Last updated on May 22nd, 2024 at 07:06 am
The layout and flow of an office or retail space has a direct influence on both the client and employee experience. That layout helps elevate a brand, entice new customers, and motivate company staff. Optimal results can be achieved with the help of an architect, who is best equipped to create a unique, interactive space while considering the purpose of the building and considering the client’s requirements.
We’ve located and listed the best commercial architects in Orem, Utah. We selected these firms for their accreditations, certifications, and professional affiliations. Industry awards, client reviews, and press features were additional factors considered. Below we list the range of services these firms offer, their specializations, and the length of time they have been in the industry.
CAW Architects, Inc.
455 Lambert Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306
CAW Architects knows that good design is not limited to newly made buildings. The firm rehabilitates historic structures and refurbishes pre-owned buildings, giving them durability and vitality. To ensure the building is long-lasting, the firm studies each project’s function, budget, and site. During CAW Architects’s 28 years in business, the firm has provided unique design solutions in order to meet each client’s needs. Today, in keeping with top industry standards, the firm applies sustainable practices that involve energy-efficient features and green-building materials in the service of delivering future-looking designs.
The firm is co-led by principal Christopher Wasney, FAIA, who was elevated to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows for his contributions to the profession. He serves on the board of the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) and the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). Wasney’s efforts continue to create value for long-term clients and facilities that stand out in the marketplace, including the Google office in Palo Alto. Principal Brent McClure, AIA specializes in designing highly engaging and interactive educational environments for a wide range of school clients, from childcare centers to both public and private K-12 school campuses. Many of the new buildings he manages are LEED-certified, which includes a new LEED-Platinum charter high school in Redwood City.
The CAW team flooded the space with nature references and planting and created a signature green wall in one of the employees’ main communal areas. A mural is situated in the kitchen area, woven into the living wall. The lobby appears like a prism refracting light deeply into the building—thus the interior is washed in varying colors throughout the day as the sun’s angle progresses through the building.
Chang Architecture
251 Park Road, #900, Burlingame, CA 94010
Chang Architecture specializes in office, industrial, and retail design. The firm is equipped with the ability to understand the commercial needs of its owners and developers. The in-house workforce is skilled in all aspects of construction and supported by the firm’s close ties with industry leaders. Chang Architecture identifies green strategies early in the design process, then collaborates with owners, cities, and contractors to deliver projects with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Principal Clifford Chang worked at a number of prestigious firms before co-owning Hoover Associates, where he designed and managed significant Bay Area office campus developments. His career has included commercial office development, building renovations/additions, corporate interiors, institutional facilities, retail space, and multi-family housing. The AIA granted him a National Honor Award for designing exceptional new retail buildings, and the firm has provided interior design work for household names, including the Target Corporation.
Chang designed the 2600 El Camino in Stanford Research Park, Palo Alto. The firm constructed a four-story office building with outdoor amenity spaces on a variety of levels and executed the reuse of an existing underground garage. The design incorporates a palette of limestone wall panels, while a sculptural metal paneled massing cantilevers toward the main street and entry.
SSA Architecture
3687 Skyline Drive, Hayward, CA 94542
SSA Architecture began with Sharmila Subramaniam. She had been employed at a number of prominent architecture firms, such as Studio G Architects, Ellerbe Becket, and KMD Architects, before launching her own company. Subramaniam built on the SSA’s expertise in architecture, interior, and landscape design, and pioneered a synchronistic methodology used to facilitate design and collaboration with multiple teams. Under her direction, SSA has established a reputation in the construction industry for its quality commercial and residential work.
The Kahuna workspace in Redwood City is an excellent example. A dramatic, curved staircase leads guests and staff up to the open office space and gives a sense of play to the area. Large clerestory windows bring abundant daylight into the office; exposed steel trusses emphasize ceiling height and provide vertical depth. The wood material used on furniture and décor complements the neutral color palette of the space. The project features various settings for interaction, from glass-encased conference rooms to lounge areas and bar seating.
Sinnott and Co.
1127 Chestnut Street, Menlo, Park CA 94025
In the span of four decades, Sinnott and Co. has become a leading expert in the design, construction, and interior design of commercial and residential projects. The firm’s work has been recognized with design awards from the City of Menlo Park, and it has earned the trust of the US Green Building Council. Prior to performing design work, the firm prepares an approval strategy and schedule that considers code and zoning ordinances that can slow down a project’s progress. The firm understands that decisions made in the architectural phase dictate the construction cost, schedules, and outcome, so it clarifies the budget and timeline with the client at the beginning of each project as a fundamental step to its process. Sinnot is capable of handling structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering, in addition to providing architecture services.
Samuel Sinnot, president of the firm and an active member of the AIA, ensures that the firm continues to grow by tackling new challenges. This approach guided Sinnot and Co in renovating a historic building into this contemporary retail space embellished with Mediterranean details. The recessed storefronts on the façade provide a welcoming, cozy character to the building. The brick columns add weight to the volume and create visual complexity.
Young and Borlik Architects
4962 El Camino Real, Suite 218, Los Altos, CA 94022
For over 30 years, Young and Borlik Architects has offered a bevy of architectural services specific to commercial establishments. Its most notable is likely the Wonder Years Preschool. The two-story, 9,500-square-foot structure is designed to accommodate 120 students. The structure is supported by a prefabricated steel frame, built off-site and assembled on location. Thoughtful landscaping and bronze sculptures add life to the site. The concept for the design was for a simple structure to maximize the value of the prefab steel system, yet reveal the fun and lighthearted nature of a facility dedicated to young children.
When handling projects like this, the firm oversees the entire process—everything from the initial concept and feasibility to design development and detailing, to planning and building department approvals. CEO Andrew Young spearheads this hands-on approach, which allows Young and Borlik Architects to progress and complete its work with minimal challenges. Young started his architectural career in 1987, when he designed a private residence in the Redwood City Hills while still in college. He has since approached every project by combining and reconciling the client’s vision, the existing conditions of the site, and government regulations, which he brought to Young and Borlik Architects’s practice.
