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5 Best Residential Architects in Los Angeles (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Lorian Hartfield
By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

Los Angeles residential architecture runs from global firms with dozens of offices to two- and three-person studios that live and die on word of mouth, and the review counts on this page reflect that split sharply. Gensler carries 57 Google reviews as a global design firm's LA office, while three of the firms here hold a perfect 5.0, each built on a much smaller but consistently glowing client base. What you're really choosing between is scale versus a more personal, project-by-project relationship.

Short answer: Among Los Angeles residential architects, Gensler has the most Google reviews on this list (4.6 stars across 57 reviews) as the LA office of a global design firm. Make Architecture and Synthesis Design + Architecture both hold a perfect 5.0, with Make Architecture drawing specific praise for custom homes and post-fire rebuilds, and Gerami Architectural Corp. stands out for guiding clients through Los Angeles permitting.
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How Los Angeles's Top Residential Architects Compare

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Gensler 4.6 ★ 57 Global firm / large-scale design capacity View ›
2 Make Architecture - Los Angeles Architecture Firm 5.0 ★ 29 Custom homes / fire rebuilds View ›
3 Kelly Architects 4.5 ★ 35 Restaurant-to-residential crossover design View ›
4 Synthesis Design + Architecture 5.0 ★ 15 Boundary-pushing design / custom projects View ›
5 Gerami Architectural Corp. 5.0 ★ 13 Permitting / renovations & ADUs View ›
5 Best Residential Architects in Los Angeles (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

Gensler logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Gensler

4.657 Google reviews

Gensler is a global architecture, design and planning firm with 58 offices and more than 6,000 professionals worldwide, including a downtown Los Angeles office. Its practice spans a wide range of building types, from offices and healthcare to residential and mixed-use work, backed by a dedicated research institute studying trends like office-to-residential conversions.

What people praise

  • The most-reviewed firm on this list, backed by global design resources
  • Reviewers describe the design quality and workspace as excellent
  • Broad in-house expertise across building types, including residential conversion work

Worth knowing

  • Its Google reviews reflect its office as a workplace as much as client project feedback, so ask for residential-specific references directly
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume57 · 97th
Confidenceearly
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown82% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The largest firm on this list by far, with the resources of a global practice behind it. Worth a call if your project could benefit from that scale, though its review base here doesn't speak specifically to residential client work the way the smaller firms' do.

Website+1213-327-3600 Directions

500 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Make Architecture - Los Angeles Architecture Firm logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Make Architecture - Los Angeles Architecture Firm

5.029 Google reviews

Make Architecture is a Los Angeles firm led by William Beauter, serving neighborhoods including Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Manhattan Beach. Client reviews describe detailed, buildable construction documents for complex custom residences and renovations, including work rebuilding homes lost in the Eaton Fire.

What people praise

  • A perfect 5.0 average across 29 reviews
  • Reviewers specifically praise construction documents that hold up through the building process without value-engineering losses
  • Named directly by clients as their go-to architect for complex custom homes
  • Reviewers cite responsive, ego-free collaboration with contractors and builders

Worth knowing

  • A smaller review base than Gensler, though every review is strongly positive
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating5 / 5
Review volume29 · 86th
Confidenceearly
Recency4 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown97% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The standout pick for custom or fire-rebuild residential work. Multiple long, detailed reviews from builders and clients describe drawings that hold up on-site, which is a specific and credible signal for this kind of project.

Website+1323-669-0278 Directions

2664 Lacy St, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Kelly Architects logo
#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Kelly Architects

4.535 Google reviews

Kelly Architects is a Los Angeles firm known primarily for restaurant architecture and interior design, with a portfolio that includes brand-focused dining spaces. Reviewers also describe the firm handling commercial tenant improvements and design-detailing work, led by George according to one client.

What people praise

  • Highest rating among the mid-sized firms on this list at 4.5
  • Reviewers describe strong communication and consistent updates throughout projects
  • Praised for versatility and balancing aesthetics with functionality

Worth knowing

  • Its review base and public portfolio lean heavily toward restaurant and commercial work rather than residential projects, so confirm residential experience directly
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume35 · 92th
Confidenceearly
Recency4 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown83% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It's on this list on review strength, but its own site and reviews focus mainly on restaurant and commercial design. Worth a call if you want a firm with a strong hospitality design eye applied to a home, but verify residential project references first.

Website+1213-380-8498 Directions

2404 Wilshire Blvd #1E, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Synthesis Design + Architecture logo
#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Synthesis Design + Architecture

5.015 Google reviews

Synthesis Design + Architecture is a downtown Los Angeles firm led by Alvin Huang, known for landmark projects internationally including Central Embassy and Groove at CentralWorld in Bangkok. Reviewers describe fully custom residential and office projects that push past traditional layouts, including a custom home office and a modern medical office design.

What people praise

  • A perfect 5.0 average, with every review citing a specific, detailed project
  • Clients repeatedly describe the firm's approach as innovative and willing to challenge conventional layouts
  • International project experience referenced directly by clients

Worth knowing

  • Its five most recent public reviews date back several years, so ask about current availability and recent Los Angeles residential projects
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating5 / 5
Review volume15 · 78th
Confidenceearly
Recency7 years ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong choice if you want a design-forward, unconventional approach to a home. The reviews are older, so confirm current workload and recent local projects before committing.

Website+1213-438-9967 Directions

724 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Gerami Architectural Corp. logo
#5🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Gerami Architectural Corp.

5.013 Google reviews

Gerami Architectural Corp. is a Los Angeles-based firm providing residential and commercial architectural services across Los Angeles County and Southern California, including custom residences, ADUs, tenant improvements and full permit-ready construction documents. Reviewers describe the firm guiding projects from feasibility studies through construction administration, including permit troubleshooting.

What people praise

  • A perfect 5.0 average across 13 reviews
  • Reviewers repeatedly praise the firm's ability to resolve Los Angeles permitting issues
  • Cited for stepping into a stalled whole-house renovation midway and turning it around
  • Multiple reviewers describe pricing as reasonable for the scope of work

Worth knowing

  • The smallest review base on this list, so weigh it as an early but consistently strong signal
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating5 / 5
Review volume13 · 69th
Confidenceearly
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The strongest pick here if permitting complexity is a concern, with several reviewers specifically crediting the firm for resolving stalled or complicated approvals.

Website+1310-310-8800 Directions

1001 Wilshire Blvd #2051, Los Angeles, CA 90017

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How we score

Every number on this page is computed from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the firm’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many clients have rated them, ranked against other Los Angeles residential architects. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a firm with dozens of reviews carries more weight than one with a handful, even at the same star average. Recency reflects how recently clients are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much does a residential architect cost in Los Angeles? (2026)

None of the firms on this page publish fixed fees on their own sites, and architect pricing in Los Angeles depends heavily on project scope, whether it’s new construction, an ADU, or a renovation, and the level of permitting complexity involved. Get a written proposal directly from each firm rather than relying on a general estimate.

Serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area

The architects above are based across Downtown LA, Beverly Hills, Highland Park and Wilshire, with several serving Pasadena, Santa Monica, Malibu and the Pacific Palisades. Searching for a residential architect near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number so you can call and discuss your project directly.

What to ask before you hire a residential architect

  • Have you designed projects like mine before, and can I see recent residential work?
  • Will you handle permit submissions, or does that fall to me or a separate consultant?
  • What’s included in your fee, from concept design through construction administration?
  • How do you handle changes or value-engineering during the build?
  • Who on your team will be my main point of contact throughout the project?
  • What’s your estimated timeline for design and permitting on a project this size?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these residential architects?

We started from architecture firms in Los Angeles with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Which of these firms has experience with fire rebuilds?

Make Architecture is cited directly by a client for rebuild work following the Eaton Fire. If you’re rebuilding after a wildfire, ask each firm about their specific experience with insurance documentation and expedited permitting.

Do these architects handle ADUs and smaller renovations, or only full custom homes?

It varies. Gerami Architectural Corp. specifically lists ADUs and tenant improvements alongside custom residences, while others on this list lean toward larger custom or commercial projects. Confirm project scope fit before you hire.

The bottom line

Make Architecture stands out for custom homes and fire-rebuild work with the strongest client testimonials on this list, while Gensler offers the scale of a global firm if your project calls for it. Whoever you choose, ask to see recent residential work before signing on.

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