Sunny weather, picturesque beaches, and a lovely architectural footprint are what awaits new visitors to Jacksonville, Florida. This beach-blessed city is often referred to as the gateway to Florida, and it’s a haven for anyone who loves the outdoors and sprawling vistas. Residents can also enjoy a wide variety of restaurants, parks, and tons of activities.

These are just some of the reasons people are deciding to move to Jacksonville. It’s no surprise that high-quality, well-designed multifamily projects are in demand in the area. If you’re looking for a firm to design your project, here’s a list of the best multifamily architects working in Jacksonville, Florida.

ELM, Inc.

1035 Kings Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207

Founded in 2001, ELM is a multidisciplinary firm that offers Jacksonville planning, architecture, and landscape architecture services that are practiced together as one, well-integrated discipline. Doing so allows the firm to remain consistent in providing clients with inspired, technically-sound, and high-performing designs that are tailored to the specific circumstances of each project, regardless of the size.

At the helm of this firm are founders Russ Ervin, Steve Lovett, and Tim Miller, bringing together their combined experience in architecture, landscape architecture, and design. With such strong and experienced leadership backing ELM, many of its projects have graced the pages of prestigious publications like BoardRoom Magazine, Forbes, Urban Land Magazine, Sun-Sentinel, What’s Up Jacksonville, Tampa Bay Newswire, and more.

One of ELM’s featured projects is the grand Tamaya project, a large, infill mixed-use community that embodies that tropical, beachfront atmosphere in its design. This 800-acre project is found midway between downtown Jacksonville and the Atlantic beaches and includes lovely amenities like recreational and club buildings, pools, wide-open spaces, and parks. At the heart of it is the Residents Club, a Mediterranean-inspired clubhouse built for Tamaya’s neighborhoods. Inside is a state-of-the-art fitness/wellness center, tennis courts, an adventure playground, a large event lawn, and a number of pools with sizes ranging from a Junior Olympic-size one to a beach-entry lagoon pool. Tamaya was also designed to preserve and protect the wetlands in the area, resting alongside a lovely natural setting that is well-integrated with the community through trails and open spaces.

Group 4 Design, Inc.

1520 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Fl 32207

Group 4 Design, Inc. provides fresh and innovative architectural and interior design services. Its outstanding team of experienced architects and designers specialize in a wide variety of project types where clients can expect principal level involvement with their project, ensuring eagle-eyed attention and effective project management.

This small firm’s great work has won several prestigious awards including the 2021 Grand Award for Multifamily Residential Community of the Year from the Aurora Awards Design for Living, three Silver Aurora Award Honors, and a Silver Aurora Award Honor for Best Active Adult Living Community.

The Fusion Rental Community featured below was awarded the 2021 Grand Award for Multifamily Residential Community of the Year and the 2021 Aurora Awards Design for Living – Fusion Living. This multifamily housing project spans 548,544 square feet and contains 384 stylish, modern units. Being located near Florida’s beaches, this community also offers a resort-style courtyard with a beach-entry swimming pool. The community can also enjoy the perks of a 2-story luxurious clubhouse where they can host events. There’s also a 2-story on-site gym that offers complimentary fitness classes, an indoor pet spa and dog agility park, a comfy movie theater, and even a game lawn with various activities residents can enjoy.

PQH Group Design Inc.

4141 Southpoint Drive East, Suite #200, Jacksonville, FL 32216

Having been in the business for 40 years, PQH Group Design is the most experienced firm on this list. For nearly four decades, it has been leading the way in terms of full-service planning, architectural services, and interior design in Jacksonville; it is also known as the 6th largest architectural firm in the area according to the Jacksonville Business Journal. Thanks to its breadth of experience, its collaborative design approach, and its proactive leadership, PQH Group Design remains one of the most reliable architectural firms in the area.

Featured below is the Portofino Luxurious Apartments, a high-end residential project designed by PQH Group Design. It’s located at the heart of Jacksonville, close to St. Johns Town Center Shopping Mall, and it offers its residents a variety of conveniences and privileges like BBQ grills, swimming pools, fitness studio, sports courts, playground, and a gated dog park. As for the homes, Portofino has 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartment units with expansive floor plans and stunning, new traditional interiors.

Dasher Hurst Architects

1022 Park Street, Suite 208, Jacksonville, FL 32204

Founded in 2011, Dasher Hurst Architects is a relatively fresh architectural firm that goes above and beyond with every project. It strives to design buildings that are not only financially responsible but are also environmentally sound, whether the project is commercial, educational, mixed-use, or residential.

It’s led by founding principals Glenn Dasher and Tom Hurst, both of whom are esteemed architects. Dasher, a member of the AIA and LEED AP BD+C, has been honored with several awards from the local AIA for his artistic prowess and contributions to the community. Meanwhile, Hurst—also a member of the AIA and LEED ap BC+C—served as the past president of AIA Jacksonville and is a registered architect and interior designer in Florida on top of being a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

One example of the firm’s great work is The Marina San Pablo.  Considered one of the most prestigious condominiums in North Florida, this multifamily project has 113 units ranging in size from 1,700 to 5,300 square feet. They are all oriented around a marina and yacht club with 90 boat slips that can accommodate boats up to 60 feet. The visuals of this palace are inspired by the architecture of Mizner’s turn-of-the-century Palm Beach Palaces—hence the Mediterranean details.

Studio9 Architecture LLC

315 East Bay Street, Suite 303, Jacksonville, FL 32202

Studio9 Architects is an innovative, purpose-driven firm that offers the people of Jacksonville premier architecture and interior design service. With the help of skilled industry professionals, the firm can provide a well-rounded approach to design that yields a seamless output. 

Leading the firm are Craig Davisson, Jason Faulkner, and Jim Frey, LEED AP. Davisson is a registered architect and serves on Jacksonville’s Downtown Development Review Board. He is joined by Faulkner, also a licensed architect and a licensed interior designer whose passion is to integrate both architecture and interior design in every project. Faulkner has led the planning and interior design of over 1.2 million square feet of commercial office and hospitality interior space. Frey is a graduate of design from the University of Florida and worked for several prominent national and regional architecture firms before he became a partner at Studio 9 and established N8 Consulting Group.

Featured is the Waters Edge Condominiums, a seven-story, 17-unit luxury condominium project found in a coveted location on the oceanfront of Jacksonville Beach. The poured-in-place concrete is complemented by masonry and a commercial-grade glass shell, and it’s accented by the building’s exterior finish of stucco with metal panels—all perfect for the apartment’s location.