Last updated on July 4th, 2024 at 06:57 am

Known as the retail center of the Eastside, Bellevue offers abundant job opportunities in retail, tourism, and health care. It has many striking parks, outstanding schools, and a vibrant economy, making it an excellent location to live and work. The area has hundreds of retail stores, and its thriving business community continues to make it an ideal place for new businesses. If you want to build a retail facility in Bellevue, Washington, check out the list below, which includes nine of the best retail architects in the area.


Weinstein AU Architects + Urban Designers

2200 Western Avenue, Suite 301 Seattle, Washington 98121

Weinstein AU Architects + Urban Designers is an award-winning firm designing custom homes, civic, commercial, and educational projects across the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii for 45 years. It was formed with a mission to make the complex world more balanced, inspirational, and productive, enabling people to live, work, and participate more cohesively. Since its founding in 1977, the firm has built a portfolio of outstanding projects that stand the test of time. It has been honored by over 60 awards on a national and regional scale.

Ed Weinstein is Weinstein AU Architects + Urban Designers’ managing principal. His talent is widely recognized within the region and the country, and he was given the AIA Seattle Medal of Honor in 2011. He is a registered architect in Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.


JPC Architects

909 112th Ave NE, Suite 206, Bellevue, WA 98004

JPC Architects is one of Pacific Northwest’s largest corporate interiors and architecture firms. Formed in 1986, the firm has focused on providing commercial architecture services, specializing in workplace, health care, retail, hospitality, asset repositioning, and ground-up work. Since its inception, it has committed itself to excellent customer service and superior designs. When it opened its doors 36 years ago, it provided interior architecture to the prominent company Microsoft. Today, the firm comprises 70 talented staff and a comprehensive clientele list containing local, national, and international clients.

Ann Derr, Char Patterson, Amy Nichols, and Mark Peterson are the managing principals of the company. As leaders, they foster lasting relationships with customers and cultivate their team’s growth. Under their oversight, the firm received the World Interiors News Awards in 2019.


Baylis Architects

10801 Main Street, Suite 110 Bellevue, WA 98004

Baylis Architects is a Bellevue full-service design firm creating quality architecture throughout the Pacific Northwest and the Pacific States for over five decades. It specializes in residential and commercial architecture and various projects, including mixed-use, multifamily, commercial, recreational, and civic. In every project it undertakes, the firm strives to seek opportunities to build solid relationships with its clients, tenants, and investors, believing that enduring connections are essential to achieving successful projects.

The company runs under the supervision of Brian Brand and Kevin Cleary. Both principals are proud and active members of the American Institute of Architects and embrace the opportunity to shape the community and built environment. The firm has been featured by numerous media outlets, including Pacific Northwest and The Seattle Times Magazine.


The Driftmier Architects

7983 Leary Way NE, Redmond, WA 98052

The Driftmier Architects is a full-service regional architectural firm with experience covering a wide range of services and facility types. It provides architectural design, space planning, sustainable design, project cost management, interior design, master planning, and additions services to clients in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii. Since 1980, it has produced numerous outstanding projects for the financial, public, commercial, mixed-use, residential, and retail sectors, building in a comfortable, rewarding, and profitable way for its clients. 

The Driftmier Architects operates under the direction of Lee Driftmier and Rick Driftmier. The former leads the design, permitting, bidding, and construction administration and has natural leadership skills enabling him to run the company smoothly. Meanwhile, Rick is a licensed architect with national certification and brings 35 years of extensive industry experience.


FREIHEIT Architecture

777 108th Ave NE Suite 1650, Bellevue, WA 98004

Established 37 years ago, FREIHEIT Architecture is a Bellevue and Seattle firm that quickly grew based on the leadership of founding partners Richard Freiheit and Lawrence Ho. It specializes in commercial architecture services, including mixed-use, civic, health care, hospitality, industrial, multifamily, office, and retail. In every project, the firm strives to pay attention to restraints set by budget and time and work within a framework to determine the best ways to reach goals and add value efficiently.

After the retirement of the founding partners, Dustin Thorlakson assumed the presidency and led the team. Before becoming president of FREIHEIT Architecture, he served as a construction apprentice at Hazel Point Co LLC and a design intern at Sierra-Martin Architects. He is a member of the AIA and the NAIOP Seattle Chapter.


Jackson | Main Architecture

311 1st Ave S., Seattle, Washington 98104

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Jackson | Main Architecture is a design firm committed to helping clients reach their goals, no matter how unique and complex they are. It was founded in 2015 and has provided commercial and residential architecture services to Pacific Northwest clients. Jackson | Main Architecture produces forward-thinking designs that enhance the built environment while fostering a collaborative process with its valued customers. The firm has established an impressive portfolio of diverse projects, ranging from health care, retail, industrial, mission-critical, self-storage, and workplace.

Timothy Black leads the company as the managing principal. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology and has worked for notable architectural firms before joining the company. In 2017, Jackson | Main Architecture received the Grand Award for Construction Excellence by the AGC Build Awards.


Graphite Design Group

1809 Seventh Avenue, Suite 700, Seattle, WA, 98101

Founded over a decade ago, Graphite Design Group is a firm dedicated to creating thoughtfully designed architecture that impacts everyone who touches it, including owners, developers, builders, tenants, and neighbors. It specializes in retail and commercial work and takes pride in making brands tangible by translating their values and messages into impactful retail environments. Since 2012, it has cultivated a positive and collaborative environment for its team and clients, with a commitment to personal and corporate responsibility.

Martin L. Hill and Peter Krech are the founding principals of Graphite Design Group. Martin worked at Callison, LLC before establishing the company, where he served as a project manager, associate principal, vice president, and board of directors. Peter also served as a principal in the same company.


Chesmore | Buck Architecture

27 100th Ave NE Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98004

Founded nearly three decades ago, Chesmore | Buck Architecture is a design studio in Bellevue offering residential and commercial architecture services to the Puget Sound Region. It was formed with a commitment to provide exceptional service to its clients and create high-quality and enduring spaces where people can live and work. The firm strives to consider every client’s need and desire and respond to them thoughtfully, relating to the natural and built environment.

Rick Chesmore and Dave Buck founded the company in 1993 and have been at the forefront of every project. Both principals established the company because of their passion for creating timeless architecture that is in harmony with nature. Before opening the firm, Rick worked in many notable firms, where he honed his skills and knowledge.


Hummel Architects

440 Virginia Street, Seattle, WA, 98101

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Hummel Architects has been passionate about creating distinctive, technically sound solutions that integrate the concerns of clients, inhabitants, and community members. The firm opened its doors in 1991 and has focused on providing residential and commercial services, building housing, entertainment, planning, industrial, and retail projects across the Pacific Northwest. For over 31 years, it has fostered lasting relationships with its clients by delivering projects on time and within budget.

The company operates under the supervision of Jeffrey J. Hummel. He is the founder and president of Hummel Architects and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He completed his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Washington State University and served as a master woodworker at Toad Holler Woodworks.

Author

  • Alex Mericle

    Alex Mericle is the Chief Editor at General Contractors Magazine with five years of experience in the construction space. Alex has always had a strong interest in residential and commercial construction and architecture, and he has built up technical experience with building permit data, subcontractor operations, and materials procurement over the years. On top of his experience at General Contractors Magazine, he has prior experience at BuildZoom. His analytical skillset, honed through a degree in Business Analytics from Creighton University and from his work experience, allows him to transform complex construction data into actionable insights and useful, captivating content. Expertise: Residential and Commercial Construction, Building Permit Data, Home Design and Build, Architecture, Subcontractor Operations, Material Procurement Key Highlights: Over 5 years of experience writing and editing in the construction space, Chief Editor at General Contractors Magazine, Previous experience at BuildZoom Education: Creighton University, Degree in Business Analytics