Home to numerous national landmarks, Washington, DC, is a city known for its history as the capital of the United States of America. It offers residents and tourists security, multiple entertainment opportunities, and a full range of dining options. Its strong and diverse economy makes it one of the best cities to begin a career. Washington, DC’s accessibility and thriving marketplace make it an excellent location for businesses opting for modern office spaces. If you want to build office space in Washington, DC, we have listed 15 of the best office architects working in the region below.
OTJ Architects
555 11th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20004
OTJ Architects is a Washington, DC, premier design and architecture firm working with clients to imagine next-generation design solutions that improve the ever-changing real estate landscapes across the nation. Formed in 1990, the firm specializes in a wide spectrum of projects, including the arts and culture, education, lifestyle and hospitality, multifamily residential, office, and life sciences sectors. The firm prides itself on partnering with leaders from different market sectors to produce human-centric solutions.
Gary Martinez is an internationally acclaimed expert specializing in the design of cultural and performing arts centers. He is OTJ Architects’ senior principal and director and directs the execution of the firm’s projects. His work has been featured in multiple national and regional outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
FOX Architects
1240 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
FOX Architects is an award-winning interior design firm headquartered in Washington, DC. The firm was founded by Bob Fox in 2003 and focuses on building innovative environments across New York, Washington, Massachusetts, and Virginia. For nearly two decades, the firm has specialized in creating office spaces that reinvent environments and inspire clients and the community to thrive. The firm fosters solid customer relationships by striving to be consistently responsive and delivering on its promises.
Bob serves as FOX Architects’ chairman and principal and is known for his open-minded and innovative approach to workplace design. He brings over 30 years of experience in the architecture field and is an active member of the design community. He is also a registered architect in 25 states.
HYL Architecture
607 14th Street NW, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20005
HYL Architecture is a Washington, DC, firm that has been providing high-quality designs and strategy services for corporate, nonprofit, associations, and government affairs clients across DC, Virginia, New York, Texas, Colorado, and California for eight years. The firm specializes in developing offices, including corporate offices, corporate headquarters, law firms, associations, foundations, and financial services, approaching each project in a holistic and detailed manner. The firm ensures that each project is tailored to match its clients’ workplace culture and business to produce more valuable results.
Catherine Heath supervises the team and is HYL Architecture’s founder. She is one of the leading commercial interior designers in the world and has led the design process of some of the most notable law firms and offices in the U.S. The firm won the 2022 IIDA Mid Atlantic Chapter Premiere Design Awards.
Bonstra | Haresign Architects
1728 Fourteenth Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009
Bonstra | Haresign Architects is an award-winning architecture firm that believes architecture should fulfill clients’ and the community’s aspirations and complement the environment. The firm is a 30-person team of architects and designers passionate about creating transformative solutions. It specializes in residential, workplace, retail, mixed-use, and recreation projects, employing the thoughtful analysis, discovery, and collaboration that ultimately lead to unique designs.
The company runs under the management of William J. Bonstra and David Haresign. William is a renowned expert whose work has received over 50 national and regional awards. That work has also been featured in over 40 international, national and regional design journals and publications. David, meanwhile, is a recognized expert and leader in all aspects of planning and architecture and a recipient of over 125 design and community/industry awards. The firm was featured in multiple magazines, including the Washingtonian.
CORE Architecture + Design
1010 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 405, Washington, DC 20007
CORE Architecture + Design is an award-winning architectural design firm headquartered in Washington, DC. Founded in 1991 by Dale Stewart, the firm was established to create intentional designs that shape experiences. The firm specializes in recreational, retail, restaurants, education, multifamily, and office spaces, striving to earn each client’s trust by leading with experience. For over three decades in the industry, CORE Architecture + Design has started each design process by exploring and understanding customers’ business goals and aspirations. Doing so enables it to identify clients’ needs and define the story of their building.
Since the company’s inception, Dale has focused on leading the firm’s projects, including design documentation and construction quality control. His 38 years of experience demonstrate his strong expertise in master planning, historic preservation, and commercial interiors.
CallisonRTKL
2101 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
CallisonRTKL is a Washington, DC, architecture, planning, and design practice specializing in a wide selection of services, including commercial interior, historic preservation, interior architecture and design, and landscape architecture. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the firm serves various market sectors, such as automotive, civic/cultural, corporate workplace, government, health care, office building, and retail. It extends its services to clients in Australia, China, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, South Asia, and UK/Europe. CallisonRTKL remains committed to enriching clients’ lives and adding value to their businesses.
CallisonRTKL operates under the leadership of Jodi Williams and Kim Heartwell. The former leads the Washington, DC, office and brings over 15 years of experience and leads the firm’s strategic planning efforts. Meanwhile, Kim is the president and CEO of CallisonRTKL. She leads the company’s firmwide vision and market growth strategies and has led the team on some of the firm’s most impressive workplace projects.
Hickok Cole
301 N Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Headquartered in Washington, DC, Hickok Cole is an architecture and design practice connecting imaginative ideas, diverse backgrounds, and partners with a vision to build meaningful and durable spaces. The firm specializes in education, government, hospitality, mixed-use, office, multifamily, retail, and entertainment facilities, serving clients in DC and Virginia. The firm includes a 100-person team of architects, project managers, interior designers, graphic/media designers, strategists, and researchers, contributing to the design and success of each project. The firm believes in the connected power of collaboration, so it ensures every voice is heard.
Michael E. Hickok and Yolanda Cole are the company’s managing principals. With over 60 years of combined experience, both are widely recognized for their knowledge and expertise in architecture and are members of the Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. In 2016, the firm received the Award of Merit from AIA Northern Virginia.
GTM Architects
7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 700, Bethesda, MD 20814
Operating nationwide, GTM Architects is a recognized residential and commercial architecture firm formed in 1989. It specializes in architecture, planning, and interior design services and has always been committed to serving the needs and visions of its clients above anything else. The firm prides itself on its team of experts that possess extensive knowledge and an array of skills across various specialties. During its 33 years in the business, the firm has established a portfolio of residential, restaurant, offices, retail, mixed-use, and recreational projects, each led by a reliable design team.
GTM Architects runs under the oversight of James C. Myers, who has been with the company since 1995. The firm’s founder, George Myers, continues to lead the company as the president. He is a registered architect in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and more than 20 states nationwide. The firm has been featured by multiple media outlets, including The Business Journals and The Washington Post.
Shalom Baranes Associates
1010 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20007
Founded in 1981, Shalom Baranes Associates is an award-winning architectural firm known for its residential, commercial, institutional, and governmental design expertise. The firm specializes in architecture, project management, historic preservation, interior design, and master planning. It has been at the forefront of the city’s development since its founding. The firm offers a full range of services for private and public sector clients across Washington, DC, and beyond. Shalom Baranes Associates’ ability to create practical building solutions has enabled it to earn the respect of many.
Shalom Baranes leads his namesake company and is a recognized leader. He was one of the youngest ever elevated to the AIA College of Fellows and has chaired the Architectural Review Panel for the District of Columbia.
DCS Design
8614 Westwood Center Drive, Suite 800, Tysons, VA 22182
Established in 1968, DCS Design is a full-service architectural firm formed on the belief that honesty, integrity, and commitment to service is the most effective way of doing business. The firm specializes in architecture, interior architecture, master planning, sustainable design, branding, and human wellness, taking pride in its unwavering dedication to its clients, employees, and community. Since its establishment, the firm has constructed many award-winning buildings and continues to focus on sustainability.
DCS Design is a talented, multi-cultural team—they treat one another as family. They are managed by Douglas Carter and Lena Scott, the firm’s principal architect and interior designer. Under their direction, the firm has won numerous accolades, including the 2020 Excellence in Construction Award and the 2019 NAIOP Northern Virginia Award of Merit.
INTEC Group
1800 M Street NW, #9, Washington, DC 20036
INTEC Group is a pioneer in combining architecture and interior design as an integrated concept. The firm opened its doors in 1984, providing workplace, mixed-use, multifamily, hospitality, restaurant, religious, retail, specialty, base building, and repositioning services to clients in Washington, DC, Charlotte, North Carolina, Springfield, Virginia, and beyond. Since its inception, the firm has earned a reputation for its superior quality designs and services and for providing a dynamic and professional experience to its staff.
Keith Switzer is the president and CEO of INTEC Group. He is responsible for the company’s strategic direction and business development and maintains the firm’s financial stability. His drive and hard work made a significant impact on the growth and success of the firm. Under his oversight, the firm received the 2018 IFMA Award of Excellence for Facility Management Innovation.
KGD Architecture
1101 15th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005
Headquartered in Washington, DC, KGD Architecture is a full-service design firm known for its award-winning design solutions. It strives to create built environments that improve performance, function, and wellbeing. The firm maintains multiple offices across the globe and provides affordable housing, corporate and commercial offices, hospitality, mixed-use, multifamily, educational, institutional, science and technology, and sustainable design services. Since 1995, it has brought diverse perspectives to challenging projects and produced creative spaces that express clients’ brands, cultures, and values.
Tsutomu Ben Kishimoto, Christopher Lee Gordon, and Manoj Dalaya are the firm’s managing principals. They bring over 70 years of combined experience and aim to impact their clients’ lives significantly. The firm has been featured in multiple press publications, including The Business Journals and Real Estate Weekly.
Architecture Incorporated
1902 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 101, Reston, VA 20191
Founded in 1986 by William R. Drury and Rusty Shaw, Architecture Incorporated is an award-winning planning, architecture, and interior design practice turning visions into reality. The firm is a 60-person team committed to enhancing lives through high-quality built environments. It specializes in a wide range of projects, including sports and recreation, interiors and workplace, commercial buildings, education, healthcare, life sciences, hospitality, restaurants, and multifamily housing. The firm serves Reston, Washington, and the surrounding area.
Both principals bring 40 years of architecture experience. They are passionate about working with clients closely to ensure their projects turn out the way they want. William is licensed to perform work in over 15 states; Rusty is recognized for his stewardship, forward-thinking designs, innovation, and unparalleled service.
McKissack & McKissack
901 K Street NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20001
McKissack & McKissack is an architectural, engineering, and construction services firm 150 employees strong. It was established 32 years ago and focuses on enriching people’s lives and empowering communities by developing quality infrastructure projects. Since 1990, the firm has earned a reputation for consistently delivering outstanding results and meeting clients’ expectations, schedules, and budgetary constraints. The firm serves a diverse range of sectors, including aviation, civic/cultural, corporate/commercial, education, government, healthcare/research, and hospitality. It builds throughout DC, Maryland, Illinois, California, and Texas.
Deryl McKissack is the president and CEO and has directed over $15 billion in projects nationwide. She is a licensed professional engineer and registered project management professional who is part of the fifth generation of the McKissack family to work in the design and construction field.
Travis Price Architects
2805 Chesterfield Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Founded in 1980, Travis Price Architects is a Washington, DC, award-winning architecture firm widely praised for its innovative discoveries and inventive aesthetics. It is dedicated to building structures that represent the heart of the built environment’s natural surroundings. The firm specializes in single-family residential, multi-family residential, institutional, retail, office, and restaurant projects, building in the U.S, Asia, and Europe.
Travis Price is a recognized architect with NCARB practicing and lecturing nationally and internationally. He is an environmentalist, author, educator, and contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler Magazine. Under his leadership, Travis Price Architects won 25 Outstanding Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects and the 2013 IFRAA Design Award. The firm was also featured in numerous publications, including Indianapolis Monthly and Designboom.
