I like the ideas of elegance typically associated with architect websites — these sites can serve as online portfolios for firms to showcase their various commercial, residential, and/or public projects. I enjoy perusing the refined images and videos of the beautiful spaces, as well as learning more about the people behind the buildings.
Standout features I look for on architect websites include comprehensive project portfolios, sustainability initiatives, and prominent contact details. I reviewed 5 websites that highlight these important elements, and if you're looking to create one of your own, try our architect AI website builder.
Zarla checks that sites meet basic web standards for mobile and desktop. We also use Google's PageSpeed Insights, and WAVE, a service that evaluates accessibility for individuals with disabilities. PageSpeed scores and accessibility are important factors for search engine rankings. PageSpeed scores may not match user experience and can vary substantially.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Lyons Studio is a public architectural and urban design practice that caters to clients throughout Australia. The website's bright color palette caught my attention and I liked the visual appeal of an impactful tagline overlaying the hero image depicting one of the firm's previous projects.
I enjoyed scrolling through the content-rich home page with a selection of high-resolution images giving me a great overview of the company's design capabilities. I liked the use of a hamburger menu to allow the hero images to shine, but I would have appreciated a more prominent placement of the search bar and a "Contact" CTA button for easier usability.
The website's strategic use of color drew my eye to certain page sections, including the company's latest news and mentorship program opportunities. I enjoyed perusing the "Projects" page as it had helpful categories for users to filter the page by relevance or industry.
While I don't have many critiques of the website, I do think it would benefit from additional video content to create a more engaging user experience. I think the site would generate more credibility with the inclusion of customer testimonials and/or case studies. WAVE also picked up several contrast errors on the home page.
I enjoyed the minimalistic yet impactful design on the desktop website and how easily accessible all page links are. I liked the use of large headings with plenty of white space ensuring I can navigate the content with ease. While I found the color usage and images to be engaging, I do think video elements would bolster the site's user engagement.
On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the home page scored 87/100 in the performance category and 100/100 for its SEO practices.
On mobile, the website performs well and I liked how the content stayed large and prominent on the smaller screen. However, the hero image is less impactful on mobile and I think if the tagline were to be removed, it would ensure more visual interest. I found the mobile site's pages to load quite fast, but the home page's PageSpeed Insights score of 43/100 indicates slower-than-average loading times.
https://www.k2architects.co.uk/
Liverpool, England, U.K.
K2 Architects is an architectural design practice that primarily work on sustainable and environmentally conscious projects. I thought that the website's hero image made a bold impression with an aerial view of the city the firm operates in, although I wasn't sure which building the image meant to advertise.
I enjoyed exploring the website's selection of page links and the "Projects" page stood out to me with its high-resolution images showcasing the firm's latest designs. While I appreciated the site's simplistic yet refined appearance, I think it would benefit from the inclusion of video content to generate more user interest.
I liked the website's unusual background, which resembles drawing paper, as a nod to the firm's niche. I also enjoyed the personable touch of adding team member images to the "About" section. WAVE picked up no contrast errors on the home page, indicating optimal readability.
I think the website would benefit from a few tweaks to make it stand out more from competitor sites, such as more engaging visual elements, better spacing between the images and text for a more condensed look, and a separate page highlighting the firm's awards and industry accreditations.
While I liked perusing the desktop website and learning more about the firm through its "Projects" and "About" pages, I do think it's lacking certain qualities that make for a standout site, such as video content, client testimonials, and a social media feed.
That being said, I did find the site's large headings and text to be easily readable, and it contributed to a smooth browsing experience. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the desktop's home page was awarded a score of 96/100 in the performance category.
I liked that the hero image on the mobile site remains crisp and high-quality, and I think the content flows better on the smaller screen thanks to its condensed appearance. However, I do think some pertinent information, such as the firm's contact details, should be added to the top menu bar for quick access. The mobile site's pages load adequately and on Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the home page's performance scored 73/100.
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Lemay is a company of architects and designers that collaborate to create unique structures for both interior and outdoor spaces. The website's hero section makes a bold impression with geometric motifs and engaging taglines overlapping a slideshow of the firm's previous projects. I also liked that the company's "Manifesto" video is easily accessible on the home page, giving visitors a quick overview of their work ethos.
While the home page primarily advertises the company's latest news, plenty of page links are available for users interested in learning more about their projects, industry specializations, research and design services, and contact information. I also appreciated the inclusion of a search bar and a French language translation tool.
I liked the website's use of sleek design elements, such as refined typography and high-resolution images, to create a contemporary appeal. I enjoyed reading about the company's approach to creating environmentally sustainable and accessible spaces. WAVE also picked up no contrast errors on the home page.
While I did not find much to dislike about the website, I think some minor improvements can be made, such as a more comprehensive footer menu for easy accessibility to certain information, as well as a more prominent "Contact" CTA button.
I liked perusing the desktop website since it is quite feature-rich with visually engaging elements, including video content and interesting design-related images. However, I do think that the links hidden behind the hamburger menu could be added to the top menu bar for a smoother browsing experience. All page elements loaded quite fast, which is reflected in the home page's optimal performance score of 99/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
While the mobile site's hero section is quite different to its desktop counterpart with a single image of a previous design project, it still feels impactful and visually engaging. While the hamburger menu is easy to navigate, I do think there's room in the top menu bar for a "Contact" CTA button to drive user engagement. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the home page scored 65/100 for its performance.
New South Wales, Australia
R Architecture is an architecture and design practice that specializes in commercial and suburban-based projects. The website's home page caught my attention with its sparse appearance, primarily acting as a portfolio for the company with lots of visual interest with a slideshow of project images. I also enjoyed the touches of color in the hamburger menu and navigation buttons to draw the eye to certain elements.
I liked exploring the website's "Our Projects" page and reading up on the company's award-winning work. A notable feature for me is the sticky "Get In Touch" button, which drives users to the intuitive online contact request form.
I liked the use of large and high-resolution images across the website, particularly on the home page. The addition of an introductory video on the "Our Practice" page was great and gave me a comprehensive overview of the company. On WAVE, the site's home page only has a few contrast errors.
While I mostly enjoyed the website's visual presentation, I think it would benefit from more detailed case studies and client testimonials to enhance its content depth. According to accessScan, the site is only semi-compliant with assistive technologies.
I liked how visually engaging the desktop website looked with lots of horizontal space allowing the high-quality images to shine. I found it easy to access the company's primary services and contact options, but the addition of a dedicated customer testimonials page would give readers a more comprehensive idea of what it's like to work with the company. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the home page received a performance score of 90/100.
While the mobile site performs adequately with reasonable page loading times, the home page's image slideshow does not have the same impact on the smaller screen. However, I still found it easy to navigate the hamburger menu and access pertinent information, and the sticky "Get In Touch" button is great for quickly contacting the firm. The site's home page was awarded a performance score of 49/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
https://www.mccleandesign.com/
Orange, California, U.S.
McClean Design is a contemporary residential design and architecture firm that primarily focuses on Northern California-based projects. The image slideshow of beautifully designed homes on the website's home page caught my attention and conveyed ideas of luxury and style in a visually engaging manner.
I liked the home page's balance of high-quality images and content, effectively expanding on the firm and its services while not overpowering the reader. I also enjoyed perusing the "Recognition" section and seeing the firm's work in various magazines.
I liked the website's minimalistic look and no-frills approach to advertising their services. The "About" section was also an interesting read and I liked learning more about the firm's various architects and their approach to design.
I think the website's content offerings could be expanded upon to give readers a little more information about the firm's design processes, project planning, and consultation services. WAVE also picked up a large number of contrast errors on the home page.
I found the website's desktop version to be well-organized and favoring a horizontal layout, which looks great on a bigger screen and it ensures the images are displayed to their full potential. I also found it easy to navigate between pages and access vital information like the firm's contact details and physical location.
However, I think the addition of client testimonials, an FAQs section, and video elements would round out the site's content offering. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the home page received an optimal performance score of 97/100.
The mobile website retains a sophisticated visual appeal with crisp images nicely condensed to fit the smaller screen. However, I think some of the text headings should be displayed in a slightly darker text to stand out more prominently against the white background. Performance-wise, our real-world tests indicated fast loading times, and the site's home page was awarded a PageSpeed Insights score of 61/100.
While there are plenty of great architecture websites, some of our top picks include Lyons Studio, Lemay, and McClean Design.
The best architect website examples typically advertise their design planning and architecture services in a visually engaging manner with optimal usability in mind. Visitors should also be able to easily find specific information, such as the company's specializations, work processes, locations, and contact options.
K2 Architects is a great example of an architecture website that combines functionality with polished aesthetics to create an enhanced user experience.
You can use Zarla’s AI website builder to create and design a standout architect website example and update it free of charge for up to 30 days. Payment is only required once the website goes live.
