Atlanta has it all. Georgia’s capital, Atlanta, has a lively music scene, fantastic food and beverages, and a rich history. Burned to the ground during the Civil War, the city then rose from the ashes and became a center of commerce. Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, and Home Depot are a few of many top companies that have chosen Atlanta as their home. For this reason, Atlanta has been listed as one of the best places for job seekers. Add the city’s low cost of living into the recipe and you get a total of 5.7 million people living in the Atlanta metro area.
With a continuously growing population, Atlanta has seen many multifamily buildings sprouting in the area. Providing top-notch architecture services to create these buildings are these nine best multifamily architects in Atlanta. In this list, we feature experienced architects who have been in the industry for decades. Most of them are members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and LEED APs (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals). Over the years, these architects have built an impressive portfolio showcasing their expertise in apartments, condominiums, and mixed-use facilities.
TSW
1447 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30309
TSW is formed through the partnership of founding principals Bill Tunnell, Jerry Spangler, and Thomas Walsh. After opening the firm in 1990, the three have kept a small office size to deliver a more hands-on approach in each project. With around 30 full-time employees, the firm operates smoothly; collaboration is easier and more effective. As a result, the firm has delivered impressive works and has collected several accolades. One of its awards is the 2018 Excellence in Housing Development Award for Olmsted Chamblee from the ULI Atlanta Chapter. The firm has also been featured in several online publications including Patch.com, CNU, and businesswire.com.
Throughout its 31 years, the firm has handled several projects throughout the southeast. These projects include multifamily and mixed-use developments as well as commercial and civic buildings. One of the firm’s best works in Atlanta is the Bolton Park Apartments. Providing construction documentation and design development, the firm has placed the final touches on the project. For the buildings, the firm selected a combination of materials such as bricks, horizontal sliding, and stone to create contrasting tones and textures. The result is a contemporary building that blends well with the neighborhood. Around 226 apartment units are included in the development. Aside from residential units, the firm has also helped create the swim club, student center, and parking garage for the development.
Tunnell, Spangler, and Walsh want to provide architecture services to help communities. Part of helping communities is using environmentally-friendly practices in every project. As LEED APs, Tunnel and Spangler make sure to guide the team in using sustainable designs. Sharing this commitment is co-founding principal Walsh. All three leaders believe in the concept of New Urbanism. Mixing this concept with sustainable practices, the three create healthy urban spaces for today and the next generation.
Niles Bolton Associates, Inc.
3060 Peachtree Rd. NW, Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30305
Established in 1975, Niles Bolton Associates puts a premium on its client relationships. Having completed projects in 49 U.S. states and 16 different countries, the firm attributes its success to its clients’ trust. For the firm, the secret is understanding and listening to client needs. Through this, the firm can work effectively to meet project requirements and satisfy client demands for every multifamily residential, commercial, and institutional project. Over the years, the firm has collected several awards including the 2018 B.O.B. Award for the Multifamily category. The award is given by the NAHB Multifamily Pillars of the Industry to organizations exhibiting superior design and management strategies in the multifamily industry.
Showcasing the firm’s expertise in multifamily building is Generation Atlanta. This residential tower is an iconic addition to the downtown Atlanta skyline. Standing 17 stories high, the building is one of the tallest in the area holding 336 apartment units. At the top floor, a sky deck and lounge offers stunning views of the city. Without leaving their units, residents can enjoy the view, too, through transparent curtain walls surrounding the building. Adding to the luxurious city living is the building’s pool patio built on top of the parking area.
Guiding the firm in creating iconic structures in Atlanta is chairman and CEO G. Niles Bolton, AIA. He is a proud alumnus of the Georgia Institute of Technology and has received plenty of recognition. In 2015, he received the Joseph Mayo Pettit Alumni Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. He was also named Most Admired CEO by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Smith Dalia Architects, LLC
83 Poplar St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Based in Atlanta, Smith Dalia Architects uses architecture to honor places, people, and history. With LEED AP principals Greg Cross, Robyn Zurfluh, and Brian Whitfield, the firm honors communities by creating sustainable spaces that will last for generations. All AIA members, the three have their own expertise crucial for the firm’s success. Cross has a wide range of experience in different projects including multifamily housing and multi-acre site planning. Zurfluh has experience in design and project leadership. Whitfield, on the other hand, is a master in urban infill and adaptive-use projects. Under their leadership, the firm has become a top industry player since 1987.
Over the last 34 years, the firm has created spectacular multifamily housing and mixed-use facilities in Atlanta. One of these is Juniper & Fifth. Earning two awards including the 2021 Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence for New Construction, this project was a huge success. With a ziggurat form exterior facade, this unique form of the building is both stylish and functional. By adding terraces into residential units, living space is increased and unit owners get to enjoy outdoor living. Adding to the luxurious experience, this six-story condominium building features a contemporary lobby with sophisticated finishes and an outdoor pool.
Dwell Design Studio, LLC
1280 Hightower Trail, Atlanta, GA 30350
Established in 2009, Dwell Design Studio thinks big and small. It formulates big ideas while taking every bit of detail into account. Headed by founder and CEO Jason Shepard, the firm conceptualizes out-of-the-box ideas that go beyond conventions. For the firm, creating clever designs must both cover style and purpose. This guides the firm’s team in producing unique spaces that people love to live in.
Dwell Design Studio formulates exciting ideas by letting each member have a voice in the project. Calling its members Dwellians, the firm is a collective of innovators, designers, and creators. Every passionate member works with a singular goal: to push the envelope and shake the status quo. By pushing boundaries and going beyond the norm, the firm transforms communities into inspiring dwelling places.
For its groundbreaking designs, the firm has won several awards. This includes the 2020 ABC of Georgia Excellence in Construction Award for its work on Oleander. For the multi-awarded project, the firm has designed an apartment community that embodies upscale living. Located in Brookhaven, the 398,000-square-foot project contains 384 modern, sophisticated apartment units. Focusing on outdoor living, the firm incorporated an outdoor pool and a grilling area into the design. Other amenities included in the design are a fitness center, lounge areas, a game room, and a bar.
The Preston Partnership
115 Perimeter Center Pl. Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA 30346
Since its inception in 1995, The Preston Partnership has remained faithful to quality and service. Over the years, the firm makes sure to deliver top-quality designs that tell a unique story. These designs are created through collaboration among team members. Collaboration starts with its leadership: principals Bob Preston and Adam Parrish work together to guide the team to produce inviting, usable spaces. Both AIA members, Preston and Parrish have led the team to receive multiple awards including the 2019 ULI Atlanta Excellence Award’s Excellence in Town Center Development Video for Alpharetta City Center.
For 26 years, the firm has continuously delivered on its promise. Such quality work and service are displayed on the Irby Avenue project. This project features a 12-story residential building containing 275 apartment units. Situated in a prime location, the firm needed to create a condominium that matches its upscale environment. By using traditional materials and contemporary methods, the firm has developed a one-of-a-kind residential tower that fits the setting. Amenities such as a landscaped terrace and a fitness center add more value to the high-end property.
Successful projects like Irby Avenue build the firm’s reputation. Trusted by many clients, the firm has handled projects in 40 states and has built more than 75,000 multifamily units. Its diverse portfolio includes luxury high-rise residential towers, mixed-use projects, and complex urban infill sites.
English & Associates Architects
3084 Mercer University Dr. Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30341
Established in 1982, English & Associates Architects’ focus is on multifamily projects. The firm’s principal, David A. English, AIA, a graduate of Southern Technical Institute, has spent three decades in the industry mastering multifamily design. Having built more than 200,000 multifamily units, English is undoubtedly an expert in the field. English’s expertise includes design and architecture services for apartments, condominiums, retirement homes, and townhouses. Whether it be a low-density, medium-density, or high-density project, English has the right tools and experience to complete the project successfully.
One of the firm’s high-density projects is the Reserve at Collier Hills. Located in Atlanta, the project features an apartment complex surrounded by beautiful landscaping and accessible roads. At the center of the complex is a charming garden where residents can relax, have a picnic or enjoy a lovely stroll. Some units have steps directly connected to the street, creating oneness between the building and its environment. The same feeling is achieved through balconies included in the units’ design.
For its expertise in multifamily housing developments, the firm has been featured in What Now Atlanta. The online site mentioned English & Associates Architects as the project architect for an exciting 191-unit development in Atlanta’s Riverside neighborhood.
SGN+A
315 West Ponce de Leon Ave. Suite 755, Atlanta, GA 30030
Founded in 1992, SGN+A offers a hands-on approach to all its projects. The firm makes sure that each project is supervised by one of its three principals: B. Murff Germany Jr., Brian Nonemaker, or James Moran. Germany and Moran are both AIA members while Nonemaker is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). As an ASLA member, Nonemaker offers his specialization in landscape architecture and planning to create extraordinary living spaces. Moran, LEED AP, takes care of the firm’s sustainable designs. Germany, on the other hand, has more than 37 years of experience in the field and has handled over 25,000 multifamily residential projects. All three principals are expert multifamily architects and have experience in both low, medium, and high-density projects. Having one of the three supervising a project gives clients assurance of a project’s successful completion.
Over the last 29 years, the firm has completed around 50,000 residential units. In these projects, the firm provides a variety of services including design, project management, and construction documents and observation. Aside from multifamily projects, the firm provides architecture services for resorts, commercial, and institutional projects. The Gables Century Center is a result of the firm’s mastery in creating multifamily units and resorts. Located in Atlanta, this 355-unit apartment community feels like a resort complex. With apartment units facing a large outdoor pool surrounded by well-designed landscaping, living in the complex feels like living on a permanent vacation.
J.W. Robinson & Associates
1020 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Established in 1970, J.W. Robinson & Associates (JWRA) is the longest-running firm on the list. One of the first minority-owned architecture firms in Georgia, the company was founded by Joseph Robinson to reshape communities. Through design, the firm envisions creating homes with facilities for gathering and socializing. Today, JWRA stands as a multidisciplinary firm that specializes in architecture, interior design, and urban planning. The firm is currently led by Jeffrey L. Robinson, a seasoned architectural designer. He has been in the industry for over five decades and has handled various projects including commercial, retail, recreational, and mixed-use developments.
One of the firm’s mixed-use development projects is the Renaissance Walk. The project features 388,935 square feet of retail and residential units. With a budget of 45 million dollars, the firm has executed the historic restoration of three important buildings in Atlanta. In the design, the firm has also incorporated user amenity facilities such as a swimming pool, a fitness center, and a roof terrace. All these amenities echo Robinson’s vision to create spaces to gather the community. For such a well-crafted design, the project has received the 2009 Honor Award from the South Atlantic Region of the AIA for Design Excellence.
