Last updated on May 22nd, 2024 at 06:33 am
When you hear the word “Miami,” the first thing that comes to mind is most likely the beach. Glistening water, golden sands, tanned travelers, celebrity-filled hotels, and neverending nightlife: the images are stylish, and only reality can surpass them. Miami Beach is iconic as a resort destination, setting the gold standard for hospitality while constantly revitalizing and remodeling to meet the latest in travelers’ needs and expecations. Miami has far more to offer than sun and sand, with world-famous nightlife and world-renowned art galleries, first-class hotels, a sophisticated dining scene, designer shopping, and a distinctive architectural style that makes it one of the world’s most visually unique cities.
Our editorial team has developed this list of the area’s ten best commercial contractors. These excellent firms were chosen for their experience, awards, and outstanding portfolios.
Kobi Karp Architecture & Interior Design
571 NW 28th Street, Miami, FL 33127
Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design has been delivering distinctive, creative, and inventive design solutions to famed clients in hospitality, retail, and high-rise residential developments for over two decades.
Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design has constructed over 36 billion in mixed-use commercial, residential, and multifamily locations worldwide, including the Caribbean, the Pacific Rim, the Black Sea region, the Gulf, and the Middle East.
The studios of Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design are based in Miami, with branch offices in the Middle East. The firm has won a number of awards, including the AIA Award for Outstanding Young Architect of the Year, the AIA Outstanding Service Award, the AIA Award of Merit, the American Resort Development Association Gold Award for Hotel Conversion, the Network of the Hospitality Excellence in Design Award, a selection of Miami Design Preservation League Merit Awards, and the Dade Heritage Trust Historic Preservation Award.
Oppenheim Architecture
245 NE 37th Street, Miami, FL 33137
Oppenheim Architecture is an international design firm that works with clients, cultures, and environments from five continents. Chad Oppenheim founded the practice in 1999; it now has studios in Miami and Basel and an intuitive team of 40 architects, interior designers, planners, dreamers, and technicians. Chad’s long-time friend and Cornell University associate, Swiss architect Beat Huesler, leads the company’s Basel office. The two studios work together, with poetically contextual design, hyper functionality, and building craft as their guiding principles.
The firm’s staff work as architectural archeologists; they are highly responsive to site-specific conditions They investigate people and cultures, technologies and materials, psychologies, and experiences to create establishments and spaces that connect people with the spirit of place. Oppenheim Architecture has won over 90 awards, including more than 60 from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Awards and a National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
Chisholm Architects
782 NW 42nd Avenue, Suite 650, Miami, FL 33126
Chisholm Architects is a multi-disciplinary company headquartered in Miami, established in 1982. It offers architectural, interior design, master planning, and urban design services performed and delivered through cutting-edge technology. The firm has received local and national recognition for its exceptional design and service quality.
Founder Robert Chrisholm Chisholm has constructed over 15,000 apartment units and has collaborated with private and public-sector clients in eight countries, including the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, The Bahamas, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, as well as eight states. Under his direction, the firm was named Architectural Firm of the Year in Miami-Dade County in 1992 and again in 2019.
Chisholm Architects has extensive experience in the planning, development, design, and construction of prominent governmental, institutional, corporate, educational, transportation, commercial, and housing projects. It provides aesthetically pleasing compositions while maintaining a balance between high quality, pragmatic solutions, and environmentally sensitive designs.
BC Architects
75 Valencia Ave, Ste 1000, Coral Gables, FL 33134
BC Architects has over 27 years of design, production, and construction administration experience in Florida and the Caribbean. The firm is well-known for its ability to boost the design and financial capacity of each building. The ideology of BC Architects is to do what works, explore what makes sense, discover efficiencies, and solve problems. It covers all bases in every project while adhering to its clients’ objectives, budgets, and timelines.
Vanessa Jimenez—who has over 20 years of experience in production and construction administration of residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects—leads the firm. She is in charge of the production of multiple architectural projects, overseeing customer engagement, financial planning, timelines, and operations. Joining Vanessa is the firm’s technology guru, Terrence Conley. He is passionate about combining technology and architecture to create engaging spaces. He has worked for BC Architects for 15 years and has a proven track record in architectural design, computer programming, and graphics. Terrence has worked on a wide range of projects, including residential, retail, historic preservation, and education.
Permuy Architecture
2717 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables, FL, 33134
Permuy Architecture is a family business proud of its illustrious history. The Permuy team has developed a highly advanced design sense based on nearly 100 years of collective expertise, specializing in architecture, interior design, urban planning, construction administration, and owner representation. The Permuy legacy brings rich history and dignity to each project, with global roots stretching back to Spain and France.
Ignacio Permuy, the founder and president of Permuy Architecture, earned his architecture degree from the prestigious Pratt Institute of New York. Throughout his subsequent career, he has acquired significant experience in various design and applications, securing him a strong reputation for innovative solutions. He now serves on different community and regulatory boards, including the Miami Urban Development Review Board (UDRB), the Coral Gables Construction Regulation Board, and the Florida International University CARTA Dean’s Leadership Advisory Board.
Signature Permuy designs are defined by Permuy Architecture’s uniquely seasoned blend of experience and perspectives. That aesthetic sense can be seen in projects ranging from One Bayfront Plaza to the Aventura Mall Slide Tower. It is also reflected in grand urban planning endeavors like Old Spanish Village and the rebuilding of San Salvador after the devastating earthquake in 1986. The United States Congress, Miami-Dade County, and the cities of Miami and Coral Gables have all recognized and honored the Permuy legacy.
MODIS Architects
4955 SW 75th Avenue, Miami, FL 33155
MODIS Architects designs to create a perfect balance between form and function. The firm merges accumulated knowledge with comprehensive research to ensure that a project is completed on time. The firm’s goal is to create compelling and interconnected environments that reflect the branding and image of its clients.
The firm offers architecture, planning, and interior design services in the Pembroke Pines area. MODIS Architects believes that the effectiveness of each project is dependent on their client relationships. Their architects and designers are equally committed to establishing rapport with the people they collaborate with to create great designs.
Ivo Fernandez Jr., LEED AP BD+C, CDP and Robert K. Morisette, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CDP founded the firm in 2008 and have over 20 years of design and management background. They have experience working on large-scale retail and mixed-use developments for various markets.
The Architects Group
8000 NW 7th Street, Suite 101, Miami, FL 33126
Pedro P. Ramos founded The Architects Group in 1991 after spending over ten years as a principal with a national architectural firm specializing in retail architecture. Manny Leon brings over 15 years of experience in hospitality design and construction with a local architectural firm to the partnership. In Florida, New York, and Atlanta, he has worked on projects ranging from 10 to 20 stories as well as a number of hotels.
The firm’s approach to design is to develop functional, financially viable, and aesthetically pleasing projects. It believes that excellent design adds value and that a well-designed project is cost-efficient, meets the needs of its clients, and is visually appealing.
Since its launch, The Architects Group has specialized in restaurant design and architecture, accomplishing over 100 projects, including bars and cafés across the United States. The Architects Group has also completed numerous healthcare developments for local clients such as Mount Sinai Hospital, the Kendall Regional Hospital, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Quotient Sciences, and Mercy Hospital.
BEA Architects
3075 NW South River Drive, Miami, FL 33142
BEA Architects was established in 1992 by Bruno-Elias Ramos, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP. His managerial skills and experience have helped grow the company into an international design firm. Architecture, 3D visualization and video, market studies, programming and planning, sustainability and project management feasibility, construction services, and port and waterway design are among the services provided by the company.
BEA is an award-winning design firm, having received the AI2016 Business Excellence Award for Architecture and Design, the 2015 FEFPA Florida Educational Facility Planners Association Award of Merit, the 2008 Top 100 Minority Business Awards – Commitment to Excellence, the 2008 FEFPA Florida Educational Facility Planners Association Award of Merit, and the 2007 IFAI Outstanding Achievement Award for Commercial Awnings.
The American Institute of Architects, the Florida Educational Facility Planners Association, the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals have all recognized and accredited the firm.
UrvanX
7440 SW 50th Terrace, Suite 102, Miami, FL 33155
UrvanX, founded in 2013, specializes in architecture, interior design, project management, and developer solutions for customers in Miami Beach, Kendall, Golden Beach, and Pinecrest.
Carlos J. Bravo—a graduate of the University of Miami’s School of Architecture for undergraduate and graduate studies—leads the company. Carlos has over 22 years of experience in the architectural, development, urban planning, interior design, and construction sectors.
Earlier in his career, he worked as a project architect and manager on large-scale projects like The Beach Club, Ocean III and IV, Trump Grande, and multi-million dollar projects for Coca-Cola Enterprises.
UrvanX brings over 50 years of experience to the project’s overall interests by raising the artistic vision and addressing design, cost, and program. By tackling these aspects throughout the project development process, the maximum level of design can be accomplished while adhering to budgetary and time constraints.
Forbes Architects
1500 South Douglas Road, Suite 200, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Forbes Architects has provided high-quality design, exceptional service, and expert execution since its inception in 1985. Government and education, office, hospitality, industrial, and healthcare are among its areas of specialization. Its expertise in these sectors enables a more efficient approach to project delivery. Forbes Architects is a licensed general contractor that consistently provides a smooth construction process. It provides Design-Build services as an alternative to the traditional Design-Bid-Build method.
Forbes Architects and Forbes Construction are well-known in South Florida for their ability to collaborate with various municipal public agencies. The firm has acquired various awards including the 2013 Anthony L. Pullara Individual Honor Award, the 2012 Architect of the Year, the 2005 Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture, the 2003 Award for Excellence, the 1995 Award for Excellence in Design, and the 1995 Award for Excellence in Architecture. The firm is also accredited by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
