Bellevue is Washington’s fifth largest city and the Eastside’s high-tech and retail hub. It is consistently listed among the top mid-sized towns in the country, with thousands of employment opportunities and a downtown skyline of mesmerizing high-rises. While business thrives downtown, most of Bellevue has a small-town vibe with flourishing, woodsy neighborhoods and a vast network of trails.

This list of the finest office architects in Bellevue, Washington, includes many of the firms contributing considerably to Bellevue’s diverse market. These are the companies that can help you with your needs.

Baylis Architects

10801 Main St. Suite 110, Bellevue, WA 98004

Baylis Architects creates architecture as a functional art form. The firm’s work has been about design, sculpting the form of a building, the nature of materials, and the crafts involved in assembling them since 1972. It caters to its clients in the Pacific Northwest and the Pacific States with its architecture, planning, and interior design services. Baylis Architects is likewise proud to be affiliated with industry organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties, Associated Builders and Contractors, and the Associated General Contractors.

Brian Brand and Kevin Cleary lead the studio as principals, who both hold a degree in architecture from Fresno State University and California and Washington State University, respectively. Under their watch, Baylis Architects has received several honors for its works, such as the 2019 ABC Excellence in Construction, 2017 Gold Nugget Merit Award for Best Mixed Use Development, and the 2015 BC Excellence in Construction Award for Mixed-Use Construction.

Weinstein AU Architects + Urban Designers

2200 Western Avenue Suite 301, Seattle, WA 98121

Since 1977, Weinstein AU has operated as a mid-sized, full-service architecture and urban design firm. It has worked to build a portfolio of carefully considered Pacific Northwest and Hawaii projects that stand the test of time. With decades of hard work, the studio has received different honors, including the Citation Award during the 2020 AIA Northwest & Pacific Region Awards, the 2020 AIA Seattle Honor Awards for Washington Architecture, and the Firm Award during the 2019 AIA Northwest & Pacific Region Awards.

Taking the lead as principal is Ed Weinstein. He is known as a creative and astute problem solver, his talent having been recognized regionally and nationally. In 1993, Ed was inducted into the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows. In 2011, he received the AIA Seattle Medal of Honor, the region’s highest recognition for lifetime achievement in architecture. Ed holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a degree in architecture from the University of Washington.

JPC Architects

909 112th Ave. NE Suite 206, Bellevue, WA 98004

As one of the largest corporate interiors and architecture companies in the Pacific Northwest, JPC Architects is dedicated to excellent client service and superior design. It has been in the industry for almost four decades and is currently led by Ann Derr, Amy Nichols, Char Patterson, and Mark Peterson as principals. Ann graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in environmental design, while her master’s degree was from The University of Texas at Austin. Char earned her architectural degree from Washington State University and is a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

Under the great leadership of the principals, JPC Architects has been acknowledged by ONE Global Design. It is a network of 21 corporate architecture and design firms in the United States, Canada, Mexico, India, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Each firm in the ONE Global Design network is principal-led and meets strict criteria to ensure personal accountability.

FREIHEIT Architecture

777 108th Ave. NE Suite 1650, Bellevue, WA 98004

Founded in 1985, FREIHEIT Architecture provides architectural design, master land planning, interior design, feasibility studies, retail strategy, prototype design, multi-site rollouts, value engineering, and sustainability strategies to its clients in the Puget Sound Region. It is led by Dustin Thorlakson and partners with developers and private sector owners to create commercial environments to improve the communities people live in.

Serving as the company’s principal architect is Michael Langston. A proud member of NCARB and a LEED-accredited professional, Michael attended Washington State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master in Architecture. His leadership and the team’s depth of experience paved the way for FREIHEIT to be recognized by the press, including Puget Sound Business Journal, Architect Magazine, and Architizer.

The Driftmier Architects

7983 Leary Way NE, Redmond, WA 98052

Founded in 1980, Driftmier Architects has been involved in many projects representing individuals, corporations, and public entities. It is a mid-sized, full-service architectural firm in Redmond, Washington, led by principal architects Lee and Rick Driftmier. Lee graduated from Yale University with a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology, while Rick graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in environmental design and business administration. He also served as an executive board member at the Redmond Chamber of Commerce before he joined the company. 

Many of the firm’s work has been designing owner-occupied spaces, including office and retail buildings, financial institutions, residences, and special use district headquarters. More than 600 developments have been designed and built under its construction administration. It is also proud to be affiliated with the American Public Works Association, Northwest Credit Union Association, Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts, and the Washington Public Utility Districts Association.

Jackson | Main Architecture

311 1st Ave S., Seattle, WA 98104

Jackson Main Architecture (JMA) is a design firm focused on clients’ missions and objectives. Founded in 2015 by the merger of two firms, the firm helps people live and work smarter across many industries with its architecture, master planning and interior design services. Serving as JMA’s principal is Timothy Black, who got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is an Emergency Safety Assessor, and before joining JMA, he worked for notable architectural firms.

The Puget Sound Business Journal listed JMA in its Largest Architectural Firms list in 2018 and 2021 and on the Fastest Growing Companies list in 2017. It has also been a 2019 Finalist for Redevelopment/Renovation of the Year by NAIOP Night of the Stars, and a Grand Awardee for Construction Excellence by the AGC Build Awards in 2017.

Bassetti Architects

71 Columbia St. Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98104

Since 1947, Bassetti Architects has developed many well-loved and long-lived spaces in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Bassetti Architects continues a heritage of working with public and non-profit agencies to create lasting and functional buildings with its historic preservation, planning, sustainable strategies, education programming, interiors, and community design services. 

The team behind Bassetti is committed to applying a social justice lens to its daily practice and every project. It also challenges itself to reflect and do better, discover new ways to weave equity into its designs, improve the workplace culture, and engage with the communities it serves. The company’s goal is to foster a firmwide anti-racist culture that permeates its design practice and creates an inclusive environment for the staff and the clients with whom it works.

Jensen Design Architects

7730 Leary Way NE, Redmond, WA 98052

Jensen Design Architects develops projects across the U.S., emphasizing creative, sustainable, and engaging design. In its 27 years in the business, the firm has built more than 200 hotel projects, from two-stories to multi-level high rises across the state. It has also worked within Redmond and is currently working on a six-story multi-family project that has given the studio the chance to learn the anticipations of the current entitlement process in this jurisdiction.

JDA is a full-service 16-person architecture and interior design located in downtown Redmond. Founding principal Kurt Jensen started the firm in 1995 with an emphasis on the hospitality industry. He has over 35 years of experience as a licensed architect and is registered in over 20 states. Under his watch, the firm has received various honors, including the 2019 Excellence in Construction Award, 2019 Excellence in Masonry Design, 2018 “Best of” Award of Excellence, and the 2018 Fodor’s Choice Gold Award.

Chesmore | Buck Architecture

27 100th Ave NE Suite 10,0 Bellevue, WA 98004

Founded in 1993, Chesmore/Buck Architecture is a Bellevue-based design studio offering full architectural services to residential and commercial clients. Its design process is a collaborative approach centered around creating the greatest possible human experience. The company is led by founding principals Rick Chesmore and Dave Buck and is committed to designing timeless architecture that is in harmony with nature.

Chesmore/Buck Architecture’s projects have piqued the interest of the press, and some have featured its works. It has appeared on the pages of Sunset Magazine, Seattle Homes and Lifestyles, Gray Magazine, and LUXE Magazine.

Burgess Design, Inc.

1326 Fifth Ave. Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98101

Burgess Design is a Pacific Northwest-focused interior architecture company situated in downtown Seattle. Jim Burgess established the firm in 1992 and remains active in the ever-changing commercial landscape of the region. Burgess Design provides several services, including building evaluation, sustainable guidance, comparative test fits, architecture, developing workplace standards, programming, space planning, interior design, construction administration, graphic design, and project management.

Under the direction of principals Matin Ahmadpanah and Randy Morgan, the company prides itself in providing clients with the flexibility of a small firm and the resources they will find at a larger firm. Its projects range from tenant improvements to full-building renovations, so clients can be confident that it takes a hands-on approach to all projects, from programming through construction.