The suburban city of West Covina in Los Angeles County offers a good balance of professional opportunities; a dynamic, urban lifestyle; and quiet, residential life. It’s no surprise that businesses and companies thrive here. Helping entrepreneurs, developers, and business owners enjoy and take advantage of the opportunities that the city has to offer are the best commercial architects in West Covina. 

These professionals are multiple award-winners, affiliated with leading industry institutions, and consistently rated highly by their past clients. Many of these architects’ projects are regular features in leading regional and national building and architecture journals.

They are listed here, along with some of their most noteworthy architecture and interior design projects in West Covina and nearby areas.

KTGY

433 S Spring St. Suite #750, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Since KTGY launched its services over three decades ago, it has dominated the region’s commercial contracting sector. The firm is responsible for some of the city’s largest complexes and structures, repeatedly featured in industry magazines, including Archinect, Building Design+Construction, Architectural Digest, and Builder Magazine. Chairman and principal architect Jill D. Williams, AIA, a multiple award-winning professional in the design community, leads the company’s industry-recognized practice. 

One of the firm’s highly regarded projects is The Colony at the Lakes. Designed for developer Lennar Multifamily Communities, the mixed-use development includes living spaces, retail spaces, and an attached parking structure. The five-story building, located in the heart of the city, was designed to appeal to a wide range of patrons. Its Mediterranean-style architecture conveys sophistication, while its modern interiors accommodate the present-day needs of its customers. 

GMPA Architects

11878 La Grange Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025

J. Kobi Moses, AIA, and Monika Moses, AIA head GMPA Architects, a firm with over 15 years of architectural and design practice experience. Under their leadership, the company caters to a wide spectrum of industries. These include residential, mixed-use, senior living, commercial, healthcare, and hospitality sectors. Using the latest in design technology and sustainable design solutions, the firm has completed work that is recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the US Green Building Council (USGBC). 

Local and regional publications, such as The New York Times, Curbed, The Real Deal, and The Argonaut, have highlighted the firm’s contribution to the region’s architectural landscape. The firm’s commercial portfolio includes urban landmarks, including the Gardena Medical Plaza, Pasadena Rehabilitation and Assisted Living, Marina Towers, PACE Brandman Centers, Penn Station, and the Wilcox Development, a Hollywood building complex.

SMS Architects

18004 Sky Park Cir. Suite #200, Irvine, CA 92614

SMS has designed some of the most notable landmarks in and around the West Covina area. One of them is the Gaucho Grill, an Argentinian restaurant that features traditional and contemporary drink and food selections. The restaurant’s hybrid concept was the main inspiration for its remodeled architecture. The transformation produced indoor and outdoor spaces, including a patio, a fully-equipped bar, and an Argentinian-inspired mural that serves as the dining room’s highlight. The interiors are dominated by the warm palettes of patterned wood panels and tapestry, custom lamp fixtures, exposed brick, and wood beams.

As a full-service commercial architecture firm that specializes in the retail, hospitality, and restaurant sectors, among others, the company delivers award-winning work to mid-range and high-value clients. In recent years, the firm was the recipient of the 2020 – Gold Nugget Grand Award for Best Commercial Project Under 20,000 Square Feet. Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register have featured many of the firm’s works in the past. The success of the company can be attributed to the extensive background of its principal architect, Greg Simonoff. 

Prats Inc.

4652 E 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90022

Having successfully completed the design and construction of multiple bakeries for Porto’s Bakery & Cafe in Southern California, Prats Inc. was chosen to design its West Covina location. The construction phase of the project was a collaboration between the company and general contractor, Howard CDM. The project covers 21,943 square feet of bakery and cafe spaces over two stories. The first level of the structure includes indoor and outdoor seating, a patio, and a separate cafe-bar. The bakery space and additional dining space are located on the second floor. The interior design conveys the brand’s homey atmosphere. The building’s facade features a sleek and modern combination of sculptural wood elements and floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

Photo by Tim Gormley / www.tgimage.com

Collaborations with leading general contractors in the field have helped the design-build firm produce some of the most unforgettable spaces in the region. The company’s focus on architecture and construction allows it to stay with the client from concept through completion. Leading its over 42 years of practice is president and founding architect, Leonel Prats, AIA.

Pierce/Cooley Architects, Inc.

Los Angeles County, CA

Pierce/Cooley Architects, Inc. was the lead designer for West Covina’s The Grove. Real estate development and property management firm The McIntyre Companies tasked the firm with the architecture and adaptive reuse of a 27,800-square-foot commercial building. Housing a bank, a retail space, and restaurant buildings, the complex enjoyed a transformation into a modern structure. In addition to providing a pedestrian-friendly space to its tenants and patrons, the buildings are designed to embody the different brands of each of the tenants.

The same emphasis on detail-oriented and brand-specific designs is highlighted in the firm’s portfolio, spanning almost two decades. As a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the firm’s work is commended for its modern approach to design. Its advocacy for sustainability as an affiliate of the US Green Building Council can also be seen in its recent projects. Leading this Veteran Owned firm’s practice is architect Leslie Lewis Cooley, AIA and CEO.

GAA Architects, Inc.

8811 Research Dr. Suite #200, Irvine, CA 92618

GAA Architects was commissioned by S&C Property Development Inc. to design a landmark business complex in the City of Industry. The Nelson Business Park is composed of two industrial buildings that sit on an 11.49-acre property. It was designed to accommodate modern corporate office spaces with a mezzanine. Inspired by the clean and minimalist elements of modern architecture, the work features a rectangular structure and an almost full-glass façade for interior-landscape connection.

Specializing in architecture and planning, the company has completed similarly complex and high-value work in recent years. Founded in 1978, the firm’s milestones are constant features in publications such as Orange County Register and Easy Reader. Principal architects Roger Deitos and Craig Williamson lead the firm’s day-to-day operations.