Last updated on May 22nd, 2024 at 06:07 am
As the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Oregon, the city of Bend brings in a lot of foot traffic that attracts businesses and new residents to support those businesses. On top of being a bustling city, it’s internationally known for its outdoor sports, pristine landscapes, and sweeping vistas. Thanks to that wonderful scenery and the great opportunities to go with it, Bend is an attractive location for anyone looking to start a business.
If you’re looking to build your new commercial projects in the area, here are the best commercial architects in Bend, Oregon. This list was created after we closely considered the background, design processes, and awards of a number of commercial architects working in the area.
BLRB Architects
721 SW Industrial Way, Suite 130, Bend, OR 97702
BLRB Architects is an experienced architectural firm that’s been in the game for 68 years, providing facility planning, programming, conceptual design, and complete architectural services for a wide variety of project types, particularly large-scale projects in the hospitality market. As one of Northwest’s leading firms, BLRB is accredited with several associations, including the NCARB, the AIA, the DBIA, and the USGBC. It is especially skilled in designing contemporary commercial projects for the people of Bend.
Whether it’s new construction, building rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, master planning, expansion, or even tenant improvement, BLRB Architects’ team works closely with each of its clients and stakeholders to make sure that the vision for the form and style is evident in the final design.
Featured is BLRB’s work on The Hixon at Westside Yard, a 226,500 square foot mixed-use residential project designed in a stylish, contemporary design. It offers five residential floors built atop 20,000 square feet of ground-level mixed-use commercial space. On top of enhancing the local housing options in Bend, it’s also a thoughtfully-designed structure, designed to reduce the impact of the building’s footprint.
LRS Architects
1693 SW Chandler Avenue, Suite 140, Bend, OR 97702
LRS Architects is one of the most well-known names in the architecture scene in Central Oregon. As a veteran architectural firm, it’s composed of certified and experienced associates and designers, driven by their passion for good design and forward-thinking architecture. LRS Architects is also NCARB Certified and has AIA, USGBC, AIP, and LEED AP BD+C members on its roster. For its fantastic work in the business, LRS Architects was named one of the Top Work Places in 2021. It also won the 2019 National Association of Home Builders Best of 55+ Housing Award.
The Timberland Retail Center, featured here, is a stunning example of LRS Architects’ expertise when it comes to designing commercial projects. This impressive building is found in the Cedar Mill area of Portland, Oregon, and features six individual retail buildings built around a large grocery store and a public plaza. Aside from the lovely commercial spaces, this retail center was also designed with landscape work that enhances shopping and pedestrian experiences.
Steele Associates
1567 SW Chandler Avenue, Suite 203, Bend, OR 97702
Since 1996, Steele Associates has maintained a solid reputation as a leading architecture firm in the Pacific Northwest. Its design philosophy is anchored on creating timeless, beautiful architecture that is reflective of each place and context it works in. A diverse portfolio with notable projects that embody the identity of each client while remaining grounded in the needs of the locale is the result.
Steel Associates is led by Scott Steele, a highly experienced architect licensed with the NCARB, the AIA, and the USGBC. Scott has established a strong reputation as an architect, master planner, and team leader thanks to a broad range of public and private projects. With experience that spans over 20 years, he has led Steel Associates in designing various projects across a range of markets. That includes the commercial market, where the firm has designed large-scale retail centers as well as credit unions and banks.
Featured is the Thump Coffee & Roastery, a charming coffee shop in Bend. Thump is driven by a desire to provide the surrounding community with a better cup of coffee and a better experience to go along with it. With that vision in mind, Steele worked closely with the client to design a space in NorthWest Crossing that enhances the customer’s experience. The building features a large patio, a cozy fire pit, mountain and Summit High school playfield views, and it even has the flexibility to open up the walls to blend the indoors with the outdoors. The place is a favorite location for mountain bikers, school parents, students, and local businesses.
Stemach Design + Architecture
550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 135, Bend, OR 97702
For nearly a decade now, Stemach Design + Architecture has been providing Bend with planning, designing, and permitting services for their commercial project needs. Its service is backed by the latest technology, including three-dimensional modeling techniques that let the team present the appearance, operation, and viability of the project to the clients. Doing so minimizes risks and unwanted surprises during the process.
Thanks to the company’s impeccable interior designing and architectural finesse, Stemach Design + Architecture enjoys a strong reputation for being a forward-thinking firm. The firm specializes in contemporary and modern designs that mix industrial and rustic features. This fine attention to detail makes for commercial projects that are both practical and easy on the eyes.
Pictured above is the 10 Barrel West project, a 2,600-square-foot restaurant and brew-tasting facility in Bend, Oregon. The team transformed an existing 2,700 square foot building and maximized it to create a cozy space for dining and drinking. In the process of this transformation, the team was able to reuse much of the structure and update the building to ADA compliance and building codes, all while incorporating the clients’ wish for a large dining area and garage doors that open to a bustling patio. The result is an energetic and rustic location that makes for a great addition to Bend’s community and nightlife.
Neal Huston Associates
520 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 621, Bend, OR 97702
Backed by 33 years of experience, Neal Huston Architects is one of the area’s best-known architects, with projects in multiple states outside of Oregon. It takes care of the interior and exterior design of commercial projects and has a diverse portfolio that includes industrial, multi-family, and single-family projects.
The firm is headed by Neal Huston, a licensed and active architect accredited with USGBC and AIA on top of being a LEED Accredited Professional. As the principal of the firm, he takes charge of planning and design direction through all phases of the project and strives to apply green methods in his practice of architecture. His ability to successfully develop projects of varying styles and sizes is evident in the firm’s growing body of work in the commercial market.
Pictured is Neal Huston Associates’ work on Worthy Brewing, a rustic 28,000-square-foot facility found in nearly 3 acres of land on the east side of Bend. This expansive facility houses a production brewhouse, administration offices, a restaurant, a hop garden, and a greenhouse for hop variety research. It’s all tied together by a contemporary rustic design. The facility also employs some sustainable elements. 75% of the complex is solar-generated, production generated wastewater is treated on-site, and—thanks to the abundance of natural light—it has also reduced reliance on artificial light sources during the daytime.
COLE Architects
780 NW York Drive, Suite 201, Bend, OR 97703
Founded in Bend back in 2000, COLE Architects (previously DKA Architecture) is a trusted architecture firm that has made its mark on several local landmarks, including the Tower Theater Renovation, the Deschutes Brewery and Public House, the Trinity Episcopal Church, the St. Thomas Catholic Church, the AAA Building, the Kendall Bend Audi/Porsche/BMW facility, the Aquatic Center at Sunriver Resort, and the AmeriTitle Buildings found throughout the region. Looking through its portfolio, it’s clear that COLE Architects is experienced in the art of designing commercial structures, and it has had the opportunity to work with brand names like Audi.
Pictured above is COLE Architects’ work on the Audi.Bend project. It’s a striking, modern facility with expansive windows that put the cars inside on full display. The minimalist, metal framing of the building displays Audi’s stylish cars to advantage while providing structural integrity for the building.
Mitch Darby Architect
21165 Gift Road, Bend, OR 97703
Mitch Darby Architects is an architecture firm built atop two decades of professional design experience. Its founder, Mitch Darby, is accredited by the NCARB and serves as an active architect. He is based in Central Oregon. Throughout his career, Mitch has worked on several commercial projects, including big name brands like Nissan, as well as cafes and retail shops that serve Central Oregon.
Featured above is the Smolich Nissan project in Bend. This expansive facility spans 13,026 square feet and is a great example of Mitch Darby’s design prowess. As a facility dedicated to the exclusive sales and service of Nissan vehicles, it had to comply with corporate brand standards to maintain the outlet’s identity. The City of Bend objected to some design elements in the facility, so the team took charge of redesigning new elements that combined both the wishes of Nissan and the City of Bend. The result is this great building that has served as a great addition to the client’s successful dealerships in Bend.
Blaise Cacciola Architect
1465 SW Knoll Avenue, Suite 250, Bend, OR 97702
Established in 2010, Blaise Cacciola is a relatively fresh firm that has already made a name for itself by designing highly technical media, commercial, retail, industrial, and research facilities. In its younger years as an architecture firm, Blaise Cacciola partnered up with various companies for projects like manufacturing centers and restaurants, as well as several more in the commercial market. As the firm continues to grow, it has remained committed to creating valuable and efficient spaces that take into account the needs of its location.
Pictured above is The Lot, a picturesque location that embodies the owner’s vision for a vibrant outdoor gathering space where the people of Bend could enjoy gourmet street food and craft beer. For this project, Blaise Cacciola considered the adjacent neighborhood and the city’s stringent guidelines to execute this simple post-and-beam structure that slots in nicely to the surrounding residential neighborhood. This covered dining area is flanked by food cart parking, a beer bar, and an outdoor fire pit that’s available all year round for casual dining and drinking. All of these elements combined into such an intimate space make for a warm and vibrant location where people can relax.
