Known for its twenty-one miles of scenic beauty, Malibu serves as the perfect place to unwind, relax, and escape the city. The town welcomes up to thirteen million tourists annually. Its Mediterranean climate and surfing waves attract people from Hollywood, the entertainment industry, and other individuals who seek a relaxed atmosphere. Because of Malibu’s steady growth and diverse community, businesses flourish here, whether they’re in the hospitality, restaurant, or shopping industry. 

Our editorial team has compiled a list of the best commercial architects in Malibu. Having built numerous iconic landmarks along the Malibu coastline, these architects have earned the trust of various businesses across the West Coast, and they continue to produce award-winning architectural designs.

David Lawrence Gray Architects

5938 Philip Avenue, Malibu, CA 90265

Named after its founder, David Lawrence Gray Architects specializes in adaptive, reuse, historic preservation, single-family and multi-family residential, commercial, urban planning, mixed-use, and civic projects. The firm is known for its unique architectural design and approach that blends different construction materials into remarkable, creative outputs. 

The team is committed to providing lasting offerings to the city’s architectural landscapes. The restoration for The Elysian in Los Angeles is a testament to their excellent work. Originally designed in 1973 by the acclaimed architect William Periera, the eight-story office tower was once home to the Metropolitan Water District.

After being vacant for almost twenty years, the 120,000 square-foot building now provides a shelter for numerous families. The team adapted and enhanced the mid-century office design and added contemporary elements to make it more comfortable and modern. This development serves as a landmark among its neighborhood of low-rise buildings. In 2017, the firm received the AIA LA Residential Honor Award for this developmental project.

David Lawrence Gray, FAIA, founded the firm in 1979. He has completed various projects in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Florida, Colorado, and California while maintaining his passion for historic buildings. He has restored over 500 units of historic adaptive reuse housings in downtown LA and owns national historic buildings such as The Maud and Crown hotel in Seattle and the Sunset Towers in Los Angeles. David’s impressive nature is evidenced by his multiple AIA Honor Awards and acknowledgments in books and magazines.

SPF:architects

8609 Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90232

With over one hundred awards and 262 featured articles, SPF:architects has proven its expertise in the commercial architectural industry. Its awards include the Merit Awards from AIA Long Beach/South Bay Design Award, Citation for Multi-family residential from AIA Los Angeles Residential Architecture Awards, and National Best of the Best in Landscape/Urban Development from Engineering News-Record. By balancing the client’s goals and enhancing human and community experience, the firm has achieved triumphant success. It is known for its exploration of new and challenging practices in architecture and urban organization.

Founder Zolton E. Pali, FAIA, and Judit M. Fekete-Pali, LEED AP, lead a team of energetic, diverse, and cooperative professionals. Together, they have produced striking landmarks like the WE3 at Water’s Edge. Situated at Playa Vista, California, this $80-million project stretches over 400 feet in length and covers over 160,000 square feet. It is certified LEED Gold and is the final structure of a six and a half-acre campus. This project has been featured in sixteen different articles and has won six awards, including the Project of the Year for Office/Retail/Mixed-use of ENR California and the Gold Award for the Commercial Real Estate Awards of Los Angeles Business Journal.

Burdge & Associates Architects

24911 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

Burdge & Associates Architects is an architectural planning and consulting firm specializing in mixed-use, hospitality, recreational, multifamily and single-family residential, and restaurants. The firm was founded by Douglas Burdge, AIA, ICAA, in 1981. Since then, it has built and designed over 300 custom homes for entertainment personalities and Fortune 500 CEOs. Douglas and the team have completed projects in California, Idaho, Montana, and Los Cabos, Mexico.  The team is committed to a green initiative by utilizing sustainable materials and practices and creating eco-friendly designs for all projects.

BAA is behind the trendy Surfrider Hotel in Malibu. Situated directly across the Surfrider Beach, this 1950s era motel was converted into a minimalist boutique hotel. Its roof deck bar and restaurant is well-known in the area, as it captures the essence of Californian beach life. Designed with fresh limestones, teak, and white oak, the Surfrider Hotel makes guests feel relaxed and refreshed while they experience its barefoot luxury.

Marmol Radziner Architecture

12210 Nebraska Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90025

With over thirty-two years in the industry, Marmol Radziner Architecture has a detailed process for working on projects, designed to combat any potential problems. The firm’s in-house designers and master craftsmen create innovative designs and utilize immense precision to ensure accuracy in every phase of development. The firm has received various awards—the Preservation Design Award from California Preservation Foundation, the Beyond LA Award from the Los Angeles Business Council, and the Civic/Institutional Design of Excellence from DOCOMOMO—which are a testament to its success. 

Founders Leo Marmol, FAIA and Ron Radziner, FAIA lead the firm. As the managing partner, Leo oversees and supports the overall process of each project, from its inception until its completion. Ron is the design partner and lead designer in every project. His unique architectural identity is evidenced by his seamless connection between the interior and exterior spaces of the project.

Palm Springs Architectural and Design Center is one of the firm’s rehabilitation projects. It was originally designed by E. Stewart William and is considered a Class I Historic Site by Palm City Council. The team revamped the 1960s Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan building into a new satellite exhibition space for Palm Springs Art Museum. It now houses numerous stunning architectural designs and pieces.

Atelier Eyster Architecture

7288 Sunset Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA, 90046

Established in 2000, Atelier Eyster Architecture is a creative, design-oriented firm specializing in commercial, residential, hospitality, healthcare, retail, restaurant, and multifamily projects. The firm creates meaningful spaces that satisfy one’s functional needs and prove exciting to live or work in.

Its design method attracted several prominent clients, such as PPG Aerospace, Kitson, UnionBank of California, Mt. Olympus, Innodesign, Hilton&Hyland, and the City of Sta Monica. The firm’s designs are featured in multiple magazines and publications, including Dwell, Haute Living, LA Architect, Los Angeles Times, and Space Magazine.

Jeffrey Eyster, AIA, who once presented a case study in Moscow, now leads the firm. This is an LA case study program that features eighteen modern structures. It now serves as the new architectural precedent that can be seen in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood.

studioPCH Architecture-Design

615 Hampton Drive, A110 Venice, CA 90291

What began as a small four-person company is now a thriving commercial-residential architectural and interior design firm. StudioPCH was founded by two French architects in 2008, specializing in the restaurant and hospitality industry. After the firm worked on two prestigious but challenging commercial ground-up projects in Malibu, it was propelled into the spotlight. The team’s natural and tasteful designs were recognized and featured in different magazines, including Surface Magazine, Architectural Digest, Dwell, and Forbes. The firm won several awards, such as the AIA’s Best Restaurant Design and Wallpaper’s Best Hotel Design. Since then, Studio PCH has designed several Nobu restaurants and hotels all around the world, including the Nobu Ryokan, which recently won the award for the best resort hotel in the US.

Severine Tatangelo is the principal and owner of the firm. With her team of highly skilled creatives, Studio PCH designed the formerly Nikita (which closed in 2014), which has now become the Little Beach House, owned by the globe-spanning private members club, SoHo House. It was reopened in 2016 by the SoHo House and is now a destination for various high-profile personalities and celebrities. The 6900 square-foot building contains a natural, luxurious feel that stems from the teak timbers, meticulous wood detailings, and rugged stone accents. Its earthy materials were inspired by the natural setting of the site’s location, Carbon Beach. The property showcases the stunning views of the Santa Monica pier and Malibu pier.