A well-designed office inspires innovation and boosts morale. Creating a space where your workers feel comfortable, supported, and motivated requires an architect who understands how to craft a productive and comfortable workplace that facilitates collaboration.
To help you choose the right designer equipped to handle your building needs, our team has listed the best office architects in Arlington, Virginia. These firms were selected for their accreditations, certifications, and professional affiliations. We also considered the recognition each firm has received in the form of industry awards, client reviews, and press features. We have laid out the range of services these firms offer, their specializations, and the length of time they have been in the industry.
Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS
1728 14th St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20009
Bonstra | Haresign Architects has worked on a variety of projects, ranging in size and complexity from residential renovations and adaptive use to large-scale, mixed-use developments. The firm is an expert in zoning and building codes, historic preservation guidelines, and sustainable design requirements of the jurisdictions in which the firm works. The company’s projects minimize financial risks and maximize returns through imaginative design solutions and technically precise documentation. The firm ensures projects are completed on time and within budget by closely managing and administering each stage of design and construction.
Bill Bonstra is the founder and managing partner of Bonstra | Haresign Architects, LLP. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Having won over 75 national and regional awards, Bill has led the firm in the implementation of complex commercial projects with challenging zoning and historic preservation requirements as a Council Appointed Member of the DC Zoning Taskforce.
An outstanding representative of its long portfolio of projects is the Boeing Eastern Region Headquarters. A glass and metal rooftop pavilion atop Boeing’s regional headquarters provides an executive office center with views of the flight path to Reagan National Airport. Its dynamic, wing-shaped roofs reflect Boeing’s mission as an aerospace giant. A former empty sunken plaza adjacent to the office building has been replaced with a state-of-the-art, secure 200-seat auditorium and conference center.
OTJ Architects
555 11th St., NW Suite 200, Washington, DC 20004
OTJ Architects is a premier architecture and design firm that partners with clients in the commercial real estate, corporate, government, arts and entertainment, technology, and nonprofit sectors. OTJ is committed to sustainability and the wellbeing of all people. For each project the firm undertakes, a team of LEED and WELL Accredited professionals develops practical and ethical green design solutions that balance wellness, environmental stewardship, as well as fiscal responsibility. OTJ has been recognized with awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), and the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) to name a few. Representative recent projects include workplaces for Adobe, Anheuser-Busch, PBS, and BMW. Apart from this, OTJ worked on several historic cultural venues such as the iconic Martin Luther King Jr. Library, New York’s Webster Hall, and the Boston Opera House.
In addition to these signature projects, OTJ recently completed the 2100 L Street Class-A trophy office building, located in the heart of the capital’s business district. 2100 L Street is a 110-foot tall modernist structure is anchored by a grand two-story lobby as well as 8,000 square feet of prime retail space. The building features 20,000 square-foot floor plates designed to maximize efficiency, flexibility, and address the varying configuration requirements of a myriad of tenant types. 2100 L has received LEED certification at the platinum level and was recognized as the Best New Development of 2020 by the Washington Business Journal.
FOX Architects
1240 22nd St. NW Washington, DC 20037
FOX Architects is an integrated, award-winning architecture and interior design firm in Washington, DC. The firm designs environments for corporate commercial offices, institutions, mixed-use, and historic and government buildings. The company is a member of ONE Global Design, a network of 20 independent and principal-owned firms that enables FOX to bring clients the knowledge of the local community and a fresh perspective on other real estate markets.
Bob Fox, chairman and principal of FOX Architects, teamed up with JP Spickler to design more integrated projects and increase value for the firm’s clients. A member of the AIA and certified by the IIDA, Bob is a leader in the architecture and interior design industry and well respected for his open-minded approach to workplace design. JP, meanwhile, has pioneered the sustainable practice of building recycling. His contribution to the profession and society has led to his elevation to the AIA’s prestigious College of Fellows. Both Bob and JP are LEED Accredited Professionals, further solidifying FOX’s commitment to sustainability.
Washington Gas, which earned LEED-Gold certification, is a good example of the firm’s work. The project organizes bright, collaborative, open work environments around an exterior, south lawn amenity. The façades respond to both their internal functions and external site contexts, with sensors on the south curtain wall that automatically raise and lower screens in response to daylight conditions.
KGD Architecture
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 1000A, Arlington, VA 22203
KGD Architecture is an award-winning design firm specializing in architecture, interior design, urban planning, and real estate design services. The firm was established by Ben Kishimoto and Chris Gordon in 1995. Later on, Manoj Dalaya joined the team, creating a more diverse, capable design firm. Today, the firm provides world-class client service. KGD expertly creates designs for a number of industry sectors, including multifamily, corporate office, hospitality, education, science, and technology.
KGD Architecture’s expansive list of clientele includes AstraZeneca, US National Cyber Security, the University of the Potomac, and the Cleveland International School. When it comes to workplace designs, the firm has also worked on several large-scale projects. Take, for example, the 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard Patterson mixed-use building in Washington. This striking structure is the first LEED Platinum Core and Shell building in the DC metropolitan area and the world’s largest office building utilizing Vedic design principles of orientation, placement, and proportion.
Hickok Cole
301 N. St., NE Washington, DC 20002
Hickok Cole is a forward-focused design practice connecting bold ideas, diverse expertise, and partners with the vision and desire to do work that matters. The firm’s collaborative approach to design rejects a signature style in favor of memorable and meaningful stories, with multi-disciplinary teams responding to each project’s unique characteristics and distinct opportunities. It approaches each project as an opportunity to draw on the full architecture, interior design, and creative branding expertise of the firm, resulting in bold yet thoughtful designs that help its clients move the market forward.
Celebrating more than 30 years in business, Hickok Cole is led by senior principals and founding partners Michael E. Hickok, FAIA and Yolanda Cole, FAIA, IIDA, LEED AP and a diverse team of senior leaders helping to guide the firm into the future. Experts in their respective fields, this powerhouse team ensures the firm walks the walk of its mission in every way and pursues what’s next for its clients, people, and profession with conviction and integrity. Under their leadership, Hickok Cole placed research and craft at the center of its practice, leading to the firm’s work on the first mass timber and net-zero energy commercial office renovations in Washington, DC. In addition to this ground-breaking work, the firm is known for creating designs that differentiate across the competitive multifamily, commercial office, and interiors markets, such as 101 Constitution Avenue.
The building features an airy and expansive two-story, 7,000-square-foot main lobby that houses a premium espresso bar that provides indoor and outdoor seating areas. The atrium and elevator lobbies are decorated by commissioned works of art; the new rooftop terrace now welcomes up to 685 guests and is designed for year-round access.
CallisonRTKL
2101 L St. NW Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037
Certified by the AIA, CallisonRTKL (CRTKL) is a global architectural, planning, and design firm that has grown into a cultural agency dedicated to supporting communities. The firm specializes in change management, commercial interiors, health facility planning, store planning and design, and historic preservation. Through a human-centric design approach, its team blends resiliency, well-being, and technology, and always carefully considers its effect on the built environment.
In her three decades at the firm, President and Chief Executive Officer Kim Heartwell has served as its D.C. office leader and global Workplace practice leader. Her expertise in workplace design, change management, and mobility strategies for complex organizations have reinforced CRTKL’s commitment to creating mission-driven environments that boost morale, increase efficiency, and embrace sustainability principles. Heartwell maintains affiliations with the Urban Land Institute and the DC Building Industry Association. She led CRTKL in the design of this government office building in the Liberty Center development.
By implementing sustainable design practices and Performance-Driven Design initiatives, CallisonRTKL designed the interiors to achieve LEED-Platinum; the shell and core meet LEED-Gold standards. The CRTKL team reimagined the traditional design of a government office building and built the space to support the high technology and research functions of the organization.
Architecture, Incorporated
1902 Campus Commons Dr., Suite 101 Reston, VA 20191
With expertise in architecture, interior design, and planning, Architecture, Incorporated crafts commercial spaces tailored to the needs of its clients and the programmatic requirements of their projects. The firm turns virtual schemes into real environments that take the form of various project types from healthcare and education to hospitality and residential. Architecture, Incorporated is accustomed to handling construction document production, cost estimating, and owner representation during the bidding and construction phases.
Rusty Shaw and William R. Drury run the firm as members of the AIA and LEED Accredited Professionals. Shaw applies his in-depth knowledge of cost-effective educational design in leading Architecture, Incorporated in improving the quality of schools and cultural facilities across the Washington, DC metro area. Drury has spent over 44 years refining his design skills which have proven to be an asset to the practice. Working as an integrated team, they build on Architecture, Incorporated’s proficiency in designing modern offices.
The Ballston Tower lobby was reconfigured to create a more secure single point of entry for the project; the remaining 1,395 square-foot entry vestibule and elevator lobby were updated through a complete renovation. The dated dropped ceiling in the elevator lobby concealed large angled building structural elements. In order to mask these joists more creatively, an organic folded ceiling treatment was developed to maximize the volume of the space.
MTFA Architecture
3200 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22207
MTFA Architecture reconciles the myriad of program, budget, and regulatory requirements for office, mixed-use, entertainment, religious, education, civic, and preservation projects. The NCARB-accredited firm is rooted in cultural preservation and sustainable design. MTFA uses research and participates in design competitions to experiment with cutting-edge materials and advance the practical use of technology. MTFA Architecture was awarded the T. David Fitz-Gibbon Virginia Architecture Firm Award, the highest honor bestowed by the AIA Virginia.
Michael T. Foster and James Clark are the principals of MTFA Architecture, heading the firm as FAIA. Michael has produced projects receiving local and national awards for innovations in mixed-use planning. He is a member of the Economic Development Commission and past chair of the Arlington Planning Commission. Meanwhile, James, a LEED AP for Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD+C), is the past president of both the Virginia Society AIA (VSAIA) and the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter. He has been honored with the distinguished VSAIA Award of Achievement for his work on education, religious and civic institutions, and the preservation of historic properties. They steered the team in transforming this 175,000 square-foot mixed-use office building in Arlington.
The structure’s 40-foot, column-free structural planning bays are designed for maximum flexibility to serve a variety of government and commercial tenant types. The roof terrace provides an active educational and informal meeting place offering secure wi-fi for an alternate work environment. The eight-story building accommodates a large amount of leasable space including a daycare center, an urban park, a luxury fitness center, and teleconferencing rooms.
Wingate Hughes Architects
1424 K St. NW #300, Washington, DC 20005
Wingate Hughes Architects sets the bar for quality commercial interiors and office design that adheres to the ideals of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Through a relationship-driven design approach, the firm takes the time to get to know the client and their goals and develops designs that respond to their needs and budget.
Partners, Gavin Hughes Daniels and Kerri Bouie, bring more than three decades of combined experience in the design and construction of commercial architecture and interiors. Bouie is an NCIDQ Accredited Professional and a member of the American Society of Interior Designers; Daniels is an AIA, Registered Architect across the country from Washington State to Washington, DC, actively involved with the DC tech scene. Their efforts continue to create value for long-term clients and facilities that stand out in the marketplace.
The Stardog office in Arlington, Virginia is a good example of the firm’s work. It incorporates Biophilic design, which seeks to link the built environment and the natural world. This design philosophy inspired the star-shaped lighting that designates the pantry, reception area, and collaboration areas. The black-painted exposed ductwork ceiling neutralizes the four color-branded phone booths perpendicular to the reception area. The custom cut-out corridor wall creates texture, gives a sense of privacy, and lets filtered light shine into the reception area from the windows in the seven glass-perimeter offices and the open office areas.
Deceder Group, LLC
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 331 Arlington, VA 22203
Founded by Daniel Deceder, Deceder Group, LLC has quickly proven to be a driving force in the commercial sector, providing architecture and interior design. Its in-house staff is adept in handling building repositioning, amenity space design, infrastructure and accessibility upgrades, and spec suites. The goal of Deceder Group is to make the architectural process as simple as possible for clients while strengthening its practice.
Daniel draws on over a decade of experience working in architecture and interior design firms in the DC Metro area. He holds membership with the AIA, and he is a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction. Dan pioneered Deceder Group’s commercial design process, utilizing advanced technology to collaborate with clients and team members and explore cost-effective interventions.
This methodology was put into practice in the design of the Starry headquarters. The branding of the company is echoed in the office space through pops of purple hues which complement the wooden furniture and earth-toned polished concrete flooring. The open workspace layout is given more life with small neon signages and a shared kitchen area. Expansive glass windows line the walls of the office, bringing in abundant sunlight.
