Alongside being in touch with changing trends, consumers and businesses also expect a commercial space’s atmosphere to enhance the user experience. Planning for customers in this careful way starts with a well-planned design from licensed architects. Many architects design good commercial structures yet only a few can provide a great customer experience while they do it.

We’ve created a list of the best commercial architects in Honolulu. Each of the firms included here was chosen for their commercial projects, their experience, and the awards they have received. For a remarkable commercial design that drives in traffic and makes your customers feel comfortable once they get there, reach out to one of the best architects in Honolulu. 

InForm Design

1347 Kapiolani Blvd. Suite #401, Honolulu, HI 96814 

Forward-thinking designs meet cultural heritage at InForm Design. Since 2002, the firm has collaborated with clients in creating remarkable commercial and residential designs. American Institute of Architects certified (AIA) and LEED Accredited Professional Ann Kutaka leads the firm. She is joined by a staff of design experts who bring fresh ideas further improving the firm’s architectural services.

InForm’s design has been repeatedly featured in Hawaii Business Magazine and Pacific Business News and its excellence has built its strong reputation among its clientele. That clientele includes Louis Vuitton, Prada, and the Royal Hawaiian Center. One of its commercial designs is the Hilton Grand Vacations corporate office. The 30,00-square-foot office in Oahu features kitchenettes, break rooms, coffee stations, and offices located alongside windows to break the office design monotony. 

Geoffrey Lewis Architect 

3927 Old Pali Road, Honolulu, HI 96817

Geoffrey Lewis Architect is a trusted architectural firm serving Honolulu with innovative designs. Geoffrey Lewis, AIA is at the helm of the firm together with his associates Caroline Hoshi, Jasmine Kauka, and Jennifer Gushiken, AIA. The firm recognizes the importance of nature in built environments and how those factors interact with each other. In response, the firm creates plans that are both creative and sustainable.

The firm has worked on award-winning residential and commercial projects since 1997. The Hawaii Business Magazine, Pacific Business News, and Hawaii Magazine have repeatedly published Lewis, the team, and their designs. One of its best commercial projects was provided for Caswell Orthodontics in Kahala. The newly built office, completed in 2018, has a modern interior that is especially space-savvy.

Ferraro Choi and Associates

1240 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite #510, Honolulu, HI 96814 

Ferraro Choi and Associates is a Honolulu-based architectural firm focused on prime, sustainable designs around the Pacific Region. Joseph Ferraro, FAIA, and Gerald Choi, AIA Emeritus are the founding principals leading the firm. They are joined by a team of skilled and seasoned architects. The firm comprises AIA and USGBC certified designers well-versed with green design principles. 

Ferraro Choi and Associates’ portfolio is filled with projects ranging from academic institutions to research facilities. Among its commercial designs is the LEED Gold and award-winning National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Daniel K. Inouye Regional Center at Pearl Harbor. The team worked in collaboration with mainland architect HOK for the design. The 374,000-square-foot space features two hangars interconnected by a new building housing the facility’s technology systems core and main entrance. 

WCIT Architecture

725 Kapiolani Blvd, Suite C400, Honolulu, HI 96813 

WCIT Architecture is a well-recognized architectural firm founded in 2000. It comprises internationally-trained architects under the leadership of Rob Iopa and Mark Higa. The team specializes in designs that represent the culture and lifestyle in Hawaii while also delivering world-class architecture. Some of its markets include residential homes, commercial spaces, healthcare facilities, and luxury resorts.

WCIT Architecture’s designs have been published a number of times in Hawaii Business Magazine, ArchDaily, Archinect, and Architectural Digest. The firm has a proven ability to meet the client’s needs and deliver high-quality plans. A perfect example of their capability is the International Market Place in Honolulu. The marketplace reopened in 2016 featuring a wide variety of shops and entertainment. It also features a spacious and navigable layout for a better shopping experience. 

MGA Architecture

677 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite #705, Honolulu, HI 96813 

MGA Architecture is an internationally acclaimed firm primarily serving the Hawaiian islands with top-notch design services. Matt Gilbertson is an AIA and LEED Accredited Professional leading MGA’s team of skilled architects and designers. Over the years, the firm has completed a range of projects, everything from small retail outlets to towering offices.

The firm’s portfolio is filled with commercial projects ranging in size and style. One of its eye-catching projects is the 677 Ala Moana building. The façade updates took inspiration from Kaka’ako’s rich fishing history. Its design is treated as a sign of prosperity and luck to those living and working in the building. Excellent work rarely goes unnoticed: the firm has been recognized by a number of awards and press features in the last few years. 

Benjamin Woo Architects

600 Kapiolani Blvd. Suite #402B, Honolulu, HI 96813 

Benjamin Woo Architects is one of Honolulu’s trusted architects when it comes to high-rise and commercial buildings. The firm is under the leadership of seasoned architect Benjamin Woo. With over 40 years of architecture expertise, Mr. Woo gathered a team of adept builders with a hands-on approach to design. The award-winning firm has been published in various local and international publications for its innovative designs. 

The firm has completed diverse projects including the Penhaligon’s at the International Market Place. Completed in 2016, this shop was designed to reflect Penhaligon’s sophisticated and elegant fragrance profiling. It displays a stone flooring comprising three different types of stones laid out in an intricate geometric pattern. The store is finished off with gold accents that reinforce its lush, sophisticated brand. 

G70 

111 S King Street, Suite #170, Honolulu, HI 96813 

G70 is a full-service design firm specializing in architecture, civil engineering, interior design, planning, and development. Francis Oda, FAIA is the current chairman of the firm along with 14 equally-established principals who lead the team. The firm has a wealth of experience working with clients including the County of Hawai’i, Dole Foods, Marriott Corporation, and the University of Hawai’i. 

One of the firm’s award-winning works is the Ho’okupu Center in O’ahu. The expansive center was completed in 2019 featuring a modern “Hawaiian” place providing flexible space for education and functions. It features a sustainable design with net-inspired art installations and natural cool tones. Its modern and spacious design truly emphasizes the “Hawaiian Sense of Place”. The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) recognized its progressive design with the Ho’ohuli Service Award. 

WATG and Wimberly Interiors

700 Bishop Street, Suite #800, Honolulu, HI 96813 

Founded in 1945, WATG is a leading international design firm specializing in hospitality, entertainment + gaming, urban + mixed-use, and high-end residential design. With its global footprint from the United States to the United Kingdom, Middle East, Asia, and mainland China, the firm is best known for creating internationally acclaimed destinations with more than 400 built projects in 170 countries across six continents. Since its inception, the firm has established its roots in Honolulu and grown its firm to include strategy, master planning, landscape architecture, architecture, and Wimberly Interiors, its bespoke interiors studio. David Moore is at the helm of the firm and he’s joined by a team of talented professionals leading its worldwide design services.

The firm’s portfolio is home to many stunning projects worldwide. The Hyatt Regency Maui is one of the firm’s resort designs in Kaanapali, Maui. This Maui paradise resort welcomes its guests with a fully immersive resort experience. The resort features 806 keys on a 40-acre site and an oceanfront spa. The team combined eastern and western elements to bring out all aspects of Maui’s surrounding beauty. Its excellence in design has been published in Architecture Digest, ArchDaily, Architect Magazine, and Hawaii Business Magazine.

Peter Vincent Architects (PVA)

1021 Smith Street, Penthouse 4th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96817 

Peter Vincent Architects is a well-respected architectural practice in Honolulu. In 1992, Peter Vincent founded the firm to provide Honolulu with timeless, exceptional architectural design. Today he is joined by Michael Subiaga and Todd Hassler in guiding this impressive team of designers. The well-versed team has worked with a multitude of clients and projects in Hawaii. The firm’s design expertise is unmatched and coupled with its unrivaled customer service.

PVA has been recognized with various awards and press features in the last few years. Its list of successful design projects exhibits Peter Vincent Architects’ design prowess. One of its notable, award-winning commercial designs is the Kobayashi & Kosasa Family Dining Room at the Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children in Honolulu. The design showcases Hawaii’s natural beauty and is based on the natural, wedge-shaped subdivisions of the land that run from the mountains to the sea known as an ahupuaʻa.

AHL

733 Bishop Street, Makai Tower, Suite #3100, Honolulu, HI 96813 

AHL is a multi-disciplinary and award-winning architectural firm dedicated to creating forward-thinking design solutions. The firm has proved its reliability with timeless design for over 75 years in the industry. CEO Bettina Mehnert, FAIA, LEED AP is a seasoned architect with deep architecture experience. The firm includes professionals with international expertise in architecture, planning, interior design, historic architecture, and sustainability. A few of the market sectors it works in include residential, retail, commercial, educational, and military. A few of the market sectors it works in include residential, retail, commercial, educational, and military. 

When it comes to its projects, AHL’s portfolio is a collection of works shaping the future. Take, for example, JN Velocity in Honolulu. JN Velocity is a high-end, luxury motorsport showroom, dining facility, and service center within the podium of Symphony Honolulu. This world-class exotic car showroom design, featuring brands like Audi, Ferrari, and Maserati, invites customers and window shoppers alike to appreciate high-end motorsport vehicles. The ground floor features a café, circulation courtyard with dramatic atrium, and apparel shop. A unique mezzanine level features luxury motorcycle brands. Several multi-use, flexible gathering spaces are adjacent to a restaurant space. The third level features a revolutionary glass floor, offering a unique display of exotic cars from floors below and at pedestrian street level. The service center features 30+ service bays, offices, break rooms, showers, and locker rooms. The project won the International Council of Shopping Centers’ Global Awards for U.S. Design and Development Gold Award in 2017.