2026 Top Commercial Architects and Designers

Survey respondents reported on their specializations and design activities between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025.
Note: Though we made every effort to include all major architecture and design firms in the commercial real estate space, several notable firms did not participate.

Key:
Areas of Expertise: UD=Urban Design, BD=Building Design, ID=Interior Design,
Hr/Ar=Historic Renovation/Adaptive Reuse, X=Other
Property Sectors: He=Health Care, Ho=Hospitality, I=Industrial, M=Multifamily, O=Office, R=Retail, X=Other

To be included in upcoming rankings, email Agota Felhazi at agota.felhazi@cpe-mhn.com. 

Adaptive Reuse Moves to the Forefront

Commercial Property Executive announces the 2026 Top Architects and Designers ranking, the seventh addition to our annual list series. The 10 companies on this list exemplify the state of architecture as they fuse what users want (daylight, green spaces, wellbeing and collaboration) with eco-conscious design principles. Adaptive reuse has evolved from a niche strategy to a widespread expectation, with the reuse framework present in everything from residential projects to data centers as local authorities enable the trend by revising zoning and offering incentives.

Below, CPE features 10 leading companies in the field of architecture along with some of their noteworthy projects.

1. Arrowstreet

Arrowstreet secured the top spot for CPE’s inaugural Top Architects and Designers ranking. The Boston-based firm’s expertise covers urban design, building design, interior design as well as historic renovation/adaptive reuse and other areas. On the commercial side the firm was most active in the academic/arts and culture space, while also covering science and technology, retail, hospitality and office. Arrowstreet’s recent notable commercial projects included One Milestone, which established a new research hub at Harvard in the Allston neighborhood of Boston. Developed by Breakthrough Properties, the nine-story building totaling 510,000 rentable square feet pursued bold carbon-reduction targets. Serving as Architect of Record, Arrowstreet coordinated a large multidisciplinary team to deliver a project that received a BE+ Green Building Showcase Award for Construction Innovation and a Concrete Innovation Award for accomplishing a 49 percent reduction in embodied carbon. One Milestone also aimed for LEED Gold, Fitwell 2-star, WIRED SCORE certification.

2. Bergmeyer

Among the companies on the list, Bergmeyer had the most submitted proposals for the year ending in September 2025. The company was also one of the most diversified with a heavy focus on retail space while also working within other areas, such as the food and beverage industry. Bergmeyer crafted a redesign of 2 Seaport Lane Lobby in Boston’s Seaport District for Pembroke. By eliminating the grand spiral staircase thus opening the floor plan, adding ample greenery and enhancing user comfort, the multifunctional space became a serene, light‑filled retreat. Cascading plants on the mezzanine offer tenants a calming space to meet, collaborate or unwind. The lobby, which leads to an indoor winter garden, blends nature with workplace design.

3. Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio

Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio brought together a wide array of design categories with a large scope of practice areas. On the commercial side, the company focused on office space closely followed by hospitality. But it also worked on convention centers. Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio’s notable projects included a phased expansion of the Cobb Convention Center since the venue needed to maintain full operations while the renovation and expansion were ongoing. The design added a two-story grand entry and outdoor courtyards, bringing in natural light, expanded meeting and ballroom spaces and elevated concourses. The project also required long‑range planning for future growth, underscoring RJTR’s ability to deliver complex venues that perform today while remaining adaptable for tomorrow.

4. Niles Bolton Associates

Niles Bolton Associates had the largest total architecture and design staff on our list and the highest number of landscape architects. While primarily focused on multifamily, the c also worked in the hospitality, office and retail spaces. A recent project of Niles Bolton Associates, 405 Cooper St. in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Atlanta, will provide 112 supportive housing units as part of The City of Atlanta Rapid Housing Initiative, which is designed to address homelessness quickly by constructing units reducing traditional development timelines. Developed for Atlantica Properties, the three-story property, 53,844-square-foot building is constructed using modular construction though partnering with Vantem.

5. CetraRuddy Architecture

New York-based CetraRuddy Architecture works across multiple disciplines, including building design, interior design and historic renovation/adaptive reuse. Despite a focus on multifamily, the company also took on projects in the civic, education and hospitality sectors and worked on mixed-use developments. Working on SoMA at 25 Water St., CetraRuddy Architecture delivered the nation’s designed the largest office-to-residential conversion project in New York City’s Financial District. Commissioned by Metro Loft, GFP Real Estate and Rockwood Capital, the 1.1million‑square-foot, 31-story tower transformed into 1,320 units enhanced by expansive amenities. The LEED Silver-certified project set a national benchmark for adaptive reuse by blending wellness, connectivity and large‑scale residential living.

6. Market Square Architects

Market Square Architects demonstrates strength across disciplines–from urban and building design to interiors and historic renovations. While multifamily remained central to the firm, its work also spanned industrial, office, hospitality and retail. Working on Galvion in Portsmouth, N.H., Market Square Architects designed a modern U.S. headquarters combining office space with specialized manufacturing and testing facilities, including an indoor ballistics range. The 48,000-square-foot facility for Galvion Ballistics LTD was built with insulated metal panels manufactured by Metl-Span and aligns with the company’s color palette, including a bright green accent.

7. JHP Architecture/Urban Design

JHP Architecture/Urban Design was the second most successful at converting submitted project proposals into awarded projects. The firm was present across key disciplines, such as urban design, building design, interiors and historic renovation/adaptive reuse. JHP was most active in the multifamily sector. Totaling 350 units in Dallas, Lantower Midtown was the company’s answer to contemporary urban multifamily project with refined detailing. The end result combines a distinctive stacked-amenities corner with resort-inspired shared spaces and courtyards, The design places clear emphasis on fostering community and supporting resident well-being.

8. Beatty Harvey Coco Architects

With a 140‑year legacy, Beatty Harvey Coco Architects has delivered more than 10,000 multifamily units and over 150 civic projects across urban design, building design, interiors, and historic renovation/adaptive reuse. The company also achieved the highest win rate of all firms on the list, most successfully converting opportunities into awarded work. Among recent notable projects, Beatty Harvey Coco Architects redesigned and resized The Arden to meet Glen Cove’s zoning requirements, demonstrating adaptability while maintaining design intent. Developed for RXR and Chuo-Nittochi Group, the five story building totals 124,000 square feet including 2,400 square feet of retail space in Garvies Point, N.Y.

9. ID Studios Inc.

Founded in 2025, the interior architecture and design firm is a WBENC certified woman-owned business. ForID Studios the education sector remained central, but the firm also worked across office, hospitality and multifamily. ID Studios reimagined a former art museum in downtown San Diego as the Navy SEAL Museum. Collaborating with BWE, the company addressed unique challenges, such as suspending a full‑size submersible. In the end ID Studios created an immersive, accessible and narrative‑driven environment that honors the SEAL legacy.

10. Hooker DeJong

Among the companies on the list, Hooker DeJong Inc. was also one of the most prolific, present across key disciplines from urban design to renovation/adaptive reuse and design services in support of LIHTC. HDJ was active in the multifamily, hospitality and health care sectors. The company’s recent noteworthy projects included Rosenwald Courts in Chicago’s Bronzeville district, which united historic preservation with mixed‑use redevelopment and added affordable housing in the mix. HDJ transformed a long‑vacant brownfield into a five-story building with IHDA Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Design certification totaling 225 residential units and 50,000 square feet of retail and office space. Delivered with the help of a complex capital stack, the project demanded coordination across preservation efforts, modernization needs and funding requirements.

Methodology

Commercial Property Executive‘s 2026 Top Architects and Designers ranking utilized self‑reported data for all firms. Results derived from a weighted formula based on a variety of factors (only a few of which are specified here), including revenue, multi‑year revenue momentum, the percentage of proposals won, staff credentials and a focused or diversified participation across sectors and geographies. The ranking was designed to reflect a balanced combination of firm scale, growth, market presence, and practice breadth. All data reflect the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025.

Read the April 2026 issue of CPE.