There are plenty of reasons to move to Massachusetts. Home to Harvard University, the state is known to welcome the best and the brightest from all over America and the world as well. Sports and food enthusiasts are happy to live in the state, too. Famous for its seafood, Massachusetts offers the freshest seafood dishes including lobster rolls and thick, delicious clam chowders. Sports lovers can support a variety of popular pro sports teams including the Boston Celtics, the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins, and the New England Patriots.
For those looking forward to experiencing everything the state has to offer, these residential architects on the list are ready to get you started. Our editors have gathered the best architects in Massachusetts. These architects have impressive portfolios featuring a variety of home styles including traditional, contemporary, and ranch. These architects have won several awards and have been repeatedly featured over the years. All have affiliations with professional organizations including the American Institute of Architects.
Hutker Architects
79 Beach Road, P.O. Box 2347, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
Serving clients in New England, Hutker Architects creates homes that are equally beautiful yet distinct from one another. Each home is a combination of the homeowner’s vision and the firm’s response to the home’s location. The firm believes that each home is intrinsically connected to the environment; Hutker’s designs, therefore, embrace their natural settings. By partnering with the best landscape architects, the firm creates an experiential outdoor lifestyle for homeowners.
One of the firm’s one-of-a-kind homes is The Nest. Perched on top of a bluff, this unique home looks like a luxurious nest with fantastic views of the water. Inspired by a bird’s nest, the design features stacks of twigs, branches, and pebbles found in the living room fireplace and outdoor pool grotto. These materials are sourced directly from the site’s surrounding woods. Combining wood with sleek finishes, exposed beams, and glass doors and windows in the design, this creative home has a style of its own.
Established in 1987, Hutker Architects has been celebrated by many organizations and publications including Boston Design Guide, BUILDER Magazine, and Residential Design Magazine. In 2021, the firm was awarded Excellence in New Construction for homes greater than 8,000 square feet by BRAGB. Mark Hutker, FAIA, is the creative genius behind these designs. An alumnus of the University of Cincinnati, Hutker has been in the industry for over 37 years. During these years, he has handled many residential, institutional, and commercial projects in the US.
Flavin Architects
175 Portland St #6, Boston, MA 02114
Based in Boston, Flavin Architects is an award-winning firm specializing in natural modernism. This approach considers the site’s context when creating designs. The goal is to blur the lines between the surroundings and the home’s interiors. To achieve this goal, the firm incorporates timeless materials, axial views, and transparency into the design. Residents thus have 360-degree views of the natural landscape surrounding their homes. The firm uses cutting-edge techniques to create home systems that use water, light, and energy efficiently.
Since 1991, the firm’s natural modern approach has created many stunning designs that have attracted the attention of the press. New England Home Magazine, Dwell Magazine, and Boston Magazine have all published the firm’s work. One of the firm’s expertly designed contemporary homes is the Tanglewood Modern home located in Lenox. Designed for a growing extended family, this scenic home captures simplicity, relaxation, and privacy at its finest. Flavin designed the home to encapsulate a sophisticated living that connects with its rich natural surroundings secluding it from its neighbors. The south-facing slope location of the home perfectly captures the summer sun while the home’s unique shape allows rainwater to be channeled through its scuppers creating a stunning waterfall effect during heavy rains. Its spacious and comfortable design allows its owners to host both intimate and large gatherings for families and friends.
Directing the firm in producing stunning contemporary designs is founding principal Colin Flavin, AIA. Flavin finished his master’s in MIT with a Chamberlain Prize for Design Excellence. With over 36 years of industry experience, Flavin chose natural modernism to give the firm a unique voice in the industry.
Cummings Architecture + Interiors
57 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA 01938
Founded in 1999, Cummings Architecture + Interiors specializes in creating creative custom homes. The firm focuses on design details that make a home special for its owners. In the industry for over two decades, the firm designs a variety of home styles including colonial, and traditional. Its designs have been featured in Northshore Home, HGTV Magazine, and Forbes.
The firm’s creatively designed homes are mostly award-winning, including the Oceanfront Shingle Style home in Gloucester. Starting from the main entrance, the house instantly makes an impression. The elevated location of the home instantly shows the jaw-dropping water views at the back. The exterior façade, peppered with intricate details, sets the tone for the rest of the home. Every detail in and out of this residence is special: the custom trim work, the fabulous living spaces, and the sprawling ocean views. This charming home has been featured in the Northshore Home Magazine and has won two design awards, including the Gold Prism Award.
Mathew Cummings, AIA, serves as the firm’s principal. Cummings is a Boston Architectural College alumnus who has designed many impressive homes in New England. He has built his reputation over 23 years through his projects, and he has affiliations with a variety of professional organizations, including the Boston Society of Architects.
Peter Rose + Partners
242 East Berkeley Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02118
Peter Rose + Partners believes that architecture is about the long term. That means building structures that last by focusing on quality and efficiency. It means using sustainable design practices. By using the right construction methods and materials, the firm builds green homes that impact the environment in a positive way.
A sample of the firm’s sustainable designs is the Island Residence. Recipient of the Green GOOD DESIGN™ Awards for Architecture, this Edgartown home features a contemporary design built with the least environmental impact. The entire structure is built while preserving all trees and branches surrounding it. Cedar and large glass panels work together to manage the flow of heat and light in the house. The green roof improves insulation, rainwater management, and air quality around the house. Composed of four structures including the main house, a garage, a storage area, and a boathouse, this massive structure is impressive on many levels.
For its outstanding designs, the firm has graced many publications including AIA NY, New England Home, and the Financial Times. The brain behind the firm’s continuous success is Peter Rose, FAIA. A Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Rose is a respectable architect with a master’s degree from Yale University. His vast industry experience has qualified him to become a professor at Harvard and Princeton.
Nicholaeff Architecture + Design
891 Main Street, P.O. Box 1034, Osterville, MA 02655
Established in 1986, Nicholaeff Architecture + Design merges science and art. Through research, the firm assesses the site’s geography, topography, and geology, then responds through its designs. It is through science that the firm finds new ways to formulate creative design solutions. By using this approach, the firm has produced many visually-appealing homes through New England, New York, and Florida.
A sample of the firm’s striking homes is Great Island. The Silver Winner of BRICC Awards 2016, this shingle-style home is visually interesting from all angles. The balconies wrapped around the home as well as the rooftop terrace add a dynamic shape to the structure. Inside, the home has a traditional, clean style. The wide doors and windows provide ample light and fabulous natural views.
Doreve Nicholaeff, AIA, leads the firm’s team of experts in creating stunning, research-based designs. Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Nicholaeff has served many clients in and out of the US. She is a proud alumnus of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and has a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sam Kachmar Architects
357 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Featured regularly in Boston Magazine, Sam Kachmar Architects (SKA) uses technology to its advantage. With “Virtually Home” as its tagline, the firm uses visualizations and virtual reality to help clients imagine their dream home. By using this technology, clients can rest easy during the rest of their process, knowing that their home’s design is perfect.
Through hyper-realistic visualizations and virtual reality, the firm has perfectly executed residential projects in Cambridge and the Greater Massachusetts area. One of these projects is the Avon Hill Renovation project. Located in Cambridge, this Queen Victorian home needed its windows and interiors updated. The firm answered the brief and exceeded expectations. It seamlessly added new windows and custom cabinetry in the home’s living room. The 3,500-square-foot interior space now has an updated look that blends well with the house’s pre-existing architecture.
For its contribution to the industry, the firm has earned many awards including the Citation Award in the Small Firm category from BSA Design Award and recently the Best Transitional Architect award from Boston Magazine for 2022. The firm is led by owner and principal Sam Kachmar, AIA, LEED AP, CS. Kachmar is an architecture graduate from Syracuse University with over 20 years of industry experience.
Charles Rose Architects
115 Willow Avenue, Somerville, MA 02144
Founded in 1989, Charles Rose Architects promises to create a sensory experience through architecture. It delivers on this promise by designing in response to site and environmental contexts. By responding to the existing terrain and natural landscape, the firm creates designs that are visually appealing and sustainable.
Showcasing the firm’s site-specific design is the Orleans House. This massive home has been divided into four sections in response to the site’s topography. As a result, the house features varying floor levels, adding depth and layer to the structure. Every step found inside and outside the house traces the site’s terrain. There’s a graceful flow of energy between the house and its surroundings through the curves and lines used in the design. Concrete, cedar, granite, and mahogany unite the home to itself and the environment. For creating this architectural marvel, the firm collected several awards including The Chicago Athenaeum’s American Architecture Award.
Charles Rose, FAIA, founded the firm intending to appeal to the ecological, cultural, and historic context of a place. Guided by this vision and his degrees from Harvard and Princeton, Rose has succeeded as evident in his many award-winning works. His work has been published in Maine Home + Design, Boston Herald, and The Architect’s Newspaper.
Meyer & Meyer
396 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
Meyer & Meyer, Inc. is an expert in historical styles. It has designed many imaginative homes with quirk and character. In visualizing designs, the firm’s artistic team uses the time-tested way: drawing. Through the design team’s unmatchable talent, these drawings create an exciting design visualization that clients look forward to. Regardless of style, each home is designed to use superior quality materials intended to last for centuries.
One of the firm’s most interesting designs is the Archangel Estate. Similar to sturdy castles of earlier times, the house features an exterior façade constructed with stones. This façade creates an arch in the middle, leading to an impressive front door made with custom bronze and lead glass detailing. The firm designed the main living spaces around a historic beach tree that serves as the property’s pièce de résistance. For excellence in designing this property, the firm was named Tucker Design Award Winner in 2020. This impressive property has been on the cover of New England Home.
The firm’s outstanding outputs are a result of the leadership of founding principals John Meyer Jr. and Laura Meyer. John Meyer, AIA, LEEP AP, has a degree in Urban Design Studies from Harvard Graduate School of Design and a master’s from MIT. Laura Meyer finished her interior design degree at Maryland Institute College of Art and her graduate studies at Washington University at St. Louis. Her affiliations include the National Council for Interior Designers (NCIDQ) and IIDA. Together, they bring more than 75 years of industry experience to create never-before-seen homes in different parts of the US.
Jacob Lilley Architects
103 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482
Established in 2013, Jacob Lilley Architects mixes traditional architecture with a clean, modern approach. It looks at the historical context of a project site and creates simple designs inspired by the past. The firm considers the needs of the client, as well as the timeline and budget in creating straightforward designs.
A sample of the firm’s simple yet spectacular design is House No. 207 in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Previously owned by former president John Adams, the location of the property has been touched by well-recognized architects Fredrick Law and Henry Hoover. For the firm, this rich background was an exciting challenge. In response, the firm created a contemporary home that addresses the challenging terrain. The firm built a cantilevered structure on top of the hill, featuring cedar, glass, and concrete materials. Indoors, the firm stayed true to its clean, modern, simple approach. The result is an elegant space that has enough drama to be recorded in history in its own right.
Directing the firm in using a simple, effective approach in designs is founder and principal architect Jake Lilley, AIA. Lilley is a graduate of Cornell University with over 23 years of industry experience. Under his guidance, the firm has been featured in many publications including Boston Magazine, New England Home Magazine, and Wellesley Weston Magazine.
I-Kanda Architects
50 Terminal Street, Building 2, Unit #429, Charlestown, MA 02129
Winner of the 2017 Design Honor Award from AIA Boston, and published in Dwell, Dezeen, AN Interior and Azure, among others, I-Kanda Architects is a practice that creates buildings and spaces that are modern, yet enduring – equal parts purpose and sculpture. A project is an opportunity to craft spaces that answer both the needs of the inhabitants and the environment. Making the most of its opportunities, the firm collaborates closely with clients and contractors to fulfill a vision.
Established in 2012, the firm is a recognized expert in both new and old construction, including mountainside cabins, adaptive reuse projects, conversions, and renovations. The firm exhibits this expertise in the Barn House project. Featured in Architect and the Boston Globe, this barn conversion involves the transformation of a century-and-a-half-old horse barn. The 5,500 sf home now contains contemporary interiors, modern bedrooms and bathrooms, and heated polished concrete floors. The design leaves the timber frame structure fully exposed. Floating white volumes weave between 8″ x 8″ posts and beams to define habitable spaces while preserving the original scale and character of the barn.
Isamu Kanda, AIA, leads the firm in producing purposeful, feature-worthy designs. He uses his engineering and architecture degrees from Cornell University and Harvard University Graduate School of Design to offer a holistic approach to projects. He has been in the industry for over 15 years.
Walker Architects
60 K Street, Boston, MA 02127
Walker Architects elevates spaces. It does so by combining architecture and interior design expertise in transforming homes. Based in Boston, the firm has designed many elegant and inventive spaces in Massachusetts and beyond
One of the firm’s elegantly renovated homes is the Modern Victorian home. Located in Cambridge, MA, the project is a transformation of an old Victorian home into a 21st-century house. While still preserving many details of the Victorian style, the house has been redesigned with modern features to make it more livable and sophisticated. New features include a master bath with a glass-encased shower and a modern kitchen with a spacious island and state-of-the-art equipment. The steel-glazed floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors opening to the home’s garden are particularly inviting. Situated in an urban neighborhood, the house offers a peaceful, calming retreat for its owners. For its impressive design, the firm earned a feature in the Winter 2020 issue of Boston Home Magazine.
Overseeing firm operations is founding principal Bradford Walker, AIA, LEED AP. Walker is an alumnus of the University of Virginia and Harvard University with more than 37 years of industry experience. Under his leadership, the firm has collected many awards including the Grand Award for Architectural Interiors from the Builder’s Choice & Custom Home Design Awards.
Hammer Architects
19 Bishop Allen Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139
Based in Cambridge, Hammer Architects builds architecturally significant structures. An expert in home renovation, addition, and adaptive reuse, the firm enhances old structures and brings them into the 21st century. The firm is a master in new construction as well. Its wide range of expertise includes commercial, educational, and residential projects. In designing these structures, the firm makes sure to create a space enjoyable for living.
A sample of the firm’s well-crafted homes is the Long Dune Residence in Truro, Massachusetts. Located on an elevated site, the house has unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean. The firm took this as design inspiration and built the entire oceanfront side with glass. On the other side of the house, walls are made of thick, super-insulated wood to offer maximum privacy to the homeowners. Inside, it is like living in a modern glass house. Residents can stay in any part of the home with magnificent views of the water. This remarkable design has caught the attention of the press including Images Publishing Group and Design New England.
Established in 1992, Hammer Architects has collected its share of accolades over the years, including the 2009 Historic Renovation Award from Somerville Historical Commission. Guiding the firm in building architecturally-significant structures is Mark Hammer, AIA. Hammer is a graduate of the University of Kansas with more than four decades of experience in the business.
Oak Hill Architects
472 Boston Post Road, Weston Center, MA 02493
Established in 2004, Oak Hill Architects is sensitive to light, proportion, and quality. With expertise in different styles including contemporary and traditional, the firm is guided by these three elements in approaching all projects. Whether it’s a new construction, renovation, or addition, the firm balances architectural elements to create distinct homes according to the client’s vision. Boston Design Guide and Wicked Local appreciate the firm’s designs, featuring them in their publication.
One of the firm’s most notable designs is the Seaside Retreat. This project features an imposing Dutch Colonial home standing in rolling farmland with spectacular ocean views. The design is inspired by the owner’s desire to create a multi-generational home. Using a traditional style, the firm created a well-proportioned house with note-worthy details including stone archways, gambrel rooflines, and cedar shingles. At the center, a courtyard is positioned to host family celebrations for generations to come.
Responsible for the firm’s admirable vision in architecture and design is Andrew J. Reck, AIA. Reck is affiliated with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) and the Boston Society of Architects. He is a proud alumnus of the Rhode Island School of Design with more than 17 years of experience in the field.
MPG Home Design
10 Railroad Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
Based in Newburyport, MPG Home Design specializes in making homeowners happy. With expertise in residential design, the firm collaborates with clients to produce homes they deserve. Since 2007, the firm has been offering its professional architecture, interior design, and project management services to clients in New England and the surrounding area. The firm offers holistic services in new construction, home renovation and addition, and bathroom and kitchen remodeling as well. It provides all these exceptional services at an affordable cost.
Northshore Magazine, Exhale, and Design New England have all featured the firm and its impressive work. One of the firm’s most publicized projects is the River Home Complete Renovation and Additions. Shown in a commercial advertisement aired on CNN News’ primetime slot, this project involves transforming a massive home into a vacation getaway. For this project, the firm provided full-architectural services including interior, landscape design, and new construction. The firm built a 2,000-square-foot barn on the property, as well as a dock, giving homeowners easy access to the water. Reclaimed materials used in construction process provide an eclectic ambiance to the house while minimizing environmental impact.
Heading the firm in creating thoughtful designs is Mindi Poston Gay, Associate AIA. Gay is the firm’s principal designer of architecture and interiors, and she has been in the industry for over 26 years. She graduated from Boston Architectural College’s architecture program.
PionArch, LLC
501 Cabot Street, Suite 8C, Beverly, MA 01915
Winner of the 2021 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Design & Build in North Shore Home Magazine, PionArch focuses on client satisfaction. Serving clients in Massachusetts’ North Shore Area, the firm excels in design and construction. Its expertise includes residential construction as well as light commercial construction projects. In building homes, the firm uses quality materials that are durable and sustainable. Part of ensuring client satisfaction is building homes that will stand for centuries and promote a healthy lifestyle.
One of the firm’s outstanding projects is the New House Construction in Ipswich. Facing a challenging topography, the firm used its team’s creativity and partnered with engineers to provide efficient solutions for the project. The result is a sturdy home with hints of a beach house style. Blue and white are the chosen colors in the interior and exterior, giving the house a relaxing, fresh look. The 2,400-square-feet home contains a spacious living room and kitchen, plus 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Outside, a deck is constructed to provide guests with an area to take in the lovely views. Clients were impressed with the firm’s performance, noting the team’s professionalism exhibited throughout the construction process.
Managing the firm’s team of experts are co-founders Lidia Szydlowska and Michal Szydlowski and director of design John Hamilton Hale. Lidia Szydlowska, AIA, IIDA, is a master in architecture and interior design with over 15 years of industry experience. She holds a master’s degree from Boston Architectural College. Hale, AIA, has been honing his expertise in the industry for over 40 years. Michal Szydlowski is a general contractor managing the firm’s construction.
Lim Design Studio
46 Waltham Street, Courtyard #3, Boston, MA 02118
Led by Diane Lim, Lim Design Studio, Inc was established in 2010 with balance as its guiding principle. Lim believes that architecture and design are all about finding the perfect balance between traditional and modern, the old and new, and the outdoors and indoors. By using this guiding principle, Lim, a Cornell University alumnus and a member of the AIA and BSA, has transformed many homes, historical landmarks, and business establishments. Over the last 20 years, she has helped clients in Boston and the greater Boston area to create their dream homes.
One of the firm’s well-executed homes is the Milton Residence located in Boston. The home is a perfect example of finding the sweet spot between traditional and modern. Featuring a traditional exterior, the home smoothly transitions to modern design elements as one enters the house. One of the most exciting features of the house is its color scheme. The green-colored front door breaks the monotony of the white and gray exterior façade. Inside, the exciting color scheme continues in the dark-painted living room; contrasted with the connecting white-painted dining area, a dramatic effect is achieved. For its great balance of colors—as well as modern and traditional elements like wood flooring and modern lighting fixtures—the project garnered a feature in The Boston Globe.
HP Rovinelli Architects
1770 Massachusetts Avenue, No. 189, Cambridge, MA 02140
Established in 1993, HP Rovinelli Architects tackles all design issues related to homes. Whether a house calls for renovation, remodeling, or addition, the firm is ready to provide its expertise. It’s a master in new home construction, building custom homes for clients in Greater Boston and Vermont. When it comes to bringing old structures and historic neighborhoods back to life, this firm is one to call.
Displaying the firm’s expertise in residential projects is the Rural Retreat. The project involved designing several buildings within a 75-acre site. Located by the meadow, the property features an English arts and crafts home with views of the lush greenery. Residents get to enjoy the outdoors either in the outdoor pool or the terrace. The firm connects the house to the environment by using natural materials like the stone seen in the exterior façade and the chimney in the living room.
The firm’s expertise in residential architecture and design is informed by principal Paul Rovinelli. With a master’s degree from Columbia University, Rovinelli has over 35 years of industry experience. He is a Fulbright scholar with expertise in modern Dutch architecture. Under his supervision, the firm has been featured by many publications including The Boston Globe, Dream Homes New England, and The New York Times.
Dennis Colwell Architects
132 Central Street, Suite 203, Foxborough, MA 02035
Founded in 2010, Dennis Colwell Architects (DCA) strives to reflect the vision of its clients in the houses it produces. The firm sees it as a responsibility to understand client goals and offer the best services to fulfill these goals. Mixed with its creative process and unique style, the firm produces stunning homes that maximize a space’s full potential. For over a decade, the firm has been designing exceptional homes in New England, Florida, and the surrounding area.
Leading the firm’s successful residential designs is Dennis Colwell, Jr., the firm’s principal. Colwell is an alumnus of Wentworth Institute of Technology that has been practicing for 17 years. Under his guidance, the firm performs top-notch new construction, home additions, and renovation services. His wide range of expertise has helped build many residential, commercial, and hospitality buildings. These outstanding projects have landed on the pages of Wareham Week Today, Boston Real Estate Times, and Dartmouth Week Today.
A sample of the firm’s impressive residential designs is the Snow Inn Residence in Harwichport, Massachusetts. Unmistakably Dutch Colonial, the house features a gambrel roof and long overhanging eaves. The sea-facing side of the home has a long porch offering magnificent water views. Plenty of glass provides unobstructed views of the greenery and the waterfront. Balcony rails— as well as the large doors and windows—are all made of glass, creating stunning views and inviting the light into the house.
