Philadelphia is filled with numerous architectural gems, from iconic historical buildings to towering glass skyscrapers. It’s one of the oldest municipalities in the U.S., and the proud home of the Liberty Bell.
With such a rich history and diverse background, it’s no surprise the city has a wide variety of great architecture firms. We’ve compiled a list of some of the top architecture firms in Philadelphia, to help guide you in the City of Brotherly Love.
The 15 best architecture firms in Philadelphia
01 – EwingCole
Studio overview
- Location – Federal Reserve Bank Building, 6th Street
- Website – www.ewingcole.com
- Number of offices – 9
- Number of employees – 250
- Established in – 1961
Ethos
EwingCole believes in creating inventive solutions to complex projects that improve their clients’ everyday life, the community, and the world. Their design approach begins with a response to an everyday need. Bringing together research, creativity, and technology, EwingCole creates places where people live, learn, heal, work, and play.
The main vision of the company is to transform everyday buildings and landscapes into meaningful experiences. They believe that thoughtful design can enhance an organization’s ability to achieve long-term success, and improve the quality of life.
Specialty
The firm has a large portfolio of built projects, with experience in commercial, residential, hospitality, and institutional design. They offer a full range of services including engineering, lighting, and planning. With over 50 years of practice, the firm has gotten recognition for its outstanding work in architecture, interior design, and more, creating fully-integrated design solutions for medium to large-scale projects.
02 – Francis Cauffman Architects
Studio overview
- Location – 2000 Market Street
- Website – www.fcarchitects.com
- Number of offices – 3
- Number of employees – 88
- Established in – 1954
Ethos
FCA is guided by four main principles; place, planet, people, and process. The firm seeks to create a compelling sense of place that is functional, inspiring, and that enhances the human experience. Their designs are considerate of the environment and human behavior, and their work involves a rigorous process of exploration and collaboration.
Specialty
With several decades of experience, Francis Cauffman Architects has made a name for itself designing medical centers, specialty clinics, workplaces, and university buildings. They are a full-service architecture and design firm known for their expertise in hospitals and corporate offices.
03 – Ballinger Architecture
Studio overview
- Location – 833 Chestnut Street
- Website – www.ballinger.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 211
- Established in – 1878
Ethos
Ballinger endeavors to create buildings that respond to the needs, values, and context of the people who occupy them, and the institutions, cities, and landscapes to which they belong. They are committed to the thoughtful integration of technology, a deep knowledge of the building types, and exceptional client service.
Specialty
As one of the first firms in the country to merge professional architecture and engineering, Ballinger has a long history of multi-disciplinary practice. They specialize in projects with academic, corporate, and healthcare institutions.
04 – Gensler
Studio overview
- Location – 2005 Market Street
- Website – www.gensler.com
- Number of offices – 49
- Number of employees – 6,000+
- Established in – 1965
Ethos
Gensler’s purpose is to create a better world through the power of design. This goal comes to life across their 28 practice areas, client relationships, global network of leaders, and diversity of talent. Guided by determined optimism, the firm uses the power of design to spark positive change and create a future that promotes equity, resilience, and wellbeing for everyone.
Specialty
As the largest architecture firm in the world, Gensler is involved in projects of all kinds, serving multiple different industries and regions. They specialize in providing holistic design solutions for large-scale projects across the globe.
05 – Jacobs
Studio overview
- Location – 2301 Chestnut Street
- Website – www.jacobs.com
- Number of offices – 400+
- Number of employees – 55,000
- Established in – 1947
Ethos
The company aims to create critical solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. At Jacobs, they start with “what if” to surface new possibilities and harness deep technical expertise to bring bold solutions into reality.
Specialty
Jacobs is known for its engineering, architecture, and construction, but it’s one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of full-spectrum professional services. Their other areas of expertise include energy, technology, water, and transportation. They serve as a consultant on planning, infrastructure, and development for cities and regions around the world.
06 – KieranTimberlake
Studio overview
- Location – 841 North American Street
- Website – www.kierantimberlake.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 100
- Established in – 1984
Ethos
The core mission at KieranTimberlake is the alchemy of art, science, analysis, and intuition with regard to the built environment. Each project begins with a question and continues its development within a culture of continuous asking, ensuring that design results from deep investigation.
Specialty
KieranTimberlake is recognized for their publicly engaging designs, ranging from college campus buildings to museums and civic spaces. Many of their award-winning projects have been with educational institutions and the government. Their designs facilitate lively interactions between the building and the people around it.
07 – L2P
Studio overview
- Location – 3 Logan Square, 1717 Arch Street
- Website – www.l2p.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 49
- Established in – 2010
Ethos
L2P’s design approach combines business knowledge, market-focused expertise, and sustainability to create environments that inspire. They design environments that give form and shape to an organization’s business aspirations, helping clients to become the best version of themselves.
Specialty
They offer architecture, interior design, and planning, with a specialty in corporate and commercial design. The firm also has a commitment to sustainability that has made them one of the leading contributors of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects in Philadelphia. LEED is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to recognize projects for their exemplary performance in green building principles.
08 – Digsau
Studio overview
- Location – 340 North 12th Street
- Website – http://www.digsau.com/
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 34
- Established in – 2007
Ethos
Digsau believes architecture can allow people to uncover and discover connections between each other, place, history, and time. The firm seeks to develop places that convey potent ideas and connect to the human spirit through the use of form, space, light, and material.
Specialty
They specialize in designing facilities for education, as well as multi-unit housing and amenity areas. The firm practices contemporary architecture, urbanism, and environmental design, catering to a diverse group of clients through a collaborative and iterative process.
09 – Stantec
Studio overview
- Location – 1500 Spring Garden Street
- Website – www.stantec.com
- Number of offices – 350
- Number of employees – 22,000
- Established in – 1954
Ethos
At Stantec, design is always done with community in mind. They believe communities are fundamental in providing a foundation, a sense of place, and a feeling of belonging. As designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, they innovate together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to improve the quality of life in communities across the globe.
Specialty
Stantec is a multinational company that provides architecture, engineering, urban planning, and construction services for many different industries. They also help companies make informed decisions about infrastructure, natural resources, science, and technology.
10 – Bernardon
Studio overview
- Location – The Philadelphia Building, 1315 Walnut Street
- Website – www.bernardon.com
- Number of offices – 3
- Number of employees – 85
- Established in – 1973
Ethos
Bernardon believes that collaboration creates the best design solution. They are guided by three main principles; to dream, design, and succeed. When they listen to clients, they engage in the dream. When they create, they design based on the needs of the project, and when they make an environment that meets clients’ goals, they succeed. They are client-focused and strive to build long lasting relationships.
Specialty
They cater to a wide variety of industries, with a specialty in hospitality, multifamily housing, and institutional design. Their services include architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, historic preservation, planning, and sustainable design.
11 – Sargenti Architects
Studio overview
- Location – 8 Penn Center, 1628 JFK Boulevard
- Website – www.sargarch.com
- Number of offices – 6
- Number of employees – 162
- Established in – 1997
Ethos
Sargenti’s culture is to provide personalized services, from start to finish anywhere in the world. The firm’s goal is to ensure client success, and to become an extension of the clients’ business. Their architecture and interior design studios share a common belief that thoughtful, sustainable structures and spaces will create dynamic, enriching environments
Specialty
They specialize in retail, restaurant, and corporate development both locally and internationally. The firm is most known for their work in retail interiors, but they are also involved in industrial warehouse renovations and distribution centers.
12 – Morrissey
Studio overview
- Location – 4590 Main Street
- Website – www.morrissey-design.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 7
- Established in – 2016
Ethos
M Architects works with a signature approach combining the principles of high-end design with the creativity of resourcefulness. They keep the process highly collaborative and engaged, exploring unconventional solutions that can add value to the project.
Specialty
Morrissey specializes in creating high-end design for restaurants, office spaces, single family homes and multifamily apartments. They are focused on delivering impactful architecture, alluring interior design, and environmental branding services to add value and appeal to establishments and properties.
13 – KSS Architects
Studio overview
- Location – The Public Ledger Building, 600 Chestnut Street
- Website – www.kssarchitects.com
- Number of offices – 3
- Number of employees – 66
- Established in – 1983
Ethos
At KSS Architects, they believe that great design can make a place unforgettable, and that it can bring it to life with personality, energy, and promise. They listen intensively, and dive deeply into user research for every project. By thinking like owners, they are able to maximize project resources for optimal benefit in design.
Specialty
KSS specializes in places of learning, commerce, and community. They are focused on architectural design, and their projects include educational facilities, arts & culture, commercial establishments, housing, and workplaces.
14 – Moto Designshop
Studio overview
- Location – 228 Vine Street
- Website – www.motodesignshop.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 7
- Established in – 2004
Ethos
Moto Designshop is a progressive studio that challenges the boundaries of contemporary practice, with an artistic approach to shaping the built environment. They begin with a fundamental interest in the culture and context of every project, a rich understanding of construction methodologies, and powerful skills in visualization, to produce work that is meaningful, well-crafted, and timeless.
Specialty
They provide architecture and interior design services for a wide range of projects including residential, commercial, and hospitality. They are a boutique studio recognized for their contemporary style in housing and luxury bathrooms.
15 – DAS Architects
Studio overview
- Location – 1628 JFK Boulevard
- Website – www.dasarchitects.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 20
- Established in – 1990
Ethos
DAS Architects strives not to build buildings, or even rooms, but to create experiences. They take a holistic approach to every space, and put time and care into all that goes into it. Without conforming to a particular style, DAS maintains a wide variety of design aesthetics to reflect the client’s needs and desires, not the firm’s. Their philosophy is to create designs that are innovative and beautiful while reflecting the client’s goals and vision.
Specialty
DAS is nationally recognized for their work in hospitality and commercial design. Their portfolio consists of over three hundred signature restaurants, hotels, resorts, and luxury residential projects. They specialize in creating elegant and cost-effective designs for businesses.
The 5 best residential architects in Philadelphia
01 – Gnome Architects
Studio overview
- Location – 1901 S 9th Street
- Website – www.gnomearch.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 8
- Established in – 2018
Ethos
A garden gnome symbolizes a place of being, where someone has chosen to put down roots. At Gnome Architects, they design homes with the same connection in mind. Their work centers around the user, creating unique solutions that adapt to the different constraints of each project.
Specialty
They are focused on creating single family and multifamily homes with significant meaning to the people that live in them. With a background in both architecture and real estate development, they recognize the importance of efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in the homes they design.
02 – Landmark Architectural Design
Studio overview
- Location – 1325 Snyder Avenue
- Website – www.landmarkaia.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 5
- Established in – 1998
Ethos
Landmark Architectural Design adheres to the three essential principles of architecture; utility, strength, and beauty. They aim to create solid, timeless designs worth preserving in the future. Their designs, ranging from classical to contemporary, are all defined by these core elements.
Specialty
Landmark provides expertise in pre-fabricated, modular, and sustainable construction. They specialize in designing single-family dwellings, multi-unit residential buildings, retail stores and restaurants.
03 – Atrium Design Group
Studio overview
- Location – 1024 N 3rd Street
- Website – www.atriumdesigngroup.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 7
- Established in – 2013
Ethos
Atrium believes great architecture should provide a platform for a better community by integrating spaces for social interaction and providing more opportunities for the inside and outside to meet. They seek to add meaning to the world by exploring and rethinking the ideas of place and ritual.
Specialty
Atrium is a design-build company providing full services from concept to construction. Their work is characterized by contemporary facades and vibrant interiors, with projects ranging from commercial mixed-use buildings to residential townhouses and interior fit-outs.
04 – Blackney Hayes Architects
Studio overview
- Location – 150 S Independence Hall West
- Website – www.blackneyhayes.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 40
- Established in – 1988
Ethos
Blackney Hayes Architects recognizes the uniqueness of each client’s project. Budget, function, schedule and governmental approvals all shape a project’s priorities. The firm’s approach involves working closely with the client to address these issues, while creating an appropriate innovative design.
Specialty
They offer architecture and interior design services, with a large portfolio of completed projects including multi-family developments, university buildings, and healthcare facilities.
05 – Coscia Moos Architecture
Studio overview
- Location – 1616 Walnut Street
- Website – www.cosciamoos.com
- Number of offices – 1
- Number of employees – 31
- Established in – 2010
Ethos
At Coscia Moos Architecture, the team works closely alongside you to craft a smart and well-planned approach to meet your needs. The firm is composed of optimists, design minds, and creative problem solvers who take great pride in their work. They relentlessly strive to be one step ahead of the problem, treat clients and consultants as true partners, and focus obsessively on the details.
Specialty
They have diverse experience in mixed-use residential developments, commercial buildings and interiors, higher education facilities, hospitality, and healthcare. Their designs embody bold and creative ideas while maintaining a sensitive cohesion with the surroundings.
Conclusion
With so many architects to choose from, it’s important to find a firm that suits your needs in terms of specialty and style. The companies on this list represent some of the best architects in Philadelphia, and they all have a lot to offer.
These are firms with experience, proven track records, and solid portfolios, making them reliable choices for your projects. Whether you’re looking for architectural services, or trying to find your next career destination, this list could be a great place to start.
Check out our other articles on Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston.
