998 by Tim Jackson, Jon Clements and Graham Burrows. Our team of over 70 design professionals is united by a shared commitment to the delivery of innovative design solutions.

JCB is driven by core design principles that allow us to explore each new project afresh and an approach that is site sensitive, engaged with local climatic conditions and adaptive to contextual opportunities. Our methodology is iterative and develops through our engagement processes which embrace close collaboration with the client, stakeholders and the community, along with a deep understanding of the site and history. We collaborate across sectors and disciplines, understanding that learning lessons can come from everywhere.

Some of Jackson Clements Burrows’ most prominent projects include:

• Upper House, Carlton, Australia
• South Melbourne Life Saving Club, Albert Park, Australia
• Moonlight Cabin, VIC, Australia
• Henley Street, Barwon Heads, Barwon Heads, Australia
• Harold Street Residence, Middle Park, Australia

The following statistics helped Jackson Clements Burrows achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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26. Silvester Fuller

Silvester Fuller is an award winning architecture and interior design studio based in Sydney Australia. Behind our design process is a commitment to discover the hidden potential within each project. We approach each project as a unique challenge, yet all are focused on creating environmentally, socially and economically sustainable spaces for living.

Our work spans a broad range of project types including public, residential, commercial, hospitality and education. Our projects share a rationality of thought, often with surprising outcomes. To identify unique project concepts our team of talented architects and designers draws on expertise and perspective from a diverse range of disciplines and cultural influences.

Some of Silvester Fuller’s most prominent projects include:

• Froebel Carlton , Melbourne, Australia
• 18 Loftus Street, Sydney, Australia
• Table Cape Resort, TAS, Australia
• Froebel Play Pods, Sydney, Australia
• Dapto Anglican Church Auditorium, NSW, Australia

The following statistics helped Silvester Fuller achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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25. WALA

WALA is an emerging architectural studio based in Melbourne. We provide architectural, interior and design services across a diverse range of projects. The studio is composed of passionate designers and individuals who all share a keen focus on intuitive and sustainable design.

Our residential projects form the true backbone of the studio. We take pride in working intimately and collaboratively with homeowners, with particular emphasis placed on ensuring that each new home complements their lifestyle and sense of individuality. We believe that thoughtful and purposeful design solutions can often create the most elegant results.

Some of WALA’s most prominent projects include:

• Downside Up House, Albert Park, Australia
• The Little Man Cafe, Seddon, Australia
• Henry House, East Melbourne, Australia
• Coburg Freeboard House, Coburg, Australia
• Open Shut House, Kooyong, Australia

The following statistics helped WALA achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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24. Carter Williamson Peake Architects

Architecture is the construction of ideas represented as sequences of space illuminated by natural light. These ideas form the spaces we live in, move through, and feel better for having been in. Good architecture should allow us to feel safe and secure, confident and expressive, quiet and reflective. Good architecture should make our lives better. This is what we do at carterwilliamson and is what you can see in the images on our website.We are often asked what is our area of specialization. We specialize in design. We specialize in thinking about your needs and your building. We specialize in making good architecture.

Some of Carter Williamson Peake Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Dining Hall, The Rocks
• Balmain House, Australia
• Green House, Rozelle, Australia
• Upside-Down-Back-To-Front-House, Rozelle, Australia
• Balmain Sandstone Cottage, Sydney, Australia

The following statistics helped Carter Williamson Peake Architects achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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23. John Wardle Architects

Our practice has evolved from a smaller studio into a larger collaborative environment where every project has a range of creative, technical and strategic contributions from a diversity of architects and interior designers within JWA. Beyond the office, our engagement with others is similarly inclusive, always curious to understand another’s point of view.

Many projects by JWA have been highly awarded. This includes twice being recognized with the prestigious Sir Zelman Cowen Award for best public building in Australia in 2002 and 2006 by the Australian Institute of Architects. JWA has also won the Harold Desbrowe-Annear Award for best residential project on three occasions and has twice been the recipient of the Victorian Architecture Medal.

Some of John Wardle Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
• Learning and Teaching Building, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
• Jeffrey Smart Building, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
• Fairhaven Beach House, Fairhaven, Australia
• Tanderrum Pedestrian Bridge, Melbourne, Australia

The following statistics helped John Wardle Architects achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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22. Christopher Polly Architect

Christopher Polly Architect is an award-winning full-service architecture practice based in Sydney Australia. It engages with clients who share in the reward of accomplishing bold visions to enrich their daily lives, who prioritize quality over quantity and who place value in achieving inventive and well-crafted spaces that are meticulously detailed and finished.

The practice distils a holistic detail design approach in the delivery of highly creative and pragmatic architectural solutions on site that resonate conceptual rigour and a command of materials and systems.

Some of Christopher Polly Architect’s most prominent projects include:

• Cosgriff House, Sydney, Australia
• Unfurled House, Sydney, Australia
• Darling Point Penthouse, Darling Point, Australia
• Elliott Ripper House, Sydney, Australia
• Haines House, Sydney, Australia

The following statistics helped Christopher Polly Architect achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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21. Steffen Welsch Architects

Our experience shows that sustainable design solutions only work when they provide comfort and are sensible. We are proud that our buildings achieve high energy ratings and have been showcased as positive examples of sustainable projects. In our work we find a balance between cost efficient, environmentally sustainable designs and implementing innovative systems and products.

Some of Steffen Welsch Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Life Cycle, Coburg, Australia
• This House Never Ends, Melbourne, Australia
• Marysville House, Marysville, Australia
• Innercity Downsize House, Fitzroy North, Australia
• Parkville, Melbourne, Australia

The following statistics helped Steffen Welsch Architects achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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20. Kerstin Thompson Architects

Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA) was established in 1994. The work of the practice encompasses architecture, interiors, landscape and urban design. The practice focus is on architecture as a civic endeavor; buildings that forge connections with their surroundings and the people who inhabit them.

Some of Kerstin Thompson Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Bundanon Art Museum + Bridge, Illaroo, Australia
• Seaberg, Melbourne, Australia
• Sacred Heart Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford, Australia
• Queen & Collins, Melbourne, Australia
• Jock Comini Reserve Amenities, Ravenswood, Australia

The following statistics helped Kerstin Thompson Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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19. B.E Architecture

B.E Architecture was founded in 1997 by Jonathon Boucher and Broderick Ely. The firm reflects their personal notions of team collaboration and design, which considers the environment. The result is a practice, which provides full architectural design, master planning, interior design and one off furniture pieces, the end result for clients being a complete, all encompassing package. The B.E Architecture team is young, dynamic, and multicultural, with a range of personal interest and specialties.

Some of B.E Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Ross Street, South Melbourne, Australia
• 23 Fawkner Street, South Yarra, Australia
• Blake Street, Shoreham, Australia
• 57 Tivoli Road, South Yarra, Australia
• Walsh Street, South Yarra, Australia

The following statistics helped B.E Architecture achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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18. Albert Mo Architects

AMoA focus in designing residential houses. We are renowned for creating exceptional residential homes, always centered around the user experience. An avid believer that a home is a haven that caters to the individual and their wellbeing, we strive to reflect this in our practice.

We wanted to translate the idea of a home into our designs and create spaces that are not just functional but nurturing and supportive of the activities within them.

Some of Albert Mo Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Fitzroy Loft, Fitzroy, Australia
• Stockroom Cottage, Fitzroy, Australia
• Moving House, Kew, Australia
• Elm & Willow House, South Yarra, Australia
• E589

The following statistics helped Albert Mo Architects achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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17. Tzannes

Tzannes is an Australian studio for architecture, urban and integrated design based in Sydney. The practice’s creative thinking and innovative, sustainable and enduring architecture has established our reputation as a leader in the field.

Our design is about specific responses to every client and every project, not about preconceived ideas, style or approach. We consider each brief an opportunity to apply architectural skill, creativity and innovation to solve our client’s design problems, but also to delight and to inspire.

Tzannes’ distinction is our ability to work across all scales and project types. The breadth of our skills and experience, the profile of our talent and technology enable us to service significant projects with the efficiency and confidence of a large practice.

Some of Tzannes’ most prominent projects include:

• Darling Square North, Haymarket, Australia
• Opera Residences, Sydney, Australia
• Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, Sydney, Australia
• The Republic Hotel and Rooftop Bar, Sydney, Australia
• Dangrove, Sydney, Australia

The following statistics helped Tzannes achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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16. BKK Architects

The studio merges large-scale practice capabilities and experience with the adaptability and client focus of a smaller practice.

Some of BKK Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Cirqua Apartments, Melbourne, Australia
• Geelong Ring Road Rest Areas, VIC, Australia
• Beached House, VIC, Australia
• Holiday House, VIC, Australia
• Doll’s House, Northcote, Australia

The following statistics helped BKK Architects achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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15. Carr Design Group

Carr Design Group, headed by the much awarded Sue Carr, is one of Australia’s most influential multidisciplinary design firms. For over 40 years, Carr has exceeded expectations. Our architects led by Chris McCue and interior designers directed by Dan Cox maintain a position as leaders of design practice and thinking. A host of successful outcomes and long-standing client relationships are testament to our team’s consistency and commitment.

Carr has three core specializations to address design for work, home and leisure; each discipline benefits from the knowledge, research and testing of the other. Our clients expect more than design: extraordinary homes that elevate quality of life, hospitality spaces that redefine amenity and attract guests, workspaces that advance business and are as practical as they are inspiring, superior financial returns on investment.

Spaces that stand the test of time.

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

• Courtyard House Melbourne
• Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club, South Yarra, Australia
• South Yarra Residence
• Willow Creek Vineyard’s Cellar Door and Bistro, VIC, Australia
• Australia Post Sydney, Sydney, Australia

The following statistics helped Carr Design Group achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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14. Shaun Lockyer Architects

Shaun Lockyer Architects (SLa) was formed in 2010 to focus on modernist architecture that connects people and place. Inherent within each project is a desire to craft memorable, sustainable and efficient design solutions that add value to the inhabitants’ lives. SLa engages in varying types of projects including residential, institutional, commercial and interior design. Working with private and public clients who value a collaborative and transparent design process, each SLa commission employs a versatility and passion that transcends scale and budget. The firm is led by Shaun Lockyer, AIA, who presents over 15 years of international design experience, including nine years as Director and Partner at Arkhefield in Brisbane, QLD.

Some of Shaun Lockyer Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Browne Street House, Australia
• Mooloomba Road, Brisbane, Australia
• Mountford Road
• Adsett Street House, Taringa, Australia
• Lockyer House, Bardon, Australia

The following statistics helped Shaun Lockyer Architects achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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13. CHROFI

CHROFI was founded in 2000 as Choi Ropiha following the win in the international competition for the re-design of the TKTS booth in Times Square, New York.

The project is widely acclaimed for the way in which the design provided public and private benefits while simultaneously strengthening the essential character of Times Square, and it has been this ability to find solutions that work at multiple levels that now characterizes the way in which the practice of CHROFI approaches their projects.

The practice sees design as a tool to extract both commercial and qualitative value; public and private benefits; function and form; experience and meaning. We are highly bespoke in our approach and expand from the specific requirements of each project and client’s desires.

Some of CHROFI’s most prominent projects include:

• Lune de Sang Sheds, Byron Bay, Australia
• Ian Potter National Conservatory
• Lune de Sang Pavilion, Byron Bay, Australia
• Courtyard House, Mungo Brush, Australia
• Green Square Gunyama Park & Aquatic Centre

The following statistics helped CHROFI achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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12. Hassell

Hassell is a leading international design practice with studios in Asia, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Our purpose is to design the world’s best places – places people love. We do this by combining strategic insight with creative design to unlock the social, cultural and economic value of places. We collaborate with the best minds in research, industry and design worldwide and we’re committed to making a positive impact on communities and our environment.

Some of Hassell’s most prominent projects include:

• Ice cubes, Xinxiang, China
• Re-Emerge Pavilion, London, United Kingdom
• New Museum for Western Australia, Perth, Australia
• PTTEP Headquarters, Thanon Vibhavadi Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand
• Sky Central, Osterley, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

The following statistics helped Hassell achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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11. BOURNE + BLUE ARCHITECTURE

Bourne Blue Architecture was established full time in Newcastle in July 1996. The practice is design based, and small, so that all projects have substantial director involvement, and a project architect who takes the project from beginning to end. The practice has completed work from Canberra to Port Macquarie, including Sydney, Newcastle, Pokolbin, Wollombi and Pacific Palms. Our work has been published locally, nationally and internationally. The office is 100% solar powered with a rooftop 2kW photovoltaic array. Excess power is generated daily and is sold back to the grid. 6000L of water storage tanks collect rainwater for toilet flushing and garden use.

Some of BOURNE + BLUE ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

• Redhead Alterations, Newcastle, Australia
• Diamond Beach Residence, Diamond Beach, Australia
• Cameron Centre – HVGS, Ashtonfield, Australia
• Elizabeth Beach Residence, Forster, Australia
• North Coast House, Sydney, Australia

The following statistics helped BOURNE + BLUE ARCHITECTURE achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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10. Splinter Society Architecture

Led by Asha Nicholas and Chris Stanley, Splinter Society is a Melbourne-based architecture and interior design studio committed to crafting custom human environments distinguished by diverse experiences. With an emphasis on design process, we work to create distinctly tactile projects, drawing on layered influences. Every project is grounded in solid principles of functionality and environmental sustainability. As an office, we enjoy exploring new ideas as a collaborative process with clients, consultants and craftspeople.

We work closely with our clients to extract key elements for personal enjoyment in residential projects and fundamental brand ideas adding value to spaces for commercial businesses. Our projects include residential, multi -residential, hospitality, workplace design, health and education.

Some of Splinter Society Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Hawthorn Gable House, Melbourne, Australia
• House in a Warehouse, Hawthorn East, Australia
• Project281 Cafe, Brunswick, Australia
• Elwood House, Melbourne, Australia
• The Auburn Apartments, Melbourne, Australia

The following statistics helped Splinter Society Architecture achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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9. Wood Marsh

Roger Wood and Randal Marsh have been in private practice since 1983, and their early philosophical and aesthetic ideals have been sustained to inform their architecture throughout the ensuing decades. Contextual issues of locality and region underpin their diverse body of work, which spans residential, commercial and urban architecture.

The practice is renowned for its clarity of vision and its versatility, with art galleries, wineries and private homes as deftly executed as the extensive urban infrastructure the firm has created in and around Melbourne, where it is based.

In each project, Wood Marsh’s founding principles are evident: the sculptural quality of the external forms, the play of solidity and transparency, and the materiality of the limited palettes.

Some of Wood Marsh’s most prominent projects include:

• Piccolo House, Melbourne, Australia
• RACV Cape Schanck , Cape Schanck, Australia
• Alumuna Residences , Melbourne, Australia
• Towers Road House, Melbourne, Australia
• Merricks House, Merricks, Australia

The following statistics helped Wood Marsh achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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8. CplusC Architects + Builders

CplusC are Architects and Builders. We are a Sydney-based practice that offers a unique architectural proposition and specialized service – we are architects who design and build our clients projects.

We believe in great architectural ideas, efficient construction systems, holistic sustainable project development and exceptional value for service. Whether you are seeking a full service from concept to completion, architectural services to get your project through council, contract administration services of another builder or simply some professional advice on a property you are thinking of buying, you will benefit from the unique expertise of architects who are also builders. Our ambitions extend beyond the design of buildings and ongoing development of architectural theories.

Some of CplusC Architects + Builders’ most prominent projects include:

• Totoro House, Russell Lea, Australia
• Tennyson Point Residence, North Sydney, Australia
• Welcome To The Jungle House, Darlington, Australia
• ZZ Top House, Sydney, Australia
• Cape Fear House, Kensington, Australia

The following statistics helped CplusC Architects + Builders achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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7. McBride Charles Ryan

At MCR, we have one passion — providing exceptional design for our clients. Our commitment to provide our clients with innovative solutions, technical excellence and personal and professional integrity has generated a steady growth in the reputation of our company over the last 16 years. MCR has successfully managed projects with budgets of up to $20M, combining complex architectural form with the finest construction technique and the most demanding programs. We have experience in many areas, having undertaken and realized work in all sectors, and this has been recognized by a variety of awards.

Some of McBride Charles Ryan’s most prominent projects include:

• PEGS Gymnasium, Keilor East, Australia
• The Yardmaster’s Building
• Dallas Brooks Community Primary School, Dallas, Australia
• The Infinity Centre, Keilor East, Australia
• Penleigh and Essendom Grammar School, Australia

The following statistics helped McBride Charles Ryan achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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6. Woods Bagot

Woods Bagot Global Studio continually expands and challenges the expectations of multi-disciplinary architectural practice in a shifting, fast-moving digital era. Its portfolio is worldwide in scope, diverse in scale and discipline, and encompasses some of the highest-profile projects currently underway in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

The firm’s work is defined by its clarity of narrative and by the extensive use of state-of-the-art analytics as a platform for design. Its 16 studios, located in major cities around the globe, consistently inspire the firm’s work with a rigorous vocabulary that references urban and regional context, ecological and social sustainability, and innovation.

Some of Woods Bagot’s most prominent projects include:

• Short Lane, Sydney, Australia
• Central Park North, New York City, New York
• BRC Century Business Plaza Regeneration, Chengdu, China
• SUONE Gemdale Plaza, Suzhou, China
• Heritage Lanes, Brisbane, Australia

The following statistics helped Woods Bagot achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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5. Austin Maynard Architects

Austin Maynard Architects create resilient, highly sustainable, beautiful, robust and long lasting architecture. Architecture designed to meet the challenges of the climate crisis. Launched in 2002, now with projects all over Australia, and offices in both Melbourne and Hobart, Austin Maynard Architects have the skill, resources and tenacity to undertake a wide variety of complex projects.

Happiness, fun, friends, family, ethics, sustainability and reward for effort, these are the pillars of Austin Maynard Architects. Widely renowned for their boundless creative energy Austin Maynard Architects’ designs are at once well conceived, playful and edgy. Austin Maynard Architects have gained international recognition and are recipients of the prestigious Canberra Medallion.

Some of Austin Maynard Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• St Andrews Beach House, VIC, Australia
• Nebula Portable Arts Space, Melbourne, Australia
• Moor Street, Fitzroy, Australia
• RaeRae House, Melbourne, Australia
• ParkLife, Melbourne, Australia

The following statistics helped Austin Maynard Architects achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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4. KOICHI TAKADA ARCHITECTS

Koichi Takada Architects is a design group that creates organically inspired places so the world can reconnect with a more natural, intuitive and conscious future. Founded in 2008, Koichi Takada Architects is based in Sydney with offices in Doha and Tokyo. The firm is currently working across residential, hotels, restaurants, commercial and cultural projects in Australia and across the Middle East, Asia, North America and South America.

Principal Koichi Takada is based in Sydney, after living in cities of high urbanisation including Tokyo, New York and London. His experience in those metropolises, where he studied at the School of Architecture at City University of New York and the Architectural Association in London, led him to pledge to create a greener future through design.

How should we live today? It is a complicated question, but our answer is simple.

Some of KOICHI TAKADA ARCHITECTS’ most prominent projects include:

• Arc, 161, Clarence Street, Sydney, Australia
• Norfolk, Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Heads, Australia
• Upper House, South Brisbane, Australia
• National Museum of Qatar Gift Shops, Qatar
• East Village Urban Marketplace, Sydney, Australia

The following statistics helped KOICHI TAKADA ARCHITECTS achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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3. Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects

iredale pedersen hook is a progressive architecture practice with studios in Perth and Melbourne and a rapidly expanding diverse body of work throughout Australia. From the wine region of Victoria’s Yarra Valley, to the desert of the North Kimberly region, through suburban Perth and the rural edge of Melbourne to remote Christmas Island, the projects are as individual and eclectic as the landscape they occupy. Each piece of architecture seeks to embody a unique design response of innovation and delight. The works can be gathered in relation to their geographical location demonstrating an embrace of their context and closer examination reveals a collection of thematic concerns that evolve and develop.

Some of Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre, Pingelly, Australia
• Walumba Elders Centre, Warmun, Australia
• Fitzroy Crossing Renal Hostel, Fitzroy Crossing, Australia
• West Kimberley Regional Prison, Derby, Australia
• Highgate Primary School New Teaching Spaces, Perth, Australia

The following statistics helped Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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2. ASPECT Studios

ASPECT Studios is an international design practice, built from a global team of landscape architects, urban designers, architects, wayfinding specialists, strategists and graphic designers. We approach each project by examining the social, cultural, economic, historical and ecological context that underpins it. Our people are dexterous, creative, technically adept and serious about designing places that benefit people and the natural world. This focus has seen us create some of the most memorable public realm and natural spaces in Australia and abroad.

We are defined by an energized and creative approach, tempered by over 25 years’ experience in delivering and curating significant projects. Over that time, we have established studios in Adelaide, Brisbane, Dubai, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, London, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Shanghai.

Some of ASPECT Studios’ most prominent projects include:

• The Chamber Church, Qingdao, China
• Hongkong Land’s Yorkville – The Ring, Chongqing, China
• Sydney Fish Market, Sydney, Australia
• Huamu Lot 10, Shanghai, China
• One City Development, Hubei, China

The following statistics helped ASPECT Studios achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Australia:

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1. Cumulus Studio

Established in 2011, we are an Australian architecture and interior design studio with offices in Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. With a team of 40+ dedicated architects, designers and operations team, our studio works as a single entity, using our collective resources to form, critique and test new ideas, to understand the design’s context and explore overlooked perspectives that result in the construction of respectful and inclusive spaces.

Our designs are based on collaboration and conversations, both within the practice and outside of it. We believe that good ideas can come from anywhere — our clients, community and from any member of our team. By being open to discussions and different perspectives, our team, clients and stakeholders can express themselves and explore a design’s possibilities from the very start.

Some of Cumulus Studio’s most prominent projects include:

• Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, TAS, Australia
• Dove Lake Viewing Shelter, Cradle Mountain, Australia
• Devil’s Corner, Apslawn, Australia
• Callington Mill Distillery, Oatlands, Australia
• Stoney Rise Cellar Door, Gravelly Beach, Australia
• Featured image: Riverstone, Launceston, Australia

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

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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.

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.

 

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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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These annual rankings were last updated on January 23, 2025. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking.

Is there a distinctly Canadian architectural style? If there is, the aspects that define the country’s design culture and make it unique on the world stage are diffuse and allusive. After all, Canada prides itself on its social model as a cultural mosaic (as opposed to a melting pot).

One defining characteristic may just be the celebration of collaboration and regionally-focused firms. While many famous foreigners have built showcase pieces from coast to coast — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Daniel Libeskind, Santiago Calatrava and more — the culture of starchitects has historically burnt less brightly in the North. Of course, Frank Gehry and Moshe Safdie both hold Canadian passports, but both set up camp south of the border long ago, leaving behind a fascinating nation with a diverse architectural scene.

When surveying the built environment of the Great White North, one may not find a clear-cut visual language and, instead, an assemblage of architecture. From distinguished urban structures such as the CN tower to lake-front cabins and mountain lodges, Canada is not shy of a diverse landscape, contributing to its constantly evolving cultural mosaic.

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 Canada 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 2025)
• The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2025)
• The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2025)
• The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2025)
• The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2025)

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 Canada architecture firms throughout the year.

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

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30. RDH Architects

RDHA is a Toronto-based studio specializing in architecture for the public realm. Founded in 1919, the firm has a wide-ranging body of work, encompassing corporate headquarters, industrial facilities, academic buildings, transportation facilities, recreation centers, libraries, secure buildings and interiors.

Over the past 15 years we have focused on producing intelligent, concept driven architecture of the highest caliber. The firm’s name was changed from Rounthwaite, Dick & Hadley Architects in 2018. The firm now feels and acts like an emerging design studio, while our 100+ year legacy provides a solid backbone of technical and managerial experience.

Consequently we have re-emerged as one of Canada’s most acclaimed design firms, winning more than 70 provincial, national and international awards –most notably four Governor General’s Medals, the 2018 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Architectural Firm Award, and the 2014 RAIC Young Architect Award for design partner Tyler Sharp.

Some of RDH Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Springdale Library and Komagata Maru Park, Brampton, Canada
• Guildwood GO Station, Toronto, Canada
• Waterdown Library and Civic Centre, Hamilton, Canada
• Scott Street Interlocking Signal Tower Generator, Toronto, Canada
• Idea Exchange Old Post Office, Cambridge, Canada

The following statistics helped RDH Architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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29. Evoke International Design

Evoke International Design is an interdisciplinary design studio based in Vancouver, Canada. Formed in 2000, Evoke has extensive experience in a variety of design disciplines including building and spatial design, interiors and graphic design. These multi-disciplines manifest themselves through our work in corporate office design; restaurant, entertainment and retail design; and single-family residential projects. We approach design from a collaborative point of view, and align ourselves with clients that share our modern aesthetic values and creative process. The resulting project should be a well-integrated design that doesn’t rely on overly trendy concepts: it is about composition and the combination of form, function and innovation to achieve the client-unique design objective.

Some of Evoke International Design’s most prominent projects include:

• Flag House, Whistler, Canada
• Point Grey Residence, Vancouver, Canada
• Gilbert Whistler Residence, Whistler, Canada
• Mason Residence, Vancouver, Canada
• Suyo Restaurant , Vancouver, Canada

The following statistics helped Evoke International Design achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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28. Acton Ostry Architects

Since its inception in 1992, the work of Acton Ostry Architects has demonstrated a continuing commitment to the making of architecture that responds thoughtfully to local topography, climate, culture and history. The values of the practice embody a consideration to regional design that is rooted in a considerate, indigenous modernist idiom that offers sustenance to those that inhabit and experience their projects.

Some of Acton Ostry Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Limberlost Place, Toronto, Canada
• The Duke, Vancouver, Canada
• UBC Aquatic Centre, Vancouver, Canada
• York House Senior School, Vancouver, Canada
• UBC Hebb Building, Vancouver, Canada

The following statistics helped Acton Ostry Architects Inc. achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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27. STGM Architecture

Founded in 2001, STGM architecture strives day after day to improve people’s lives one project at a time, with offices in Quebec City, Montréal and Baie-Comeau. For more than 20 years, the firm, which has grown from 12 to more than 150 resources, has developed a generalist practice that affects all spheres of the profession. STGM has a wide variety of expertise and has been involved in major projects throughout Quebec. Ranging from cultural projects to public transit and educational institutions, STGM considers that each project is unique and that it must deal with multiple specificities.

Some of STGM Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Baie-St-Paul’s Geothermal and Water Plant, Baie-Saint-Paul, Canada
• Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury, Quebec City, Canada
• Saint-Roch YMCA Community Center, Quebec City, Canada
• St-Laurent Pump Station, Levis, Canada
• Breakeyville Fire Station, Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est, Lévis, Canada

The following statistics helped STGM Architecture achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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26. D’Arcy Jones Architects

Our studio enthusiastically approaches each new project as a chance to create something unique. Playing with materials and form to come up with unexpected results, we work tirelessly to design projects that are innovative, durable and inviting. Tweaking time-tested ways of building, we create buildings and spaces that can be still be built with conventional construction methods. We are optimists, seeing the past as a continuum to connect with and be inspired by, and seeing the future as something that can be improved incrementally.

Some of D’Arcy Jones Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
• Yan Residence, Vancouver, Canada
• Deep Cove House, North Vancouver, Canada
• Friesen Wong House, Vernon, Canada
• 430 House, Vancouver, Canada

The following statistics helped D'Arcy Jones Architects achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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25. Atelier L’Abri

Atelier L’Abri is an architecture office based in Montréal. Through its design-build approach, L’Abri delivers turn-key projects, from conception to realization. The studio specializes in ecological and sustainable construction. It advocates for innovative architecture solutions, putting forward wellness and the human and social character of our environments. L’Abri’s designs are resolutely contemporary, unique and at the human scale.

Some of Atelier L’Abri’s most prominent projects include:

• La Pointe, Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Canada
• Maison Accuracy, Montréal, Canada
• Maison Melba, Frelighsburg, Canada
• Territoire Charlevoix, La Malbaie, Canada
• Saltbox passive house, Bromont, Canada

The following statistics helped Atelier L'Abri achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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24. Agence Spatiale

Agence Spatiale relies on a team of talented spatial creators, for whom the effort put into their work is matched only by the pleasure they have in working together. Our approach relies on the power of trans-disciplinary design. We create spaces at all scales and believe that the boundaries between art, design and architecture can and should be crossed.

Our working methods simultaneously explore traditional methods and cutting-edge technologies. We constantly seek to create a new experience that redefines the meaning of space. Space design becomes a solution. We liberate mores and support their evolution. We propose a new paradigm of architecture. We deform the formal. We propose a liberating architecture. We are Agence Spatiale.

Some of Agence Spatiale’s most prominent projects include:

• École de l’Étincelle (Lab-école), Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Canada
• Les classes du versant – Un projet Lab-école, Saguenay, Canada
• Déracinement, Charlesbourg, Québec City, Canada
• Espace Riopelle
• Préau Parc Nature et Culture, Mauricie, QC, Canada

The following statistics helped Agence Spatiale achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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23. 5468796 Architecture

5468796 Architecture is a design studio established in 2007 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty 1 territory. Practicing in the context of the urbanized Midwest, 5468796 adopts a brand of architecture based in the mainstream and seemingly mundane [profound] understanding of capital in architecture, and re-imagines how it can be re-invested for greater social good and justice.

Basing the practice on two tenets — that the art of city-building has been lost, along with a diminished focus on creating buildings that define cities — 5468796 builds cities one project at a time. With a boundary-pushing mentality, individual projects are weaved into the urban fabric and design activism cultivates a culture of architecture against ambivalence.

Some of 5468796 Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Crossroads Garden Shed, Calgary, Canada
• OMS Stage, Winnipeg, Canada
• VEIL HOUSE, Winnipeg, Canada
• 548 Stradbrook Condominiums, Winnipeg, Canada
• Parallelogram House, Manitoba, Canada

The following statistics helped 5468796 Architecture achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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22. Teeple Architects

Teeple Architects shapes buildings through an open and collaborative process. Founded in 1989, our practice integrates sustainability and technical expertise with formal exploration to create buildings that are representative of the communities they serve. Our Toronto and Vancouver studios draw on the collective skills and expertise of a diverse and talented team of design professionals. Under the leadership of Principals Stephen Teeple (Founder), Chris Radigan (Emeritus), Myles Craig, Tomer Diamant, Avery Guthrie, Richard Lai and Wes Wilson, we work with discipline and imaginations to shape ideas into places that bring aspirations to life.

Some of Teeple Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Morgan State University Calvin & Tina Tyler Hall, Baltimore, Maryland
• Stanley A. Milner Library Renewal, Edmonton, Canada
• UBC MacLeod Renewal, Vancouver, Canada
• Sherbourne Common Pavilion
• Sisters of St. Joseph Convent

The following statistics helped Teeple Architects Inc. achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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21. Provencher_Roy

Provencher_Roy is an award-winning Canadian architecture practice involved in all forms of the built environment. We champion an integrated approach to design and provide expertise in interior design, urban design, urban planning, landscape architecture, industrial design and sustainable development.

Some of Provencher_Roy’s most prominent projects include:

• Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur-de-Montréal, Montréal, Canada
• Reception Pavilion at Québec’s National Assembly
• Ottawa Train Station and Via Rail Business Lounge, Ottawa, Canada
• Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Canada
• Îlot Balmoral, Montréal, Canada

The following statistics helped Provencher_Roy achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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20. Moriyama Teshima Architects

Moriyama Teshima Architects (MTA) is a team of architects, planners, and designers, collaborating with visionary clients to build inspiring and enduring spaces that transform communities and reinforce civic identity.

The office offers services in architecture, master planning and urban design, interior design and program development. Our extensive portfolio of Canadian and international projects comprises museums and art galleries, university buildings, schools, corporate and government headquarters, recreational facilities, libraries, restoration and renovation projects, and urban/campus planning.

Under the leadership of Partners Jason Moriyama, Diarmuid Nash, Carol Phillips, Brian Rudy, Ronen Bauer, and Emmanuelle van Rutten, MTA has cultivated a dynamic team of young, innovative designers around a long-standing core of design traditions that continue to define the practice.

Some of Moriyama Teshima Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Makwa Waakaa’igan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence, Sault Ste. Marie, Canada
• Limberlost Place, Toronto, Canada
• Place des Arts, Greater Sudbury, Canada
• CREATING THE OSSTF WITH MASS TIMBER, Toronto, Canada
• Rouge National Urban Park Visitor, Learning, and Community Centre, Toronto, Canada

The following statistics helped Moriyama Teshima Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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19. Superkül

Co-led by Superkül’s partners, Meg Graham and Andre D’Elia, we embrace a first-principles approach and enlist only the most advanced and sustainable approaches to deliver vital and dignified design. The result: flexible, fluid, and functional spaces that are luminous and inviting.

Our diverse portfolio of work is notable for sophisticated yet simple design that responds to landscape, site, and program. On every project, regardless of magnitude, we are known for our uncommon ability to balance scrupulous attention to detail, light and clean craftsmanship with purposeful connections to the larger built and natural contexts.

Dedicated to sustainable design, we deploy the most current material, technological, and construction solutions.

Some of Superkül’s most prominent projects include:

• Compass House, Dufferin County, Canada
• Robarts Library Reading Room, Toronto, Canada
• A Room with a View, Toronto, Canada
• Woodhouse, Singhampton, Canada
• Grange House, Creemore, Canada

The following statistics helped Superkül achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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18. APPAREIL Architecture

APPAREIL architecture is a Montréal-based firm whose mission is to design quality residential and commercial environments for its occupants. Our signature style is sleek, contemporary and greatly inspired by our Nordic roots. Our projects demonstrate our commitment to find a balance between tradition and modernity.

Some of APPAREIL Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• BESIDE habitat, Quebec, Canada
• École de l’Étincelle (Lab-école), Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Canada
• Les classes du versant – Un projet Lab-école, Saguenay, Canada
• De la Cime , Montréal, Canada
• Maxillo Tandem, Montréal, Canada

The following statistics helped APPAREIL Architecture achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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17. PARTISANS

PARTISANS designs objects, designs architecture, designs cities, designs concepts and even ideas. We strive to make the improbable possible and the impossible viable, at all scales and media. Our curiosities are insatiable and our drive to create them is central to our project. We are an award winning, internationally published studio founded in 2012.

Some of PARTISANS’ most prominent projects include:

• Canvas House, Toronto, Canada
• Grotto Sauna, ON, Canada
• Bar Raval, Toronto, Canada
• Windsor Peace Fountain
• Rolex Boutique Toronto, Toronto, Canada

The following statistics helped PARTISANS achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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16. CCM2 architectes

Established in 1963, CCM2 architects is among Québec City’s largest architecture firms. Experienced professionals and technologists have always formed a solid team that has never shied away from reinventing itself. Today, the company is led by 9 partners, well supported and assisted by a permanent team of skilled designers and technicians.

CCM2 is known for the quality of its work and its ability to provide distinctive and original concepts that respect your budget and deadline. CCM2 is also recognized for its excellent professional services, focused on customer and user satisfaction and on quality architecture. Over the past fifteen years, the team’s energy, creativity and constant search for new ideas has garnered the firm with over thirty awards for the quality of its work.

Some of CCM2 architectes’ most prominent projects include:

• Lebourgneuf Community Center, Quebec City, Canada
• Breakeyville Fire Station, Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est, Lévis, Canada
• Boréal Elementary School, Boischatel, Canada
• Harfang-des-neiges Elementary School, Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, Canada
• L-House, Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, Canada

The following statistics helped CCM2 architectes achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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15. Alain Carle Architecte

Alain Carle has worked in the architecture field in Montréal for twenty years. Based on a pedagogical approach he developed as a teacher and researcher at the School of Architecture of the Université de Montréal, his achievements rely on a critical approach to representation in the design process. The firm’s accomplishments are regularly recognized by the architectural community, especially in the field of residential and commercial architecture.

Some of Alain Carle Architecte’s most prominent projects include:

• NORM Residence, Baie-D’Urfe, Canada
• Screenhouse, Wentworth-Nord, Canada
• The Elves, Morin-Heights, Canada
• The Wetlands, Wentworth-Nord, Canada
• Le Phénix, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, Canada

The following statistics helped Alain Carle Architecte achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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14. Diamond Schmitt

Diamond Schmitt is a global architecture firm designing transformative, purpose-driven, and highly sustainable buildings from its four studios located in Toronto, New York, Vancouver and Calgary. Creating innovative design solutions while drawing inspiration from each site’s surrounding community, architectural, and historical contexts, Diamond Schmitt’s visionary designs can be found in more than 50 cities around the world.

Some of Diamond Schmitt’s most prominent projects include:

• United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial – International Design Competition
• Mirvish Village, Toronto, Canada
• Ingenium Centre, Ottawa, Canada
• Independent School Competition
• Buddy Holly Hall, Lubbock, Texas

The following statistics helped Diamond Schmitt achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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13. Dubbeldam Architecture + Design

Dubbeldam Architecture + Design is a multi-disciplinary design studio committed to creating thoughtful projects that embody sustainable approaches. Led by fourth-generation architect Heather Dubbeldam, the studio has garnered acclaim for its forward-thinking approach, design research endeavours, and dedication to crafting sustainable environments. They are recognized as one of Canada’s leading architecture practices for their commitment to architectural excellence and dedication to social responsibility through advocacy.

Dubbeldam’s work exemplifies bold design and meticulous craftsmanship. With a diverse portfolio incorporating a wide range of project types, their work ranges from homes, multi-unit residential projects, workspaces, hospitality, and mixed-use buildings to landscape design and architectural installations.

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

• Bata Shoe Factory, Astra, Quinte West, Canada
• Dubbeldam Office, Toronto, Canada
• Bunkie on the Hill, Muskoka District Municipality, Canada
• Binary Spectrum, Kitchener, Canada
• Skygarden House, Toronto, Canada

The following statistics helped Dubbeldam Architecture + Design achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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12. Akb Architects

Founded in 2004, Akb Architects is the Toronto-based architecture studio of Robert Kastelic and Kelly Buffey, architects dedicated to the practice and art of building. The quest to capture the poetic and ineffable qualities of space manifests in Akb’s design process, which prioritizes a clarity of vision, attention to detail, and a rigorous commitment to conceptual intent. The work of the studio benefits from Robert and Kelly’s extensive training in both architecture and interior design; a comprehensive strategy results in buildings of exceptional resolution and an uncommon level of refinement.

A unified and holistic approach to interior and exterior space merges building and landscape into a seamless experience, transforming the ephemeral into the tactile. Elements of volume, light, proportion and materiality are orchestrated to resonate and respond to each project’s unique site, context and program.

Some of Akb Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Story Pod, Newmarket, Canada
• Metrick Cottage and Boathouse, Ontario, Canada
• Whistling Wind Cottage, Pointe au Baril, Canada
• Muskoka Cottage, Canada
• Clearview Chalet, Collingwood, Canada

The following statistics helped Akb Architects achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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11. Kariouk Architects

While many architecture firms pride themselves on having a trademark style that distinguishes them from their competition, Kariouk proudly stands behind the fact that we do not have anyone look that identifies us as distinctly Kariouk.

If anything, our trademark is that no two of our projects look the same. Because we tackle each creative undertaking with a new lens, our final results are always informed by an entirely different set of criteria and inspiration.

Some of Kariouk Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• m.o.r.e. CLT Cabin, Quebec, Canada
• Cemetery Marker, Pennsylvania
• Forest Retreat, Ontario, Canada
• Stacey-Turley Residence, Ottawa, Canada
• Hill-Maheux Cottage, Val-des-Monts, Canada

The following statistics helped Kariouk Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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10. Hariri Pontarini Architects

Established in 1994, Hariri Pontarini Architects, is a leading Canadian full-service architectural practice known for creating modern landmarks such as the award-winning Bahá’í Temple for South America, the acclaimed McKinsey & Company headquarters in Toronto, the international competition-winning Ivey School of Business and the Governor General’s Medal-winning Schulich School of Business. Founded by Siamak Hariri and David Pontarini, the firm has delivered a broad range of institutional, commercial and residential projects, libraries, schools and academic buildings. Hariri Pontarini Architects has become known for designing projects of exceptional quality, with a strong conceptual basis derived from the specific needs and aspirations of each client.

Some of Hariri Pontarini Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• 7 St. Thomas, Toronto, Canada
• Nicol Building, Sprott School of Business, Ottawa, Canada
• The Bahá’í Temple of South America, Santiago, Chile
• Ontario’s Celebration Zone, Toronto, Canada
• Tom Patterson Theatre

The following statistics helped Hariri Pontarini Architects achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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9. Atelier RZLBD

Atelier RZLBD is a boutique art and architecture practice based in Toronto founded by architect Reza Aliabadi (OAA, MRAIC); whose work extends to designing buildings & objects, curating installations & expositions, and publishing a zine called rzlbdPOST.

The practice is not just an ordinary operation that serves, rather like a positive virus, it contributes, communicates, challenges and adapts itself to the needs of each project and its context.

Some of Atelier RZLBD’s most prominent projects include:

• Opposite House, Toronto, Canada
• Shaft House
• 5/6 HOUSE
• Whale House
• The Gallery House, Markham, Canada

The following statistics helped Atelier RZLBD achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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8. Henriquez Partners Architects

Henriquez Partners Architects is dedicated to working closely with clients to create buildings that are culturally, environmentally and economically sustainable. It is our view that every project is an opportunity to enrich communities by seamlessly integrating ethics and aesthetics. Informed by this credo and an unwavering commitment to design integrity, we have consistently demonstrated the ability to manage projects from design through to construction and the technical expertise to create structures that stand the test of time.

Some of Henriquez Partners Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• TELUS Garden Office Tower, Vancouver, Canada
• Prototype (M5), Vancouver, Canada
• Pendrell, Vancouver, Canada
• Central Presbyterian Church, Vancouver, Canada
• Cardero, Vancouver, Canada

The following statistics helped Henriquez Partners Architects achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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7. Leckie Studio Architecture + Design

Leckie Studio Architecture + Design is an ambitious inter-disciplinary design studio based in Vancouver, Canada. The studio was founded in 2015 by principal architect Michael Leckie with the goal of pushing the traditional boundaries of architectural practice as a catalyst for cultural change. We engage in the practice of design across a variety of scales and media — including architecture, interiors, installations and product design. We challenge assumptions and seek unexpected outcomes. The studio’s work has been published internationally, with a client list that includes industry leaders Slack Technologies, Westbank, UBC and TELUS.

Our residential, commercial, and institutional projects are informed by a critical regionalist sensitivity, with an emphasis on scenario-based approaches to program and form and sustainability.

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

• TripTych, Vancouver, Canada
• Camera House, Pemberton, Canada
• AE.R Skinlab, Vancouver, Canada
• Hringurinn Iceland Competition
• Multi-Family Residence Simon Fraser University

The following statistics helped Leckie Studio Architecture + Design achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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6. MJMA Architecture & Design

MJMA is a Toronto, Canada-based design practice of 60+ designers and architects. MJMA has evolved from a 30 year strong legacy of making community buildings, to building communities – in towns and cities, on campuses, within organizations, and across playing fields. Our increasingly diverse portfolio speaks to an innovation culture at MJMA that drives all our designs. This spirit of innovation, cultivated with clients who are enthusiastic about creating meaningful architecture that positively contributes to the built environment, has resulted in more than 75+ national awards, including the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture and 2016 RAIC Architectural Firm Award.

Some of MJMA Architecture & Design’s most prominent projects include:

• Queen’s University John Deutsch University Centre, Kingston, Canada
• John Innes Community Recreation Centre, Toronto, Canada
• Neil Campbell Rowing Centre, St. Catharines, Canada
• UBC Aquatic Centre, Vancouver, Canada
• Clear Lake House, Parry Sound, Canada

The following statistics helped MJMA Architecture & Design achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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5. Lemay

We create space to grow.

Since 1957, Lemay has been imagining new ways to create spaces that engage users and bring people together. Over 400 architects, designers, industry leaders, and change-makers work tirelessly to cultivate innovation in their own backyards, as well as in communities around the world. Inspired and strengthened by trans-disciplinary creativity, the firm has also developed its very own NET POSITIVE™ approach to guide teams toward sustainable solutions that shape a better future. With the human experience at its heart, Lemay strives to design with empathy and create spaces to grow.

Some of Lemay’s most prominent projects include:

• Théâtre de Verdure, Montréal, Canada
• Pomerleau Offices, Levis, Canada
• Lumenpulse, Longueuil, Canada
• Bellechasse Transport Center, Montréal, Canada
• Grand Théatre de Québec, Quebec City, Canada

The following statistics helped Lemay achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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4. KPMB Architects

For more than three decades, KPMB has evolved in response to a changing world and worked to change it for the better.

Established in 1987, KPMB is an internationally recognized architectural practice based in Canada. Our wide-ranging work has earned over 400 respected awards, including 18 Governor General’s Medals, Canada’s highest honor. Our founding partners, Bruce Kuwabara, Marianne McKenna and Shirley Blumberg, have all received the Order of Canada for their personal achievements and for KPMB’s collective contributions to improving people’s lives through the built environment. In 2021, we expanded our leadership team, including the naming of seven new partners: Kevin Bridgman, Steven Casey, Phyllis Crawford, Andrew Dyke, Mitchell Hall, Paulo Rocha and Bruno Weber.

As a full-service practice, we provide expertise in building design, interior design, master planning, workplace strategy, project management, stakeholder engagement and sustainable design.

Some of KPMB Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
• Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Harrison McCain Pavilion), New Brunswick, Canada
• Isttaniokaksini/Science Commons – University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Canada
• Downsview, Toronto, Canada
• Wilson School of Design, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Richmond, Canada

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

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3. ACDF Architecture

At ACDF, we have an uncompromising ambition to be both responsible and inventive, both visionary and generous, to ultimately bring beauty to everyone. Good design can capture the imagination, but great design offers something more generous: it stirs the heart.

Under the direction of Maxime-Alexis Frappier, Joan Renaud and Etienne Laplante Courchesne, the 95-person studio is deeply rooted in solid know-how and a joie de vivre. Our mission is to deliver highly tailored, design-savvy projects at any scale across all typologies. In our architectural atelier, we are energized by constraints (budget, site, material) and craft poetry from pragmatism.

With its creative energy and its broad expertise, ACDF designs inspiring spaces in which North American pragmatism meets European flamboyance.

Some of ACDF Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

• Notre-Dame College Gymnasium , Montréal, Canada
• Lightspeed Offices Phase 3, Montréal, Canada
• Flighthub, Montréal, Canada
• Barclay Tower, Vancouver, Canada
• The Pacific by Grosvenor, Vancouver, Canada

The following statistics helped ACDF Architecture achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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2. Omar Gandhi Architects

Omar Gandhi Architect is a Canadian architecture practice with small studios in both Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto, Ontario. Specializing in custom, modern design, OG works to connect with each and every client on a personal level, designing with careful consideration for the lives that will be lived within the finished product.

Some of Omar Gandhi Architects’ most prominent projects include:

• OG House, Halifax, Canada
• Prime Seafood Palace, Toronto, Canada
• White Rock, Wolfville, Canada
• Black Gables, Sydney, Canada
• Float, Halifax, Canada

The following statistics helped Omar Gandhi Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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1. MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE

MGA | Michael Green Architecture is an architecture and design firm creating innovative projects that push the boundaries of technology, sustainability and construction to benefit communities and environments around the world.

The practice was founded in 2012 by Michael Green, who now leads the studio alongside fellow Principal Natalie Telewiak. Their team of talented and experienced architects and designers is bound by a shared drive to create meaningful projects that contribute to a better future.

A leader in timber and bio-based construction and innovation, MGA coined the term ‘mass timber’ and has completed some of the most significant timber buildings and large-scale sustainable developments ever built, ranging from cultural installations and private homes to residential masterplans and university campuses.

Some of MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE’s most prominent projects include:

• Featured image: Google Borregas, Sunnyvale, California
• The Dock Building, Vancouver, Canada
• Oregon State University Forest Science Complex, Corvallis, Oregon
• Macbeth Hut, Whistler, Canada
• Catalyst Building, Spokane, Washington

The following statistics helped MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada:

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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.

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.

 

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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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