One of the largest cities in the U.S., Omaha attracts many for plenty of reasons. Warren Buffet’s so-called home, the city of Omaha houses major employers including four Fortune 500 companies. For this reason, the city has a low unemployment rate and is one of the most recession-proof cities in America. Despite a big demand for housing due to its large population and booming economy, the city remains one of the most affordable places to live in the country. Because of the city’s low cost of living, the demand for housing increases even more. 

Due to this demand, many are encouraged to build more multifamily buildings in Omaha. This city contains excellent architects who help developers design the best possible multifamily residential spaces for families and young professionals. The list below includes six of the most well-established architects in the area. All these architects are award-winning and are members of the American Institute of Architects. Each has received a considerable amount of press. In the industry for one to five decades, all architects on this list are proud of their portfolios. Their portfolios showcase expertise in providing architectural services for condominiums, mixed-use developments, apartments, and townhouses.

RDG Planning & Design

301 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50309

RDG Planning & Design and its predecessor companies have been collaborating with clients to create meaning together since 1965. In that time, RDG has collected multiple accolades and been featured in numerous publications, including Architect Magazine, Engineering News-Record and ArchDaily. The firm has remained in the industry because of its meaningful designs and its commitment to high standards that produce creative, valuable outputs.

Adding value to the 1893 Lee County Bank Building, RDG’s design converted the historic structure into a mixed-use building. The building originally housed the Lee County Bank and had always been at the heart of commercial activity in Fort Madison, Iowa and was rehabilitated in 2017. Today, the three-story structure houses retail spaces on the first floor and apartment units on the second and third. As part of the renovation, the structure’s exterior received new historically accurate windows and extensive masonry work to correct years of deterioration to the sandstone exterior. RDG’s design also retained much of the interior’s original woodwork, including a grand staircase that leads up to the apartments. Rehabilitation of the original building required meticulous work; using its decades of expertise, the firm has updated the Lee County Bank Building to function in modern times while preserving the structure’s original details.

RDG Planning & Design’s network creates meaningful designs. Composed of several principals and dedicated team members, the firm is poised to stay an industry leader for decades to come.

Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

1516 Cuming St., Omaha, NE 68102

For Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, architecture is a way of life. The firm’s members live and breathe the profession, resulting in extraordinary determination to produce optimum designs. Each day, the team advances as it creates innovative designs. They believe that design serves as an act of optimism, producing better spaces for people and communities. A superb space extends beyond function, as it caters to the imagination to create a positive experience. 

Established in 1987, Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture has consistently showcased elegant solutions to project demands. One project displaying the firm’s excellence in design is BOS Apartments. Living up to its name, the new structure designed by the firm is exceptional and distinguishes the firm as a leading firm in the area. It has a unique design that mixes residential and industrial. The main building was a converted warehouse now housing 134 modern apartment units. Next to the industrial building are twenty-four row houses featuring front porches and gable roofs. From the industrial apartment building to the row houses, there is continuity in design. The result is a sophisticated neighborhood that positively impacts its residents’ way of living. 

For its impactful designs, the firm has received several recognitions including the 2017 AIA Housing Design Awards, Specialized Housing category. Prestigious publications such as The Wall Street Journal have featured the firm. Influencing the firm’s outstanding performance are principals Michael Alley and Albert Macchietto. Both are AIA and NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) members.  Alley is an alum of the University of Kansas while Macchietto has a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Sinclair Hille Architects

700 Q St., Lincoln, NE 68508

Founded in 1981, Sinclair Hille Architects has received numerous awards for housing development projects. One of these is the Significant Residential Development Award for its work on The Schwarz – Luxury Condominiums. The firm has consistently been recognized for its contribution to enhancing communities. Through personalized architecture, the firm helps people maximize their living, learning, and working experience. For the firm, excellent design must be combined with strong project management skills. The firm operates through the collaboration of equally skilled architects, project managers, and designers. It is managed by a number of dedicated principals with years of experience in the industry. 

A result of the firm’s effective collaboration is the Larson Building. A mixed-use facility, Larson Building contains housing and retail units, as well as parking stalls. With a total project cost of twenty-four million dollars, Sinclair Hille Architects has designed a building inspired by its location, the financial district. Mimicking the strength of financial institutions in the area, the firm incorporated an imposing stone facade into the building’s main entrance. Through the firm’s impressive design, this ten-story building now stands tall as the first high-rise structure in downtown Lincoln.

For consistently performing, many publications have taken notice of the firm. Such publications include the Beatrice Daily Sun, Norfolk Daily News, and Lincoln Journal Star.

Holland Basham Architects

119 S 49th Ave., Omaha, NE 68132

Holland Basham Architects has developed a national portfolio of multi-family housing projects focused on urban infill and adaptive reuse, including housing privatization for the military. Working on behalf of regional and institutional investors, Holland Basham Architects has built a reputation for designing sustainable projects responsive to a wide-ranging set of parameters for Non-Profits, Public-Private Partnerships, and For-Profit entities.

Holland Basham Architects’ design process starts with a proprietary, data-driven analysis, expanding the client’s market study. This early analysis allows the design team to generate enhanced design solutions that capitalize on competitor properties’ missed opportunities. Understanding the critical attribute of successful mixed-use developments, integrating brand identity, and resident expectations of current and emerging lifestyle trends allows our designers to create truly unique and responsive outcomes.

Swivel, an urban infill project in Omaha, Nebraska, is being constructed on an existing structure, leveraging the current asset to support municipal parking requirements. Holland Basham Architects developed the project in conjunction with a branding strategy that will allow the design to effectively respond to a diverse range of occupants in a neighborhood experiencing regentrification. Additionally, Holland Basham Architects developed the project in conjunction with input from City Planning as they worked to validate assumptions within their form-based zoning code. The project effectively responds to unique zoning challenges and an emerging Transit-Oriented Development Concept allowing for increased site densities.

Leading Holland Basham Architects’ team are principals Curt Witzenburg, Kurt Cisar, and Tom Zuk. All are AIA members and LEED Accredited Professionals. Witzenburg and Cisar are alums at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, while Zuk earned his degree at Syracuse University.

Studio 951

7305 Main St., Ralston, NE 68127

Established in 1994, Studio 951 prioritizes creativity and delivering unique designs. These designs are created by considering what the clients need, as well as the environment. Through a mix of science and art, extraordinary, environment-friendly structures are produced. For the firm’s unique and inspired projects, it has received the 2021 AIA People’s Choice Award. Because of its fantastic designs, the firm has become a favorite of Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World Herald. It has received mention in two publications a total of forty-seven times. 

Displaying the firm’s creative designs is the 8 Street Apartments in Omaha. In this project, the firm has used a clever combination of materials, including stone, wood, and metal. On the lower part of the front facade, dark gray brick walls highlight the apartment’s main entrance. The rest of the exterior facade’s design is a mixture of a container house and traditional townhouse styles. The result is a unique structure that combines quirkiness and simplicity. 

The firm’s approach to design is based on three principles: integrity, innovation, and intellect. These principles are guided by office director David L. Johnson. A licensed architect in seven states, Johnson is president of AIA Nebraska’s board of directors and an alumnus of the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

Tackarchitects

2922 N. 61st Str., Studio 1, Omaha NE, 68104

Another Omaha-based firm, Tackarchitects has been in the industry for ten years, making it the youngest firm on the list but with a decade in the industry. In this time, it has gained multiple accolades in the field of architecture and design. Its most recent recognition is the 2020 IIDA | Excellence in Interior Design Award, which demonstrates the firm’s ability to create well-crafted designs. The firm crafts its designs with passion and meticulous attention to detail. This kind of approach is applied in every high-end residential and commercial project the firm handles. 

Because of its impressive portfolio, Tackarchitects is trusted by many clients in Omaha and all over the country. Included in the firm’s extensive portfolio is the Benson Lights Apartment. Situated in a quirky neighborhood, the building needed an equally unique design. The firm has been inspired by the hip community, creating a trendy industrial structure with geometric patterns and clean, sleek lines. Mirroring Omaha’s mixed urban and suburban atmosphere, the firm has designed an apartment community showcasing the neighborhood’s urban artistry. Amenities such as a rooftop deck, a swimming pool, and a courtyard fire pit are provided for comfortable, modern living. 

The firm’s standout designs are a result of the collaboration of its team headed by principals J. Christopher Houston, Jeffrey Dolezal, and Rebecca Harding. All are AIA members and LEED Accredited Professionals. Houston finished his master’s degree at the University of Oregon while Dolezal earned his degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Harding is a proud alum of Cornell University.