The Best Residential Architects in Kansas, Missouri

On the east side of the Missouri River in Missouri, you will find the city of Kansas—a city that is not only home to endless acres of farmland, but also to various cultural experiences and historical sites. The wealth of activity in Kansas City proves to be ideal for living, as the city is home to a population of more than 495,000. With Zillow listing the typical home value in Kansas City at more than $173k, it is no wonder that living in, and even moving to, this part of the U.S. is a popular choice. Luckily, beautiful homes with spectacular designs are the trade of the best residential architects in Kansas City, Missouri.

The top residential architects in this list have been ranked according to their company profile, experience, services offered, customer satisfaction, awards received, and media features and coverage. With these firms’ unique designs and services, and their high levels of quality, clients are sure that their discerning tastes and preferences will be satisfied, whichever firm on the list they choose to work with.

If you are thinking about building a custom home, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

B+A Architecture

100 W 31st St. Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64108

B+A Architecture is an architectural design, planning, and consulting firm, specializing in commercial and residential development, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, hospitality, light industrial, retail, workplace, and custom homes design and consulting. The firm has been serving Kansas City, and beyond, since 1995.

B+A Architecture was founded by Dennis Bradley, who is known for his supportive and respectful manner, as well as his passion for his work that is reflected in the long-standing relationships he has developed with his clients over the years. Dennis’s building legacy in Kansas is significant, with his portfolio spanning notable structures, including the Auditorium and Alumni Complex at the University of Missouri, Rolla, the Natatorium at Missouri Southern State University, several projects at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Papago Deck, Park Tunnel, and a multitude of commercial and residential buildings throughout Missouri, Louisiana, and beyond. With this level of experience behind Dennis and his firm, clients can expect to be blown away by what the firm can accomplish in fulfilling their residential needs.

BNIM Architects

2460 Pershing Rd. Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64108

No other firm has shaped the sustainable design industry as significantly as BNIM. Not only was the Living Building concept born at BNIM, but its portfolio includes the world’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum-Certified Living Building. The firm was also instrumental in the creation of LEED and the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

It is no wonder then that BNIM ranks first in the U.S. in terms of sustainability, and has received more than 500 awards for Design, Leadership, and Planning. Heading the powerhouse of a firm as president and CEO is Steve McDowell, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), and a LEED Accredited Professional. Under Steve’s leadership, BNIM received the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Firm Award and has also been featured in publications such as Metropolis, Architectural Record, Architect, ArchDaily, Dezeen, Designboom, Architecture and Design, Kansas City Business Journal, and Business Record. Today, BNIM continues to forward its agenda for sustainability, further cementing its place in the industry as a green building pioneer.

Dake Wells Architecture

1828 Walnut, 3rd Fl., Kansas City, MO 64108

Dake Wells Architecture was founded in 2004 by Brandon Dake, FAIA, LEED AP, and Andrew Wells, FAIA, LEED AP. The two founding principals are joined in leadership by Dan Maginn, who is also an FAIA, and LEED AP. Under the deft hands of these principals, Dake Wells Architecture has grown to serve a variety of public and private clients. With one location in downtown Springfield, Missouri, and another in Kansas City, Missouri, Dake Wells Architecture’s reputation continues to grow as a leader in intelligent design solutions for progressive clients.

The firm is committed to raising the level of architectural design excellence in the Midwest, and this dedication is evident in the recognition Dake Wells Architecture has garnered over the years, with some of its most notable awards being the Public Jury Appreciation Award, Honor Award, and Judges Appreciation Award, all from the AIA Springfield chapter. With three principals who were elevated into the prestigious College of Fellows of the AIA, and who are more than capable of providing straightforward, resourceful solutions to innovatively defined problems on a wide variety of project types, including community, civic, educational, and residential projects, clients can be assured that their expectations will not only be met, but also exceeded.

Forward Design | Architecture

601 E 63rd St. #235, Kansas City, MO 64110

Forward Design | Architecture is a residential architecture firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 2011 by architect Chris Fein, Forward is comprised of dedicated design professionals committed to producing architecture at the highest levels of quality, execution, and service, with every project being designed to be responsive to the individual needs of each client, user, and location.

Chris graduated with a master’s in architecture from Yale University and a bachelor’s in architecture from Kansas State University. He began his career in Chicago working for the internationally recognized design practice Tigerman McCurry Architects as a lead project designer, later on moving to Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge Architects, also in Chicago, where he was soon promoted to principal. Many of the projects Chris has led are widely published in design and trade journals. Chris also serves as a regular visiting critic at Yale University and as a full-time visiting professor at Kansas State University (KSU). At KSU, he teaches advanced design studio and lecture courses related to furniture fabrication and design. Under Chris’s leadership, the firm has won numerous awards, most recent of which is the 2019 AIA Kansas Merit Award Preservation for an Adaptive Reuse on the Wurster Residence. The firm has also been featured in countless publications such as Builder, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, Dwell, and more.

GastingerWalker& Architecture

817 Wyandotte, Kansas City, MO

Founded in 1981, GastingerWalker& is a diverse group of committed, insightful, and progressive-minded professionals who are enthusiastic about the product and process of architecture and design. The firm is headed by Kirk Gastinger, a Fellow of the AIA and LEED Accredited Professional, and Wade Walker, managing partner of the firm.

Kirk exemplifies excellence in the design of new and the renovation of existing facilities for continued useful life. He has designed a broad variety of building types, including historic preservation, office, housing, education, and civic facilities. He is also an advocate for smart energy design as a core value of sustainable architecture. Kirk has been recognized by his peers with more than 20 design and service awards, including national honor and merit awards from the American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Environmental Protection Agency. He also received the 2015 AIAKC Architect of the Year award. With these notable credentials comprising his background, Kirk and GastingerWalker& Architecture are more than reliable when it comes to new construction and remodeling projects.

Generator Studio

1615 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, MO 64108

Generator Studio is a full-service architecture and interior design firm based in Kansas City, specializing in high-end residential, hospitality, not-for-profit, corporate office, and sports venues. The firm has been in operation for more than 10 years, building a reputation for itself as a reliable architect in the Kansas City area.

Heading the firm are co-founders Tom Proebstle, AIA, and Mike Kress, AIA. Tom is both founding partner and design director for Generator Studio. His passion for architecture began early on in Minneapolis, when his grandmother, Betty, took him on field trips downtown to see the buildings built by his great-great-grandfather, H.N. Leighton. Mike, meanwhile, is a founding partner and chief architect for Generator Studio. His continued success comes from consistent delivery of thoughtful design; with attention to detail, budget, and creative vision. He is the direct conduit between Generator Studio, the clients, consultants, and staff. Mike’s core responsibility is to keep promises made for quality and schedule—a feat he has accomplished on numerous multi-million dollar redevelopments across the country. Together, Tom and Mike form a skilled duo who run a tight ship, maintaining high standards in the design and architectural processes, while continuing to garner repeat business from clients.

herron + partners

PO Box 414986, Kansas City, MO 64111

herron + partners is design-based practice that specializes specifically in modern, technically proficient, energy efficient homes and buildings. With over 24 years of expertise, the firm combines residential and commercial construction systems to create customized solutions for their discerning clientele.

Photo by Nate Sheets Photography.

Leading herron + partners is principal David Herron. Herron’s work has been recognized on a local, regional and national level for design excellence. His individual accolades are a result of a breadth of experience with prominent design firms in cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix and New York City. Herron’s credentials include over a decade of participation with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as the organization’s National Representative on the ASHRAE 90.1 Envelope sub-committee that develops the minimum standards for energy performance for the construction of commercial buildings. Applying his commercial construction acumen towards residential construction methodologies, Herron works with clients who are interested in making simple energy upgrades to more progressive passive house standards.

Whether a project is a new custom home or a simple individual room renovation, the work of herron + partners exemplifies their aspiration to create timeless, pristine design solutions that encompass creativity, rigor and restraint.

HJM Architects

7520 Washington Street, Kansas City, MO 64114

HJM Architects, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, has provided architecture, planning, and interior design services since 1984. The firm’s mission is to create spaces with meaning, to design structures that are affordable, and to create efficient plans that are flexible.

Richard Hu, the firm’s award-winning principal, leads the team during project programming, master planning, and design. The HJM team includes NCARB-certified architects and NCIDQ-certified interior designers. The firm has supported single project owners, developers, contractors, and federal agencies in delivering projects within schedule and budget throughout the country. The HJM team is guided by a “service first” attitude towards clients and projects regardless of size. Flexibility with respect to project schedules, budgets, and time constraints have been its most important asset in completing projects successfully.

Hufft Studio

3612 Karnes Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64111

Hufft is an architecture, interior design and fabrication studio with offices in Kansas City, Mo., and Bentonville, Ark. The firm’s mission is to create meaningful spaces and objects, inspired by people and places.

From its beginnings in residential design – starting with founder Matthew Hufft’s first commission 16 years ago – Hufft has built an expanding portfolio of commercial, institutional and hospitality work. Today, Hufft is an internationally recognized firm, whose award-winning projects have been featured in publications like Architectural Record, Interior Design, FRAME, Dwell and Esquire.

K.C. Architecture

6103 NW Tiffany Springs Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64154

K.C. Architecture is a full-service architectural design firm focused on custom upper bracket residential projects ranging from $400k to $4 million. The spectrum of the firm’s work includes custom upper bracket homes, builder’s model/spec homes, large-scale additions and remodels, luxury basement finishes, and more.

For K.C. Architecture, successful relationships in the business, and equally successful projects, are built on compatible personalities forging friendships, constant communication, and professional talents. With the firm, communication is key. Being a small firm gives K.C. Architecture the advantage of being able to listen carefully to clients’ ideas, and respond quickly to their feedback to achieve inspired designs within any budget. It is this approach to the design and building process that has enabled the firm to maintain quality while building its reputation and growing its business for the years to come.

KEM Studio

1515 Genessee St. Suite 11, Kansas City, MO 64102

Kem Studio is an award-winning design firm that fuses architecture and industrial design. This fusion is a natural extension of its underlying design philosophy—Better Design Better Living™—making design more approachable, livable, and necessary in everyone’s lives. The firm is headed by co-founders and principals Jonathon Kemnitzer, a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), and Brad Satterwhite, LEED AP.

Jonathon’s close observation of everyday life and the way people interact with space and objects constantly informs his work. He is a collaborative designer who builds global brands through innovative solutions to make people’s lives better through design. Brad, meanwhile, is continually intrigued and influenced by a holistic approach to design that blurs the lines between architecture, industrial design, and art. Throughout all aspects of design, Brad believes in the power of a big idea, purity of form and material, economy, and clarity. Both Jonathon and Brad’s work has been recognized in numerous national and international design competitions and publications. Together, the principal duo leads the KEM team to be a force in the architectural scene, continuing to garner awards and magazines in venues such as Architect, Dwell, Interior Design, and more.

McHenry Shaffer Architecture

11 East Gregory #100, Kansas City, MO 64114

McHenry Shaffer Architecture, established in 1995, is located in Kansas City, Missouri. The practice provides architectural, planning, and interior design services in both the private and public sectors. The principals, Mark McHenry and Doug Shaffer bring a depth of experience in design and construction to all of the firm’s projects.

Mark’s approach to architecture is informed by a long-standing practice of woodworking that has ranged from furniture making and boat building to sculpture. His interest in woodcraft has led to a deep appreciation for the great traditions of Japanese and Danish design. Doug joined McHenry Architecture in 1999 and entered into a partnership with Mark McHenry to form McHenry Shaffer Architecture in 2005. Doug had lived in Seattle, Washington, and was a principal with Wolken Shaffer Architects. He worked on extensive renovations of the Capital Court Shopping Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as numerous retail and residential projects. Together, the two principals form a skilled leadership that enables the McHenry Shaffer team to exercise its building and design prowess on every project it takes on.

Piper-Wind Architects

2121 Central Street Suite 143, Kansas City, MO 64108

Piper-Wind Architects, Inc. is a full-service architectural firm located in the Crossroads District in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The firm is a design company with skills and expertise in the design and construction of the architecture of the highest quality. Piper-Wind is motivated by the fundamental idea that good design enriches and benefits the lives of those who interact with it—whether it is at home, at work, at play, or anywhere in between.

When it comes to architectural styles, Piper-Wind does not promote any styles in particular. Rather, the Piper-Wind team looks to the physical and social influences of the building context to guide it to an appropriate architectural design that reinforces and invigorates the sense of place. For exercising its mindfulness of place for more than 23 years, the firm has been the recipient of awards such as the 2016 Preserve Missouri Award, as well as the 2014 Public Works Project of the Year Award.

RDM Architecture

7244 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64114

Founded almost 40 years ago in 1979 as a solo practice out of principal Rick McDermott’s residence, RDM Architecture soon expanded and moved into its current location in Kansas City, Missouri. The firm’s office is organized in an informal, comfortable work environment encouraging collaboration with a sincere effort to communicate through drawings, models, and estimates to creatively and economically solve the specific needs of each client.

Today, the firm is led and owned by two long-time employees Matt Lero and Mike Schumacher. Matt joined the firm in 2009 and has since contributed his design and project management skills to the firm’s many projects, which have been recognized in local publications. Mike, on the other hand, joined the firm in 2002, and his expertise in construction documents and office/project management provides a great blend of skill for the firm moving forward. Together, Matt, Mike, and their team at RDM Architecture continue to practice the firm’s signature creative problem solving in order to find a common-sense solution to fit the needs and aspirations of all their clients.

Veritas Architecture + Design

707 N. 6th St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Veritas is a full-service architecture firm, specializing in ground-up projects for residential, commercial, and educational spaces. The firm views every project as unique as its clients, with no two being alike, and it makes it a priority to ensure clients’ goals and ideas are brought to life.

Veritas is led by principal and owner Travis Willson, an architect who has always been fascinated by the relationship between architecture and communities, and is passionate about rethinking the way these two entities interact. He is concerned with the questions of how to create better connections in public places, how internal and external spaces can better flow together, and how architecture can positively influence the way individual spaces are used. Travis has explored these questions on every project he has managed in his 20-year career, from redesigning educational buildings to renovating historical structures.

Under his leadership, the firm has garnered memberships with local and national organizations, including the AIA, the USGBC, and the Kansas Association of School Boards. Today, Travis and Veritas continue to venture into projects with an understanding that each build and each design is a step closer to satisfying clients and feeding their curiosities about what architecture can accomplish.

About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration.