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35 Best Architecture and Design Firms in New York

These annual rankings were last updated on July 16th, 2024. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking.

New York is arguably the epicenter of the architectural industry in the United States, with more than 20,000 licensed architects and well over 1,000 firms working in the state. At its heart, New York City (NYC) is home to a thriving community of architects, interior designers, landscape architects, engineers and contractors, with projects ranging from residential and retail to cultural and commercial. Construction firms generated an estimated $84 billion in economic activity in 2018, representing 10 percent of New York City’s total economic output.

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 New York 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 New York architecture firms throughout the year.

Without further ado, here are the 35 best architecture firms in New York:

35. Terreform ONE

© Terreform ONE

© Terreform ONE

Terreform ONE [Open Network Ecology] is a non-profit design group that promotes green design in cities. Through creative projects and outreach efforts, they hope to illuminate the environmental possibilities of New York City and inspire solutions in areas like it around the world.  They are a unique laboratory for scientists, artists, architects, students and individuals of all backgrounds to explore and advance the larger framework of green design.  The group develops innovative solutions and technologies for local sustainability in energy, transportation, infrastructure, buildings, waste treatment, food, water, and media spaces.

Some of Terreform ONE’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Terreform ONE achieve 35th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
Featured Projects 4
Total Projects 12

34. CAZA

© Iwan Baan

© Iwan Baan

CAZA (Carlos Arnaiz Architects) is a New York-based design studio and urban consultancy committed to an optimistic future for architectural thinking. Our studio is both a workshop and a think tank. We produce buildings and ideas without a prejudice towards the primacy of one over the other. Our work represents an engagement with the history of making buildings and placing them in complex dynamic environments. Our team consists of design professionals from around the world who share a dedication to the transformative power of architecture. We are currently developing a masterplan in Bogota, Colombia; a resort town in Palawan, Philippines; and a hotel in Boracay, Philippines.

Some of CAZA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped CAZA achieve 34th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 10

33. LEVENBETTS

© LEVENBETTS

© LEVENBETTS

LEVENBETTS is an award winning New York City based architecture practice. The office was founded by David Leven and Stella Betts in 1997 and focuses on all scales of projects including urban design, public buildings, houses and housing, commercial workspaces, exhibitions and furniture. The office employs a variety of people and methods to arrive at innovative solutions that are the result of observation, research, integration of building systems and an economic understanding of each project goals. Their talented multi-skilled staff and consultants collaborate in the process of making architecture that runs from an intense analysis of programming, research of building systems, design of environments and finally to on-site construction administration.

Some of LEVENBETTS’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped LEVENBETTS achieve 33rd place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 14

32. HOLLANDERdesign Landscape Architects

© HOLLANDERdesign Landscape Architects

© HOLLANDERdesign Landscape Architects

Edmund Hollander Landscape Architects specializes in residential estates and gardens.  Their experience covers a wide range of scales including estates and gardens in the Hamptons, Long Island’s North Shore, Connecticut, Westchester, New Jersey, Virginia and Europe; waterfront parks and developments; golf course restoration and planning; corporate headquarters; historic landscapes, horse farms; and urban roof top gardens. They bring to each project an attention to detailed design and environmental appropriateness encompassing, wherever possible, elements of the native or vernacular landscape. They utilize a combination of landscape architectural, horticultural and ecological talents to develop creative solutions to design problems.

Some of HOLLANDERdesign Landscape Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped HOLLANDERdesign Landscape Architects achieve 32nd place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 14

31. The Living

© The Living

© The Living

Buildings are living organisms. They breathe and pulse. They inhabit complex ecosystems of species, technologies and culture. And understanding buildings requires understanding these vital signs and these ecosystems.

The Living is a design studio and an experiment in living architecture. Their work brings together the natural and the synthetic, the human and the machine, the individual and the collective. And it involves the intersection of (1) biology, (2) computation, and (3) the circular economy.

The Living’s work with biology extends beyond biomimicry. While there is a long history of architects using biology as metaphor, their work employs actual living organisms to create alternative kinds of architecture.

Some of The Living’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped The Living achieve 31st place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 6
Featured Projects 5
Total Projects 7

30. Rafael Vinoly Architects

© Rafael Vinoly Architects

© Rafael Vinoly Architects

Rafael Viñoly Architects, founded in 1983 and based in New York City — with branch offices in London, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, and Buenos Aires — is an internationally renowned architectural firm with projects spanning six continents. Over the past thirty-five years, the practice’s key trademark is the ability to reinvent institutional typologies and integrate the public realm into civic buildings. The uniquely diverse work the firm has completed includes award-winning courthouses, museums, performing arts centers, convention centers, athletic facilities, banks, hotels, hospitals, laboratories, recreational venues, residential complexes, and commercial, industrial and educational facilities. Projects range in scale from laboratory casework to large urban commercial and institutional master plans.

Some of Rafael Viñoly Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Rafael Vinoly Architects achieve 30th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 9
Total Projects 45

29. Resolution: 4 Architecture

© Resolution: 4 Architecture

© Resolution: 4 Architecture

Resolution: 4 Architecture is an internationally published and highly acclaimed ten-person firm, completing projects in the residential, commercial and public sectors. Founded in 1990 by Joseph Tanney and Robert Luntz, RES4 is dedicated to addressing 21st century conditions through intelligent architecture and design. The firm consciously works to enhance sustainable practices that address the current and long-term challenges facing our dynamic communities. Through iterative investigation, RES4 works to shape the palpable, illuminate the obscure, and understand the interface of architecture, its users, and its context.

Some of Resolution: 4 Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Resolution: 4 Architecture achieve 29th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Finalist 1
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 49

28. FXCollaborative

© FXCollaborative

© FXCollaborative

FXCollaborative leverages broad expertise in architecture, interiors and planning to enrich the world with responsible, intelligent and beautiful design. The firm’s holistic approach integrates client aspirations, an urban sensibility and a celebration of the craft of building. FXCollaborative’s work ranges from the scale of individual buildings and interiors — office towers, multi-family residences, cultural facilities, workplace, K-12 and higher-education institutions — to the city as a whole, addressing infrastructure and transportation.

Some of FXCollaborative’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped FXCollaborative achieve 28th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 5
Featured Projects 12
Total Projects 42

27. SO – IL

© SO – IL

© SO – IL

SO–IL is an internationally recognized architecture and design firm based in New York. They create structures that establish new cultures, institutions and relationships. The firm works across countries and cultures. Together, their team speaks more than a dozen languages. Their clients are spread across France and South Korea to the United States and Mexico. SO — IL believe that through deep collaboration, architects can strengthen communities’ ties to their environments. In an increasingly digitized world, their architecture incorporates innovative physical materials that follow the unique scale and conceptual grounding of each project: stretched chainmail over a gallery building, or an array of elegant glass tubes as a museum façade. The firm creates urban spaces, buildings for culture, residences and workplaces on a variety of scales.

Some of SO – IL’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SO – IL achieve 27th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Finalist 5
Featured Projects 9
Total Projects 16

26. COOKFOX Architects

© COOKFOX Architects

© COOKFOX Architects

COOKFOX is an architectural studio dedicated to a vision of integrated, environmentally responsive design. They believe good design is sustainable and are committed to being wise stewards of their shared natural and cultural resources. Guided by their passion for excellence, belief in the collaborative process and persistent curiosity, COOKFOX pursues projects that allow them to fundamentally re-think how people interact with buildings and the natural environment.

Starting with intensive research, they seek to understand each unique project in its environmental, cultural and historical context. The work the firm does engages with layers of time and promotes a strong sense of place. Inspired by the legacy of artistry in architecture, COOKFOX uses technology and traditional techniques to bring the distinctive qualities of well-crafted materials and details into every project.

Some of COOKFOX Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped COOKFOX Architects achieve 26th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Finalist 7
Featured Projects 9
Total Projects 39

25. Taylor and Miller Architecture and Design

Taylor and Miller Architecture and Design was founded in 2002 by partners B. Alex Miller and Jeff Taylor. The firm is based in New York with fabrication facilities in the Berkshires and has a portfolio of projects that include residential, retail, gallery spaces and installations alike. Taylor and Miller Architecture and Design collaborates with a diverse clients from both the United States and abroad. The firm’s research trajectories often focus on mining materials and ideas from contexts that are most ‘accessible’, both physically and conceptually. Physically, Taylor and Miller are active participants in their projects’ fabrication, and this participation often starts with a seemingly mundane palette of materials; manila rope, fishing line, 4×6” aluminum flashing or aircraft cable.

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

The following statistics helped Taylor and Miller Architecture and Design achieve 25th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 6
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 16

24. Davis Brody Bond, a Page Company

© Paul Rivera Courtesy Perkins Eastman

© Paul Rivera Courtesy Perkins Eastman

Davis Brody Bond is among the nation’s leading design firms. The firm’s work brings strong, successful designs to complex building types and planning projects including cultural facilities, academic buildings, corporate and industrial structures and housing complexes. The firm has been honored with more than 200 major design awards including the American Institute of Architects Firm Award, the highest honor given to an architectural practice as well as the Presidential Award for Design Excellence. Their work is regularly published in the national and international design press.

In May 2011, Davis Brody Bond & Spacesmith announced their partnership — one excellence to strengthen services and expand the firm’s creative boundaries. Spacesmith is a versatile architecture and interior design firm with a multi-talented team led by partners with over 25 years of experience.

Some of Davis Brody Bond’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Davis Brody Bond, a Page Company achieve 24th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 6
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 34

23. MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY

© MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY

© MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY

MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY is a New York-based art and architecture studio specializing in the intersection of unique, spatial, experience and structural performance. The studio’s method is deeply rooted in computational research and digital fabrication to produce public art, installation and environments, architectural skins, and free-standing structures. Over the last ten years, THEVERYMANY has developed and implemented “Structural Stripes,” a building system by which custom-designed parts form complex, self-supporting curvilinear surfaces.

Some of MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY achieve 23rd place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 23

22. LEONG LEONG

© Naho Kubota

© Naho Kubota

LEONG LEONG is a New York and Los Angeles-based design office. Leong Leong’s internationally recognized work is driven by a commitment to ideas and their realization. Leong Leong believes the practice of design is a collective intelligence in constant dialogue with other disciplines, cultures, and thinkers to offer new possibilities to engage the city. This concept-based approach is coupled with a deep interest in methods of production that challenge norms and reveal new territories. Leong Leong was founded by brothers, Christopher and Dominic Leong in 2009.

Some of LEONG LEONG’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped LEONG LEONG achieve 22nd place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 8
Total Projects 17

21. GLUCK+

Photo by Steve Mundinger - © GLUCK+

Photo by Steve Mundinger - © GLUCK+

GLUCK+ is an architecture, construction and development firm located in New York City.  Over a 40 year period, the firm has generated a multi-faceted approach to the design and construction of buildings. To acknowledge this inclusive and expanding practice, the firm is being renamed GLUCK+, which builds on its approach to Architect Led Design Build (ALDB). GLUCK+ is dedicated to the idea that buildings benefit when architects take responsibility for the architectural process from conception to construction, assuming oversight of all aspects of a project. The firm has designed buildings throughout the United States, ranging in type from houses, schools, religious buildings and community centers to hotels, mixed-use/housing, corporate interiors, university buildings and historic restorations.

Some of GLUCK+’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped GLUCK+ achieve 21st place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 15

20. Fogarty Finger

© Fogarty Finger

© Fogarty Finger

Fogarty Finger is committed to redefining the urban built environment through projects that are as evocative as they are pragmatic. The firm’s award-winning work captures the spirit of its surroundings, while creating a layered sense of materiality and refinement. The end result encapsulates smart design solutions that are responsive to the moment yet timeless in appeal.

The firm’s array of prominent commercial and residential projects showcases its strength in a dual concentration in architecture and interior design, both distinguished with its thoughtful and deliberate approach. The architecture practice has authored a number of notable large-scale ground-up projects in NYC as well as nationally.

Some of Fogarty Finger’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Fogarty Finger achieve 20th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 9
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 15

19. WXY architecture + urban design

© WXY architecture + urban design

© WXY architecture + urban design

WXY is an award-winning, studio-based multidisciplinary practice focusing on innovative approaches to public space, structures and cities. Celebrated as much for its focus on community and urban design as for the firm’s agility with incorporating new technologies and green design, WXY excels in complex urban challenges, education and civic buildings, parks and waterfront developments, and other projects ranging from furniture designs to city master plans.

Claire Weisz is founding principal of the New York-based practice, working alongside partners Mark Yoes, Layng Pew and Adam Lubinsky. WXY has received the League Prize and an Emerging Voice in 2011 from The Architectural League.

Some of WXY architecture + urban design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped WXY architecture + urban design achieve 19th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 33

18. Sharon Davis Design

© Sharon Davis Design

© Sharon Davis Design

Founded in 2007, Sharon Davis Design exists to design extraordinary buildings that transform communities. The firm’s work for nonprofit organizations represents a new model of design, in which innovation is measured in both social benefit and aesthetic accomplishment. Its work has gained renown for its ability to harmonize with both the natural and built environments, as well as its cost-effective, environmentally conscious approach to lighting, heating, plumbing and water resources. The firm ultimately measures the success of its designs by the degree to which they expand access to the fundamental human right of social justice, economic empowerment and a healthy sustainable environment.

Some of Sharon Davis Design’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Sharon Davis Design achieve 18th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 5
Featured Projects 7
Total Projects 7

17. INABA WILLIAMS

© INABA WILLIAMS

© INABA WILLIAMS

As more and more of the world is virtual and immaterial, physical space has become increasingly important to human life. Inaba Williams grew out of a desire by organizations to stand out in a digital age by creating built environments. The firm translates observations about human interaction, technology and communities into meticulously detailed spaces.

Some of INABA WILLIAMS’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped INABA WILLIAMS achieve 17th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 7
Featured Projects 6
Total Projects 12

16. Future Green Studio

© Future Green Studio

© Future Green Studio

Future Green Studio is a distinctive and innovative landscape design firm based in Brooklyn, New York. They are thoughtful stewards of the changing climate and creative shapers of the built environment. They are at the forefront of Landscape Urbanism — a design movement that combines a deep understanding of plants, people and places. They recognize that all the complex systems, forces and patterns of nature do not stop at the city limits.

Some of Future Green Studio’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Future Green Studio achieve 16th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 8
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 27

15. nARCHITECTS

© nARCHITECTS

© nARCHITECTS

nARCHITECTS is a Brooklyn-based architectural studio led by founding partners Eric Bunge and Mimi Hoang and principal Amanda Morgan. Their work instigates interactions between buildings, public space and their dynamically changing context. Across social and environmental change, they empower the communities with whom they work and design architecture for a world in flux. In projects such as Carmel Place (NYC’s first micro unit building), the Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center, the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center, A/D/O and the renovation of Chicago Navy Pier, nARCHITECTS is tackling the most pressing issues that cities face — how we live, work and activate public spaces in response to the nation’s housing shortage, evolving modes of work and the need for diverse engagement in the public realm.

Some of nARCHITECTS’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped nARCHITECTS achieve 15th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 6
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 23

14. Studio Link-Arc, LLC

Based in New York City, Studio Link-Arc is an international team of architects and designers. Their name refers to the practice’s collaborative nature as well as the company’s mission, which is to work across disciplines to create strategy and design in the fields of urban planning, architecture, spatial art and landscape. The firm accomplishes this by linking knowledge, resources and intelligence, from multiple perspectives and diverse backgrounds. Their body of work includes innovative projects at all scales.

Some of Studio Link-Arc’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Studio Link-Arc, LLC achieve 14th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 14
Total Projects 15

13. WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism

© WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism

© WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism

WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism is at the forefront of architectural design practices that are redefining the relationships between landscape, architecture, infrastructure, and art. The firm’s projects are noted for clarity of vision, bold and iconic forms, and material innovation. Named one of North America’s “Emerging Voices” by the Architectural League of New York, WEISS/MANFREDI’s distinct vision was recognized with the Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, as well as the Tau Sigma Delta Gold Medal and the New York AIA Gold Medal. The firm’s design for the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park, awarded by international competition, integrates art, architecture, and ecology in a new model for waterfront development.

Some of WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism achieve 13th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 9
Featured Projects 13
Total Projects 27

12. REX

© REX

© REX

REX is an internationally acclaimed architecture and design firm based in New York City. Believing architecture should actively empower its users and communities — not simply be a representational art — REX challenges and advances building paradigms and promotes the agency of architecture. This ethos guides the studio’s aspiration to produce inventive designs so functionally specific that they offer new and inspiring aesthetic experiences.

REX’s designers of varied cultural, social, and educational backgrounds are led by Founding Principal Joshua Ramus, and Associate Principals Alysen Hiller Fiore, Adam Chizmar and Raúl Rodríguez García.

Some of REX’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped REX achieve 12th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 5
A+Awards Finalist 6
Featured Projects 9
Total Projects 27

11. SCAPE Landscape Architecture D.P.C.

© SCAPE Landscape Architecture D.P.C.

© SCAPE Landscape Architecture D.P.C.

SCAPE is a design-driven landscape architecture and urban design studio based in New York. They believe landscape architecture can enable positive change in communities through the creation of regenerative living infrastructure and public landscapes. The firm works to integrate natural cycles and systems into environments across all scales, from the urban pocket-park to the regional ecological plan. They do this through diverse forms of landscape architecture — built landscapes, planning frameworks, research, books and installations – with the ultimate goal of connecting people to their immediate environment and creating dynamic and adaptive landscapes of the future. Our staff is experienced in landscape architecture, architecture, urban design, horticulture, and planning, and they integrate these skillsets to practice design as interpreters and synthetic thinkers.

Some of SCAPE Landscape Architecture’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SCAPE Landscape Architecture D.P.C. achieve 11th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 4
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 20

10. Handel Architects

© Handel Architects

© Handel Architects

Handel Architects is an architecture, interior design, and planning firm that began in New York City in 1994. Today the practice is led by Founding Partner Gary Handel alongside Partners Blake Middleton, Glenn Rescalvo, Frank Fusaro, and Michael Arad. Handel Architects is working on projects across North America, South America, the Middle East, and Asia, with more than 150 architects, interior designers, planners, and support staff from offices in New York City, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. The firm has gained national and international recognition for work such as the Dream Downtown Hotel in New York City, the World Trade Center Memorial in New York City, the Millennium Tower in San Francisco, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington DC’s Georgetown neighborhood. Handel Architects has won numerous design awards and is regularly featured in architectural journals and design publications.

Some of Handel Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Handel Architects achieve 10th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 3
Featured Projects 12
Total Projects 83

9. SHoP Architects

© SHoP Architects

© SHoP Architects

This is a new generation of architects. Since 1996, SHoP has modeled a new way forward with an unconventional approach to design. At the heart of the firm’s method is a willingness to question accepted patterns of practice, coupled with the courage to expand, where necessary, beyond the architect’s traditional roles. They come to each new project with open minds, an expert team, and a collaborative process that adapts itself specifically to the problem at hand. This freedom to be nimble allows us to effectively address a broad range of issues in our work.

Some of SHoP Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped SHoP Architects achieve 9th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 8
Featured Projects 10
Total Projects 42

8. ODA

© ODA

© ODA

ODA is leading a quiet but unyielding revolution to replace the dogma of resigned and compromised city living for one that enriches lives and adapts to human needs. Society’s reliance on the extruded big box concept can and must be rethought; instead, permeable buildings can be designed to help restore humans’ relationship to nature. Collective and individual consciousness is constantly fluctuating, and is impacted by and actively shapes the context. Radical change to the common built environment doctrine is a crucial element in maintaining physical and psychological wellbeing.

Some of ODA’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ODA achieve 8th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 4
Featured Projects 11
Total Projects 42

7. ikon.5 architects

© ikon.5 architects

© ikon.5 architects

Founded in 2003 and dedicated to providing its clients with innovative design solutions that exhibit a high level of craft, ikon.5 architects has earned a reputation among clients and peers as a forward-thinking studio of nimble and creative designers that see every project as an opportunity for design excellence. Proceeding with the belief that every site and client has a unique history or story to tell, the firm approaches architecture as storytelling using the language of built form and landscape. Working collaboratively and across a range of building typologies, including libraries, university facilities, offices, cultural facilities and government buildings, their work celebrates and reflects in its form-giving the great diversity of the communities and people we are privileged to serve.

Some of ikon.5 architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped ikon.5 architects achieve 7th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 15
Total Projects 36

6. Ennead Architects

© Ennead Architects

© Ennead Architects

Ennead is a design firm of more than 200 architects, designers, and thinkers with offices in New York and Shanghai. and a presence in South Florida and California. Together, the studio brings contrasting areas of interest, expertise and experience to every project. Since 1963, Ennead has partnered with owners, developers, institutions and governments to create architecture that is firmly rooted in humanist principles.

The firm is led by nine partners who push a multi-disciplinary ethos centered around capturing knowledge and understanding lessons learned across all typologies, for the betterment of planning, design and delivery. Ennead’s focus is on creating iconic architecture grounded in the belief that, at its best, design communicates ideals, reinforces institutions and acts as an agent of positive change.

Some of Ennead Architects’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Ennead Architects achieve 6th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 3
A+Awards Finalist 2
Featured Projects 18
Total Projects 41

5. Diller Scofidio + Renfro

© Diller Scofidio + Renfro

© Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Founded in 1981, Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) is a design studio whose practice spans the fields of architecture, urban design, installation art, multi-media performance, digital media and print. With a focus on cultural and civic projects, DS+R’s work addresses the changing role of institutions and the future of cities. The studio is based in New York and is comprised of over 100 architects, designers, artists and researchers, led by four partners — Elizabeth Diller, Ricardo Scofidio, Charles Renfro and Benjamin Gilmartin. DS+R’s cross genre work has been distinguished with TIME’s “100 Most Influential People” list and the first grant awarded in the field of architecture from the MacArthur Foundation, which identified Diller and Scofidio as, “architects who have created an alternative form of architectural practice that unites design, performance and electronic media with cultural and architectural theory and criticism.

Some of Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Diller Scofidio + Renfro achieve 5th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 2
A+Awards Finalist 5
Featured Projects 16
Total Projects 22

4. Field Operations

© Sam Oberter

© Sam Oberter

Field Operations is a leading-edge landscape architecture and urban design practice based in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Shenzhen and London. Field Operations is renowned for strong contemporary design across a variety of project types and scales, from large urban districts, master plans and complex planning sites, to small well-crafted, detailed design projects. Regardless of scale, there is a special commitment to the design of a vibrant and dynamic public realm, informed by the ecology of both people and nature, rooted in place and context.

The ultimate aim is to bring beauty, health and vitality to the different kinds of environments where people live and interact.

Some of Field Operations’ most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Field Operations achieve 4th place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 11
A+Awards Finalist 11
Featured Projects 18
Total Projects 22

3. Rockwell Group

© Rockwell Group

© Rockwell Group

Based in New York with offices in Los Angeles and Madrid, Rockwell Group is an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm that emphasizes innovation and thought leadership in every project. Founded in 1984 by David Rockwell, FAIA, and led by David and partners Shawn Sullivan and Greg Keffer, the firm merges performance and architecture to create extraordinary experiences and built environments across the globe. Merging theater, performance and architecture to create unique narratives for each project, the firm’s work includes hotels and restaurants, theaters, cultural and educational institutions, set designs, products and exhibitions.

Some of Rockwell Group’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Rockwell Group achieve 3rd place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 1
A+Awards Finalist 12
Featured Projects 27
Total Projects 89

2. Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

© Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

© Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is a global architecture practice dedicated to clients that represent the most forward-thinking companies and institutions around the world — visionaries that believe that value is not just producing return on investment but also in contributing to the urban environment and communities. The firm’s portfolio spans more than 40 countries, and includes a wide range of projects from office and residential buildings to civic and cultural spaces to educational facilities.

Some of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates achieve 2nd place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 5
A+Awards Finalist 15
Featured Projects 44
Total Projects 184

1. Steven Holl Architects

© Steven Holl Architects

© Steven Holl Architects

Steven Holl Architects is a 28-person innovative architecture and urban design office working globally as one office from three locations: New York City, Rhinebeck, NY and Beijing. Steven Holl leads the office with partners Chris McVoy, Noah Yaffe, Roberto Bannura and Dimitra Tsachrelia.

Steven Holl Architects is recognized for the ability to shape space and light with great contextual sensitivity and to catalyze the unique qualities of each project to create a concept-driven design at multiple scales, from minimal dwellings, to university works, to new hybrid models of urbanism. The firm has realized architectural works around the world, with extensive experience in the arts, campus and educational facilities, and residential work, as well as mix use and office design, public works and master planning.

Some of Steven Holl Architects’s most prominent projects include:

The following statistics helped Steven Holl Architects achieve 1st place in the 35 Best Architecture Firms in New York:

A+Awards Winner 9
A+Awards Finalist 14
Featured Projects 41
Total Projects 46

Other Architecture firms to Consider

Several other renowned architecture firms can be found just outside the Top 35, each of which is worth considering for their experience in delivering high quality, large-scale projects across typologies. They include: O’Neill Rose Architects, Descience Lab, Z-A Studio, Barker Associates Architecture Office, Studiohuerta, ARCHITECTUREFIRM, Post Company, O’Neill McVoy Architects, Labscape Architecture, SABO project, Circular, XS SPACE, Dameron Architecture, Think! Architecture + Design, GRT Architects, Two Street Studio, Alloy Development, SITU, The Urban Conga, Dungjai, Studio Modh Architecture, EverGreene Architectural Arts, ATMOS, The Principals, STUDIOKCA

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 35 Best Architecture and Design Firms in New York appeared first on Journal.

Historic Fabric, Modern Framework: How 19th Century Architecture Is Shaping Adaptive Reuse Today

Architizer is thrilled to announce the world' best architecture firms in 2024, all winners of the 12th Annual A+Awards! Want to get your firm in the running next season? Stay up to date by subscribing to our A+Awards Newsletter. 

The 1800s was a century teeming with grandeur and grit. As Napoleon strutted across Europe, crusading and conquering, Queen Victoria set the tone for an era so stiff-upper-lip that even the crinolines stood to attention. While Charles Darwin dared to suggest that humans and monkeys might be distant cousins, the Industrial Revolution chugged along, belching steam and soot, transforming pastoral landscapes into bustling urban jungles. Amidst this new age, architectural wonders rose from the grime, blending innovation with opulence.

The 19th century was a time of contradictions: the world grew larger and smaller, more enlightened yet stubbornly eccentric. It was a time of invention and ingenuity, and some of the greatest names in our history — Nightingale, Beethoven, Edison, van Gogh, Tolstoy — left legacies from that era that continue to shape the world today. Architecture was no exception. Architectural styles were an amalgamation of Neoclassicism, Gothic Revival and Beaux-Arts. Gustave Eiffel’s tower of iron stretched towards the heavens, while Louis Sullivan’s skyscrapers hinted at a future of vertical cities. The Royal Pavilion in Brighton by John Nash gave us a fantastical riot of Indian and Chinese influences never before seen. Not forgetting Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace, the iron and glass behemoth that became the poster child for new materials and prefabrication. It was the perfect environment for cultivating architectural brilliance, mixing the old with the new, the sublime with the industrial, and the elegant with the extravagant.

In celebration of the incredible age that shaped our world. We’re showcasing some breathtaking buildings that were originally built in the 1800s. These structures have not only stood the test of time but have been transformed by Architizer’s amazing A+Award-winners into stunning contemporary spaces that blend historic brilliance with modern functionality. It is wonderful to see these incredible feats of architecture rescued to continue their life for future generations.


The Refinery at Domino

By Practice for Architecture & Urbanism | PAU, Brooklyn, New York

Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Commercial Adaptive Reuse Projects

Photographs by Max Touhey

The Refinery is the lone remaining building within the 19th-century Domino Sugar complex, a relic of industrial prowess now reimagined for 21st-century creatives. PAU’s ingenious adaptation inserted a modern structure within the historic masonry shell, transforming it from a sugar production powerhouse to a light-filled, accessible office haven. The juxtaposition of new and old is striking. Floor heights and open spaces are now flooded with daylight, while the historic windows continue to offer glimpses of the city and river beyond.

The new building’s vaulted form nods to the American Round Arch style and culminates in a unique penthouse that crowns the structure. Recessed rooftop mechanicals keeps the silhouette sleek, while the preserved masonry, complete with its patina and scars, tells tales of the building’s storied past. The perimeter blooms with biophilic hanging gardens, and a southern balcony is home to the historic sugar chute, which blends memory with modernity. Ground-floor windows transformed into doors invite the public into a new Market Hall, seamlessly merging history with contemporary urban life.


Mississippi Loft

By PKA Architecture, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Popular Choice Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Residential Apartment

Photographs by Spacecrafting Photography ?

Originally constructed as the Crown Roller Mill, this seven-story brick structure played a pivotal role in Minneapolis’s industrial boom. Later, like many buildings of this time and style, it became a luxury hotel. That, too, became redundant in time. Two raw shells in a historic 1879 building overlooking the Mississippi River in Minneapolis were what PKA Architecture had to work with. The building’s rich history and sturdy architecture, characterized by its brick facade, timber beams, and ironwork, presented both challenges and opportunities.

PKA Architecture took on the challenge, transforming the space with a bold steel mezzanine that doubles as an art gallery, carving out intimate private areas below. Drawing from the client’s love of Victorian architecture, a glass solarium inspired by London’s Crystal Palace was crafted, featuring steel and hand-blown glass rondels, creating a lush space between the owner’s suite and the kitchen. The result is a loft that honors its industrial roots while offering a luxurious, art-filled living space with panoramic river views, adding immeasurable value to this historic Minneapolis gem.


Casa Lohr

By Veinte Diezz Arquitectos, Mérida, Mexico

Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Residential Renovations and Additions

Photographs by Manolo R. Solis

In Mérida, a town founded in 25 BC, Veinte Diezz Arquitectos transformed a long-abandoned relic — the ruins of an abandoned colonial house dating to the end of the 19th century — into a stunning home with the perfect blend of historic charm and modern functionality.

Walking through Casa Lohr, the story of its evolution is clear as day. The original halls, now a welcoming lobby, secondary bedroom, and expansive open living area, reveal their layered history through a series of framed voids. The roofed terrace, the project’s focal point, features a striking wall of original ruins. The main room at the rear, adorned with semicircular arches echoing the original design, leads to a private patio and outdoor jacuzzi. It is a serene retreat perfect for meditation and nature immersion. The material palette, featuring finely patched walls, burnished white cement, locally sourced stone, traditional pasta tiles, and exposed joists, pays homage to the building’s storied past.

By choosing not to intervene with the existing structure, the designers have enabled the home to become a celebration of the building’s endurance over the years.


Dry Dock Greenhouse

By Paul Lukez Architecture

Jury Winner, 12th Annual A+Awards, Unbuilt Commercial

Covered by a sleek glass canopy integrated with photovoltaics (BIPV), this greenhouse will employ cutting-edge vertical farming techniques to produce year-round, local, healthy food. Vertical farming maximizes space efficiency, allowing a quarter-acre farm to yield as much produce as 40 acres of traditional farmland while using significantly less water.

This ambitious design concept reimagines a long-neglected waterfront site in East Boston, transforming it into the Dry Dock Greenhouse. Built in the 1850s, the East Boston dry dock was originally a bustling hub of the maritime industry, serving as a crucial site for ship repairs and maintenance during the height of Boston’s industrial era. Today, it languishes as a fuel storage station, an industrial relic far removed from its former glory and far from green. Paul Lukez Architecture envisions closing the dock gate, pumping out the water, and reclaiming the space for a pioneering greenhouse powered by renewable energy.

Beyond its agricultural function, the Dry Dock Greenhouse is designed to become a vibrant urban amenity, merging public spaces and amenities that are focused on sustainable agricultural practices. If realized, this transformative project could revitalize an underutilized industrial site and encourage a forward-thinking approach to urban renewal for a greener, more productive future for East Boston.

Architizer is thrilled to announce the world' best architecture firms in 2024, all winners of the 12th Annual A+Awards! Want to get your firm in the running next season? Stay up to date by subscribing to our A+Awards Newsletter. 

The post Historic Fabric, Modern Framework: How 19th Century Architecture Is Shaping Adaptive Reuse Today appeared first on Journal.