The Best Residential Architects and Designers in New York City

Finding the right residential architects in New York City can feel daunting, especially given the city’s bustling construction landscape. With approximately 8.336 million residents and a median home value of $838,000, the stakes are high for anyone looking to build or renovate their home. The cost of residential projects in NYC varies widely, typically ranging from $100,000 to $400,000, with high-end projects often surpassing $750,000. These projects can take up to 28 weeks to complete, and delays are not uncommon due to the complexities of urban construction.

New York’s unique architectural landscape offers many styles, from historic brownstones to cutting-edge contemporary designs. The city’s diverse architectural landscape demands various construction styles and materials expertise. A skilled contractor will possess the knowledge and experience to handle the intricacies of each project type, ensuring structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. Choosing the right architect is crucial, as the difference between a well-executed project and a problematic one can lead to significant differences in cost, time, and stress. Over the past two years, the city’s average construction project cost has hovered around $80.42 per square foot, highlighting the need for careful planning and budgeting.

Selecting a trustworthy architect is essential for anyone navigating the complex world of residential architecture in New York. With the right professional, you can turn your vision into reality, ensuring your project not only meets your needs but also fits seamlessly into the vibrant and diverse fabric of the city. Understanding the landscape and making an informed choice is the first step toward a successful and satisfying home project.

Overview: The Residential Architects and Designers in New York City

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

Studio ST Architects

330 W 38th St., Suite #309, New York, NY 10018

The woman-owned, full-service architecture firm Studio ST Architects is dedicated to exploring the embedded logic of materials and structures to generate new spatial experiences. The firm employs a personal yet collaborative design approach, providing innovative and responsible designs for structures ranging from synagogues and community centers to high-end apartments and low-budget real estate developments.

Before establishing her firm, Esther Sperber, AIA, worked for five years at Pei Partnership Architects, working closely with Mr. I M Pei. Since the establishment of Studio ST Architects, Sperber quickly built a reputation for the firm as a practice committed to creating meaningful spaces and expanding the palette of forms and construction methods. 2008, the firm was included in Wallpaper Magazine’s list of the world’s 50 hottest young architectural firms. In addition to running the studio, Sperber frequently lectures and writes extensively on architecture and psychoanalysis.

This 6,700-square-foot West End Avenue residence unites the comfort of a suburban home with the sophistication and location of a city apartment. Studio ST Architects designed a full gut renovation of this house, creating a generous foyer, kitchen, dining room, living room, and family room for hosting functions and fundraisers. Meanwhile, the team combined two bedrooms to create a large basement playroom for the family’s three young sons. The service entry was also made into a mudroom with a design that conveys luxury and comfort.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a West End Avenue apartment—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Anjie Cho Architect PLLC

457 FDR Dr., New York, NY 10002

Highly sought-after in feng shui and interior architecture, Anjie Cho is continuously making waves in the design industry. In addition to being the owner of Anjie Cho Architect, she is co-founder of the Mindful Design Feng Shui School and founder of Holistic Spaces, which has its own blog, podcast, and online store. Cho graduated with an Architecture Degree from the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, and is now a registered architect in NY, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED-AP), and a certified feng shui consultant from the BTB Feng Shui Masters Training Program. She has been designing sublime spaces that reflect the perfect marriage between balance and harmony. Cho primarily aims to create nurturing and supportive environments tailored to unique needs and specifications.

One of the firm’s most impressive works is a design project inspired by feng shui and healthy living. Anjie Cho incorporated many non-toxic and organic materials to create a home with peaceful energy. These elements include buckwheat purple lavender zafu pillows (meditation cushions), a Noguchi chair, a custom bamboo sideboard and cabinets, a feng shui fountain, and natural food-based milk paint.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a West Village residence—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Kimberly Peck Architect

266 New York Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11216

Kimberly Peck Architect is a boutique architecture firm with remarkable residential and hospitality project expertise. The firm has completed projects ranging from new constructions and historic brownstone renovations to large loft build-outs. Past clients and industry professionals alike laud the team for strongly emphasizing design and construction details in its architectural and interior design projects.

The firm’s eponymous founder has a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and a Master of Architecture. She began her career working for internationally acclaimed restaurant designer Adam Tihany and the award-winning Ogawa Depardon Architects. Over the years, she gained extensive experience in various hospitality, retail, and residential projects. She established Kimberly Peck Architect to focus on high-end residential and hospitality projects for clients such as The W Hotel, Jonathan Adler, Ted Gibson, Loreal, Maimonides Medical Center, and Club Monaco. Peck’s work has been featured on HGTV, in The New York Times, Dwell, Remodelista, New York Magazine, and many other publications.

The practice regularly experiments with new materials and uses them unexpectedly, investing in energy-efficient and environmentally conscious building means and methods. For instance, in one renovation project, the team created a set of stairs with a minimal footprint to maximize the usable space in a small apartment. The original steep ladder leading to the second-floor sleeping loft was replaced with a staircase integrated with the kitchen cabinetry and dining area. The fourth stair tread creates a counter above additional kitchen storage. Then, cantilevers wrap around the kitchen’s stone counters to create a dining area.

We were particularly impressed with your work on an 11th Street apartment—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

The Turett Collaborative

277 Broadway Suite #1300, New York, NY 10007

Formerly Turett Collaborative Architects, The Turett Collaborative is a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design practice known for its innovative design solutions. The firm aims to address clients’ real needs in elegant and frequently surprising ways and implements a design process that prioritizes collaboration and client engagement. Firm owner Wayne Turett plays an active role in all of The Turett Collaborative’s design assignments and supervises the firm’s general operations.

Turett has degrees in Architecture from the University of Illinois and Pratt Institute and studied for a year at UP-3 in Versailles, France. He is a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and is licensed to practice architecture in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. He has also served as a design critic and lectured at several universities.

The Turett Collaborative’s work encompasses architectural design, interiors, graphics, industrial products, and furniture design across commercial, residential, retail, and restaurant sectors. The firm worked on this Upper West Side townhouse, giving it a free-flowing layout, large expanses of wall space, and the flexibility to reprogram spaces at will to accommodate the homeowners’ style of living, entertaining, and art collecting. The historic residence was built in the 1890s and is in one of the city’s Landmark Districts. Hence, the Turett team carefully restored and protected every detail of the bayfront brownstone facade.

Lauren Rubin Architecture

35 W 90th St. Suite #6D, New York, NY 10024

Specializing in clean modernism, Lauren Rubin Architecture (LRA) unites contemporary architecture with a warm design aesthetic to develop beautiful living spaces. The architecture and interior design firm’s expertise lies in residential projects. Still, LRA also works with many commercial and educational clients. 

Lauren Rubin has been practicing architecture for over two decades, touting extensive experience in residential, commercial, and institutional architecture. 

Rubin graduated with a Master of Architecture from the Catholic University of America. She began her professional career with the Washington D.C. firm OPX Architecture, formerly Oldham and Partners. While there, Rubin designed and documented several architectural projects, including new offices for ABC Nightline News. Later, she worked for numerous renowned architecture firms, including Kohn Pedersen Fox. Rubin formed her own company, which has allowed her to explore the balance between and integration of her personal and professional lives as she carefully curates and designs each project with a personal touch.

One of the firm’s projects is the vibrant gut renovation of a Park Slope townhouse. LRA opened the space to allow natural light to flow from the front windows to the back garden. The team also created an open kitchen, dining area, and family room, both of which open to the garden. A ground-floor bathroom and hidden laundry/storage room were also added. Having owned the house for many years, the clients wanted to preserve some of the original details of the building—particularly, the wooden staircase was refurbished instead of replaced.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a Park Slope townhouse—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Pulltab Design

10 E 23rd St., Suite #710, New York, NY 10010

Working on apartment renovations, townhomes, penthouse additions, roof gardens, and furniture design for almost two decades has allowed Pulltab Design to hone its expertise in residential design. The architectural firm creates ingenious designs that have earned it numerous recognitions from publications such as Dwell, Metropolis, New York Magazine, The New York Times, and Remodelista. The team’s work is primarily inspired by midcentury modern designs created by renowned designers and architects, including Carlo Scarpa, Louis Kahn, and Marcel Breuer.

In addition to creating warm environments, Pulltab Design is known for developing designs that fulfill the functional needs of a space and imbue sensory and expressive qualities. The studio creates open, light-filled spaces with modern and inventive detailing, particularly project-specific, custom-engineered, and fabricated pieces. In fact, Pulltab Design is regularly lauded for its ingenious and practical solutions, such as concealed storage systems, fold-down tables, built-in and freestanding furniture, display cabinets, and custom hardware. For instance, this 5th Avenue residence has a passageway that conceals a hidden powder room.

We were particularly impressed by the fact that you offer project-specific, custom-engineered, and fabricated pieces.

1100 Architect

475 10th Ave., 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018

Founded by David Piscuskas, FAIA, LEED AP, and Juergen Riehm, FAIA, BDA, 1100 Architect has since been delivering award-winning projects for clients worldwide. The studio provides primarily architecture, interior design, urban design, and master planning services, along with consultation concerning environmental review, historic landmark assessment, and sustainability planning. The 70-person office works on projects of varied scales across many markets, touting a portfolio comprising educational institutions, local and federal governments, cultural organizations, commercial workplaces, and residential spaces. 1100 Architect, known for their expertise as NYC residential architects, was featured in a 2024 Dwell article.

1100 Architect is known for meticulous attention to detail, applying the same rigor to every project. The team believes that materiality is central to the experience of a space, which is why the team carefully considers the characteristics of each material it uses to create enduring architecture. For instance, the design for the featured West Village residence involved the comprehensive renovation of an upper-level duplex and the addition of a custom limestone staircase leading to a rooftop expansion. The triplex offers a range of open and private spaces, with the layout allowing the client to exhibit their artwork collection. Additionally, the triplex features a full-length retractable wall on the mezzanine level, transforming the living room into an indoor-outdoor environment connected to a terrace that offers sweeping views of the Hudson River.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a West Village triplex—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Peter Pennoyer Architects

136 Madison Ave, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10016

Peter Pennoyer, FAIA, is one of five partners in his eponymous firm. Together with the other four leaders—Jennifer Gerakaris, AIA; Elizabeth Graziolo, AIA; Thomas Nugent, AIA; and James Taylor, AIA, LEED AP—Pennoyer has made a name for the company in residential, commercial, and institutional designs across the U.S. and internationally. Peter Pennoyer Architects draws on its research library of more than 10,000 volumes to use tried-and-true techniques to create progressive designs. The firm’s ability to balance historical architecture with contemporary methods and materials has led the team to be listed among the Architectural Digest’s AD100 list of the top names in interior decoration, architecture, and landscape design. The firm’s other accolades are the Arthur Ross Award, the Bulfinch Award, and the Stanford White Award for Excellence in Classical and Traditional Design.

Having worked on more than 200 projects ranging from renovations of significant landmarked structures to newly built condominium towers, Peter Pennoyer Architects is well-versed in dealing with multi-layered governmental agencies. In fact, in NYC, the firm has served as the architect of more than 40 projects requiring approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The firm’s work is characterized by sophisticated detail, high-quality craftsmanship, and an elegant equilibrium of comfort, beauty, modernity, and continuity with the past. Set within the Grand Plaza Hotel, the apartment pictured above touts a graceful balance between tradition and modernity. Surfaces are embellished with highly decorative details, from the fretwork frieze incorporating the air conditioning grilles to the coffered ceiling in the dining room. Meanwhile, sliding pocket doors between the rooms open the space to create impressive enfilades set against views of Central Park.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a Central Park South apartment—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Desai Chia Architecture

115 W 27th St., Suite #901, New York, NY 10001

Desai Chia Architecture provides bold and deliberate design solutions for institutions, organizations, and private clients throughout the U.S. and even abroad in Toronto and Bangalore. The U.K. Co-founded by Katherine Chia and Arjun Desai, the firm has since earned four American Architecture Awards from The Chicago Athenaeum, four Interior Design Best of Year honors, and six design awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Both principals of the lauded international firm earned a Master of Architecture from M.I.T. before collaborating on residential, commercial, and cultural projects that would capture the attention of Architects, Dwell, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Beyond press coverage, Desai Chia’s designs have been exhibited at Parsons School of Design, Herman Miller showrooms in New York and Los Angeles, and the Center for Architecture in Greenwich Village. Desai Chia Architecture, distinguished as an NYC residential architect, received the 2019 American Institute of Architects Honor Award.

The featured home was designed by Desai Chia in collaboration with Environment Architects (AOR) of Traverse City, MI. Perched on a woodland bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the residence is an assemblage of three offset structures. These include a “gathering” space (containing the living room, kitchen, and a covered vista terrace), two “sleeping” structures that house the main bedroom suite and three children’s bedrooms, and a dining area “breezeway” that connects all three structures.

The roofscape follows the movement of the natural terrain and references the vernacular architecture of nearby fishing villages. The resulting rhythm of exposed wood beams provides layers of asymmetrical vaults throughout the interiors. Meanwhile, a 20-foot cantilevered roof extends over the vista terrace.

This project earned significant recognition, winning several design and architecture awards from the AIA, the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA), The International Architecture Awards, Interior Design Magazine, and Dezeen.

We were particularly impressed with your work on the Michigan Lake House—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Alexander Butler | Design Services, LLC

16 E 34th St., 18th Floor, New York, NY 10016

Alexander Butler | Design Services is a full-service design firm that creates living spaces with bespoke designs tailored to diverse clients and contexts. Over the past decade, the firm has succeeded through an open, engaging, and collaborative process, with no limitations concerning style or aesthetic preferences.

The firm’s owner has an architectural degree from the University of Virginia and Yale University. Before founding AB|DS, Butler worked for some of the most respected architecture firms in New York and London, including Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Kohn Pedersen Fox, and GRADE New York. These academic, professional, and personal experiences have added meaningful layers to Butler’s architectural perspective, allowing him and his team to deliver comprehensive and innovative designs.

Among its most remarkable designs are a contemporary pied-à-terre on Park Avenue, a modern condo atop the Millennium Tower in the Upper West Side, and a 3,000-square-foot gut renovation of a Soho Loft Space.

Located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the 700-square-foot pied-à-terre went from a good apartment to an amazing one. AB|DS designed a gut renovation of the one-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath dwelling unit, uniting clean, contemporary design with classic furnishings and details to create the perfect home away from home.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a Park Avenue pied-à-terre—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Archetype Architecture

224 W 79th St., New York, NY 10024

Archetype Architecture is a full-service architecture and interior design firm. The firm’s eponymous owner and staff of architectural and interior designers offer creative, custom, and timeless solutions to diverse architectural endeavors. The practice has worked on its clients’ behalf, collaborating with Landmarks, the Department of Buildings, and numerous consultants to successfully complete each project.

Berman attended the Cornell University School of Architecture, where he graduated with honors. He has worn many hats throughout his career, including serving as Head of Architecture at Bed Bath & Beyond Corporate. While there, he spearheaded the development of Bed Bath & Beyond prototype standards and streamlined the management, contract control, design documentation, scheduling, and construction of more than 300 Bed Bath & Beyond stores throughout the U.S. He also worked as a project manager at Nadel Architects in Los Angeles and led many teams through the design and construction of retail centers, stores, malls, and supermarkets. Today, he is licensed to practice architecture in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

The studio operates on the tenet of collaboration, ensuring constant coordination and communication among its staff members, who all hold professional architecture or interior design degrees and tout extensive experience in residential renovations, townhouse designs, and interiors. Archetype Architecture’s roster of services includes predesign, schematic design, design development, approvals and coordination, construction documents, bidding, construction administration, interior design, and interior decorating.

We were particularly impressed by your work history and credentials.

Ronnette Riley Architect

494 8th Ave., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10001

Ronnette Riley Architect is a 100% woman-owned business enterprise recognized for creating valuable spaces characterized by the fusion of innovative and traditional materials and methods. The practice has consistently excelled in various architecture projects, from retail spaces to corporate environments, private residences, large institutional facilities, and master plans to space programming. In addition to its timely service and remarkable project management, Ronnette Riley Architect has developed a reputation for comfortable design and technical competence. This commitment has led to many repeat clients and steady growth in educational, institutional, government, retail, commercial, and residential projects. Ronnette Riley Architect, recognized among New York residential architects, was featured in a 2022 Crain’s New York Business article.

The quality of the firm’s work is reflected in the vitality of its portfolio and its vast collection of design awards. An example of the studio’s impressive projects is the home featured here. Originally an industrial building with 14-foot high ceilings, this 1,700-square-foot loft now accommodates an extensive collection of books and wine thanks to a book mezzanine and a wine cellar created by Ronnette Riley Architect. The residence also touts an elliptical cove embellished with multi-colored LED lights, giving the warm, inviting home a dramatic flair.

We were particularly impressed with your work on a Park Row loft—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Michael K. Chen Architecture (MKCA)

1239 Broadway Suite #703A, New York, NY 10001

Michael K. Chen Architecture designs residences, products, and furniture that draw international attention. Aside from featuring in 40 European publications, the firm’s work has appeared in Interior Design, The New York Times, and Dwell. Founder Michael Chen, AIA, established the firm after studying architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University. Heavily involved in architecture education, Chen has lectured at the Parsons School of Design, the Pratt Institute School of Architecture, Cornell University, and other revered institutions. The Graham Foundation, research grant recipient, now leads a team of accomplished designers and project managers. Michael K Chen Architecture, a renowned residential architect in NYC, was featured in a 2019 Architectural Digest article.

The multidisciplinary architecture and design firm touts experience designing and building diverse projects, ranging from individual micro apartments to entire buildings. MKCA provides innovative and superbly crafted work for clients, bringing an ultra-refined sensibility and attention to detail to every endeavor. The firm’s methods and capabilities are at the forefront of design, analysis, manufacturing, and construction. Yet, the team strives to exceed expectations by creating intricately choreographed spaces. As a result, MKCA’s portfolio comprises unexpected, hyper-useful, and delightful designs.

Among the firm’s carefully crafted spaces is the featured home. The project scope involved combining and renovating two adjoining apartments in a prewar building, with sustainability as a top priority. The clients were looking for sustainable materials and ecological design strategies that would encourage greener practices and lifestyles. Among the key design elements of the project is a series of custom-fabricated sliding panels that are used to generate a flexible floor plan. These also allow the family to do without air conditioning throughout the summer.

We were particularly impressed with your work on the Aerated Apartment—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Selldorf Architects

860 Broadway at Union Square, New York, NY 10003

Annabelle Selldorf, FAIA, grew up in Germany before attending Brooklyn to study architecture at Pratt Institute. She then ventured to Italy to earn a Master of Architecture degree before establishing Selldorf Architects in NYC. In 2016, the AIA New York chapter recognized Selldorf with a Medal of Honor. The firm released Selldorf Architects: Portfolio and Projects. This monograph chronicles the firm’s work when Selldorf founded her eponymous firm. The team of 70 designers—led by Selldorf and partners Sara Lopergolo, AIA; Julie Hausch-Fen; Lisa Green; and Bill Bigelow—offers architectural, interior, and exhibition services, along with master and strategic planning. Though single-family homes and multi-unit buildings continue to be the backbone of the studio’s portfolio, Selldorf Architects has designed structures for New York’s Neue Galerie, among other cultural institutions throughout the U.S.

Located in a Landmark District on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, this 1887 townhouse was completely reinvented by Selldorf Architects. Retaining only the home’s historic facade, the firm maximized the interior space by lowering the garden level, creating a seamless transition from the indoors to the outdoors. The rear roof was also raised, resulting in gracious ceiling heights at the upper levels. To allow more light to permeate the building, the team created an oval skylight that brings in natural light throughout the home’s five levels, as do the full-height glass windows on each floor. Meanwhile, the interior detailing and finishes pay tribute to the townhouse typology while incorporating modernity into the home.

We were particularly impressed with your work on the Van de Weghe townhouse—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Axis Mundi

315 W 39th St., Suite #805, New York, NY 10018

Axis Mundi is a leading contemporary architecture and design firm specializing in personalized, high-end residential, commercial, and cultural projects. 

Axis Mundi was established by John Beckmann, who received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design. While there, he apprenticed with master minimalist Joseph P. D’Urso—an experience that allowed Beckmann to collaborate with other design luminaries later. In 1998, Beckmann received a grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. Twelve years later, he received a McDowell Colony Fellowship. He edited and contributed to The Virtual Dimension: Architecture, Representation and Crash Culture, one of the first books to grasp the implications of digital technologies in architecture and design. Beckmann has also been a visiting critic at the Yale School of Architecture, Pratt Institute, and Parsons School of Design. Throughout his career, he developed an astute understanding of the intersections between architecture, design, and contemporary art.

Axis Mundi’s projects simultaneously stimulate the intellect and the senses. The featured Park Avenue apartment embodies this trademark—the residence touts glamorous low-slung aesthetics, an impressive art collection, and some of the most breathtaking views of Manhattan. Perhaps the most striking room in the apartment is the luscious red library. The space features custom-designed bookshelves in burnished brass and walnut, a Wing Sofa in red velvet from Flexform floats, and JJ Chairs in Mongolian lamb fur from B&B Italia. 

We were particularly impressed with your work on a Park Avenue residence—we enjoyed learning about it so much that we featured it in our article.

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of architects, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the residential architects and designers in the New York City area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.