Timelessness, sustainability, and natural materials are all great words to describe the architecture in Denver. These works of art aren’t created without a perfect balance of science and creativity with many local architecture firms on the helm. As a way to showcase those firms, we’ve put together a list of some of the best firms in Denver. The architecture firms on this list aren’t only working on residential or commercial projects, some go as far as design civic buildings and airports.

Note: “best” is determined by the size of the firm, scope of the projects completed, and overall popularity of the firm. This list is in no order.

ArcWest Architects

Project Types Residential, ADU, Commercial, Hospitality, Office Spaces, and Warehouse Facilities

ArcWest Architects is a firm that was founded back in 2006. The firm serves a wide range of clients and they offer architectural and design services for many different types of structures. The firm has a portfolio of work that includes corporate offices, printing facilities, warehouses, restaurants, and brewpubs. The firm does architectural and design work on residential properties as well. When ArcWest Architects are providing services to their clients they want to make it fun, adventurous, and try to enrich the human spirit while providing their services.

One of the partners of ArcWest Architects, Kevin Anderson, received the 2015 Mayor’s Design Award for redevelopment work that he did on an old single-family home. He turned the home into a newly-designed business office.

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Bonsai Design + Build

Project Types Residential Construction including Single-Family, Duplexes, Town Homes, and Multi-Family

Bonsai Design + Build is a local Denver-based construction and architectural firm that was established in 2013. When the company is providing its services or doing projects it focuses on being green and sustainable. The company does a lot of renovations, light commercial remodels, and residential remodel projects. Bonsai Design + Build also has new construction and design of multifamily properties, townhomes, and single-family homes in its portfolio.

Bonsai Design + Build has an architectural registration with the state of Colorado and the company also has a class C contractor’s license. The company also has certifications for small business enterprises, disadvantaged business enterprises, emerging business enterprises, and minority/women business enterprises that were all approved by the City and County of Denver’s Small Business Opportunity.

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Craine Architecture

Project Types Hospitality, Multi-Family, Religious, Commercial, and Mixed-Use

Craine Architecture is one of Denver’s best design and architectural firms. Craine architecture has had many of its works featured in magazines such as Better Homes and the Robb Report. The types of projects that Craine Architecture partakes in are hospitality and resort, multifamily communities, religious structures, commercial buildings, and mixed-use facilities. When Craine Architecture is contracted to do a project they treat their customers like partners. The company values listening to their clients and doing what is in the best interest of the client when it comes to the project.

Besides being featured in various high-profile architectural and homebuilder magazines the company won the Mayor’s Design Award in 2019.

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Davis Partnership Architects

Project Types Healthcare, Higher Education, Commercial, Cultural, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, and Hospitality

Davis Partnership Architects is another local Denver architectural firm that provides services to a variety of different industries as well. Davis Partnership Architects clients are in the areas of higher education, multifamily housing, healthcare, commercial, land planning, Resort/hospitality, and many more. Davis Partnership Architects have been providing services to urban and rural communities in the Denver metro and surrounding areas for over 50 years. The company specializes in landscape architecture, interior design, architecture, sign design, and Lighting.

Davis Partnership Architects has won hundreds of awards for their designs and innovation. One of the most prestigious awards that the company has won is the Firm of the Year from the International Interior Design Association. In 2019 the company was also awarded the Kaiser Permanente Design Excellence Award.

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Doerr Architecture

Project Types Residential, Commercial, Remodels, EcoHomes, and Historical Renovation

Doerr Architecture is an architectural and design firm that is committed to performing sustainable architecture and using green building practices. The green and sustainable practices have made Doerr Architecture a very successful firm. The company has successfully completed and been praised for its work on passive solar building designs, net-zero energy homes, urban infill development projects, and historic renovations. Doerr Architecture is affordable for customers because they are eco-friendly. The company also offers a variety of different green building services.

The founder and leader of the company Thomas Doerr used to be a part of the Colorado chapter of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment. The company was awarded the Denver Mayor’s design award for a project that they did called the Finch House.

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Faleide Architecture

Project Types Commercial, Community, Multi-Family, and Single-Family

Faleide Architecture is an architectural design firm that has been providing services in the Denver metro area for over three decades. The leader and founder of Faleide Architecture is a gentleman by the name of Ron Faleide. The firm has a very diverse portfolio that includes multi-family homes, single-family homes, schools and campuses, community buildings, and commercial buildings. Faleide Architecture focuses on creating spaces that enrich clients’ lives because they just feel good to be in. Faleide works personally with his clients so the final product embodies their vision.

Faleide Architecture has been winning many different design awards since the 1990s in every building type the firm has taken on, including a state-of-the-art childcare facility called PeeVee’s Playhouse. It received a 2011 Citation Award.

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GMH By Design

Project Types Commercial, Civic & Religious, and Residential

GMH By Design is the type of architecture design company that provides some of the best workmanship and modern design on the market. The type of work that they do is like a large architecture design firm would do but at the price of a small architecture firm. GMH By Design was founded in 2010 by a husband and wife couple by the names of Greg and Sherri Houston. GMH By Design specializes in creating designs for residential projects, religious projects, civic projects, and commercial projects. Even though GMH By design has been in business a little over a decade one of the founders Greg Houston has been a licensed practicing architect for over 15 years.

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HMH Architecture + Interiors

Project Types Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Remodels, Retail, Commercial, and Interior Design

HMH Architecture + Interiors is a firm that was founded back in 1989. The firm is still very successful after all this time and is home-based in Colorado. HMH Architecture + Interiors has been winning many different awards for the work that they do throughout all these decades. The specialty of this architecture and design firm is custom homes, mix used loft projects, multi-family projects, remodels, retail projects, interior design, and commercial projects. The company focuses on providing its customers with energy-efficient, innovative, and modern homes and buildings. The company also uses green and sustainable technology when creating their designs.

The most notable awards that HMM Architecture + Interiors has received were the Best of Houzz Design & Customer Satisfaction and Houzz Influencer awards in 2015, along with the Best of Houzz in 2018 and 2017. HMM Architecture + Interiors also received the Colorado North Chapter Firm of the Year award in 2013.

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Fentress Architects

Project Types Aviation, Civic, Commercial, Higher Education, Laboratories

Founded in 1980 by Curtis Fentress, Fentress Architects is one of the top green design firms in the United States and it actively pursues the creation of iconic public architecture. Internationally known for its award-winning work primarily consisting of airports, museums, laboratories, convention centers, and government buildings, the firm also designs office, mixed-use, religious, and residential buildings.

Their award profile consists of over 100 regional, national, and international recognition by professional organizations, with many coming from fellow members of the AIA. Included is the #1 Airport in Design and Functionality, World’s Most Beautiful Airports, and Best Airport in North America for the Denver International Airport, Design Excellence for the Russell-Knox Office Building by the DBIA Mid-Atlantic Region, and the Grand Award for the Array Tower by Gold Nugget.

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Humphries Poli Architects

Project Types Civic, Residential, Office, and Interior Design

Humphries Poli Architects is an architectural design firm that was founded and has been operating in Denver since 1994. Humphries Poli Architects performs projects both in the public and the private sector. The company’s projects consist of new structures, master planning, interior design, rehabilitation of historic facilities, and adaptive reuse.

Humphries Poli Architects has received hundreds of awards for their innovative and creative designs throughout the years. The four most notable and prominent awards that the firm has won are the AIA Denver Firm of the Year, AIA Colorado Merit Award, Colorado Firm of the Year, and the AIA Western Mountain Region Firm of the Year.

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