Last updated on July 4th, 2024 at 06:45 am
Best known for its safe neighborhoods and exclusive communities, Coral Gables is a popular choice for growing families and young professionals when it comes to relocation. It is known for its tree-lined boulevards, exquisite mansions, beautiful hotels, and various historic landmarks. It is also known for its great commercial spaces, and this list is a showcase of 12 of its best and leading architects. These firms were chosen based on their various experiences and extensive backgrounds.
Arquitectonica
2900 Oak Ave, Miami, FL 331333
Arquitectonica has offices in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila, Lima, and Sao Paulo. It has been in business since 1977 and is led by its principals, Bernardo Fort-Brescia and Laurinda Spear. Under their leadership, the firm has received hundreds of design awards and its groundbreaking work has been the subject of exhibitions at numerous museums and institutions. Some of the firm’s best projects include spaces completed for stellar brands such as the Microsoft Europe Headquarters in Paris, the Bronx Museum and Westin Times Square in New York, Festival Walk, the Cyberport Technology Campus in Hong Kong, and the International Finance Center in Seoul. Showcased below is one of our favorites from the firm’s portfolio.
Located in Miami Beach in its historic Art Deco District, this mixed-use development consists of a six-level parking garage and a band of historic art deco facades. The facade of this project’s upper garage is composed of grids of patterned fiberglass components, reminiscent of the ocean.
Touzet Studio
800 S Douglas Rd Puerta del Sol Suite 250 Coral Gables, FL 33134
Headquartered in Coral Gables, Touzet Studio is an award-winning architecture and design studio that provides its clients a complete and comprehensive range of services. It is known to incorporate various sustainability practices into its projects, assuring clients that all of its spaces are highly efficient and environmentally friendly. The firm is regarded for its urban designs and bespoke interiors. It is recognized both regionally and internationally and consistently ranks among the leading design firms in Florida. Most recently, it was named by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Miami Firm of the Year in 2021. Some of its work has also been featured in publications like The New York Times and Architect Magazine. Depicted below is one of the firm’s best works.
Located on Lincoln Road, this project serves as Nike’s flagship store. It was completed back in 2017 and spans over 30,000 square feet. For this, the firm’s team drew heavy inspiration from Miami Beach’s history and architecture, in addition to Latin American modernism, while referencing elements from Nike’s own iconography.
Chisholm Architects, Inc.
782 NW 42nd Ave. Suite 650, Miami, FL 33126
Founded in 1982, Chisholm Architects operates out of its headquarters in Miami and has had the opportunity to work in some of its most impressive commercial districts. It is a multi-disciplinary firm that excels in architecture, interior design, master planning, and urban design. The firm is regarded for its pragmatic and innovative solutions to otherwise complex and challenging projects. In 1992, the firm was named “Architectural Firm of the Year” in Miami-Dade County and again in 2019.
The pictured project is located in the heart of Miami. It was completed for the Wynwood Design Center. For this project, the firm’s team opted for a retro-inspired theme and cool color palette.
nbww architects
161 Almeria Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134
For the past fifty years, nbww has worked on the planning and design of projects worth over $5B. These encompass both new and rehabilitation construction, in addition to over 40,000 hotel rooms. The firm is internationally renowned for its planning and architectural design of mixed-use centers and world-class hotels and resorts, as well as high-end residential, commercial, and retail work. It has completed projects throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Bahamas, Central America, South America, and Mexico. Some of the firm’s most impressive work includes hospitality and development giants such as Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Waldorf Astoria, Starwood, St. Regis, “W” Rosewood, Fairmont, Regent, Loews, Nikko, Hilton, Sheraton, Inter-Continental, Grand Bay Hotels, and Diplomat Hotels.
Located in Miami, the depicted project is a LEED Gold design. It spans over 540,000 square feet of office space, in addition to 10,500 square feet of retail space. For this project, the firm’s team incorporated numerous features that make it especially resilient and resistant to hurricanes. Its most distinguishing design element is the impact-resistant blue glass.
Carty Architecture
2655 S Le Jeune Rd, Suite 607, Coral Gables, FL, 33134
Carty Architecture extends its services throughout Florida and operates out of its headquarters in Coral Gables. It provides its clients a complete array of commercial architecture services and prides itself on the stellar reputation it has established for itself through the years. It is recognized for its excellence in planning, design, and execution within a wide range of services for a large scope of project types. These include spaces completed for aviation and transportation, parks and recreations, hospitality, offices, education, government and civic, and retail market sectors. Showcased below is one of the firm’s best works. At the firm’s helm is its founder and namesake, Judy Carty, whose prior experience has seen her take projects from Boston and New York all the way to Miami. Before founding the firm, she was also a principal and shareholder of another large architectural, planning, interior design, and landscape firm.
The chosen project depicts the firm’s work on the Galia Lahav Bridal Boutique. Located in the famous Miami Design District, this project spans over 3,602 square feet. For this, the firm’s team was tasked with not only its architecture but also its interior design, structural engineering, and MEP engineering.
Burton Hersh Architects
130 Miracle Mile, Suite 200, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Headquartered in the heart of Coral Gables, Burton Hersh Architects assists its clients throughout the entire process, from inception to completion. It provides its clients with excellent design packages and can manage anything from architecture and interior design to urban design, sustainable design, and historic preservations. The firm is personally led by its managing principal and founder, architect Burton Hersh. He is an award-winning designer who supervises each of the firm’s projects through a studio approach from beginning to end. His experience includes volunteering, gaining expertise on the Board of Architects at the City of Coral Gables, and being President of the Business Improvement District of Coral Gables, where he also chaired the Miracle Mile & Giralda Avenue Streetscape Project Committee.
The chosen photo showcases the firm’s work for Bakan. It is a cultural neo-bazar experience located in Miami. The project spans 5,000 square feet and entailed having to work on both its architecture and interior design.
Edward Lewis Architects, Inc.
2100 Ponce De Leon Blvd. Suite 825, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Founded in 1987, Edward Lewis Architects is an international architectural design firm based in Miami Dade, Florida. It has curated a diverse clientele for itself and has completed projects across South Florida, The Caribbean, Europe, South and Central America, and the Middle East. The firm is regarded for its excellent approaches and comprehensive design packages. Its portfolio depicts an excellent range of health care, hospitality, residential, transportation, education, recreation facility, and commercial projects. Showcased below is an excellent example of the firm’s talent and expertise.
This project showcases the firm’s work on the Terranova office building. For this, the Edward Lewis team provided design studies for this build to suit the project. As a result, this project is a series of mid-rise scale office buildings utilizing tilt-up panel construction around a tear-drop-shaped plan.
2+ Architects
260 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134
2+ Architects is an award-winning architecture and interior design firm that extends its services throughout Coral Gables. It is led by its founding principals, Edgardo Macchi and Paola Castano, under whose leadership the firm makes use of an excellent collaborative approach. This has resulted in countless stellar commercial, mixed-use, retail, and hospitality projects. Since its inception, the firm has now grown to accommodate institutional and entertainment spaces.
Focusing on the firm’s commercial work, it draws inspiration from over five decades of industry experience. Some of the firm’s most impressive work includes a space completed for Air Margaritaville MIA. Another noteworthy project was the one it completed for the Rodilla in Wynwood and the showcased space below, which was designed for GrowHealthy in Daytona.
Behar Font & Partners, P. A.
4533 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33146
With seven decades of combined industry experience, Behar Font & Partners operates out of its headquarters in Coral Gables. It is composed of a team of talented professionals dedicated to providing excellent architecture, planning, and interior design. Collectively, their experience includes retail facilities from individual stores to shopping malls, residential facilities from single-family residences to multi-unit complexes, professional office centers, religious architecture, governmental facilities, educational facilities, and multi-use complexes. Its services also include everything from feasibility and zoning studies to master planning, cost estimating, and construction document preparation.
Showcased above is one of the firm’s best projects. Located on South River Drive in Miami, this project was completed for La Coloma. For this, the firm’s team was tasked with having to renovate an existing building into a two-story retail and restaurant space.
Bellin Pratt & Fuentes Architects LLC
285 Sevilla Avenue, 2nd Floor, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Founded in 2004, Bellin Pratt & Fuentes Architects is the product of the partnership between founding principal architects Marshall Bellin, and Glenn H. Pratt. They would be later joined by David Fuentes in 2009 and became a principal partner in the firm in 2017. The firm draws inspiration from the combined experience of 75 years of architectural practice in the City of Coral Gables and Greater South Florida areas from West Palm Beach to the Florida Keys. The firm offers a complete range of architectural services and is highly regarded for its historic buildings and preservations.
Both of the firm’s original principals have been appointed and served multiple terms on the esteemed City of Coral Gables, Board of Architects. Additionally, Pratt himself was reappointed and is currently serving on the board. All the firm’s principals ensure that each project the firm takes on receives the benefit of their experiences.
United Architects, Inc.
4000 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 470, Coral Gables, FL 33146
United Architects specializes in commercial and multi-family projects. It is led by its owner and principal, Maria Luisa Castellanos, a proud member of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County who offers the firm’s clients over three decades of industry experience. Under her leadership, the firm’s team has curated an excellent portfolio of commercial, institutional, and residential projects. Before founding United Architects in 1986, she worked for several local architecture firms where she was in charge of projects in the Miami area as well as in Saudi Arabia, Fiji, and Costa Rica. Clients may expect that their spaces will receive the benefit of these great experiences, especially given the relatively small size of the company.
The project above features the firm’s work for the Declic Clothing Store at Bayside Marketplace in Downtown Miami. For this, the firm’s team opted to use an excellent design-build process and was able to complete everything within a two-month timeframe. It also employed monochromatic cabinetry, which acted as a backdrop to the vibrant, multi-colored clothes.
Permuy Architecture
2717 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33134
Permuy Architecture is a premier architecture firm based in Coral Gables. Its services also include interior design, urban planning, and construction administration. The firm makes use of an open and interactive process that provides each of the firm’s projects its due individual attention. It is a proud family business, with long roots in the Coral Gables community. The family behind the firm’s success, the Permuy family, has a proud history of many contributions to the city by way of architecture, the arts, and public service stretching more than five decades. Firm principal Jesús A. Permuy was awarded the Key to the City of Coral Gables for his services in architecture, planning, and community engagement. Likewise, firm founder and President Ignacio Permuy serves in several South Florida public boards and is the Vice Chair of the Coral Gables Construction Regulation Board.
This deep, long-running connection to the city has resulted in many recognitions for Permuy Architecture’s service as well as their designs. In 2020, the firm’s Kimpton Palomar South Beach hotel project gained international recognition for winning the American Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. This award-winning design drew inspiration from its waterfront setting, illustrating the team’s emphasis on site-specific designs rooted in their context.
