Birmingham, the largest city in Alabama, has a low cost of living, strong employment market, excellent dining, and an outstanding live music scene. Residents and visitors alike appreciate this flourishing city’s recent increase in culinary options, entertainment, sports, music, and employment opportunities.  Birmingham is also home to a variety of industries, including a thriving construction industry to support the evolving commercial sector. 

If you’re thinking of starting a business or building commercial space in this city, then get to know some of the best commercial architects of Birmingham, Alabama. These companies were selected based on their portfolios, experience, and recognition.

Williams Blackstock Architects

2204 First Ave South Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35233

Williams Blackstock Architects was founded in 1994 to provide creative, unique, one-of-a-kind designs that are tailored to fit the client’s ideas and visions. The firm has built an impressive portfolio over its 27 years, completing millions of square feet across the United States. The firm has expanded rapidly and continuously improved its processes, establishing its reputation as a forerunner in the ever-changing design market. It continually fosters growth, leadership, expertise, experience, enthusiasm, and dedication to provide its clients with the best possible outcomes. The firm has earned many satisfied clients with its superior quality, impeccable professionalism, and outstanding customer service.

The firm provided architecture, interior design, and environmental graphic services for the Children’s of Alabama Lee Building and 4th Avenue parking deck in Birmingham, Alabama. This new office building, envisioned as a central administrative facility for the children’s hospital, was intended to bring together many departments scattered throughout the metropolitan region. Wide, tree-lined sidewalks and mini-parks at the block’s corners contribute to the street’s comfort and kick off a proposed greenway from the Children’s campus to Railroad Park.

CCR Architecture & Interiors

2920 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233

Founded in 1996 by Tammy Cohen, CCR Architecture & Interiors is a Birmingham, Alabama-based architecture and interior design firm. CCR is a collaborative team of architects, interior designers, and LEED accredited professionals with professional registrations in several states. Their project types include mixed-use, retail, restaurant, office, recreation, education, and housing. Over the years, the firm has been committed to staying a small, responsive firm that focuses on providing customized design solutions to fit its clients’ needs.

The project featured here won the 2020 – Merit Award by AIA Alabama. For this project, the firm designed the inside of the National Bank of Commerce’s new headquarters, which were relocated to the Luckie Building in Birmingham, Alabama. The project included a bank branch, new offices and support areas, a boardroom and executive offices, break areas, restrooms, and lobbies. The design was influenced by historic banks in the Southeast, featuring wide swaths of Alabama white marble and colossal marble walls and columns. The concrete deck was left exposed across hallways and common areas to provide dimension and as a reference to historic bank lobbies, with their dramatic height and grandeur.

KPS Group

60 14th St South Suite 100, Bakers Row, Birmingham, AL 35233

KPS Group was founded in 1965 to provide architecture, interior design, planning, and related consulting services throughout the Southeast. Businesses, developers, institutions, government entities, community organizations, non-profits, and general contractors are included in the firm’s remarkable portfolio. With nearly six decades of experience, the firm is dedicated to creating one-of-a-kind designs that meet functional and technological standards while enriching people’s lives. The firm is supported by a team of designers committed to delivering honesty, seamless collaboration with clients and consultants, and aggressive resource stewardship. The firm has been recognized for its superior quality with many design awards, accolades, and positive feedback from a long list of satisfied clients.

The firm won the 2018 – Honor Award by AIA Birmingham for the project featured here. The firm provided architecture, planning, and interior design services to renovate the 29,000-square-foot Merita Bakery to accommodate new tenants looking for a contemporary office environment. The former facility’s lofty ceilings, beams, and ductwork have been left exposed to take advantage of the original, large clerestory windows, which flood the room with natural light. Polished concrete floors and crisp white finishes contribute to the modern industrial look.

Goodwyn Mills Cawood

2400 5th Ave South Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35233

Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC), founded in 1947, is one of the Southeast’s largest design and engineering firms, with offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee. With nearly 75 years of experience, the firm’s significant portfolio encompasses a variety of projects, including schools, parks, hospitals, and other commercial structures, as well as solutions for delivering clean water, safe streets, and resilient landscapes. Architecture, interior design, civil engineering, environmental services, landscape architecture, planning, transportation engineering, geotechnical engineering, electrical engineering, surveying, and disaster recovery are among the services the firm provides. Over the years, the firm has remained committed to creating unique, personalized designs adapted to the client’s ideas and vision, consistently exceeding expectations.

The Young & Vann Historic Building project consisted of renovating the former Budweiser Distribution Building, built in the late 1800s. After completion, the project was given Historic Tax Credits, and now houses Auburn University Urban Studio, the Regional Planning Commission, and other non-profit organizations serving the Birmingham metropolitan area. Chris Engel, GMC Director of Architecture, designed this building while working for another company.

ArchitectureWorks

130 19th St South, Birmingham, AL 35233

ArchitectureWorks is a design-based architecture firm based in Birmingham, Alabama. Formed in 1995, the firm is dedicated to providing excellent designs and outstanding customer service to its clients. The firm maintains open communication and close collaboration to create designs of enduring integrity that reflect the client’s vision. It also offers sustainable design principles to create energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions. The firm is backed by a team of talented designers and experienced architects who bring years of experience and expertise to deliver projects that guarantee satisfaction. 

The project shown here has won several awards, including the 2019 AIA Alabama Excellence in Design Awards, Merit Award, and the 2019 AIA Birmingham Design Awards, Merit Award. For this project, the firm repurposed a former plant nursery into a German Biergarten, combining counterpointed elements to create a one-of-a-kind food and beverage venue for Brät Brot in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm cleverly reused existing building elements like an exaggerated stone-gabled entrance, the galvanized frame of a greenhouse, and hooped shade structures, while treating them with contemporary finishes, insertions, and landscape elements.

TurnerBatson Architects

1950 Stonegate Dr. Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35242

TurnerBatson Architects is an architectural and interior design firm based in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm’s rich history spans nearly a century. In its extensive experience it has served a diverse client base, including higher education, K-12, commercial, medical, religious, and senior care markets. Over the years, the firm has focused on building long-lasting relationships with its clients and trade partners to ensure a smooth construction process and successful outcomes. This level of dedication has resulted in positive feedback from many satisfied clients and a high rate of repeat customers.  

The firm has won several awards for this featured project, including the 2020 – Building Birmingham Award by Birmingham Business Journal and 2021 IIDA-AL IDIE Award – Best of Hospitality award. Ferus Artisan Ales is a 23,000-square-foot warehouse that has been transformed into a brewery, distillery, tasting room, event space, and retail space. TurnerBatson provided architecture and design services to transform the facility into something that “brings the outdoor feel indoors.” The interior of the building houses the restaurant, tasting room, and event space. Natural materials, such as a large tree sculpture, enhance the exterior design ideas and give the brewery a sophisticated yet inviting feel. The building is surrounded by large glass windows that provide views of the adjacent stage and pavilion.

Line Scale Form

101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd S, Birmingham, AL 35233

Line Scale Form started in 1994 as Herrington Architects and was rebranded as Line Scale Form in 2020. In its more than 25 years, the firm has completed many outstanding projects, including student housing, multifamily housing, institutional, municipal, and educational structures. The firm has expanded from a one-man operation to a studio of ten. Whether designing a new structure or rehabilitating a historic building, the firm brings a wealth of engineering experience to each project. Its collaborative process enables the project team to collaborate and share unique viewpoints, resulting in a smooth and seamless construction experience.

The 1900 Building in Birmingham, Alabama is one of the firm’s significant projects. The building, completed in partnership with Bradford Building Company, includes brick and cast stone façades with tinted glass and clear, anodized window framing. The façade features references to the previous building, such as elaborate brickwork and paired windows. The main lobby features three ornamental brick panels from the original structure.

Hendon + Huckestein Architects

2126 Morris Ave, Birmingham, AL 35203

Founded in 1999, Hendon + Huckestein Architects provides architectural, planning, and interior design services throughout the United States. With over 22 years in the industry, the firm has earned its reputation as a well-respected, multidisciplinary design firm through its outstanding portfolio of projects. Erik N. Hendon and James M. Huckestein founded the firm based on core concepts of architectural and commercial practice, knowing both are essential to success. The firm’s sustained success results from its emphasis on providing the best design and creative solutions informed by a thorough grasp of the client’s goals, budget, and context.

The firm has been featured in several noteworthy publications for its impressive designs and superior quality, including BHam Now, Capitol Construction, The Bama Buzz, Birmingham Business Journal, and Construction Review Online. One of the firm’s notable projects includes this building for Town and Country Ford in Pell, Alabama. Given the client’s extensive inventory of new and used cars, the firm designed the facility to cater to the client’s needs for a large parking space.

Black Design Architecture

2121 First Ave North Suite 202, Birmingham, AL  35203

Established in 1999, Black Design Architecture is a Birmingham-based firm that provides architectural and interior design, master planning and building programming, and 3D modeling and rendering across the United States. The firm believes that its success is a direct result of listening to the client. The firm strives to maintain open communication and close collaboration with its stakeholders throughout the process. The firm is dedicated to delivering unique designs that are both visually pleasing and functional. Since its start, Black Design has developed a diverse portfolio of over 500 projects, including retail-hospitality establishments, corporate office buildings, city center revitalization, industrial facilities, religious centers, and senior living facilities. 

The firm has been featured in many noteworthy publications, including the Birmingham Business Journal. In 2018, the firm completed several stand-alone buildings for CoolBox Storage in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm used a similar design to create a unified brand throughout the ensemble of buildings.

Designform

1500 Urban Center Dr. Suite 220, Vestavia Hills, AL 35242

Designform, LLC has been in the industry since 1986. The firm provides a comprehensive set of design services throughout the Southeast, specializing in architectural design, site and space planning, interior design, project management, construction documentation, and construction contract administration. The firm is dedicated to providing breakthrough architectural design and planning services that provide remarkable results for its clients. With its passion for excellence combined with its technical knowledge and superior quality, the firm has proven its ability to create designs that reflect its client’s vision. Whether it is a tenant improvement project or a full-scale construction, the firm is committed to delivering results that exceed expectations.

Designform provided design services for the 8,200-square-foot makeover of Breckenridge Brewery in an existing historic structure in Birmingham, Alabama’s Five Points South Entertainment District. The scope of work included conceptual design development, Birmingham Design Review Committee presentations, construction document production, support in the coordination of the owner’s kitchen and brewery consultants, and millwork design package preparation. This facility’s outside signage was also developed by Designform.

Rob Walker Architects

2229 First Ave South Suite 110, Birmingham, AL 35233

Rob Walker Architects is a design business with two decades of experience in the construction industry. The firm has completed exceptional projects, including mixed-use complexes, office buildings, multifamily residential, single-family residential, educational, and restaurant facilities. The firm’s impressive portfolio shows a wide range of expertise, serving as a testament to the firm’s superior quality and unsurpassed professionalism. Its expert designers and experienced architects have a wide knowledge base of building rules, historical principles, zone ordinances, permit procedures, and construction methods. It ensures that clients receive quality service and projects that consistently exceed expectations. 

An example of the firm’s work is Athens Flatts, a 34-unit multifamily complex in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm chose brick exteriors to complement nearby buildings and employed floor-to-ceiling windows to connect the interior spaces to their urban setting. Balconies help occupants feel like they are a part of the street, and the roof provides an outdoor gathering place. Athens Flatts reintroduces residential life in a building that is the pinnacle of urban living.

Fifth Dimension Architecture & Interiors

2226 1st Ave S Suite 101, Birmingham, AL 35233

Fifth Dimension Architecture & Interiors is a full-service architecture firm that has served the Alabama, Texas, and Georgia areas since 2013. The firm has been in the industry for over eight years, yet it has already built an impressive portfolio of exceptional projects and a solid track record of satisfied clients. In every project, the firm employs the most up-to-date building information modeling (BIM), technology, and client visualization tools to give the client a clear view and understanding of the project. It continuously improves its process by using breakthrough technologies and concepts to deliver creative design solutions and superior quality. As a result, the firm has earned much positive feedback from satisfied clients who testify to the company’s outstanding service. 

Shown here is the firm’s new design of Hilton Tapestry | The Kelly, a commercial hotel in Birmingham, Alabama. The former commercial office space in an Art Deco/Neo-Gothic-inspired building was turned into a boutique Hilton Tapestry hotel. Historic features like ornate plaster ceilings, wood-paneled libraries, and hand-painted murals were restored to preserve the building’s rich past and provide a culturally stimulating experience for guests. The ground floor lobby has been restored to its original architecture by installing new storefront window systems that welcome the cityscape and morning light into its interior.