Louisville is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and has one of the fastest growing economies in the region. The city’s strategic location near the Ohio River has made it a practical location for shipping and cargo companies. Ease in transporting raw materials to and from the city has made it an excellent center for manufacturing companies, such as for motor vehicles and appliances. The city’s cost of living, which is lower than the national average, and its numerous schools, colleges, and universities, make it a top choice of residence for young individuals and families.
If you are a developer or are looking to invest in multifamily developments in Louisville, consider the list below, which includes the best multifamily architects in Louisville, Kentucky. These firms can help you develop your investment, from site selection and analysis to creating design solutions, construction, and licensing. These architects are local to the city and have extensive experience in design and construction projects. They can help you design regionally appropriate multifamily complexes that will appeal to your target market. These firms provide superior designs that perfectly match the needs of local residents and help you ensure that your investment thrives.
Potter & Associates Architects
333 East Main Street, Suite 500, Louisville, KY 40202
Potter Architects is a Louisville-based full-service architecture firm offering architectural services, interior design, master planning services, and historic preservation. Established in 1977, the firm provides the highest quality architectural design services through careful attention to detail, excellent project management, and its commitment to fulfilling clients’ needs.
Beyond architectural integrity and aesthetics, Potter Architects commits to environmental stewardship by incorporating sustainability measures in its designs and material choices. Founder and president Henry Potter has extensive experience in master planning, architectural design, and project administration for a wide range of project types and sizes. His leadership, creativity, and passion for architecture drive the firm’s success in delivering exceptional projects and building strong client relations.
In each project, Potter & Associates utilizes Building Information Modeling (BIM) software to create 3D models that help clients see the project design and its progress throughout the construction process. This software gives clients better transparency and enables them to monitor the project’s development. This reduces miscommunication and ensures that the client’s vision and objectives are reflected in the design. For multifamily residences, Potter & Associates aims to create spaces that appeal to the local demographic and offer adequate versatility for the specific needs and uses of future tenants and residents.
The firm’s design of the Fleur de Lis on Main is an excellent example of balance in function and beauty. The five-story development includes eighty-two residential units, 20,000-square feet of retail space on the ground floor, and underground parking with 150 slots. The design provides adequate privacy in each unit while offering several common spaces for group activities. This includes a rooftop garden, two large courtyards, a fitness room, and a community space. The firm’s emphasis on sustainability measures is evident in its inclusion of plants in all common spaces and corridors, the use of large windows to maximize natural lighting, and the uneven facade that protects from harsh winds. The multi-use building has a simple and timeless design on the outside while bringing comfort and security on the inside.
Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects
9300 Shelbyville Road, Suite 502, Louisville, KY 40222
Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects is an architecture firm that offers architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, civil engineering, and structural engineering services. The firm’s diverse portfolio includes projects in different sectors, including P-12 and higher education, multi-family housing, corporate, industrial, and government. Grounded on collaboration and innovation, the firm works extensively and creatively to deliver unique design solutions that meet clients’ needs and exceed their expectations.
Since its founding in 1979, the firm has created designs that are distinct yet blend in well with the built and natural environments. Its work in Louisville and the rest of the state has helped shape the architectural landscape in Kentucky and contributed to its growth and development.
The interdisciplinary structure of Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects ensures clients that all aspects of the project are carefully planned and expertly crafted. Each project is afforded meticulous attention and consideration toward creating the optimum and most sustainable design solution given the owner’s site, resources, and budget.
The firm’s plan for the Beecher Terrace Redevelopment demonstrates its ability to maximize resources and create innovative design solutions. The original public housing development, which was built in 1939, needed rehabilitation to improve livability, durability, and sustainability. The firm’s design maintains the 31.40-acre venue’s cultural heritage and identity while upgrading its image and character to incorporate modern styles, technologies, and environment-friendly measures. The redevelopment is pursuing LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) and Enterprise Green Community certification, which signifies the firm’s commitment to designing quality high-performance homes for low-income families and seniors.
DKN Architects
716 East Market Street Louisville, KY 40202
DKN Architects (formerly Tucker.Booker.Donhoff+Partners) is a Louisville-based architecture firm with projects throughout the state and across North America. Since its formation in 1972, the firm has served diverse clients, including major corporations, private developers, government agencies, educational institutions, and religious organizations.
The firm’s CEO, Robin L. Donhoff, is licensed in thirty-seven states and has decades of experience as lead designer and principal architect in numerous projects for public, private, and nonprofit institutions, as well as commercial developers. His architectural expertise and excellent management drive the firm’s success across different project types, sizes, and objectives. DKN’s president, Patrick D. Nall, is a registered architect in four states and stands as the firm’s LEED expert. He manages the firm’s projects in sustainable design and construction and through LEED certification.
It was through his design and leadership that the firm’s headquarters received LEED Certified distinction in 2007, which was the first of its kind in the city’s business district. Vice president Tom Kargl is licensed in five states and has two decades of experience leading design teams for a wide range of project sizes and scopes. His unique experience-based insight on construction methodologies and detailing helps the firm create efficient and high-performance design solutions.
The principals’ combined expertise and superior leadership skills direct the firm’s success in all its projects and endeavors. The firm draws inspiration from each project’s unique characteristics, objectives, and context. This allows the team to craft the best design solutions that fit clients’ needs and cater to the characteristics and lifestyles of the target market, clientele, and tenants.
The Audubon Woods is the firm’s latest multifamily residential development. Set in a quiet neighborhood just outside Louisville, the firm designed the condominiums to reflect the peaceful and nature-filled atmosphere in the subdivision. Each unit offers adequate versatility and a unique view of the cityscape in the front and the Audubon Country Club golf course at the back. DKN perfectly designed the modern style condominium with the advantage of luscious greenery and the convenient location near the I-65 and the Watterson Expressway.
Joseph & Joseph + Bravura Architects
550 S 4th Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Joseph & Joseph + Bravura Architects was established in 1908, and since then, it has served clients in Louisville, Lexington, and the rest of northern Kentucky. The firm offers distillery architecture and general architecture, interior design, master planning, building assessment, and several other services. The key to the firm’s success for over a century is how it shares the client’s vision and works with them to transform their vision into reality. Providing personal attention to each client, the firm addresses the client’s needs and objectives and helps them assess options for future growth and development, whether as a retail store, distillery, corporate headquarters, or a multifamily residence.
The firm’s extensive experience in a wide range of projects and its diverse team of experts in architecture, interior design, and project management assure clients that their projects will be carefully planned, designed, and managed by experts. For multifamily housing projects, the firm balances aesthetics, functionality, efficiency, and versatility.
Edison Park Lofts is one of the firm’s most recent multifamily residential developments and was also a historic renovation project. Joseph & Joseph + Bravura transformed the almost century-old gymnasium— which was used for storage for several years—into a high-end apartment building. Retaining the historic look of the old structure, the firm opted for an industrial design with exposed corrugated metal panels and metal pipes and the use of sliding barn doors with metal tracks. The firm also included modern energy-saving lighting fixtures, high-end appliances, and built-in washer-dryer hookups to improve daily life and efficiency for residents. The overall design highlights the structure’s historic character while offering modern home amenities to residents and their guests.
Work Architecture + Design
1122 Rogers Street, Louisville, KY 40204
WorK Architecture + Design was founded in 2012 by Mitchell Kersting and Tyler Watkins and has since completed numerous projects in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. With a mission to inspire positive change through architecture, the firm approaches each project with unbiased eyes and an energetic spirit toward creating the best design solution. The firm understands that, despite similarities in some facets, all projects require unique solutions that cater to the needs of each homeowner, business owner, or institution. The firm also encourages collaboration throughout the design process so that the clients’ insights are reflected in the design.
Beyond delivering effective design solutions and building excellent client relationships, WorK Architecture + Design remains mindful of each design’s effect on the community, the environment, and the architectural landscape. It considers how the design will blend in with the existing built environment and how it will be received by the local neighborhood.
In designing the Bradford Mills Loft, the firm maintained the original structure’s exterior look, as it has become a historic and cultural landmark in the neighborhood. While the outside reflected the building’s history as a cotton mill built in 1910, the interior offered luxurious modern amenities that fit the young Louisville lifestyle. Each unit features high ceilings, hardwood floors, large windows, and an industrial style modern kitchen. The redevelopment is a remarkable synergy of past and present that inspires feelings of nostalgia and comfort for residents and neighbors.
Burrus Architecture & Construction
3 Anchorage Pointe, Louisville, KY 40223
Burrus Architecture & Construction is a Louisville design-build firm that specializes in custom homes, commercial spaces, mixed use developments, and multifamily residences. Established in 1988 by Greg Burrus, the firm has completed dozens of residential and commercial designs, constructions, and renovations. As both a licensed architect and general contractor, Burrus assists clients throughout the entire project, from site analysis and design to construction and permit management. His unique insight and experience in design and construction offer clients a venue for achieving their goals through efficient, durable architecture. The firm also aims to minimize energy consumption and promote health and wellness by incorporating relevant elements and measures in its designs.
Burrus Architecture & Construction is committed to improving people’s lives by creating spaces and structures that reflect their objectives and address their needs. In designing multifamily residences, the firm creates design solutions that match the lifestyles of potential tenants and owners.
One of the firm’s multifamily developments is the Meeting Point condos in the Norton Commons town center. A 45,000-square-foot mixed-use building, the Meeting Point includes eighteen luxury apartments and ground-floor retail and commercial spaces. The use of brick siding and the corner turret creates a classic and elegant look befitting the neighborhood. On the inside, each luxury apartment provides ample room for the modern individual, couple or family and is fitted for modern appliances and smart technologies. A private elevator from the underground parking garage offers residents a private and secure entry without passing through the commercial center. The mixed use development is as secure and safe as it is striking and functional.
Studio A
2330 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40206
Studio A is an award-winning full-service architecture firm that offers a wide range of architectural and interior design services for multi-family, hospitality, commercial and mixed-used, developments. Based in Louisville with satellite offices in Lexington, Atlanta, Panama City, and San Francisco, the firm caters to a diverse set of clients in nineteen states in the continental U.S. The firm has experienced significant growth and recognition in the industry since its founding in 2000 because of its flexibility and innovative perspective that permit it to meet each client’s specific requirements. From renovations and additions to large multi-million dollar projects, Studio A provides clients with quality work through careful attention to detail and by fostering collaboration and coordination.
Grounded on the core values of enthusiasm, integrity, and discretion, Studio A understands each client’s specific requirements and capacities and creates design solutions that meet these needs while staying within time and financial constraints. For multi-family residences, the firm matches its design with the existing built environment, the needs and lifestyles of the target market, and the developer’s available resources.
In the Riverport Landing project, the firm used three developments in the same site while utilizing different designs and styles to match the specific needs of its users. The senior apartments include one- and two-bedroom apartments and a number of common spaces for age-appropriate recreational activities. The family apartments include two- and three-bedroom units and common areas like gardens, a clubhouse, and an outdoor pool where families can spend time with one another.
The Family Scholar House includes two thirty-two-unit apartment buildings for single parent families and youth who are aging out of foster care and pursuing higher education. Studio A’s design offers ample privacy, balanced with attractiveness and functionality, to create a warm and welcoming place for an intergenerational community.
