The Best Remodeling Contractors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Overview

Situated in the southwest of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is the second largest city on the United States East Coast. Famous for its arts, culture, and cuisine, the city is an excellent place to reside because of its affordable housing and abundant job opportunities. It is also home to many higher learning institutions. Philadelphia also offers numerous history and outdoor experiences, including visiting museums and parks. If you live in the area and want to give your existing space a makeover, below are the 12 best remodeling contractors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Best Remodeling Contractors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Gardner/Fox Associates

Address:
 919 Glenbrook Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

About Gardner/Fox Associates

Gardner/Fox Associates is a Philadelphia-based full-service design-build construction firm established 34 years ago. It specializes in commercial construction, residential construction, custom interiors, remodels, and design, serving clients in Philadelphia, Villanova, Malvern, Devon, Ardmore, and Phoenixville. Since 1987, the firm has undertaken a wide range of project sizes, from 30,000 square foot dialysis centers to standard 3,000 square foot office fit-outs. It produces award-winning designs and provides superior customer service.

The company runs under the leadership of Brook Gardner and Mark Fox. Both principal partners serve as the firm’s CEO and have 40 years of experience in construction. Under their oversight, Gardner/Fox Associates has amassed numerous awards, including the 2019 Best Architect & Builder in the Best of Main Line and Western Suburbs.

Hanson Fine Building

Address:
86 W. Johnson St., Philadelphia PA 19144

About Hanson Fine Building

Hanson Fine Building is a Philadelphia construction firm creating lasting structures and relationships with clients across Greater Philadelphia. For 36 years, it has provided renovations, custom additions, sustainable new construction, and historic preservation services, delivering outstanding projects through honesty, integrity, and collaboration. Since its inception, the firm has managed all aspects of the construction process, including demolition, concrete and masonry, mechanical systems, and framing and finish carpentry.

Its seasoned experts have established deep, long-term relationships with subcontractors. John M. Hanson and Christopher M. Hanson are the company’s managing principals. John handles the firm’s business development and financial management, while Christopher is the principal in charge of most large projects.

Bellweather Design-Build

Address:
4613 Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143

About Bellweather Design-Build

Bellweather Design-Build brings all aspects of a remodeling project together to efficiently plan, design, and remodel residential projects. They’ve created a streamlined process that aligns the architectural, engineering, interior design, and construction services. Their unique architectural design process delivers high-end solutions and high-quality projects to families living in historic row homes in Center City to estates on the Main Line. Since its establishment, its goal is to guide homeowners to make the best decisions.

Will Giesey, the owner of Bellweather Design-Build, started the company in 2002. His passion is in historical preservation as well as modern, timeless design. He holds multiple certifications including, Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler and Certified Residential Energy Auditor. He has been the Chairman of the Gloucester City Historical Commission since 2012 and president of the Professional Remodelers Organization (PRO) for the Philadelphia area / Delaware Valley chapter.

Myers Constructs

Address:
Crane Arts Bldg. 1400 N American St., Ste. 208, Philadelphia, PA 19122

About Myers Constructs

Myers Constructs is a women-owned design-build general contracting company creating a better life for clients by giving their spaces a new life. It opened its doors in 1997 and provides design to build remodeling, residential, small commercial, and nonprofit renovations with an emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the firm extends its services in Philadelphia, Flourtown, East Falls, and Bryn Mawr. For 25 years, the award-winning firm has worked with hundreds of happy customers while using eco-friendly construction processes.

Tamara Myers is the company’s founder and president. She is a seasoned construction expert with 35 years of experience renovating and building homes. She began her career as a carpenter, gradually gaining a deeper understanding of old-world building practices and cutting-edge technologies to create efficient solutions.

 

Pohlig Homes

Address:
274 Lancaster Ave, Suite 100, Malvern, PA 19355

About Pohlig Homes

Pohlig Homes has been building long-standing relationships since its establishment in 1974. It offers a wide selection of services, including custom home construction, custom renovations, build-on-your-lot construction, luxury condominiums, lifestyle living home construction, and new home construction. For four decades in the industry, it has developed numerous notable residences in the Philadelphia, Haverford, Lower Merion Township, and Gladwyne areas. It operates on the idea of “doing things right and doing the right things.”

Don Pohlig and Todd Pohlig co-founded Pohlig Homes. Both principals have been committed to residential construction their lives and are passionate about shaping communities by creating the finest luxury homes. Under their direction, numerous media outlets have featured the company, including Philadelphia Business Journal, Pohlig News, and Mainline Media News.

Ferrarini & Co.

Address:
110 S 20th St #202a, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About Ferrarini & Co.

Established in 2008, Ferrarini & Co. is one of Philadelphia’s top-rated family-owned remodeling and interior companies creating award-winning designs renowned locally and nationally. It offers an array of services, including kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, interior remodeling, and basements and decks, serving Philadelphia, Ambler, Elkins Park, Wyndmoor, and beyond. For 14 years, the firm has employed an inclusive yet flexible process to provide clients the ability to utilize its resources or hire the company to create unique solutions for them.

Matthew Ferrarini and Donna Ferrarini co-founded the firm. Matthew is the principal designer whose passion for design was cultivated by his mother, Donna. Donna is the interior designer of Ferrarini & Co. Her 20 years of experience as an interior designer enables her to quickly embrace forward-thinking and emerging design trends.

HomeTech Renovations

Address:
1013 North Bethlehem Pike, Lower Gwynedd, PA 19002

About HomeTech Renovations

Founded in 1984, HomeTech Renovations is a kitchen and bathroom remodeling company known for its award-winning designs. It serves homeowners throughout Greater Philadelphia, including Montgomery and Bucks counties. The firm believes that clear communication, reliable timelines, and flexibility are integral to delivering a successful project. When composing a design for clients, the team values process and structure to educate them about their project and ease their concerns. The team’s attention to detail and dedication to excellent customer service has enabled it to establish a name in the area.

The team runs under the supervision of David Cerami. He is the firm’s president and is a Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler, bringing 40 years of experience in the remodeling industry. He also served as the President and COB of the Bucks/Mont Chapter of NARI, and was selected as one of the nation’s “Big 50” by Remodeling Magazine. In 2020, the firm won the Best of House & Home Magazine award in the Kitchen & Bath Design category.

Harth Builders

Address:
1021 N Bethlehem Pike, Spring House, PA 19477

About Harth Builders

For nearly 30 years, Harth Builders has served the residential renovation needs of families in Philadelphia, Blue Bell, Elkins Park, Ambler, and beyond. Since its inception, the award-winning, family-owned company has been committed to quality, communication, and cleanliness. It specializes in a myriad of services, including design-build, remodeling, general contractor, interior design, and architecture, tailoring each project to reflect clients’ ideas, personalities, and dreams. It participates in numerous industry trade organizations to keep up with the latest best practices for customer satisfaction and quality renovations.

Gregory Harth is the man behind Harth Builder‘s success. He was the president of the Lower Gwynedd Business Association and former chairman of the board of Bucks-Mont NARI. He is a Master Certified Remodeler and a Certified Aging-in-Place-Specialist.

Hestia Construction

Address:
1529 S 11th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

About Hestia Construction

Operating out of its office in Philadelphia, Hestia Construction is a construction company specializing in design-driven home remodeling. It opened its doors seven years ago and has consistently created unique designs that shape how homeowners live. As a woman-owned construction company, the firm produces outstanding projects and has been featured in TV shows like Philly Revival and local and national publications, including Philadelphia Magazine and The Wall Street Journal.

Rachel Street leads the team and has always been passionate about community involvement, whether repairing homes or participating in neighborhood block builds and cleanups. The company is EPA Lead Safe Certified and was awarded the Rising Star Award for the Philadelphia Inquirer’s 2019 Influencers of Real Estate.

Pine Street Carpenters

Address:
901 S. Bolmar St, Suite N, West Chester, PA 19382

About Pine Street Carpenters

Pine Street Carpenters is a design-build remodeler in Philadelphia. It was formed nearly 30 years ago and has provided residential services, including design, kitchens and baths, cabinetry, additions, historic renovations, whole house renovations, and basements. The firm extends its services throughout Philadelphia, Newtown Square, Malvern, Glenmoore, Downingtown, West Chester, and Berwyn communities and has established a reputation for its design excellence and attention to detail.

Brendon Dolan owns and leads the team. He oversees the firm’s daily operations and is the team’s guiding support to create designs that last lifetimes. Pine Street Carpenters is professionally affiliated with numerous organizations, including the National Kitchen & Bath Association, National Association of the Remodeling Industry, GuildQuality, and is EPA Lead-Safe Certified.

dRemodeling

Address:
7709 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128

About dRemodeling

dRemodeling is one of Philadelphia’s leading remodeling companies with a reputation for outstanding craftsmanship and intricate designs. It specializes in kitchen and bathroom remodels and design services, shaping Philadelphia, Media, Newton Square, and East Norriton areas for 15 years. The firm consistently ranks in the country’s top 50 remodeling companies. dRemodeling’s expertise and skill enable it to transform simple kitchens and baths into breathtaking masterpieces, showcasing excellent craftsmanship and care for its customers.

Dan Dragomir is the company’s founder and leads a team of 26 dedicated professionals. His humble beginnings, commitment, and hard work enabled him to grow the startup firm into one of the best companies in Philadelphia. Numerous publications have featured the firm’s work, including Philadelphia Magazine, Qualified Remodeler Magazine, and Remodeling Magazine.

Orion General Contractors

Address:
100 Cricket Ave., Ardmore, PA 19003

About Orion General Contractors

Established in 1997, Orion General Contractors specializes in renovations, additions, kitchens, baths, city work, and historic preservation services. It builds across the Main Line and Philadelphia Region, working on projects ranging from small jobs to multi-million dollar additions and alterations. The firm’s passion for excellent craftsmanship resulted in numerous recognitions, including three Historic Preservation Awards in 2008, 2005, and 2000 and the 2008 Pennsylvania Remodeler of the Year.

Pete Maruca’s passion for art and architecture led him to establish the company 25 years ago. He focuses on quality remodeling and customer experience and has devoted several decades of his life to delivering a promise of excellence. He is affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders, Pennsylvania Builders Association, and Main Line Builders Association and is a Board Member at William Trent House.

The Best Industrial Contractors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Overview

Building and developing a project isn’t always a walk in the park. When it comes to building large, industrial-scale projects, it becomes even more tricky given the specifics and the sheer size of the buildings required. From warehouses to factories, the fine details of these structures require meticulous care and extensive expertise to match.

Finding the perfect contractor to ensure that everything is up to standard and adheres to safety regulations is essential in building any industrial project. To help you get started, we’ve gathered a list of the best industrial contractors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This list was compiled based on the contractors’ years in the business, the quality and complexity of their projects, and their recognition in the field.

Top Industrial Contractors

INTECH Construction

Address:
3020 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19104

About INTECH Construction

Founded in 1986, INTECH Construction started small before it grew to become a major presence in Philadelphia. Through its more than 35 years of experience in the business, it has built many prominent projects in the region, in markets such as academic and cultural institutions, healthcare, hospitality, business sectors, and private development.

Since its establishment, the firm has always adhered to its mission of providing a distinctly different, service-oriented, personal approach to construction. INTECH Construction also believes that safety, excellence, diversity, community, and sustainability are essential when it comes to all of its projects. The firm follows a safety program that’s designed to empower employees with an active role in maintaining and improving safety. In building projects, it takes advantage of a collaborative pre-construction effort and stays connected with the larger community in which it lives and works. Moreover, INTECH also believes in using effective sustainability practices in order to protect the natural environment and the communities where it works. This well-rounded approach to construction is the kind you can only find working with a forward-thinking firm.

Featured Projects

For its great work, the firm has won numerous awards, including the 2021 ULI Philadelphia Awards for Excellence for The Discovery Center, the 2020 ENR Healthcare, Award of Merit for Amicus Therapeutics, the 2020 GBCA Best Residential, Mixed-Use, or Office Space Project for Vantage, the 2020 National AGC Safety Award, and the 2020 AIA Mixed-Use, Merit Award also for Vantage. It has built many large-scale projects as well, one of which is the Federal Express – City Station Warehouse Facility. It is a 113,000-square-foot steel building project constructed on a former brownfield site. INTECH worked as a Design/Builder for this project and took the lead in site work and building construction to minimize the costs and reduce schedule time. Impressively, this large project was completed ahead of schedule and below budget, all while ensuring blight reduction and overall community improvement.

TN Ward Co

Address:
129 Coulter Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003

About TN Ward Co

With an established reputation of integrity and quality in building for public and private sector clients, TN Ward Company has been the firm of choice of owners looking for a construction company that provides consistent value. It’s been around since 1918, and for 103 years it’s been providing client-centered service on all sorts of large-scale projects. The firm mainly serves Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware with its hands-on construction capabilities, enacted by talented and effective professionals.

More than a hundred years in the business has given TN Ward a particular type of strength that can only come with extensive experience handling a variety of projects in varying sizes. It has constructed numerous facilities that manufacture fuel cells, produce alternative fuel products, upgrade existing electrical utility stations, and treat wastewater. These types of projects require a particular set of expertise and coordination in order to ensure that everything adheres to safety standards. TN Ward has also worked with new green field plants as well as integrating facility improvements into existing operations, giving it the insight and experience needed to handle a wide range of needs.

Featured Projects

TN Ward Company has built for clients like BPG, Bristol Township, the City of Vineland, Netrality Properties, Parx Casino, and Synagro. It’s also been recognized in the industry with awards like the ACI Industry Award for Bridge Construction, the AIA Design Excellence Award, and the CMAA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Award for Private Construction. One example of its stellar work is the 80,000-square-foot renovation of an existing warehouse for Yards Brewing Company’s expanding operations. This beautiful facility houses the company’s brewing and bottling operations, a 15,000-square-foot tasting room with a commercial kitchen, outdoor seating/dining, a banquet room, offices, and support spaces. It won the GBCA 2018 Construction Excellence Award for Best Adaptive Reuse Project, the GBCA 2018 Project Safety Award, and the Community Design Collaborative 2018 Industrial Makeover Award.

Torcon Inc

Address:
1 Crescent Drive, Suite 302, Navy Yard Corporate Center, Philadelphia, PA 19112

About Torcon Inc

Torcon Inc. is an award-winning industry leader that’s been providing premium construction management and general contracting services for over 50 years. It’s worked in industries such as healthcare, education, science and technology, and even pharmaceuticals.

The company mainly supports major corporate clients, leading institutions, and public agencies throughout the northeast and middle-Atlantic states with services like general contracting, design/build, and project management. Torcon Inc. has also consistently been in Engineering News Record’s Top Pharmaceutical Facilities builders and the project shown here is just one example of why.

Featured Projects

The MannKind Corporation’s Technosphere Insulin Manufacturing Facility is the first-ever project to receive ISPE’s Facility of the Year awards in two categories: Equipment Innovation and Process Innovation in the 2010 Facility of the Year Awards program. The project consisted of interior demolition and renovations to an existing two-story production building. Approximately 70,000 square feet were renovated to house new manufacturing operations, and an attached 12,000-square-foot central utility plant was upgraded with new equipment as well. While all this was happening, Torcon also built a 180,000-square-foot addition to the plant to provide space for the new and improved manufacturing operations.

J J White Inc.

Address:
5500 Bingham Street, Philadelphia, PA 19120

About J J White Inc.

In over a hundred years, J.J. White Incorporated has built a tradition of excellence in the Mid-Atlantic construction industry. The firm started off as a mechanical contractor before becoming a leading single-source contractor with experience in a wide array of disciplines.

The company is currently in its 4th generation of ownership and it has continued to uphold its adherence to workplace safety, a record noticed by institutions like OSHA and Construct Secure. The firm has also been awarded the 34th Annual Thomas J. Reynolds Award for Excellence in Construction Safety and Health, the Gold Safety Award from the Safety Assessment Program, and the TAUC Excellence in Construction Safety in Health Award. Apart from this steadfast commitment to safety, it has always specialized in industrial construction. This level of care, combined with its expertise in the area, has given J.J. White its ability to complete heavy industrial refining projects, energy projects, pharmaceutical projects, and more—all with the ease characteristic of seasoned veterans in the business.

Featured Projects

One great example of its industrial projects is the Sunoco Low Sulfur Gas project: JJ White set 120-ton reactors for the client. Apart from this project, JJ White has also worked with constructing new plants, electrical projects, industrial turnaround, and many more large-scale projects that require meticulous attention to safety details.

Clemens Construction

Address:
The Drexel Building 1435 Walnut Street, Floor 2 Philadelphia, PA 19102

About Clemens Construction

Clemens Construction is a full-service general contractor that was founded in Philadelphia. Since 1979, the firm has been providing services to various sectors including commercial, education, hospitality, institutions, multi-family, and much more.

Through the years, it’s proven itself effective with its collaborative approach to building. It views client relationships as a true partnership and the common goal is bringing the client’s original vision to life. It’s done so with an unmatched quality, anchored on creativity and with a sense of community. For its impressive work in the area, the firm has been recognized with awards such as the 2018 GBCA 500,000 Hours No Incident Award, the 2014 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance, the AIA Philadelphia Merit Award for The Hale Building, and the GBCA Best Educational Institution Project for the Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School.

Featured Projects

Clemens Construction also has expertise in building complex urban infill projects as well as ground-up construction for industrial clients. One example is the series of projects for the University City Science Center. This more than 17,000-square-foot project entailed the expansion of the firm’s local offices and research laboratory space. Clemens Construction built a dedicated treated air source and energy power for the space as the newly expanded offices were deliberately separate from the lab space to provide the optimum research environment that maximizes efficiency and capability.

The Best Hospitality Contractors in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is one of the oldest municipalities in the United States, with a booming population of more than 1.5 million people. Philly is a city steeped in history, as the site of the Founding Fathers’ Constitutional Convention, gathering, dozens of other historic sites, and beautiful centuries-old neighbourhoods. Today, the city is vibrant and modernized, with quite a few luxury and five-star hotels from which to choose. But not to worry– those on a budget can still enjoy the attractions of the city in any of the city’s many lodging options. Aside from the accommodations, visitors and locals alike can enjoy the multitude of restaurants and tourist attractions to be found in the city, all of which could only have been built by the best hospitality contractors in Philadelphia. 

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The Best Residential Architects and Designers in Philadelphia

Overview

Philadelphia is the fifth-largest city in the United States. With a population of nearly 1.6M people wedged into 142 square miles, it can get a little crowded. So when it comes to finding and designing a home, there’s a lot of demand. But there is also a lot of supply: Philadelphia is home to some of the best residential architects in the entire country and they’re working on unique and innovative projects across the city. Do you want someone who has experience and knowledge designing homes in the area, and someone who really knows Philadelphia? You got it. Here are the Top 10 residential architectural firms working in Philadelphia right now, ranked by their reputation, their years in the industry, and their stellar, award-winning work.

Top Residential Architects

Bright Common Architecture

Address:
PO Box 3635, Philadelphia, PA 19125

About Bright Common Architecture

The Philadelphia residential community has been seeking the comprehensive design services of Bright Common Architecture for the past ten years. The firm calls its residential services high concept design: the firm does extensive research for each project to provide the most sustainable solution for its clients. As Passive Housebuilders, Bright Common Architecture always makes sure that its designs consume less energy than other homes. Its state-of-the-art Passive House technology helps the firm to build homes with low carbon footprints. Principal Jeremy Avellino oversees every project that the firm handles and is involved from start to finish. Recently, Philadelphia Magazine did a profile on Avellino due to his innovative contributions to the city’s architectural community.

Featured Projects

One of Bright Common’s standout Passive House projects is House 8. The project was given this name because it has eight levels, quite unusual for a single-family home. From the outside, the home looks cramped but the interior reveals a very open layout with 10-foot high ceilings. House 8 has many unique rooms, each connected by a vertical stair core. When guests enter, they can lounge in the chic main living room that is angled towards the backyard’s lush green garden. Another green feature of the home is its Energy Recovery Ventilator which cleans and reuses the fresh air from outside for the interiors. Perhaps the best part of the home is its roof deck level. Bright Common designed the roof deck to be west-facing so it can frame a perfect view for sunsets.

Atrium Design Group

Address:
1024 N 3rd St. Ste. 201, Philadelphia, PA 19123

About Atrium Design Group

Creating gathering places for the community through architecture is the mission of Atrium Design Group. It services residential clients and various commercial projects for retail businesses. Atrium Design Group also has an international reach because it has been commissioned by clients from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It has a very rigorous architectural process that includes conceptual design and 3D rendering. The firm also provides interior design and development services.

Featured Projects

Found in 1822 Catherine Street is a red brick apartment that Atrium Design Group remodeled. The result is a chic residence with contemporary elements. The bohemian red brick exterior was retained in the interior. This burnt red palette also inspired the furnishing of the home. Hardwood oak floors were used and complemented by dark metal elements for a more industrial look. Large open windows were installed in the living area to maximize the natural light in the apartment.

Metcalfe Architecture & Design

Address:
211 N 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Metcalfe Architecture & Design

Many residential and commercial clients in Philadelphia come to Metcalfe Architecture and Design for quality architecture and graphic design services. When Alan Metcalfe started the firm in 2002, he wanted to design projects that will have a direct impact on its clients. That is why he sought the help of his former client, Aaron Goldblatt. Goldblatt designs spaces for known museums like Please Touch Museum, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Wagner Free Institute of Science. Together, they have led the firm to create innovative spaces that have been featured by Design Museum Magazine, CLAD Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post.

Featured Projects

Metcalfe has designed stunning homes found in some of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Philadelphia. One of these includes “The Seidenberg House” in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. The firm reinvented this mid-century house by reorienting the house towards its rear yard and adding a glass connector bridge, linking a new bedroom nestled in the trees to the rest of the house. The renovations completed at the Seidenberg House convey the firm’s unique approach to play, design, and appreciation of tree-filled vistas. The project won the 2012 Pennsylvania Society of Registered Architects Design Award of Merit. Metcalfe also worked on The Cohen Residence, a 1925 stone Colonial in the Mt. Airy neighborhood. The home features custom-built shelves, cabinets, bureaus, and expanded closets in each room. Its open floor plan puts the focus on the back terrace and glass-encased entryway. The firm also inserted a new mudroom in the back of the home for the family’s use. Creative inspiration from the family’s art collection can be found in colorful vignettes and artistic finishes.

Krieger + Associates

Address:
14 West Highland Ave. Front, Philadelphia, PA 19118

About Krieger + Associates

Award-winning residential and commercial services have been the strength of Krieger + Associates since its inception in 1992. It has a diverse range of clients from the residential, institutional, and commercial sectors. Krieger + Associates is led by President and Principal Jeffrey F. Krieger, AIA, LEED AP. Krieger has over three decades of architectural practice and prior to founding the firm Krieger worked at Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates in Philadelphia. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Architects and the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA. The firm is most experienced in residential projects and its latest accolade was for its Chestnut Hill Renovation project which won the 2018 Chrysalis Award for basement remodeling.

Featured Projects

Krieger + Associates has designed a number of unique homes in and around the Philadelphia area. The “Family Room With a View” in Chestnut Hill is a beautiful, remarkable example. This 1930’s house is an unusual blend of the Cotswold style, common to Northwest Philadelphia, and the avant-garde International style. Krieger + Associates renovated the living and sleeping spaces on the first and second floors, updating the bathrooms and lighting. Two additions were created on the street side of the house. One provides a new mudroom and rear entrance, while the second adds a large breakfast room and family room, large skylights, and a fieldstone floor. White cabinets and cherry and slate countertops harmonize with the exposed interior stone walls. Another project in Chestnut Hill was the “Right-Sized Modern.” This modest-sized stone and brick twin house had a dated interior and suffered serious neglect. Krieger + Associates restored it with all new finishes and systems. A second-floor window bay had to be completely rebuilt due to damage discovered when replacing the roof. The firm took out walls on the first floor for a bright and modern open plan; the living room now flows into the dining and kitchen area.

JKRP

Address:
100 E Penn Sq. #1080, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About JKRP

Found in the heart of Center City, JKRP Architects was founded by ten very experienced architects who want to create a firm that designs contemporary spaces for communities. When JKRP takes on a project, it will go to the extra step of exploring the site and meeting the potential neighbors. It is important for JKPR that each project strengthens communities by tending to its needs. The full-service architectural firm has a variety of services that include sustainability strategies, interior design, construction documentation, and other post-construction services. Some of its award-winning works are renovations of residential projects including the Nugent Senior Apartments and the ICON|1616 Walnut Street, which both won a Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia Grand Jury Award.

Featured Projects

JKRP has worked on a variety of custom homes across the Philadelphia area, one of which is a single-family private residence at a penthouse apartment in the famous Rittenhouse Square. Using custom millwork, the firm worked with its client to design new rooms for entertaining and private living spaces in the 7,500-square foot apartment. A 3,200-square-foot, separate, private balcony was designed with floor-to-ceiling windows to create a large conservatory and to offer a beautiful view of the city. Another standout custom home project is a single-family house in Center City. The 1,900-square-foot carriage home included two bedrooms and a living room. The original building was completely converted from an old office building into a beautiful new home. The living room featured double-height ceilings. A new one-car garage echoes the antique decor with a wooden garage door that matches the traditional carriage home façade.

Wyant Architecture

Address:
2010 Wallace Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130

About Wyant Architecture

Wyant Architecture is a Philadelphia-based design-build firm led by Principals Jeffrey Wyant and Maria Keares Wyant. The firm’s work focuses on site-specific, custom residential architecture, including thoughtfully planned and detailed interior renovations, significant additions to existing structures, and sustainably designed new construction. Wyant, AIA, LEED AP, has over 25 years of professional experience managing a broad range of project types and is a member of the American Institute of Architects. While Keares Wyant, RA, LEED AP, manages design development and construction documentation for many of the firm’s projects. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. She is NCARB certified and is a registered architect in the state of Pennsylvania. Wyant Architecture’s work has been featured in a new hardcover book Home Extended and there is a ten-page spread dedicated to a Farmhouse project of the firm. Wyant Architecture has also been featured in ae Spectacular Homes of Greater Philadelphia, AIA Philadelphia’s Quarterly Journal, Context Magazine, Philadelphia Style Magazine, and Garden House Magazine.

Featured Projects

Wyant has been the architect of record for a long list of single-family homes and apartments in and around Philadelphia. The firm designed a one-family apartment at the Parc Rittenhouse at 227 South 18th Street in Philadelphia. One of the challenges was working with the existing parameters, including low ceilings and deeply embedded concrete structures. Unique coffered ceilings and soffits were introduced to alleviate the issue both physically and aesthetically. It also helped maximize the height, and to define space, while also facilitating infrastructure and utilities. Another one of its projects was the Center City residence in Philadelphia. The adaptive reuse project allowed the firm to convert a vacant community building into a single-family residence. The building’s original street-fronting exterior walls and façade were salvaged, reused, and reintegrated. The firm also designed new floor levels within the old building’s original frame, including an additional third story that matches the height and scale of the local skyline.

Archer & Buchanan

Address:
100 South Juniper St. Ste. #408, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Archer & Buchanan

Architects Daniel G. Russoniello and Michele Thackrah have worked in different sectors of the industry. Most of their designs are inspired by the works of famed architects like Walter Durham, R. Brognard Okie, and Wilson Eyre. In 1996, they decided to elevate their craft by establishing Archer & Buchanan. The eponymous firm is a full-service architectural firm that focuses on residential projects like new homes, additions, renovations, historic restorations, and country property planning. The firm is not limited to residential projects; it has designed for colleges and universities, libraries, and other institutional projects. Archer & Buchanan also has more than a few awards under its belt. Some of its most recent include the 2019 Coatesville Award Program Best of Coatesville in Historical Landmark, the 2018 WoodWorks Wood Award for Durable and Adaptable Wood Structures, and a 2016 Design Award from the Pennsylvania Society of American Registered Architects.

Featured Projects

Archer & Buchanan works on a variety of custom homes. The Connors Residence, located in nearby Radnor, was a new home that replaced an earlier version inappropriate to its charming old Main Line neighborhood. The client’s desire was to blend their home more seamlessly with the surrounding homes built in the 1920s, predominantly in the English mode. Off the master bath is a walled court with a spa. Throughout, special attention was given to the use of traditional materials and details to achieve a feeling of permanence. Another project by the firm was “Canary Cottage” in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Another traditional farmhouse the firm designed was inspired by the style of R. Brognard Okie. Inside is a series of special spaces for living, with comfort and gathering as the key elements. The open plan provides a visual connection from the den to the kitchen and living room and is articulated by the scale of spaces and the warmth of materials and furnishings. Located on a beautiful, wooded site, the seasonal porch brings nature into this alluring country retreat.

Studio Agoos Lovera

Address:
1 S Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Studio Agoos Lovera

Established more than three decades ago, Studio Agoos Lovera was named after two of the most seasoned architects in Philadelphia. Founders Jorge Lovera and Ted Agoos have become pillars in the Pennsylvania architectural industry and when they retired James Rowe took over the leadership. The firm was entrusted to Rowe because he has an impressive work history that included being president of AIA Philadelphia in 2015 and director of the Center for Architecture. Under Rowe’s leadership, the firm has won awards for its restoration projects. The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia has given two Grand Jury Awards to Studio Agoos Lovera.

Featured Projects

Studio Agoos Lovera has designed single-family homes, residences, and apartments in Philadelphia. One of these was a condominium at the Society Hill Towers at 285 St. James Place. The project involved combining two units on the complex’s 15th floor which hadn’t been modified since the tower was built in 1962. Part of the work involved the firm creating an expansive living room with 180-degree views of the city. Another feature was a new open kitchen that featured a custom-designed millwork integration. The firm also worked for a client to design a luxury penthouse apartment at Two Liberty Place in Philadelphia. The unit is one of Philadelphia’s most expensive residences and is on top of one of Philadelphia’s tallest mixed-use buildings. Its interiors include 6,000 square feet while an additional 2,040 square feet was dedicated for terrace space. The outdoor space became one of the largest residential balconies on the East Coast. Studio Agoos Lovera designed and created a modern, state-of-the-art residency with all the latest technology, including fully programmable concierge, lighting, and sound systems; imported Italian kitchen cabinetry; and electronically activated translucent glass partitions.

OMNIA Group Architects

Address:
323 S York Rd., Hatboro, PA 19040

About OMNIA Group Architects

Gene Grimaldi and Brian Mann started OMNIA Group Architects in 1993. They derived OMNIA from their children’s initials; it also means “everything.” True to its namesake, the firm specializes in designing high-end residential design solutions that will make home life more convenient. Using state of the art architectural tools, OMNIA Group Architects is able to render 3D modeling for its clients during the design process. One client even requested a 3D walk-through of a community built entirely by the firm. Besides residential projects, the firm also takes on commercial projects like retail and restaurants. The firm has won numerous awards. Most recently, Omnia Group Architects received the 2015 HBA Synergy Award for “Best Architectural House Plan” and “Best Custom Landscaping.”

Featured Projects

The Omnia Group Architects designed a custom home in Lower Moreland. The firm worked with the client from the first concept through to final color selections. The commanding, yet elegantly balanced street presence of this Manor-style custom home gives way to a stunning, gleaming volume in the foyer, which holds a magnificent glass and wood circular staircase. Each of the main living areas opens out to a grand patio and then into views of the woods and creek beyond. Another home by Omnia is a custom riverside home in nearby New Hope. Perched above the beautiful Delaware River, Omnia created an open plan blended with traditional forms, punctuated by vast rows of glass windows and doors to bring in the panoramic views of Lambertville, the bridge, the wooded opposite bank, and the river. A sweeping front porch integrates the entry with the vibrant pedestrian streetscape. Low garden walls enclose a beautifully landscaped courtyard, defining private space without turning its back on the street. The second floor features a common loft area with a large balcony overlooking the water.

Blackney Hayes Architects

Address:
150 S. Independence Mall West Ste. #1200, Philadelphia, PA 19106

About Blackney Hayes Architects

Interactive design and exceptional service are what sets Blackney Hayes Architects apart from its competition. It was established in 1988 by Kevin Blackney and John Fox Hayes who have both been in the industry for more than 30 years. Its team of 40 architects and interior designers deliver a variety of design-build projects for its diverse clients. From multi-family residences to hospitality projects, the firm has done it all. It has been recognized three times over the years with the highest honors by the AIA and Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Featured Projects

Blackney Hayes Architects designed the Bryn Mawr Residency, a home designed to eliminate its dark 1980’s aesthetic. The use of materials and bright colors on the exterior accentuates individual areas and creates a much more linear outline. The interior rooms were designed to flow easily together, using bright colors, the strategic placement of abstract expressionist art on the walls, and large expanses of glass windows. The firm also created a new home out of a traditional carriage house in Philadelphia, designed as a retreat from the busy city and to entertain friends. The design team juxtaposed modern elements against the historic wood of the existing structure. Antique wood plank ceilings and beams were installed, and crown molding was used to generate the feel of the original, historic trim details. In contrast, stairs, lighting, and furniture were contemporary, as is the open-plan treatment of the main living space.

OTTO Architects

Address:
453 Johnson St. #100, Jenkintown, PA 19046

About OTTO Architects

Joshua Otto established OTTO Architects to deliver a diverse range of styles to public and private clientele in Philadelphia. Before establishing the firm, Otto designed establishments in different states: he is also registered in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland. His experience allowed him to expand his knowledge of design theory; he wants his firm to translate these ideas. He wanted to contribute to the growing Philadelphia architectural scene which is why he co-founded the Philadelphia Emerging Architecture Prize. He was also the former chair of the AIA Philadelphia Design Committee. Under his management, OTTO Architects has won numerous awards, including the 2016 Storefront Challenge for Best Design, a finalist for the 2016 Restaurant Design Awards, a 2015 AIA National Emerging Professionals Exhibition, a 2014 James Beard Foundation Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design Award, a 2014 AIA Pennsylvania Emerging Professional Award, and a 2014 Remodeling Design Grand Award.

Featured Projects

Otto Architects worked on a custom townhouse in Leithgow Street. The 900-square foot building lot posed some challenges in a tight city like Philadelphia. The firm used a design solution that provided light-filled interiors to the entire home. Each living space receives abundant natural light. Otto Architects included a walk-out basement that also creates a large, open living area. A two-story atrium allows natural light to reach each room in the house; three roof decks encourage flexible outdoor living. Glass interior partitions offer visual transparency for wide, open floor plans. Outside of Philadelphia, Otto Architects also worked on a family’s residence on Washington Lane in Meadowbrook. The firm retained the exterior of the home’s original stone Colonial home façade, yet created a modern addition to the rear. Fiber-cement panels and reclaimed wood matched the antique aesthetics. A new dining room, a double-height living space, and a family room were designed for the lower levels, while a fourth bedroom and master suite complete the second floor.

Cecil Baker & Partners

Address:
1107 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Cecil Baker & Partners

Internationally-renowned Cecil Baker + Partners offers a long list of services that include feasibility studies, programming, design of new structures, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and interior design. Principal Cecil Baker is a revered figure in the Philadelphia architecture industry. Before establishing Cecil Baker + Partners, he was the co-founder of BRHB Developers. This real estate venture included 279 apartments and single-family residences for the city. Baker was also handpicked by the Mayor of Philadelphia to be on the board of the City Planning Commission’s Civic Design Review Committee. As the firm’s principal, he has received more than 50 local and national design awards. His firm continues to make contributions to the city by giving a new life to forgotten buildings and turning them into multi-family residences.

Featured Projects

Cecil Baker + Partners has worked on high-end apartments in many of the famous buildings of the Philadelphia skyline. The firm’s works can be found in Rittenhouse Square, at Wanamaker House, and at Independence Place. For one project, the firm was tasked to design a penthouse pied-a-terre, single-family residency in Philadelphia. The goal was to create a modern and urban home that also functioned as an art gallery: the family wanted to display its collection of contemporary glass crafts. The design process involved converting three original penthouse units into one shared residency. The result was an 8,500-square-foot home with extensive terraces and sweeping views of Philadelphia. The firm and the clients collaborated with a number of local artists to incorporate their work into the architectural experience. Cecil Baker + Partners also designed two kitchens. The larger one included an open space for visitors, as the client was looking to offer opportunities to present the theatrical possibilities of food preparation. The firm also designed a secondary kitchen that allowed the client to display an extensive wine selection and a full bar.

The Best Commercial Architects in Philadelphia

Overview

Philadelphia is a city of history, and its history is reflected and embedded in its architecture. From Philadelphia City Hall and Independence Hall to Christ Church, Philadelphia is one of the most prestigious architectural cities in the country. But it’s not stuck in the past. Philadelphia’s economy and population are growing, and they’re demanding an increasing number of facilities across the city. From reinventing buildings from the past, to building new fitness centers, beautiful hotels, and growing colleges, the list of new commercial development in Philadelphia is rapidly expanding. Those buildings don’t just appear themselves: they need architects who understand the city and how to help it grow. Here are the top 9 commercial architects in the Philadelphia area right now.

Top Architects

Archer & Buchanan

Architects:

Peter Archer
Richard Buchanan
Michele Thackrah
Dan Russoniello

Awards:
AIA Philadelphia Award for Design Excellence,
Brick Industry Association’s Brick in Architecture,
National Society of American Registered Architects,
Palladio Awards,
Pennsylvania Society of American Registered Architects Design Award, Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia,
West Chester Preservation Alliance Bricks & Mortar Award,
WoodWorks Wood Award

Address:
125 W Miner Street, West Chester, PA 19382

About Archer & Buchanan

Archer & Buchanan Architecture is a full-service architectural design firm meeting the needs of sophisticated clients who value a collaborative design process, attention to detail, and quality construction. Since the firm’s inception in 1996, Archer & Buchanan has been recognized for exceptional design of institutional projects including work for educational, not-for-profit, and commercial clients; residential projects including new homes, additions, renovations, and historic restorations; and equestrian facilities. The firm is led by founding partners Peter Archer, AIA, and Richard Buchanan, AIA, newest Partner Michele Thackrah, AIA, LEED AP, and Principal Dan Russoniello, AIA, LEED AP. For all projects, Archer & Buchanan begins with the belief that buildings will be inhabited for a century or more and should continue to gain character, beauty, and value as the years pass.

Featured Projects

Archer Buchanan was the architect of record for Rathburn Hall at Grove City College. Together, the two buildings form the center of spiritual life on the Grove City College campus. The 15,000-square-foot structure builds on and respects the original campus plan. Rathburn Hall serves as the home for the dean of the chapel, more than 23 student-run ministries, a large fellowship hall, a great room, and seminar and meeting spaces. The building has a traditional aesthetic in keeping with the Gothic-Tudor style of all the college’s buildings. The firm also worked on the Wister Education Center and Greenhouse for The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. A sustainably designed LEED-Gold facility, the center serves staff and volunteers of Swarthmore College. Archer & Buchanan designed a state-of-the-art greenhouse, providing space for plant propagation, overwintering, cultivation, and display.

Bernardon

Address:
The Philadelphia Bldg. 1315 Walnut St. Ste. #600, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Bernardon

Operating from offices in Philadelphia and West Chester, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware, Bernardon is an architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture firm that caters to a wide variety of markets and clientele including corporate, civic & cultural, custom homes, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, industrial/warehousing, multifamily, retail, and senior living. The firm’s people and process are responsible for delivering 48 years of thoughtful designs that have contributed to its regional and national success and recognition. The firm is ranked on the 2020 Architectural Record list of Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms and has also been recognized for excellence in publications such as the Philadelphia Business Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Environments for Aging. The 80-person team at Bernardon is a team of impassioned listeners, lifelong innovators, and imaginative design leaders. A Principal of the firm manages each project from start to finish, ensuring continuity of effort and provides for ownership-level leadership to enhance the “hands-on” project design and management services which have come to define Bernardon’s rise to prominence in the architecture and design community. The long-lasting relationships Bernardon creates with clients are a testament to a process that starts with their ability to carefully listen to and understand clients’ visions (DREAM), to use their skills and imagination to create solutions (DESIGN), and to foster a collaborative environment to meet and exceed clients’ unique project goals (SUCCEED).

Featured Projects

Pictured here is Festival Pier, a waterfront redevelopment situated on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The project is comprised of two mixed-use structures, set in a nine-acre public park, that frame a pedestrian thoroughfare connecting Spring Garden Street to the Delaware River. The new development is being created to add density to the waterfront. Historically, the placement of Interstate 95 has separated Center City from the waterfront, thus limiting maritime recreation and tourism. In response, Bernardon has provided architecture and landscape architecture design services for the design of a 481-unit residential community with indoor and outdoor private amenities, 50,000 SF of retail space, and parking spaces while also emphasizing open space, access to the Delaware River, and a sense of fluidity between the streetscape and waterfront. To ensure sustainability and environmental impact, the project team has worked closely with FEMA and the Army Corp of Engineers to ensure that the project is constructed outside of the floodplain while also constructed in accordance with building and energy codes. The Festival Pier Redevelopment is set to be completed in 2024.

BRR Architecture

Address:
600 Chestnut St. Ste. #630, Philadelphia, PA 19106

About BRR Architecture

For almost six decades BRR Architecture has provided its architectural design services to every state. It is popular among commercial businesses because BRR Architecture treats its customers like partners by implementing a simplified building process that thrives on communication. The design stage will utilize unique technologies that can render realistic virtual models and animated walkthroughs of the project before construction. BRR Architecture’s state-of-the-art design process has resulted in projects that have caught the attention of the AIA. The firm has received the AIA Central States Region Outstanding Emerging Professionals Friendly Firm for five years in a row now.

Featured Projects

BRR is headquartered in Kansas, but has 11 satellite offices, one of which is in Philadelphia. Its Pennsylvania office is in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. The contemporary design encourages collaboration among colleagues and has a sleek design that has caught the attention of many businesses in the state. BRR has designed some of the most creative offices in the city and it includes the offices of Intuitive Co. The firm created modern offices with an open layout that also thrives in collaboration. Its structure is very similar to a warehouse because of its industrial features such as the custom-made metal staircase and exposed timber frames. Pops of color are found in the glass-walled conference rooms but the workstations are kept very simple and clean.

Cecil Baker + Partners

Architects:
Cecil Baker + Partners

Awards:
American Builders Quarterly Building Excellence Awards,
Residential Architect Magazine Hall of Fame Leadership Award,
Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Gold Award

Address:
1107 Walnut Street # 2, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Cecil Baker + Partners

Established in 1982, Cecil Baker + Partners is an architecture firm that offers feasibility studies, programming, adaptive reuse, and interior design for commercial projects in Philadelphia. Its works can be found in different places outside of the United States like Europe, Japan, and South America. Recent awards include Building Excellence Awards from American Builders Quarterly and its projects have been featured numerous times in online magazine Curbed Philly. The firm is led by Principal Cecil Baker, who was born and raised in Argentina and came to the United States in 1959 to attend Williams College. He received his Master of Architecture degree studying under Louis Kahn at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2012, Baker was appointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia to serve on the City Planning Commission’s Civic Design Review Committee. Baker is also a past board member and vice president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA and has been a regional representative on the national AIA’s Standing Committee on Housing. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University and lectured at other institutions.

Featured Projects

Cecil Baker + Partners helped design the Bridgette Mayer Gallery, located at 709 Walnut Street on Philadelphia’s Washington Square. Bridgette Mayer wanted to expand her gallery as the premier venue for contemporary art in Philadelphia. The firm incorporated a rear first-floor apartment and a full basement into the new, 3,000-square foot gallery space. The design objective was to create a “white box” field so guests can enjoy the artworks without being distracted by the architecture of the space. The basement floor at the Bridgette Mayer Gallery was converted into administrative offices and a sales center, with adjacent service and storage spaces. Through sensitive planning and thoughtful choice of materials, Cecil Baker + Partners designed a series of interlocking, fluid spaces that are defined by simple shapes and quiet detailing.

DAS Architects

Architects:
David A. Schultz, AIA, NCARB Founder, Partner
Susan Davidson, Principal Interior Designer, Partner
Morris Clarke, RA, NCARB, Partner

Awards:
Hospitality Giant” Top 100 – Interior Design Magazine
2019 / 2020 Newh Names Das Architects, Inc. Top Design Firm
Newh, Inc. For 2019/2020 2018 Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Award – The Steele Buildiing
2016 Newh Names Das Architects, Inc. Top Design Firm
Newh, Inc. For 2016
First Place Excellence Award – Cathedral Kitchen
First Place Excellence Award – Chima Steakhouse
Philadelphia Commendation, Philadelphia Pa – Le Bec-fin
Rae Restaurant
Philadelphia Magazine, “Best Bar In Philadelphia”
The Pluckemin Inn
Hospitality Design Award From American Society Of Interior Design
Hospitality Design Award From American Society Of Interior Design

Address:
1628 John F Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19103

About DAS Architects

DAS Architects, one of the country’s top design firms, was founded by Susan M. Davidson, IDC, and David A. Schultz, AIA, in 1990. DAS offers a full range of architectural, interior design, and procurement services for a diverse range of clients. DAS’s resume includes renovations to Jekyll Island Club (a historic resort originally created by J.P. Morgan), the Tidewater Inn, Inn at the Beach Club, Hyatt Centric Hotel, the Granary, the Beacon and the Harper in Philadelphia, and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in Manhattan. DAS designs are regularly featured in popular design publications such as Hospitality Design, Nation’s Restaurant News, Contract Design, Chef Magazine, Restaurants USA, Retail Design, Interior Design, and Interiors. Schultz and Davidson serve as co-founders and principals at DAS. Schultz has over 30 years of experience in the industry and worked on over 150 signature hospitality projects. Davidson is an award-winning designer responsible for the oversight of all interior design at the firm. The firm is affiliated with the American Institute of Architects, Pennsylvania Society of Architects, the Foundation for Architecture, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Urban Land Institute.

Featured Projects

DAS Architects is the firm responsible for a new hotel located at 219 S 17th Street called the Hyatt Centric Philadelphia. Part of Hyatt’s Centric brand of hotels, the space is specifically designed for business and leisure travelers. It is among the brand’s top hotels across bustling metropolises such as New York, Paris, Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami. DAS Architects designed The Hyatt Centric in Philadelphia to compliment the neighborhood by adding a balanced modern edge to the surrounding historic community. The 13-story luxury hotel houses more than o 332 guest rooms along with 40 executive suites. The ground floor features high-end retailers and restaurants, while the second floor holds the lobby and a second restaurant. The building is completely modern, with eco-conscious and sustainable materials used throughout to target LEED Gold.

Metcalfe

Architects:
Alan Metcalfe
Aaron Goldblatt

Awards:
American Association of Museums Excellence in Exhibition Design Award,
City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge Best Overall Design,
HGTV Fresh Faces of Design,
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums “Buildy” Award,
City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge Best Overall Design,
PA Brownfields Conference Extreme Makeover Award.

Address:
211 N 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Metcalfe

In 2002, Architect Alan Metcalfe started his eponymous firm alongside his former client, Aaron Goldblatt. Metcalfe, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, worked as lead designer and partner at three Philadelphia firms before starting Metcalfe. He holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and has a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Tufts University. The firm’s work has been featured in a variety of publications that include The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Context Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the New York Times. Metcalfe has worked on a mixture of commercial and business projects throughout the city. The firm has a long list of awards that includes the 2017 American Association of Museums, Excellence in Exhibition Design Award; the 2016 City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge, Best Overall Design; and the 2015 HGTV Fresh Faces of Design.

Featured Projects

Philadelphia public access channel Philadelphia Community Access Media (PhillyCAM) hired Metcalfe to design its new 6,000-square-foot headquarters at 699 Ranstead Street. The new facility features television studios, media production training rooms, and offices. A bank of windows at street level displays a bustling café and a lively television studio to draw in passersby. Metcalfe also redesigned the building’s 7th Street façade with bold exterior graphics, including a colorful digital billboard based on the organization’s brand identity. This renovation included new exterior signage and brightly colored sign bands. The project was awarded the 2016 City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge award for Best Overall Design.

SMP Architects

Architects:
David Ade
Jane Rath
Todd Woodward

Awards:
Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia Grand Jury Award,
Improving the Acceptance of Green awards,
Green School of the Year from the Central PA Green Building Council,
AIA COTE “Top 10” Green Building Award.

Address:
1600 Walnut St. 2nd Flr., Philadelphia, PA 19103

About SMP Architects

Before becoming SMP Architects, the firm has been known by many names. It was known as Susan Maxman & Partners, Susan Maxman Architects, Maxman / Sutphin, and finally became SMP Architects in 2007. The firm offers 30 years of experience working in a variety of architectural fields. The firm is led by Principals David Ade, AIA, LEED AP, who leads interdisciplinary project teams for institutional and academic projects; Jane Rath AIA; and Todd Woodward, AIA, LEED AP, who also teaches Ecological Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. The firm has won numerous awards, including the 2017 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, the 2016 and 2015 Improving the Acceptance of Green awards, the 2014 Green School of the Year from the Central PA Green Building Council, and the 2012 AIA COTE “Top 10” Green Building Award.

Featured Projects

SMP Architects led the design for “KidZooU,” one of the primary components in the Philadelphia Zoo’s ongoing campus transformation. Using environmentally responsive design and adaptive reuse, SMP wanted to create a cohesive visitor experience. The project, completed in 2013, renovated 17,400 square feet and developments of new buildings at 4,000 square feet. Centered at KidZooU is the new Education Center, which is an adaptive renovation of the historic Pachyderm House, originally by Philadelphia architect Paul Cret in 1938. The renovation by SMP includes historic restoration of doors and windows, decorative medallions, stonework, copper detailing, and the famous elephant weathervane that sits atop the building’s tower. The work also provides universal accessibility, envelope upgrades, and systems replacement. The project integrates animal exhibits and engagement with environmentally responsive building and site design practices. For its work with the Zoological Society of Philadelphia, SMP’s work at KidZooU received the Groundbreaker Award from the Delaware Valley Green Building Council for environmentally responsive design, a Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, a Historic Preservation Award from Preservation Pennsylvania for historic restoration and rehabilitation, and The Exhibit of the Year Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for live animal display and exhibit design.

Stokes Architecture

Architects:
Richard Stokes

Awards:
Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Award,
Washington DC Historic Preservation Award

Address:
2103 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About Stokes Architecture

Formed in 2000 by Richard Stokes, Stokes Architecture is a full-service architecture firm that specializes in a wide range of projects, from large-scale hospitality design to small scale interior fit-outs. It has an extensive history working on commercial projects throughout the Philadelphia area. Stokes, AIA, LEEP AP, serves as principal and is a licensed architect in six states and the District of Columbia. He is also a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the Philadelphia Preservation Alliance, and the AIA. Prior to founding his firm, Stokes worked at Venturi Scott Brown and at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Now, Stokes Architecture has been awarded the Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Award and the Washington DC Historic Preservation Award. It has also been featured in Hospitality Design, Smithsonian Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Philadelphia Magazine, Surface Magazine, OnTap Magazine, and Zagat.

Featured Projects

City Fitness, at 1428 Frankford Avenue, was the firm’s first experience in physical fitness design. The firm worked to repurpose beautiful, industrial buildings by embracing their existing character and inserting architectural elements. The space combined two buildings, via a wall breach, and added a new second-floor space. The second-floor addition has floor-to-ceiling glass outer walls that give full views of Philadelphia and Fishtown. The building’s façade at the street level was opened up with glass overhead doors and large windows. These openings put on display the juice-bar and gym check-in, an origami-like sculptural object made up of 63 uniquely shaped plywood panels assembled on site. Past the check-in desk, a new glass ceiling bridges the gap between buildings and gives natural sunlight to a tree. The rear of the building is the main fitness floor and has an airy wood truss ceiling. A mezzanine was added so that the El Train will be more accessible to the Front Street side of the building.

Studio Agoos Lovera

Architects:
Jorge Lovera
Ted Agoos
David Franke
Jim Row

Awards:
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award,
PA Brownfields Conference Extreme Makeover Award,
General Building Contractors Association’s award for Best Adaptive Reuse Project

Address:
1 S Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Studio Agoos Lovera

Studio Agoos Lovera was founded in 1983 by partners Jorge Lovera and Ted Agoos, after several years of working together in leading Philadelphia design firms. Lovera retired in 2011 and Agoos at the end of 2013. Today, the firm is led by Principal Jim Row, who has designed huge projects found throughout Philadelphia’s commercial landscape. The firm has been awarded numerous achievements, including the 2014 and 2013 Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award and the 2013 PA Brownfields Conference Extreme Makeover Award. Franke holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Temple University. Rowe, AIA, holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia. Beyond Studio Agoos Lovera, Rowe was director and president of AIA Philadelphia in 2015 and a director of the Center for Architecture, and he is currently an adjunct professor of Architecture at Drexel University.

Featured Projects

From 2001 to 2003, Studio Agoos Lovera was the Architect of Record for the design of the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field. Agoos Lovera’s responsibility included the development and documentation of the “The Linc’s” exterior skin, pro shop, novelty stores, stands, and restaurant design. It also served as site architects for the construction of the stadium. Located at 1 Lincoln Financial Field Way, the stadium measures out at 1.7M square feet and has 68,532 seats, including 10,828 club seats and 172 corporate suites. The combination of token brick on the stadium’s exterior and modern cool on the inside took inspiration from the strategy used at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The project was awarded the “General Building Contractors Association, Best Commercial Project” in 2005. The $512M stadium was the most expensive professional football arena at the time.

WRT

Address:
1700 Market St. Ste. #2800, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About WRT

Founded in 1963 by David Wallace, Ian McHarg, Bill Roberts, and Tom Todd, WRT is the home of planners, urban designers, architects, and landscape architects with a focus on commercial development projects. The firm has been awarded the 2016 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Philadelphia Merit Design Award in the Built Category, the AIA National Associates Award for 2016, and, in 2015, Engineering News Record’s (ENR) 2015 “Best of the Best” for Landscape/Urban Development.” The Philadelphia offices are led by Principal Architects Joseph W. Healy, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Keiko Tsuruta Cramer, PLA, ASLA, and Maarten I. Pesch, AIA, LEED AP. Healy has worked in architecture for 28 years and has won numerous awards. His work on the Blue Ball Dairy Barn is a historic and adaptive reuse project that garnered both a Gold LEED rating and the highest honor award from AIA Philadelphia. He has also served on the Board of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council. Cramer has over two decades of experience in landscape architecture, architecture, and engineering. She has an architectural license in Japan and has worked on numerous projects abroad, including the Daiichi Mutual Life Insurance Office Landscape in Kanagawa. Pesch is originally from the Netherlands, where he trained as both an urban designer and architect.

Featured Projects

The goal of the improvement plan for Philadelphia’s City Hall Courtyard was to reclaim space that can be used to hold programs and events, and also reflect the history of the site as the center of William Penn’s plan for the city. Another public works project is The City Hall Courtyard at 1401 John F Kennedy Boulevard. It served as a crossroads and a pathway, allowing pedestrians to circulate along the North-South and East-West axes of Broad and Market Streets. Compared to the original, utilitarian layout of the Courtyard, the present-day condition has lost its sense of uniformity and has a limited potential for activation. Drawing inspiration from the site’s extensive history as the first waterworks of the city, WRT surrounded it with a circular path and public garden. Reclamation of the space includes removing raised planters, consolidating transit entrances and exits, and covering the open edges with walkable grates to expand the usable area.

The Best Design-Build Firms/Custom Home Builders in Philadelphia

Overview

This year MarketWatch called Philadelphia “the nation’s newest hot housing market.” With the city’s housing price index hitting record highs, the demand for new homes is off the charts. With this new demand for homes, somebody has to design and build them. Unlike some architect firms or interior designers, design-build firms & custom home builders offer clients the opportunities to build projects from under a single contract, from the concept and design phases all the way to construction services. When it comes to a shepherding project from design to construction, you need to work with people who really understand Philadelphia; its local laws, ordinances, rules, and unique characteristics make the difference between just a good design-build firm and a fantastic one. Here are some fantastic ones. Check out the Top 10 Design/Build firms in Philadelphia.

Top Home Builders

Atrium Design Group

Principals:
Luz Montiel
James Enloe

Address:
1024 N 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

About Atrium Design Group

The Atrium Design Group is a design-build company founded in 2014. The firm helps shepherd clients through their services from conceptual design through construction completion. Based in the Philadelphia area, the firm’s reach spans from New Jersey, Miami, and Tel Aviv in Israel. By managing the design and construction of a project the firm is able to provide more efficient and better quality homes.

The firm is led by principals and co-owners Luz Montiel and James Enloe. Montiel holds degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia. Atrium Design’s work has been featured in Curbed Philly, Philadelphia Style Magazine, Philadelphia Business Journal, and Home & Design Magazine.

Featured Projects

One of Atrium’s design-build projects is at 1012 North 3rd Street in Philadelphia. Built in 2011, the one-bedroom, one-bathroom, fully custom-designed project includes a balcony and an open floor plan. The custom-built rowhouse includes an eat-in kitchen, stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, central air, hardwood floors, and a laundry room.

Blackney Hayes Architects

Principals:
Kevin R. Blackney
John Fox Hayes
Jennifer Crawford

Awards:
New Jersey Business & Industry Association “New Good Neighbor Award,”
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award,
AIA Philadelphia’s Preservation Award,
IIDA Pennsylvania Merit Award,
New Jersey and Delaware Chapter’s Best Interior Design Award,
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania’s “Building A More Perfect Pennsylvania” Award,
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection & Historic Preservation Office’s “Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation” Award,
Subcontractor Association of Delaware Valley’s Architect of the Year Award

Address:
150 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19106

About Blackney Hayes Architects

Blackney Hayes Architects was founded in 1988, with a commitment to interactive design and exceptional service. The principals of the firm are Kevin R. Blackney, AIA, John Fox Hayes, FAIA, and Jennifer Crawford, AIA. Blackney is a founding partner of BHA, with over 30 years of professional experience. Fox has served as president and on the board of directors of the of the American Institute of Architects Member’s Philadelphia chapter. The Blackney Hayes Architects firm employees nearly 50 architects, engineers, and interior designers to cater to a variety of design-build needs. The firm has recently been awarded the 2014 New Jersey Business & Industry Association “New Good Neighbor Award,” the 2011 Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award, the 2011 American Institute of Architects of Philadelphia’s Preservation Award and Merit Award, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Pennsylvania, the 2011 New Jersey and Delaware Chapter’s Best Interior Design Award, the 2011 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania’s “Building a More Perfect Pennsylvania” Award, the 2008 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection & Historic Preservation Office’s “Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation” Award, and the 2006 Subcontractor Association of Delaware Valley’s Architect of the Year Award.

Featured Projects

Blackney Hayes Architects has their own “Residential Studio” that focuses on designing and constructing homes. One home they built is in Radnor Township, inspired by traditional carriage house. The interior was designed to match the decor of an older home, but with more innovative spacing and planning, to open the house up to allow more consistent flow that is not found in older homes. The interior included customing shaping and molding, using materials from — and reminiscent of — the area’s working farms. The firm also included a formal fireplace and custom paneling in selected areas throughout the house. Another project was a home in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The home uses large, modern windows. The firm designed and built a two-story, glass storefront system that integrates steel and mahogany trellises. The firm also implemented custom flooring and lighting and a custom kitchen.

Cicada Architecture

Principals:
Mary Holland
Kurt Raymond

Awards:
American School & University Design Excellence Award,
Urban Excellence Rudy Bruner Award,
Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Project Award

Address:
1520 Locust Street, Suite 702, Philadelphia, PA 19102

About Cicada Architecture

Cicada Architecture was co-founded by Mary Holland, member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and LEED Advanced Professional certified in Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD&C), and Kurt Raymond, AIA, LEED AP, and National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) member, in 1996. Located in the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia, the firm has been recognized for with the Design Excellence Award from American School & University, the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, and Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Project Award. It is also a certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). Holland has worked in architecture, planning, and interior design for over 30 years. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University in 1981 and attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Design program, leading to dual master’s degrees in architecture and city planning from 1981-83. She has taught architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, Drexel University and and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She also served as the Chair of AIA Philadelphia’s Education Facilities Advocacy Committee. She is joined by co-Principal and Vice President Kurt Raymond. Raymond focuses on community development, commercial, and educational projects at CICADA. He received a B.A. in Natural Sciences from Colgate University in 1982, followed by a Bachelor of Architecture magna cum laude from Drexel University in 1989, and he is an adjunct assistant professor at Drexel University.

Featured Projects

Cicada Architecture has worked on a variety of design/build projects, including housing and religious centers. They worked on the renovation of the 1923 Parish House at 1082 Old York Road in nearby Abington. Work included reconfiguration of the lower floor for new uses, and restoration of the lost grandeur of the auditorium on the main floor. Cicada also worked with the church to improve accessibility within their three-building complex. The firm also worked the Philadelphia Housing Authority in North Central Philly to revitalize a formerly forlorn neighborhood. The project included 53 new rental buildings on 29 parcels, with a total of 89 new units across nine urban blocks. The new buildings range from two- and three-story single family homes and three-story, multifamily buildings. Two of the buildings will house seniors aged 55 and older. The project has been certified by the LEED and Enterprise Green Communities.

Daedalus Design Build, LLC

Principals:
Alan Henderson

Address:
501 West Prospect Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454

About Daedalus Design Build, LLC

Daedalus was a mythological Athenian architect who built the labyrinth for Minos and made wings for himself and his son, Icarus, to escape from Crete. Daedalus Design-Build, however, is an architectural design-build firm of designers, builders, and construction managers focused on bringing craft and design to our clients’ lives, serving Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, and Bucks Counties. The firm has been recognized with the Best of Houzz Awards in 2017, 2016, and 2015 for Design Work, and a Best of Houzz 2014’s Client Satisfaction Award. The firm is led by Lead Principal and owner Alan Henderson, LEEP AP. He completed his undergraduate degree in philosophy and economics at Tufts University, and then went on to complete his master’s in architecture at Boston Architectural College. Since 2002, he has owned and operated his firm Daedalus in Philadelphia, which specializes in residential architecture and construction, always with a focus on green design and materials. The company offers an extensive network of subcontractors and collaborators whom they work with on projects. This team includes fully licensed and insured plumbers, electricians, structural engineers, carpenters, HVAC professionals, painters, furniture makers, and sculptors.

Featured Projects

Daedalus has designed and built a variety of custom homes around the Philadelphia area, meeting every customer’s unique needs. One of the firm’s notable works is the Green House. A solar array was installed on the roof in such a way that passing shadows would not result in the shut-off of the entire array. On the ground level, impervious paving was replaced with sod and planting beds in an effort to retain rainwater and create a cooler, more livable open space for the owners. The firm recreated and matched plaster features, salvaging and relocating old wooden flooring and reviving features such as the refinished clawfoot tub. Care and time were taken to source materials locally and choose materials with a small environmental footprint. Some of these materials included cork floors, locally fabricated concrete countertops and kitchen cabinets, shower shelves, and a kitchen nook made from teak salvaged from a local bank.

Greenwright

Address:
702 N 3rd St., #55, Philadelphia, PA 19123

About Greenwright

Greenwright is a full-service design-build firm serving Philadelphia with construction and consulting capacities. The firm specializes in new construction, adaptive reuse, and restoration. Greenwright highlights its strong background in sustainability, being accredited by the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia and GSI Partners.
Robert M. Petito, the firm’s president, has been in the industry for over 20 years. His background in Philosophy gives him a unique perspective in the business and what it means in the greater context of sustainability. Robert A. Petito, Jr., the architect of the firm, has over 30 years in the business. He trained in the halls of Princeton University, the Pratt Institute School of Architecture, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Featured Projects

The firm’s portfolio of residential projects is an impressive display of practicality, sustainability, and beauty. Greenwright’s arsenal of homes is a testament that ecologically-conscious designs can also be timeless and visually striking.

Harman Deutsch Architecture

Principals:
Brett Harman
Craig Deutsch
Rustin Ohler

Address:
631 N 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

About Harman Deutsch Architecture

Harman DeutschOhler Architecture was founded in 1999 by Brett Harman and Craig Deutsch. Rustin Ohler, a graduate of Temple University, later joined the two in company leadership. The firm now employs a team of over 20 staffers who are part of every step of the design-build process. The team offers construction administration, code consultation, site development, interior renovations, and new construction of mixed-use buildings, restaurants, hotels, retail spaces, office buildings, multi-family housing, and private residences.

Featured Projects

The firm has worked across Philadelphia, including locations in Liberty Square, Chestnut Street, the Manayunk neighborhood, Delmar Street, the Spring Arts neighborhood, and Catherine Street. Harman Deutsch Architecture’s work has been featured in Philly Voice and Curbed Philly.
The firm also offers art commission approvals/variances, parks department approvals, café seating drawings/approvals, health department drawings, real estate marketing materials, 3D renderings and structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and plumbing engineering services.
Harman Deutsch Architecture is the designer and builder of the Ridge Park complex at 525 Roxborough Avenue in Philadelphia. The complex holds a collection of four new townhouses. Built in 2017, each home is valued at around $685k, and each house contains four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and one-half bathroom. Harman Deutsch designed the homes with cool, luxurious, urban living in mind, including a four-stop elevator from the lower level up to the master floor.

Keast and Hood

Principals:
Frederick C. Baumert
Constantine G. Doukakis
Thomas J. Normile

Awards:
AIA Philadelphia Landmark Building

Address:
400 Market Street #1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106

About Keast & Hood

Keast & Hood is a structural, design-build, and engineering firm founded in Philadelphia in 1953. The firm has helped establish government standards for the evaluation and repair of buildings, including early involvement with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation.

The firm is led by numerous principals, including Frederick Baumert, Matthew Daw, and Constantine Doukakis. Baumert joined the firm in 1980 after graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Civil Engineering. He earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and was named a principal in 1989. He also sits on the Buildings and Grounds Committee at Bryn Mawr College, where his owner’s perspective informs his daily engineering work with issues of operating efficiency, serviceability, and life-cycle costs. Daw joined the Philadelphia office in 1997 and became a principal in 2005. He serves as a board officer of the Washington Architectural Foundation, board member of Preservation Maryland, and past chairman of the Structural Engineers Association of Metropolitan Washington. Doukakis, who leads by example, joined Keast & Hood in 1986 and was named a principal in 1989. He also serves on the advisory board for the Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering department at Drexel University.

Featured Projects

Keast & Hood provided structural engineering for the Margaret Esherick House at 204 Sunrise Lane. The home was built for the niece of sculptor Wharton Esherick and includes some of his remaining work. The house was constructed of concrete and Apitong wood. The hallmark design elements include the separation of servant and served spaces, T-shaped fenestration patterns, and an innovative ventilation system composed of operable wood shutters.

Myers Constructs

Address:
PO Box 27490, Philadelphia, PA 19118

About Myers Constructs

Since its incorporation in 1998, Myers Constructs has been known to provide award-winning design-build services all over the Philadelphia Metro Region. The firm won the NARI Contractor of the Year Award in three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018. Myers also captured the attention of major publications in local home building including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine, and Philadelphia Row Home Magazine.
The firm has a deep connection with the local industry and art scene. Tamara Myers, founder, sales manager, and design manager of the firm, knows and loves culture and the arts. She attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and graduated magna cum laude in the Tyler School of Art in Temple University. She sits on design and zoning review committees of the
Northern Liberties Urban Design and the Kensington South Design Review Committees.

Featured Projects

The firm’s portfolio includes everything from simple kitchen and bathroom remodeling to full-scale construction. The firm’s feel for design’s cultural and artistic implications are plainly evident in all of the firm’s projects.

Period Architecture

Principals:
Joseph Mackin, Jr.
Jeffrey Dolan

Awards:
Society of American Registered Architects Award

Address:
53 Church Road, Malvern, PA 19355

About Period Architecture

Period Architecture is a custom architectural firm specializing in in new homes, additions, renovations, barns, and buildings with enduring designs tailored to each distinct client. This relationship creates dynamic places that enrich modern lifestyles with timeless design. A committed steward of the landscape and vernacular architecture, over ten years Period Architecture has grown from a three-person practice into an award-winning architectural firm with residential and commercial commissions along the east coast and beyond

Featured Projects

One of Period Architecture’s projects was the Chadds Ford Residence. Located along a hilltop meadow, the 5,000-square-foot home for a family of four was designed to reflect the classic Pennsylvania farmhouse, including elements of the Federal and Georgian periods. The exterior includes an embellished cornice with dentil molding, a decorative entry transom, and arched-top Palladian dormer windows which enhance the historically influenced presence of the home. The firm also designed a custom cedar shake roof with bespoke metalwork. The interior home includes painted millwork, wide plank reclaimed white oak floors and wrought iron light fixtures. The home also includes an expansive floor plan, a state-of-the-art kitchen, geothermal heating and cooling, and large windows to frame the views and draw in the light.

Postgreen Home

Principals:
Chad Ludeman

Awards:
USGBC and LEED for Homes Project of the Year,
AIA National Housing Award,
AIA PA Award for Architectural Excellence.

Address:
1732 N Howard Street, Unit C, Philadelphia, PA 19122

About Postgreen Home

Founded in 2008, Chad Ludeman created Postgreen Homes as a design-build firm that specializes in the planning, design, and construction of modern, sustainable, and attainable homes in Philadelphia’s urban neighborhoods. The firm looks to create sustainable communities through conscious development. Through social and environmental issues, the firm offers opportunities to redefine modern living to their clients looking for new homes. They work to bring quality design and sustainable construction to their customers in Philadelphia who are pining for the kind of homes they see in the pages of Dwell, but with an eye towards sustainability. Postgreen Home has been honored by the USGBC and LEED for Homes Project of the Year in 2010, and it holds five LEED Platinum certifications. It’s also won the AIA National Housing Award and the AIA PA Award for Architectural Excellence. Their work has been featured in Dwell Magazine’s “See What Develops” issue, Metropolis Magazine, Philadelphia Business Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Treehugger, and GOOD Magazine.

Featured Projects

The Two Point Five Beta in East Kensington at 2061 Amber Street is one of the design-build projects in Postgreen Home’s portfolio. The three bedroom, two bathroom home is certified LEED Platinum and offers their client a unique mixture of amenities. The third floor master suite includes a walkout roof deck that adds luxury amongst restricted space and floor plan, and the plan also offers a parking spot. Another design-build project by Postgreen Home is the Passivhaus in East Kensington at 2318-20 Amber Street. Costing around $415k, the project represents Postgreen’s attempt designing and building the German Passivhaus-style home for their clients. This home aims to reduce the heating and cooling load of the home by 90 percent, through super insulation and extreme air sealing techniques.

Wiedenman Architecture

Principals:
Thomas Wiedenman

Address:
23 E Eagle Road, Havertown, PA 19083

About Wiedenman Architecture

Wiedenman Architecture is a design-build firm founded in 2007 by Thomas Wiedenman, AIA. Thomas has over two decades of experience working across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Drexel University. Thomas is a registered architect in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey and is a member of the Philadelphia National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). He also served as a volunteer for the Community Design Collaborative of Philadelphia. The firm has years of experience of designing hundreds of commercial and residential projects. They offer master planning, 3D visualization, accessibility review, sustainable design, and construction administration. Throughout the project, the firm brings their clients into every step of the design and building process. They consider the impacts of the site, building layout, construction materials, and building systems to help minimize any negative environmental impact.

Featured Projects

Some of the design-build projects by Wiedenman Architecture include a single-family home in Carversville, Pennsylvania. The home was built on a steeply elevated site near protected wetlands. The custom-designed home has three floors — including a finished lower level with a walkout — four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a powder room, and a two-car garage. The exterior finishes includes real stone veneer, fiber cement siding, and standing seam metal porch roofs. Another project was a modern townhome on Fitzwater Street in Philadelphia. This new, luxury modern townhome holds three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, a garage, a roof deck, and two balconies at the second floor. Working with their clients, Wiedenman Architecture worked to create an ultra-efficient home that features triple glazed windows, R-40 foam-insulated walls, and R-55 foam insulated roofs. The home is heated with radiant floor heating and gypcrete flooring. The home also offers great views of the Philadelphia skyline from the rear roof deck and the angled bay windows.

Wyant Architecture

Principals:
Jeffrey Wyant
Maria Keares Wyant

Address:
2103 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About Wyant Architecture

Wyant Architecture is a Philadelphia-based design-build firm led by Principals Jeffrey Wyant and Maria Keares Wyant. The firm’s work focuses on site-specific, custom residential architecture, including thoughtfully planned and detailed interior renovations, significant additions to existing structures, and sustainably designed new construction. Wyant Architecture’s work has been featured in a new hard cover book, Home Extended, edited by Francesc Zamora; on HomeDSGN.com; in the Spectacular Homes of Greater Philadelphia publication; in AIA Philadelphia’s Quarterly Journal; in Context Magazine; in Philadelphia Style Magazine; and in Garden House Magazine. Wyant, AIA, LEED AP, has over 25 years of professional experience managing a broad range of project types. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is registered in the state of Pennsylvania. Keares Wyant, RA, LEED AP, manages design development and construction documentation for many of the firm’s projects. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. She is NCARB certified and is a registered architect in the state of Pennsylvania.

Featured Projects

Wyant Architecture has designed and constructed a unique mixture of houses in and around Philadelphia, catering to their clients’ demands. Some of these houses include the “House in the Woods” in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The firm created a modern rustic private residence that engaged the landscape. A U-shaped floor plan encircles a south facing exterior courtyard and pool, while interior rooms are gathered around a massive stone fireplace. Natural finishes, used throughout, create warm, welcoming spaces, and expansive window walls maximize light. Another project is “SIPs House” in Newtown Square. It is a modern, energy-efficient, single-family home with pastoral views looking towards the neighboring farm. The firm installed structurally insulated wall and roof panels (SIPs), and triple-glazed windows create an air-tight envelope. Additional sustainable technologies include solar power generation, geothermal/radiant HVAC, and heat-recovery ventilation. Public spaces open to one another and orient around a light-filled, two-story atrium — the play of light and shadow becoming decoration in otherwise spare interiors.

The Best Restaurant Architects in Philadelphia

Overview

There’s so much more to Philadelphia than cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. Philly has a booming foodie culture growing, and all those chefs need restaurants to put them in. Luckily, Philadelphia has a long list of architects and designers in the city who know how to help. Creating the perfect restaurant environment is crucial to the culinary experience, and you want the best of the best to help bring those places to life. So check out the Top 10 restaurant architects in Philadelphia, who are being recognized by professionals in the industry for their cutting-edge work.

Top Architects

Assimilation Design Lab

Architects:
David Whipple

Awards:
AIA Philadelphia Emerging Architect Prize,
AIA PA Honor Award,
AIA Philadelphia Merit Award,
Remodel Magazine Award

Address:
224 S Melville St, Philadelphia, PA 19139

About Assimilation Design Lab

Founded in 2012, Assimilation Design Lab, LLC (ADL) is a young, dynamic architecture firm that strives to assimilate theory-based design solutions with programmatic needs specific to each project and client. ADL is led by Principal David Whipple, AIA. Before starting his own firm, Whipple worked at Brett Webber Architects, Michael Ryan Architects, Bloomfield and Associates, and Stokes Architecture. The firm offers services in pre-design, design, construction, and sustainable design. The firm has won numerous awards, including a 2016 AIA Philadelphia’s Philadelphia Emerging Architect Prize, the 2014 AIA PA Honor Award, the 2014 AIA Philadelphia Merit Award, and a 2014 Remodel Magazine Award. It was also a 2014 James Beard Design Award Finalist.

Featured Projects

For the Tria Taproom located at 2005 Walnut Street, Whipple used the building’s historic fabric of exposed bricks and windows to create a unique feel. The Pennsylvania architects used blackened steel and white Carrera marble at the bar. The bar in Rittenhouse Square is unique because Tria Taproom takes the word “taproom” literally; there’s not a bottle in the building. Nearly two dozen draft beers, a dozen draft wines, four draft cocktails, two draft ciders, and a draft kombucha make up the beverage list. Tria Taproom was named Philadelphia magazine’s “Best of Philly” Beer Bar in 2014 and consistently earns a spot on Draft Magazine’s “America’s 100 Best Beer Bars.”

Boxwood

Architects:
John Weckerly
Sal Guerrero

Address:
1315 Walnut St. Ste. #1614, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Boxwood

Located in the Center City neighborhood, Boxwood Architects is a full-service architecture studio offering interior design, graphics, and project management. The firm has been featured in the AIA Philadelphia Emerging Architectures Exhibition, and it has been published in Miami New Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Business Journal, Eater Philly, and Eater DC. The firm is led by John Weckerly, RA, and Sal Guerrero, RA. Mr. Weckerly is a graduate of Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture and has over 20 years years of experience working in the profession. He is registered in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, Florida, and Missouri. His partner, Sal Guerrero, RA, has 13 years’ experience in the profession and is also a graduate of Temple University Tyler School of Art and Architecture.

Featured Projects

Boxwood was the architect of record for Dizengoff, located at 1625 Sansom Street, for the client CookNSolo in 2014. Found in the Center City neighborhood, Dizengoff is a casual Israeli Hummusiya (or hummus restaurant) that can accommodate 25 customers. It is modeled after hummus spots found in Israel, but with the unique style of a vintage 1970s-era roller skate rink. The artwork at the restaurant is designed by local artist Tennyson Tippy. Another major restaurant project that Boxwood worked on is the Italian wine bar and oyster bar Tredici Enoteca. Designed for client Greg Dodge at Zavino Hospitality in 2016, Tredici Enoteca was built as a sister restaurant to the famous restaurant Zavino. Boxwood helped give the Italian restaurant a modern vibe and visual aesthetic. Tredici Enoteca’s decor includes unique gray velvet curtains, a gleaming marble bar, herringbone wood floors, and unique shelving that holds an esoteric mixture of pottery, canned food, and artwork.

DAS Architects

Architects:
Susan M. Davidson
David A. Schultz

Awards:
National Association of Interior Designers First Place\

Address:
1628 John F Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About DAS Architects

Design experts Susan M. Davidson and David A. Schultz partnered in 1990 to establish DAS Architects. The design firm offers a full range of architectural and interior design services for commercial clients who are mostly in the hospitality sector. Before establishing DAS Architects, Davidson and Schultz were acclaimed by hospitality professionals for their stunning body of work. Schultz is one of the country’s top hospitality architects who has finished more than 150 projects while Davidson’s interior design works have been featured in several publications. The founders’ great reputation helped make the firm into one of the top design firms in the country. Prestigious names in the industry have approached the firm for its sophisticated design services. Some of its biggest clients include Beach Club, Hyatt Centric Hotel, Hotel Metro, the Granary, the Beacon in Philadelphia, and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in Manhattan. It is also an award-winning firm that has received the 2017 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and the 2017 General Building Contractors Association Contractor’s Choice Award.

Featured Projects

DAS Architects were the Architect of Record for Union Trust Steakhouse at 717 Chestnut Street. The high-end restaurant opened in 2009; it can accommodate 440 diners in a converted classical bank space. DAS reinvigorated the building, which is an embodiment of rich Philadelphia history that once served as the Union Trust Company Bank, built in 1888. Just a block from Independence Hall, DAS Architects took advantage of Its soaring, vaulted ceilings and built an expansive balcony. DAS worked to bring to life the grand-arched windows that overlook the Historic District of Philadelphia and integrated soaring 65-foot illuminated engraved ceilings, architecturally accented walls, multiple private rooms, and a breathtaking wraparound mezzanine overlooking the whole site.

Groundswell

Architects:
David Fierabend

Address:
1639 N Hancock Street #302, Philadelphia, PA 19122

About Groundswell

Located in Olde Kensington, Groundswell Design Group is a full-service design firm specializing in hospitality, public parks, land art installations, restaurants, and pop-up shops. A graduate of Florida International University’s Department of Architecture, Principal David Fierabend, is responsible for the aesthetics and creation of Spruce Street Harbor Park and PHS beer garden. Named Best of Philly’s Best Landscape Designer, Groundswell has designed stunning restaurants found in various states like New York, Colorado, and Missouri.

Featured Projects

Groundswell transformed what was a nondescript garden alongside the Dow Building’s 6th Street frontage into a lively gathering place for Philadelphia restaurateur Michael Schulson. The space was transformed into the Independence Beer Garden at 100 S Independence Mall West, the restaurant features heavy steel girders amidst shady trees, delicate flowers, and lush shrubbery, setting the atmosphere for this American-style beer garden. Diners can relax in custom Adirondack chairs amid fire pits and table tennis in the distinct atmosphere of American summer. Another stunning project is the La Peg at 40 N Christopher Columbus Boulevard. Groundswell worked closely with the client to create a space that complements the building’s unique heritage and on-site performance venue. Rich dark materials accenting the character of the old firehouse pumping station’s interior give way to bright, leafy counterparts in the outdoor beer garden with an excellent view of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Harman Deutsch Architecture

Architects:
Brett Harman
Craig Deutsch
Rustin Ohler

Address:
631 N 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

About Harman Deutsch Architecture

Based In the Poplar neighborhood, Harman Deutsch Ohler (HDO) Architecture was founded in 1999 by Brett Harman and Craig Deutsch. HDO has a team of skilled professionals who offer construction administration, code consultation, site development, interior renovations, and new construction for mixed-use buildings, restaurants, hotels, retail space, office buildings, multi-family housing, and private residences. The firm’s designs are found across Philadelphia, including locations in Liberty Square, Chestnut Street, the Manayunk neighborhood, Delmar Street, the Spring Arts neighborhood, and Catherine Street. HDO’s work has also been featured in Philly Voice, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Curbed Philly.

Featured Projects

Led by Chef Jeremy Noel, Brauhaus Schmitz is one of the most authentic German beerhalls and restaurants in the United States. Located at 718 South Street in Philadelphia, the beer hall has changed how the city looks at German food. Philadelphia Magazine has honored Brauhaus Schmitz with three “Best of” titles in their annual “Best of Philly” issues and noted the important design work that Harman Deutsch Architecture did to help bring the restaurant to life. HDA’s work included a complete renovation of an existing building’s 8,300 square feet into the 100-seat, authentic German restaurant, with two new residential units above. The German bierhalle is features traditional Bavarian decor. HD designed an overarching roof that welcomes guests into the wooden and brick homey design within. Hops and barley plants sit on top of wooden shelves, and antique lights cast an old-fashioned sensibility on the customers inside.

JKPR

Architects:
Jerry K Roller
Paul Georges
Glenn Werner
David Urffer

Address:
100 E Penn Square #1080, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About JKPR

JKRP Architects is the namesake firm of Jerry K. Roller, one of the state’s most revered architects. When the firm was established in 1984 as a sole proprietorship, it quickly became known for its high profile hospitality and multi-family projects. Throughout the years, Roller has made impressive contributions to the state. He was the president of the local American Institute of Architects (AIA) and is an active board member of the Building Industry Association (BIA). Now, Roller leads JKRP along with nine other principals who are all professional architects accredited by the AIA. Besides its seasoned leadership, the firm has won several Grand Jury Awards from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Featured Projects

JKPR was the architect of record for The Capital Grille at 1338-46 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. The project resulted in a formal restaurant that can seat 230 diners. The Capital Grille features custom mahogany millwork, dramatic coffered ceilings, custom chandeliers, and a state-of-the-art open kitchen. The restaurant offers steak, seafood, and drinks in an old-school gentleman’s club vibe. To keep up with demand, JKRP was brought back to design and produce three additional private dining rooms. These additional private rooms, located along the Broad Street exposure, were added a year later and increased the square footage by 1,000 square-feet. This renovation added 60 seats, cementing the Capital Grille as part of the “Avenue of the Arts’” culinary renaissance.

Metcalfe Architecture and Design

Architects:
Alan Metcalfe
Aaron Goldblatt

Awards:
American Association of Museums Excellence in Exhibition Design Award,
City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge Best Overall Design,
HGTV Fresh Faces of Design,
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums “Buildy” Award,
PA Brownfields Conference Extreme Makeover Award

Address:
211 N 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Metcalfe Architecture & Design

Combining art and design has been the vision of Metcalfe Architecture & Design for the past 18 years. Like any other architectural firm, Metcalfe Architecture & Design offers design services for residential, commercial, and institutional sectors, but it sets itself apart from the competition by creating immersive exhibit design that can be enjoyed by the public. When Alan Metcalfe started the firm he wanted to design structures that will socially engage people which is why he asked former client Aaron Goldblatt to join the team. Goldblatt has arranged learning spaces for many known museums like the National Museum of Industrial History and the Museum of the American Revolution. Together, Goldblatt and Metcalfe have designed projects that are not only stunning but have improved the quality of their customer’s lives.

Featured Projects

Metcalfe Architects designed the Little Treehouse Play Cafe, located at 10 W Gravers Lane in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood. The firm designed the renovation of this 6,000-square-foot café and children’s play center to provide a safe, creative, and actively engaging experience for children, while still providing a relaxing, cozy, and sophisticated environment for the adults who are coming with them. The play area is divided into age-appropriate zones and features custom-made installations created from natural materials and designed to promote learning through play. The Best of Philly Awards celebrated the brand new Little Treehouse Play Cafe with a Best Kids’ Party Venue distinction. In addition, Metcalfe also created the Treehouse’s graphic identity program, including logo, website, printed material, and advertising.

Morrissey Design and M Architects

Address:
4590 Main St., Philadelphia, PA 19127

About Morrissey Design and M Architects

Specializing in hospitality design, Morrissey Design and M Architects is a boutique firm that focuses its services on elevating the brand and aesthetic appeal of commercial clients. When the firm was established in 2010 it only had a design department that specializes in interior design for restaurants in Philadelphia and New York. As years passed, its clientele grew and it led to the growth of M Architects in 2016. M Architects has designed some of the newest restaurants in Philadelphia. These one-of-a-kind projects are often featured by Philly Inquirer, the state’s local newspaper.

Featured Projects

B2 Sushi Restaurant is a sophisticated concept restaurant from owner and head chef of the acclaimed Blue Fin Restaurant. The owners hired M Architects to design a space from scratch and the firm surely delivered. M Architects wanted its interiors to reflect the concept of the restaurant—sophisticated and modern. The firm used a natural color palette to give a tranquil feel but contrasted it with soft leather and warm wood tones for a more modern edge. The restaurant’s menu is complemented by an assortment of cocktails that go perfectly with any meal. This is why a private sake tasting room is essential to this unique restaurant. A metal screen wall separates the bar from the dining room and it’s adorned with floating sake bottles. The dining area’s main focal point is the giant Buddha found sitting behind the sushi line.

OTTO Architects

Architects:
Joshua Otto

Awards:

Storefront Challenge for Best Design,
Restaurant Design Awards Finalist,
AIA National Emerging Professionals Exhibition,
James Beard Foundation Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design Award,
AIA Pennsylvania Emerging Professional Award,
Remodeling Design Grand Award.

Address:
453 Johnson Street #100, Jenkintown, PA 19046

About OTTO Architects

LEED-accredited architect Joshua Otto has been providing sustainable design to the Jenkintown community through his firm, OTTO Architects. The firm provides architecture, interior design, sustainable design, product and furniture design, for both public and private clientele. OTTO Architects is known for being detail-oriented. The majority of its customers come from the food industry. The firm’s restaurant creations have caught the attention of many design organizations. It has won several awards like the 2016 Storefront Challenge for Best Design, a 2015 AIA National Emerging Professionals Exhibition, a 2014 James Beard Foundation Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design Award, a 2014 AIA Pennsylvania Emerging Professional Award, and a 2014 Remodeling Design Grand Award. The firm was also a finalist for the 2016 Restaurant Design Awards.

Featured Projects

OTTO Architects helped bring Girard Brasserie restaurant into reality. A finalist for the 2016 Restaurant Design Awards, the 40-seat restaurant features an open kitchen, a chef’s counter for five, and a small grab-and-go market. It offers contemporary French cuisine to Philadelphia’s rapidly developing Fishtown neighborhood. OTTO designed the interior with a bold color palette. The brass and distressed mirror add specular highlights reminiscent of a classic Parisian bistro. Elements of unique camouflage cover folded overhead planes and create a graphically bold yet spatially ambiguous ceiling. It evokes a mind-warping motif of zebra stripes, created from an actual technique to disguise battleships in World War II. The use of bright yellow walls helps make the French restaurant look larger than it actually is.

Sargenti Architects

Address:
8 Penn Ctr. 1628 JFK Blvd. Ste #1810, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About Sargenti Architects

Running a family-owned business has always been a goal of Robert J. Sargenti Jr. But when he established Sargenti Architects in 1997 he wanted it to be beneficial for himself and the other businesses. The goal of Sargenti Architects is to create a firm that will eliminate middlemen and make the flow of design smoother. More than 20 years later, Sargenti has cultivated a healthy company culture that has expanded to offices found in five different states and a satellite branch in London. The Philadelphia branch was started in 2013 and has serviced some of the leading retail brands in the state. Sargenti Architects has designed the Philadelphia branches for international brands Muji, Fossil Group, and Lindt Chocolate.

Featured Projects

Fast-casual restaurant Sweetgreen gives farm-fresh produce to the public through its healthy salad bowls. Staying true to the restaurant’s humble brand, Sargenti Architects wanted to design a space that does not compromise the original structure of the site. The firm has designed many national branches for the restaurant and each project has a fun contemporary feel. There are always elements of reclaimed brick and barn board to give a more rustic finish. Each location has a unique layout that is inspired by the original facade. It also considers the wait time and seating arrangements of every restaurant because every project has different dimensions.

Stokes Architecture

Architects:
Richard Stokes

Awards:
Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Award
Washington DC Historic Preservation Award

Address:
2103 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About Stokes Architecture

For the past 20 years, Stokes Architecture has built a diverse portfolio of hospitality projects that range from large-scale hospitality design to small-scale interior fit-outs. Founder Richard Stokes started his eponymous firm to expand his horizons while designing smart solutions that have a modern aesthetic. The firm has collaborated with many known artists, engineers, and specialty consultants in Philadelphia that has helped the firm broaden its expertise. The firm’s most relevant distinction is receiving the Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Award and the Washington DC Historic Preservation Award. In addition, the firm’s restaurant and hospitality projects have been featured in Hospitality Design, Smithsonian Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Philadelphia Magazine, Surface Magazine, OnTap Magazine, and Zagat’s.

Featured Projects

When working with chef and owner Jason Cichonski, Stokes Architecture wanted to make Ela an elegant yet accessible atmosphere. Located in Queen Village, Ela is a 75-seat bar and restaurant whose interior lends itself to the hip sensibility Cichonski brings to his food. Stokes Architecture created an interior scheme based on two parameters: a small budget and a few nonspecific reference images provided by the client. The result is a warm yet industrial interior, spotted with quirky design elements that create an intimate and unique dining experience. Another collaboration with a renowned chef is the new Fette Sau Restaurant at 1208 Frankford Avenue. The second branch for the popular BBQ Restaurant is the first project the firm has done with Brooklyn Chef and Restaurateur Joe Carroll.

While the original Brooklyn location was confined to a small, former auto garage, Stokes Architecture had a much larger site to work within Philadelphia. Designed to look like a large animal barn, Fette Sau features salvaged wood rafters surrounding communal picnic tables. The restaurant also displays large custom paintings of illustrated butcher meat charts, explaining the various cuts and grades of the meat the customers are eating.

Studio Agoos Lovera

Architects:
Jorge Lovera
Ted Agoos
David Franke
Jim Row

Awards:
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award,
Brownfields Conference Extreme Makeover Award,
General Building Contractors Association’s award for Best Adaptive Reuse Project

Address:
1 S Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Studio Agoos Lovera

Delivering quality architecture to a diverse client base has been the mission of Studio Agoos Lovera since 1983. Its leadership might have changed throughout the years but upholding the best quality architecture has never waned. James Rowe now leads the firm and he is one of the most active architects in the Philadelphia industry. Currently, he is the director and president-elect of the Philadelphia AIA. Studio Agoos Lovera became an award-winning firm under his leadership. Some of the achievements it has received are the 2014 and 2013 Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award and the 2013 PA Brownfields Conference.

Featured Projects

Studio Agoos Lovera designed Di Bruno Brothers at 1730 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Di Bruno Brothers has been a purveyor and importer of gourmet food since 1939. Studio Agoos Lovera designed an 18,000-square foot world-class gourmet food store, located in the Rittenhouse Square area of Philadelphia. The firm combined two existing buildings to create the space for Di Bruno Brothers. The store and restaurant now include an exciting and welcoming 8,000-square-foot gourmet selection with a central open riser stair, rotisserie, cafe bar, and cheese cave, among other delights on the ground floor. The second floor is accessed through the central stair leading to a demonstration kitchen, the cafe, and “paninoteca,” served by a state-of-the-art kitchen. The firm also worked on the restaurant Tequila at 1602 Locust Street in Rittenhouse Square. The 150-seat Mexican restaurant offers a festive Día de Los Muertos aesthetic. Designed for proprietor David Suro, who also owns the Siembra Azul distillery, Tequila features large portraits. One of the portraits is inspired by the work of José Guadalupe Posada that includes a family of “Calavera” skeletons, and another pays homage to the work of Diego Rivera. Agoos Lovera also included custom New Orleans-style wrought iron-gates that encompass the restaurant.

The Best Office Architects in Philadelphia

Overview

If you’ve read anything about the Continental Congresses in 1774 in Philadelphia, you know how contentious a room full of hard workers can get. You need the right environment to get different people to work together. It worked in creating America, and Philadelphia has been creating important places to work ever since. Crafting the right kind of office space is not easy. You need the right person and firm to understand what your company does and how it does it. The top 10 office Philadelphia office architects on this list create unique work environments that take businesses to the next step.

Top Office Architects

Coscia Moos Architecture

Address:
1616 Walnut St. Ste. 101, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About Coscia Moos Architecture

For the past two decades, Sergio Coscia and David Moos have designed stunning establishments found in the US and international locations. The two decided to merge their expertise and start Coscia Moos Architecture in 2010. Through their firm, Coscia and Moos has expanded their clientele to the hospitality, healthcare and higher education sectors. Most of the firm’s projects are new facilities for known figures in the Philadelphia corporate and real estate industry. The Post Brothers Apartment hired the firm to create its amenities building, Hamilton Court. The result was an 8,500-square foot amenities building that won the AIA Philadelphia Merit Award.

Featured Projects

Located at the center of Bala Cynwyd’s business district is the firm’s latest office project, 150 Monument Road. Coscia Moos Architecture remodeled the building by giving the lower lobby a more updated look. It started with giving a brand new look to the entrance wall. The original entrance was replaced with a sophisticated glass wall and held by a metal canopy. The firm also added decorative panels to the entry so its exterior design would be cohesive with its interiors. The building cafe was also relocated outside so it can have its own exterior entrance and outdoor terrace.

Blackney Hayes Architects

Address:
150 S. Independence Mall West Ste. #1200, Philadelphia, PA 19106

About Blackney Hayes Architects

Architects Kevin Blackney, John Fox Hayes, and Jennifer Crawford all believe that every project they take on must be approached from the client’s perspective. When they established Blackney Hayes Architects in 1988, they believed that hiring a team of diverse architects and interior designers was essential to achieve their goal. More than 30 years later, the firm has become an award-winning practice recognized by the AIA, International Interior Design Association, and the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. Blackney Hayes Architecture takes on any kind of project whether it be residential, corporate, hospitality, or healthcare.

Featured Projects

When Keystone Property Group acquired the four-story SORA office building, they immediately hired Blackney Hayes Architects to give it a modern look. Its exteriors were given a fresh glass wall that connects the building with its lush surroundings. The firm also updated the building’s new signage and lighting. The roof deck was also renovated and outfitted with modern furniture, and the main and fourth floor lobbies were reoriented. The building’s elevators now face the lobby and the receiving area was given blue backlighting complemented by new wood paneling.

The Omnia Group Architects

Address:
323 S York Rd., Hatboro, PA 19040

About The Omnia Group Architects

The Omnia Group Architects, founded in 1993, delivers an exceptionally broad range of creative architectural solutions to residential and commercial clients in the greater Philadelphia region. Omnia’s portfolio includes a long list of office and commercial spaces in and around Philadelphia. The firm has fluency in many high-end architectural tools, including Autocad, Revit and 3D modeling and building information modeling. Founding Partners Gene Grimaldi and Brian Mann are both advocates of green architecture, and have been practicing architects for more than 20 years.

Featured Projects

The Omnia Group Architects designed the office space for the Hatboro Federal Savings Bank at the old Bank Building at 221 South York Road in Hatboro. Originally built in 1874, the firm made a plan that would modernize the building without compromising its historical character. The firm’s architectural and interior design team worked to blend the old with the new in this adaptive reuse. Re-using the hidden architectural treasures helped to maintain the historic architectural integrity. Highlights include the stone wall inside the front conference room and the 12-foot in diameter wooden ring of trim that now adorns the second-floor office ceiling area. The trim previously decorated a demolished dome in the original 1920s expansion. The interior strong metal frame of the original bank’s money safe door outlines the entrance to the kitchen-break-dining area.

OTTO Architects

Address:
453 Johnson St. Ste.#100, Jenkintown, PA 19046

About OTTO Architects

Located in suburban Jenkintown, Otto Architects LLC provides architectural and interior design services for commercial and residential clients. Principal Joshua Otto is an architect who also practices in four other states. Prior to opening his eponymous firm, Otto worked for the prestigious Roger Ferris + Partners and Brett Webber Architects. He is an active member of the local AIA and has served on its Board of Directors and was the co-chair of its design committee; he is also the co-founder and coordinator of the Philadelphia Emerging Architecture Prize. Otto and his firm have won numerous awards, including the 2016 Storefront Challenge for Best Design, a finalist for the 2016 Restaurant Design Awards, a 2015 AIA National Emerging Professionals Exhibition, a 2014 James Beard Foundation Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design Award, a 2014 AIA Pennsylvania Emerging Professional Award, and a 2014 Remodeling Design Grand Award.

Featured Projects

OTTO Architects was responsible for the new offices for Yorn, a real-time data and analytics platform found at 2400 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. The offices are located at the base of the 35-story Center City residential tower. OTTO worked within the 3,600-square foot office space to feature an open, minimalist interior. Exposed concrete columns, shear walls, and large cast-iron piping are contrasted by the muted palette of new drywall, polycarbonate panels and carefully detailed blackened steel. The 18-foot high concrete ceilings allow for multi-level use of the office space to dramatic effect, while expansive storefront windows allow natural daylight to penetrate deep within the office. A large, centrally located conference room provides an anchor to surrounding office spaces of various sizes. Open office areas containing mobile workstations can be reorganized to adapt to the needs of internal project teams.

Krieger + Associates

Address:
14 West Highland Ave. Front, Philadelphia, PA 19118

About Krieger + Associates

Krieger + Associates Architects is an award-winning architectural and planning firm that services residential, institutional, and commercial clients for over two decades. The firm has accumulated a long list of accolades including a 2017 Chrysalis Award for best addition, a 2014 Chrysalis National Award, and a 2013 Professional Award of Honor from the Society of American Registered Architects. Krieger + Associates is led by President and Principal Jeffrey F. Krieger, AIA, LEED AP. Krieger brings over three decades of architectural practice to the group. Prior to founding the firm in 1992, Krieger worked at Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates in Philadelphia. He has been a registered architect since 1985 and has taught architectural design studios at Drexel University for 25 years. He’s also a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Architects and the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA.

Featured Projects

Krieger + Associates were the architects behind the new Comcast Offices in different locations. The Comcast Wayne Avenue office features a warehouse, office, and payment center facility, located adjacent to Roosevelt Boulevard in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. For its Comcast South 18th Street Office, the firm collaborated with Delran Builders to construct a 10.5-square foot warehouse addition and renovate the existing 16,000-square foot office space without shutting down the facility’s 24-hour operations. The warehouse addition includes a 50-foot clear-span space constructed of split-faced concrete masonry with a translucent panel system above that allows natural light to permeate the space. Krieger + Associates also helped develop the Industrial Investments Offices at 532 Township Line Road. The firm designed a new 4,200-square foot office suite with an inviting lobby, four private corner offices, an open administrative area, conference rooms, a kitchenette, and restrooms. The new cherry millwork is complemented by the liberal use of interior windows throughout the office space, providing natural lighting in the hallways and interior rooms.

Cecil Baker & Partners

Address:
1107 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Cecil Baker & Partners

Established in 1982, Cecil Baker + Partners is an architecture firm that offers feasibility studies, programming, design of new structures, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and interior design. The firm has received awards from the AIA, American Builders Quarterly, William Penn Awards of Excellence, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Moreover, its works have been published across the United States, Europe, Japan, and South America. The firm is led by Principal Cecil Baker, who was born and raised in Argentina before coming to the United States in 1959 to study architecture at Williams College. He has decades of experience and he has received more than 50 regional and national awards for his work. Baker is also a past board member and vice president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA. He was also the regional representative to AIA’s Standing Committee on Housing.

Featured Projects

Looking to move out of its outdated offices, Fretz Corporation came to Cecil Baker and Partners to create their new headquarters. The Fretz Corporate Headquarters relocated to the same building as the Sub-Zero and Wolf Showroom at Philadelphia Navy Yard. Despite sharing offices, there were still 23,500 square feet of office space that the firm filled with modern amenities and unique quirks. A restrained minimalist passage creates a procession through a gallery-like setting that fully shows off a series of high-end appliances. Surrounding this passageway are unique “Kitchen Vignettes” that display Fretz’s products. Cecil Baker & Partners designed a space that can display renowned local, national, or international kitchen manufacturers and show off the appliances in the context of a specific lifestyle and aesthetic. The offices also include a training room and a state-of-the-art studio kitchen, which offers live cooking presentations that demonstrate the appliances in use. The space has proved to be a great resource to the design community and end-users on a daily basis, as well as for hosting significant gatherings.

Boxwood

Address:
1315 Walnut St. Ste. #1614, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Boxwood

Located in the Center City neighborhood, Boxwood Architects is a full-service architecture studio offering interior design and project management. Its works can often be found in the pages of Miami New Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Business Journal, Eater Philly and Eater DC. Founder John Weckerly, who has over 20 years of experience, leads Boxwood’s business development, project administration, design, quality control, and construction-related issues. His co-founder, Sal Guerrero, has 13 years experience in the profession and is also a graduate of Temple University Tyler School of Art and Architecture. He serves as Boxwood’s studio director, in charge of concept design, design development, and construction documents.

Featured Projects

In 2012, Boxwood Architects designed the Vius office located at 1639 N Hancock Street. The 1,300-square-foot office design for the web design and development company included a new conference room within a heavy timber truss space. An industrial aesthetic complements the offices, while various hues of green were used as an accent color for the interior of the conference room to reinforce the company’s brand image. Boxwood also worked on the 990 office building in Spring Garden in Philadelphia. The seven-story, 160,000-square foot industrial building included work on the lobby, storefront, and steel marquee. Boxwood also designed the ground floor retail offices, restaurant spaces, creative workspaces, and the full-floor offices on higher floors. Some of those clients include the Roy Pitz Brew Pub and The Lucky Well BBQ on the ground floor, and they are currently designing The Lucky Well BBQ restaurant.

Studio Agoos Lovera

Address:
1 S Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Studio Agoos Lovera

Studio Agoos Lovera was founded in 1983 by partners Jorge Lovera and Ted Agoos after several years of working for leading Philadelphia design firms. After the founders’ retirement, Jim Row took over the firm in 1999. Rowe, AIA, has a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia. In addition, Rowe was director and president of AIA Philadelphia in 2015 and a director of the Center for Architecture. The firm has been awarded numerous achievements like the 2014 and 2013 Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Grand Jury Award; the 2013 PA Brownfields Conference, Extreme Makeover Award; and the General Building Contractors Association’s award for Best Adaptive Reuse Project.

Featured Projects

When Aker American Shipping, ASA (formerly Kvaerner) needed a new office space, they came to Studio Agoos Lovera. Using an existing World War II-era building, the firm converted 40,000-square feet of space into a new administrative office space for the shipyard and the headquarters. The new office building is located in the center of APSI’s shipbuilding facility at the Philadelphia Navy Yard., The building is in between two active dry docks and has views of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. A central axis incorporating materials and products used in the ships look out over the manufacturing operation and anchors the office workspace. Studio Agoos Lovera also worked on a 10,000-square foot office and warehouse that will serve as the headquarters of The D’Andrea, a long-established concrete contractor located in northeast Philadelphia. It was important to the client that the building put forth a strong, unmistakable identity that would stand out in an uninspiring, expansive industrial park. The front of the building contains all of the office operations and the rear of the building provides warehouse space for all field operations and vehicle and materials storage.

Metcalfe Architecture & Design

Address:
211 N 13th St. Ste.#503, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Metcalfe Architecture & Design

Metcalfe Architecture and Design was established by Alan Metcalfe in 2002 and his then-client Aaron Goldblatt helped him actualize the firm. Metcalfe is an experienced builder who’s worked as a cabinetmaker, contractor, and architect. His experience taught him that architecture is an interdisciplinary practice that must not only impress but also engage its clients. He partnered with Goldblatt because, as the former director of the Wagner Free Institute of Science, he is a veteran museum planner that has planned spaces made for crowds. Together, they have made Metcalfe an award-winning firm that makes creative designs for clients in the corporate, healthcare, residential, and public sector. The firm’s work has been featured in a variety of publications, including The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Context Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The New York Times.

Featured Projects

Metcalfe works on a variety of office spaces throughout the Philadelphia area. One of these is the law offices of Berner Klaw & Watson LLP. Metcalfe’s design team used dramatic materials of slate, glass, and lighting to transform the 6,500-square-office into a welcoming space for clients. Vibrant colors on the walls and carpet, and a custom reception desk, add character to the lobby. Metcalfe also worked on the Valley Green Bank offices in South Philly at 1536 S Broad Street. The firm renovated a 3,800-square foot former social services building to house their new offices. Metcalfe improved the building’s façade by replacing existing exterior masonry walls with clear glass, creating transparency that activates the facade on two street frontages. The firm also relocated an existing stair to open the interior and flood the space with natural light. The project was awarded the 2014 “Winner of the City” by the Philadelphia Commerce Department. It was also the winner of the Community Design Collaborative’s Storefront Challenge for Best Overall Design.

KieranTimberlake

Address:
841 N American St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

About KieranTimberlake

Founded in 1984, KieranTimberlake was co-founded by Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake. Kieran Timberlake employs more than a hundred employees that have a diverse set of skills. The firm is not limited to architectural services because it also offers site research and environmental sustainability services for its clients. Most of its clients come from the education, government, arts and culture, civic, and residential sectors. The firm has been honored with hundreds of design citations, including a Civic Trust Award for the US Embassy in London, AIA Honor Award for the Engineering Research Center of Brown University, and a Texas Society of Architects Design Award for the Cambridge Office Building of Rice University. The co-founders have received the prestigious Inaugural Benjamin Latrobe Prize Fellows. They are also known educators who have taught at the University of Washington, Yale University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Featured Projects

KieranTimberlake created new offices for the Consortium for Building Energy Innovation and The Center for Building Energy Science & Engineering in 2014. Spread over two buildings, the first is a 35,000-square foot building with an atrium event space, Immersive Construction Lab, symposium, workrooms, telepresence room, meeting rooms, and offices. The second building measures out at 25,000-square feet and features a lecture hall, equipment gallery, classrooms, training centers, offices, and administrative space. KieranTimberlake was awarded the AIA Philadelphia Merit Award for this project. The large, sky-lit atrium serves as exhibition and event space, with interior glass walls to provide public views of the lighting, building controls, and building information modeling labs. The new design also showcases energy-saving mechanical systems and lighting approaches for different space types, including collaborative workspaces for in-house researchers and grantees, and spaces for public education and outreach.

JKRP

Address:
100 E Penn Sq. Ste. #1080, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About JKRP

Founded in 1984, JKRP Architects is a full-service architecture firm built on relationships. JKPR offers a wide range of services that balance design, scope, and cost in each step of the project. Jerry K Roller, AIA LEEP AP, is the founder of the firm; he is a former president of the regional AIA and regional director and vice president on the National AIA Board. He is also an active board member of the BIA of Philadelphia. Roller is joined by Paul Georges, AIA, who joined JKRP in 1986. Glenn Werner, AIA, LEEP AP, has been part of JKRP since 1987. He’s also a member of the American Institute of Architects, Philadelphia; the ACHE/American College of Healthcare Executives; the Builders Industry Association Green Committee; the Health Care Facilities Managers Association of Delaware Valley HFMADV; and the Morgantown Area Business Association. David Urffer, AIA, joined in 1998 and is on the board of directors. The firm also includes Robert McCall, AIA, Jonathan A. Broh, AIA, and Jose J. Hernandez, AIA, NOMA, NCARB as principal architects.

Featured Projects

The medical business community in Philadelphia is a huge part of the local economy, and JKPR has worked with numerous companies to help build their offices. One of these projects is the Constitution Health Plaza’s medical office building at 1930 S Broad Street. JKRP’s renovations included an open lobby space with a double-height atrium, connecting the two floors together. A new entrance was also designed to connect the public spaces with a shared outdoor courtyard. The firm worked to reflect the building’s new branding by using modern materials and aesthetics. The firm also worked on the offices for the Abington-Lansdale Hospital at Jefferson University. This new structure features a bridge connecting the third floor with the second floor of the adjacent existing building. Located on the campus of the Central Montgomery Medical Center, the space provides a place for doctors affiliated with the hospital to have offices of their own.

Cicada Architecture

Address:
1520 Locust St. Ste. #702, Philadelphia, PA 19102

About Cicada Architecture

Cicada Architecture was founded by Mary Holland and Kurt Raymond in 1996. Located in the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia, the firm has been recognized with the Design Excellence Award from American School & University, the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, and the Preservation Alliance Grand Jury Project Award. It is also certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). Holland has worked in architecture, planning, and interior design for over 30 years. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University in 1981 and attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Design program, leading to dual master’s degrees in architecture and city planning. She has taught architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, Drexel University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She also served as the chair of AIA Philadelphia’s Education Facilities Advocacy Committee. She is joined by co-Principal and Vice President Kurt Raymond. Raymond focuses on community development, as well as commercial and educational projects, at CICADA. He received a B.A. in Natural Sciences from Colgate University in 1982, followed by a Bachelor of Architecture, magna cum laude, from Drexel University in 1989, and he is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Drexel University,

Featured Projects

The University of Pennsylvania is a huge part of Philadelphia’s economy, and when it came to developing their Business Services Office, they turned to Cicada Architecture. Cicada led a multi-phased renovation to better support teamwork and collaboration within the office. The design combined three separate office suites into a single suite with a common circulation core, supporting impromptu communication between staff in different departments. The project involved the reconfiguration of the light fixture system within the existing grid to reduce the number of fixtures. Using environment-friendly materials, it has improved light quality while still retaining as much of the historic existing interior partitions. Cicada also worked with the city of Philadelphia to reinvent the office spaces and community spaces throughout The Fairmount Park Conservancy. Working with the Natural Lands Restoration and Environmental Education Programs, the firm helped create five new Environmental Centers throughout the park, where members of the Friends of Pennypack Park and the park staff can coordinate together on the nature outreach and education programs.

The Best Interior Designers in Philadelphia

Overview

Local son of Philadelphia Benjamin Franklin once said, “A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” And the best houses in Philadelphia need to be homes, with rich interior decorations inside. While sometimes you can focus on the outside of a new home or building, you need someone who knows how to bring the inside of those buildings to life. Whether it’s a restaurant, an office space, an apartment, or a rustic home, Philadelphia has a long list of interior designers whKieranTimberlake o can help you make you food and fire for your mind and home. So here are the top 9 Interior Decorators working in Philadelphia right now.

Top Designers

9
OTTO Architects

Designer:
Joshua Otto

Awards:
Storefront Challenge for Best Design,
Restaurant Design Awards finalist,
AIA National Emerging Professionals Exhibition,
James Beard Foundation Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design Award,
AIA Pennsylvania Emerging Professional Award
Remodeling Design Grand Award

Address:
453 Johnson Street #100, Jenkintown, PA 19046

About OTTO Architects

Located in suburban Philadelphia in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, Otto Architects LLC provides unique interior design solutions. The firm is lead by Principal Joshua Otto. Otto is a Registered Architect and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional and is licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland, and he holds a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Certificate. Prior to founding Otto Architects, he worked at Brett Webber Architects, GBQC Architects, and Roger Ferris + Partners. He holds a Master of Sciences in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kentucky. Otto has has served on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Philadelphia’s Board of Directors and co-chairs the AIA Philadelphia Design Committee. He is also the co-founder and coordinator of the Philadelphia Emerging Architecture Prize. He and the firm have won numerous awards, including the 2016 Storefront Challenge for Best Design and being a finalist for the 2016 Restaurant Design Awards. They’ve also won a 2015 AIA National Emerging Professionals Exhibition, a 2014 James Beard Foundation Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design Award, a 2014 AIA Pennsylvania Emerging Professional Award, and a 2014 Remodeling Design Grand Award.

Featured Projects

OTTO Architects were the interior designers of record for Mercer Cafe at 2619 E. Westmoreland Street. With the firm’s help, an existing, one-story former bank has been dramatically transformed inside. Large windows and doors provide ample daylighting throughout the interior, allowing the dining room to open to the outdoors. Upon entering, customers’ attention is immediately directed toward the twin brick pizza ovens in the rear of the market area. The dining room provides open seating and a diner counter, beneath a ceiling of exposed wood trusses. Finishes throughout feature subtle blues and grays, complemented by concrete and wood. Otto was also awarded for their work at Little Spoon Cafe on South Street West in Philadelphia. Winning the Best Design Award in 2016 for their Storefront Challenge, Otto revived the neighborhood restaurant and cheery cafe with a kitschy decor that serves American food, homemade baked goods, and all-day breakfast. The interior is buoyed by a consistent horizontal layer of wood counters and tables, countered by an eclectic seating collection.

8
JKPR

Designers:
Jerry K Roller
Paul Georges
Glenn Werner
David Urffer

Address:
100 E. Penn Square #1080, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About JKPR

Founded in 1984, JKRP Architects is a full-service architecture firm built on relationships located in the Center City neighborhood, just next door to City Hall. JKPR specializes, however, in interior design work, specifically when it comes to renovating Philadelphia’s classic architecture. Jerry K Roller, AIA LEEP AP, is also the founder of the firm. He’s served as president of AIA-PA and regional director and vice president on the National AIA Board. He is also an active board member of the BIA of Philadelphia. Paul Georges, AIA, joined JKRP in 1986. Glenn Werner, AIA, LEEP AP, has been part of JKRP since 1987. He’s also a member of the American Institute of Architects, Philadelphia; the ACHE/American College of Healthcare Executives; the Builders Industry Association Green Committee; the Healthcare Facilities Managers Association of Delaware Valley HFMADV; and the Morgantown Area Business Association. David Urffer, AIA, joined in 1998 and is on the board of directors. It also includes Robert McCall, AIA, Jonathan A. Broh, AIA, and Jose J. Hernandez, AIA, NOMA, NCARB as principal architects.

Featured Projects

JKPR were the interior designers for the project at 1501 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. The project was the restoration of famed Philadelphia architect Louis Kahn’s old architectural office. The building had remained largely untouched, with the exception of poor, ground-floor retail alterations completed over the last few decades. The original elevator was replaced and moved out of the front entry vestibule, and the ground floor was restored back to large expanses of glass to accommodate new retail. A double height space was created and windows were replaced throughout the building. JKPR also worked at a private residency in Society Hill, where JKPR’s interior design team added a second story with vaulted and coffered ceilings that offer a breezy and spacious ambiance to this Society Hill home. Contemporary architectural accents, such as the built-in cabinetry and shelving, custom tile work, and walls of windows contribute to the home’s graciousness and culminate in classic feeling.

7
Boxwood

Designers:
John Weckerly
Sal Guerrero

Address:
1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1614, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Boxwood

Located in the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Boxwood Architects is a full-service architecture studio offering interior design, custom graphic design, and project management. The firm has been featured in AIA Philadelphia Emerging Architectures Exhibition, and their interior design work has been published in the Miami New Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Business Journal, philly.com, Eater Philly, and Eater DC. The firm is lead by John Weckerly RA and Sal Guerrero, RA. Weckerly is a graduate of Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture and has over 20 years years of experience working in the profession. He leads Boxwood’s business development, project administration, design, quality control, and construction-related issues. He is registered in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, Florida, and Missouri. His partner, Sal Guerrero, RA, has 13 years experience in the profession and is also a graduate of Temple University Tyler School of Art and Architecture. He serves as Boxwood’s Studio Director, in charge of concept design, design development, and construction documents.

Featured Projects

Boxwood worked on redesigning the interior for the Nagele family’s house in Rittenhouse, Philadelphia in late 2012. The proposed 100-square-foot interior design project included a new galley kitchen and hi-end appliances with copper clad hood over range, new built-in breakfast nook and detailed cabinetry. The basement renovation included a kids’ play zone, new family entertainment room, and sauna. Boxwood also proudly displays their work on a home for the Palladino-Giuliano Family in Queen Village, Philadelphia. The 96-square-foot addition offered a complementary solution to expanding the home with a dining room and bathroom on the first floor and a new bedroom on the second floor. Renovations to the existing bedroom included new closets, reintroducing an existing infilled clerestory window, and harvesting the removed exterior wood siding as a new interior texture. Existing wood siding paired with painted board and batten preserves the integrity of the existing structure, while color unites the two forms.

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Archer & Buchanan

Designers:
Daniel G. Russoniello
Michele L.W. Thackrah

Awards:
PA Society of American Registered Architects Design Award,
West Chester Preservation Alliance Bricks & Mortar Award,
Preservation Alliance Award for Greater Philadelphia,
PA Society of American Registered Architects Outstanding Firm Award

Address:
125 W Miner Street, West Chester, PA 19382

About Archer & Buchanan

Since its inception in 1996, Archer & Buchanan has worked in the Philadelphia area, focusing on renovating and restoring classic homes through their interior design work. Much of their work is inspired by the works and designs of Mellor, Meigs and Howe; Walter Durham; R. Brognard Okie; and Wilson Eyre. The firm is lead by Principals Daniel G. Russoniello, AIA, LEED AP, and Michele L.W. Thackrah, AIA, LEED AP. Russoniello leads the firm’s interior design work. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and has over 30 years of experience at a variety of architectural firms based in Philadelphia. Thackrah leads Archer & Buchanan’s growing hospitality design practice. Before joining A&B in 2002, Thackrah worked at a variety of design firms in Washington DC and Philadelphia. Archer & Buchanan has won a long list of awards, some of which include the 2016 PA Society of American Registered Architects Design Award for their interior design work. They’ve also won the 2016 West Chester Preservation Alliance Bricks & Mortar Award, the 2016 Preservation Alliance Award for Greater Philadelphia, the 2015 PA Society of American Registered Architects Design Award, and 2015 PA Society of American Registered Architects Outstanding Firm Award.

Featured Projects

Archer Buchanan was responsible for the interior design work and renovation at a nearby home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Originally slated for demolition, the 1950-era house on a four acre-acre, sloped and overgrown property was recovered with major renovations and additions. Additions now extend in every direction, allowing natural light and views from every room. The open plan complements existing ceilings with higher ceilings. Grand interior finishes complement primarily French furnishings. The entrance courtyard was expanded, incorporating site walls and a new wing. Terraces emulate the main rooms within the house, placing the home firmly in the landscape. Archer & Buchanan also worked on the residence of Charles Allen in Penn Valley. A thorough update was made to this 1934 home, designed by Philadelphia architect R. Brognard Okie. Okie’s houses reflect a deep appreciation of local woodwork, scale, and proportion. The alterations brought the formerly “servant” utility spaces of pantry, kitchen, maid’s dining room, and larders up to date for contemporary living, while matching the character and detail of formal “served” areas of the house.

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Metcalfe

Designers:
Alan Metcalfe
Aaron Goldblatt

Awards:
American Association of Museums,
Excellence in Exhibition Design Award,
City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge,
Best Overall Design,
HGTV Fresh Faces of Desig,
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums “Buildy” Award,
City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge Best Overall Design,
PA Brownfields Conference,
Extreme Makeover Award

Address:
211 N 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Metcalfe

In 2002, Alan Metcalfe invited one of his clients, Aaron Goldblatt, then deputy director at the Wagner Free Institute of Science, to join together to start a new firm. Metcalfe, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, worked as lead designer and partner at three Philadelphia firms before starting Metcalfe. They’ve worked on a number of high-profile interior design projects, specifically in the culinary scene. Metcalfe holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Tufts University, and he is a LEED AP and NCARB certified. The firm’s work has been featured in a variety of publications, including The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Context Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Times. Metcalfe has also been feted with a long list of awards, including the 2017 American Association of Museums, Excellence in Exhibition Design Award; the 2016 City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge, Best Overall Design; the 2015 HGTV Fresh Faces of Design; the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums “Buildy” Award; the 2014 City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and the Community Design Collaborative Storefront Challenge, Best Overall Design; and the 2013 PA Brownfields Conference, Extreme Makeover Award.

Featured Projects

Metcalfe worked to create the interior for a new urban bistro out of this cultural landmark in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia. Goat Hollow, now found at 300 W. Mt Pleasant Avenue, offers a menu of gastropub classic dishes and fresh hamburgers. Metcalfe installed a red canopy, topped by an aluminum goat silhouette, which marks the entrance to this restaurant. They also made extensive use throughout the space of recycled brick, wood siding, and goat-related objects from the neighborhood Philadelphia Salvage Company. In addition, Metcalfe designed a welcoming fireplace to warm the bar and dining areas, and they updated the kitchen and overall infrastructure. In collaboration with Julia Blaukopf, the firm created custom wallpaper images of rustic local buildings and vegetation, chandeliers of tree roots and recycled bottles, and vintage seating. For their work, the project received a 2015 HGTV Fresh Faces of Design award.

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Groundswell

Designer:
David Fierabend

Address:
1639 N. Hancock Street #302, Philadelphia, PA 19122

About Groundswell

Located in Olde Kensington, Groundswell Design Group is a full-service design firm that offers interior design work for a variety of clients, ranging from restaurants to distilleries, to intimate cafés and pop-up activations. A graduate of Florida International University’s Department of Architecture, the firm’s principal, David Fierabend, is responsible for the aesthetic and creation of Spruce Street Harbor Park and PHS beer garden, as well as hip mainstays including Morgan’s Pier and FringeArts’ new building on the Pier. Groundswell’s work has been featured in philly.com, ABC6, Restaurant Development + Design Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, Akron Beacon Journal, cleveland.com, the San Jose Mercury News, and The St. Louis Business Journal. Some other notable interior design projects outside of Philadelphia include work for Proximo Spirits to redesign Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey Distillery in Denver, the Empire Diner in New York City, and the St. Louis Union Station in St. Louis, MO.

Featured Projects

Groundswell provided interior design work for the Philadelphia Distilling facility at 25 E. Allen Street in Philadelphia. The location offers craft cocktails, using house spirits and guided distillery tours in a converted, historic factory. In the fall of 2015, Groundswell was commissioned to design the interior of their new facility in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. The interior space included a unique blend of industrial charm and vintage character. A mix of traditional, Colonial-style furniture and reclaimed, white oak floors bring life to the industrial space. Groundswell also proudly displays their work on a Philadelphia Penthouse Apartment. This contemporary apartment mixes cool, clean interiors and reclaimed pieces in this city work space located in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia. The space was too bare and the detailing boring, so the homeowners called on the designers at Groundswell Design Group to add character to the home.

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Cecil Baker + Partners

Designer:
Cecil Baker + Partners

Awards:
American Builders Quarterly Building Excellence Awards,
Residential Architect Magazine Hall of Fame Leadership Award,
Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Gold Award

Address:
1107 Walnut Street #2, Philadelphia, PA 19107

About Cecil Baker + Partners

Established in 1982, Cecil Baker + Partners is an architecture firm that offers feasibility studies, programming, design of new structures, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and interior design. The firm has been recognized by The American Institute of Architects, Progressive Architecture, Architectural Record, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and they have had their work published across the United States, Europe, Japan, and South America. Recent awards include Building Excellence Awards from American Builders Quarterly, the Residential Architect Magazine Hall of Fame 2008 Leadership Award, and the Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Gold Award. The firm is led by Principal Cecil Baker, who was born and raised in Argentina before coming to the United States in 1959 to attend Williams College, before going on to get his Master of Architecture, studying under Louis Kahn at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2012, Baker was appointed by the mayor of Philadelphia to serve on the City Planning Commission’s Civic Design Review Committee. Baker is also a past board member and vice president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA. He has been regional representative on the national AIA’s Standing Committee on Housing. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University and has lectured at other institutions of higher learning.

Featured Projects

The University of Pennsylvania was looking to renovate the reception area, lobby, waiting areas and administrative spaces for their Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital Building at 3900 Spruce Street. Thus, Cecil Baker & Partners were brought on to redesign the interior of the one of the foremost veterinary schools in the country. The existing lobby was difficult to find and navigate, the waiting areas were small, dated in their furnishings and design, and dark, with little connection to the exterior. Restrooms and vending areas were hidden and unimproved. Their goal was to bring a calm atmosphere to a previously chaotic space, as well as to improve circulation paths while providing an increased sense of privacy to pets and their owners. At the entry, automatic sliding doors replaced heavy manual doors, and large expanses of glass replaced the heavy brick and punched openings along the front façade. Inside, an open and inviting reception desk is separated in the center by vertical, narrow shafts of LED light that transition through a palette of calming, cool colors. The waiting areas were enlarged and then broken down into smaller areas, defined with built-in banquette seating.

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KSK Architects Planners Historians Inc.

Architects:
Philip E. Scott
Paul Vernon

Awards:
Preservation Achievement Grand Jury Award,
APA PA Chapter Opportunity and Empowerment Award,
Montgomery Award Recipient for Excellence in Planning and Design,
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia Grand Jury Award,
New Castle County Historic Review Board Historic Preservation Award

Address:
2133 Arch Street, Suite 303, Philadelphia, PA 19103

About KSK Architects Planners Historians Inc.

KSK Architects Planners Historians, Inc., founded in 1966, has a professional staff of interior designers working in Center City Philadelphia. They work both in restoring classic architecture and in helping lead the visual process for new projects in the city. They’ve won numerous awards, including the 2016 Preservation Achievement Grand Jury Award, the 2012 APA PA Chapter Opportunity and Empowerment Award, a 2012 Montgomery Award Recipient for Excellence in Planning and Design, the 2012 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, and the 2010 Historic Preservation Award from the New Castle County Historic Review Board. Philip E. Scott, RA, has been a principal at the firm since 2010. Before that, he was a senior associate and project manager at Kise Straw & Kolodner Architects and an associate and project manager at John Milner Associates. Scott is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture program. He is joined by Paul Vernon as managing principal. In September 2010, Paul joined the KSK team of architects, planners, and historians. He brought over two decades of planning and urban design experience in urban, suburban, and rural communities, as well as a personal portfolio in architecture with a focus on community-based populations.

Featured Projects

KSK works to bring back to life the interiors of many classic homes in the Philadelphia area. One of these includes The Mansion at Cabrini College, found at 610 King of Prussia Road in Radnor. KSK prepared a master plan and designs for the complete restoration of the mansion, so it could be used for administrative offices, faculty offices, and public event space. The scope of work included replacement of all building systems, evaluation and treatment recommendations for the historic interior and exterior materials and finishes, and interior design services. KSK has continued to work with Cabrini on the adaptive reuse and renovation of this building. KSK was also the interior design of record for the Please Touch Museum found at 4231 Avenue of the Republic — a national leader in experiential education for very young children. Memorial Hall, one of two buildings still in place from the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, served as the fair’s International Art Gallery, and later, the home of the Philadelphia Art Museum, the Philadelphia Recreation Department, and the Fairmount Park Commission.

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Krieger + Associates

Designer:
Jeffrey F. Krieger

Awards:
PA Council of Society of American Registered Architects Design Award of Honor,
Chrysalis National Award,
Society of American Registered Architects Professional Award of Honor

Address:
1800 Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301

About Krieger + Associates

Krieger + Associates Architects is an award-winning Philadelphia-area firm. Located in nearby Paoli, Pennsylvania, the firm has provided interior design services to residential, institutional, and commercial clients for over two decades, since its creation in 1992. The firm has accumulated a long list of plaudits, including the Design Award of Honor, PA Council of Society of American Registered Architects in 2013, the Chrysalis National Award in 2014, the Professional Award of Honor from the Society of American Registered Architects in 2013, and listed as “Best of the Best” by Professional Remodeler Magazine in 2009. Krieger + Associates is led by president and principal Jeffrey F. Krieger, AIA, LEED AP. Krieger brings over three decades of architectural practice to the group. Prior to founding the firm in 1992, he worked at Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates in Philadelphia. He has been a registered architect since 1985 and has taught architectural design studios at Drexel University for 25 years. He’s also a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Architects and the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA.

Featured Projects

Krieger + Associates Architects has worked on a long list of interior design for homes in the Philadelphia area. Some of these include the “Family Room with a View” in Chestnut Hill. Krieger + Associates renovated the living and sleeping spaces on the first and second floors, updating bathrooms and lighting. Two additions were created on the street side of the house. One provides a new mudroom and rear entrance, while the second adds a large breakfast room and family room. Both additions abut the renovated kitchen and provide expansive views to the yard from the kitchen. The family room was reconceived as an outdoor room with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, large skylights, and a fieldstone floor. White cabinets and cherry and slate countertops harmonize with the exposed interior stone walls. Another project was “Modern on the Inside” in Center City, Philadelphia. This award-winning, three-bedroom condominium remodel project in Center City involves the complete interior renovation of the first floor of a large 1850s brownstone. The contemporary design scheme is based on bringing daylight deep into the interior of the unit. Large, south-facing windows, skylights, and transoms allow sunlight in. Glass doors and transoms permit the light to penetrate interior rooms and hallways. The loft-like living room and dining room feature exposed, existing, heavy timber joists and brick walls. A private flagstone courtyard extends the living area into an intimate garden.