When it comes to residential projects, choosing the right architect can determine whether a home becomes the stunner—or the scourge—of a neighborhood.
According to Forbes, the key is to shop local. Last week, the magazine debuted its 2025 America’s Best-In-State Residential Architects, 400 designers that go beyond mastering curb appeal by centering their practice on place, from materials selection and climate to functionality and neighborhood esthetic.
True to form, Terps can be found among their favorites. In Maryland, five of the eight named firms have Terps in principal roles: Gardner Architects, GriD Architects, Kimmel Studio, Muse Kirwan Architects and Purple Cherry Architects. M.Arch ’06 grad Colleen Healey’s firm, Colleen Healey Architects, made D.C.’s shortlist of designers to watch—and hire—from stunning, thoughtful home design.
The list comes less than a year after Forbes’ released its inaugural compilation of America’s Top 200 Residential Architects, which also featured GriD, Gardner and Kimmel. For the 2025 roster, Forbes again canvased the membership bases for the American Institute of Architects, awards programs, professional directories and more, assessing more than 20,000 offices across the country.
An expanded methodology went beyond form and function to examine the circumstances that shape the 21st-century home, considering environmental and economic factors and social and cultural influences unique to each region. The 400 firms that make the list are organized by state, lauded for their attention to landscape, orientation and community, while still delivering something needed and noteworthy to the homeowner.
This honor is a powerful validation of our dedication to creating sustainably minded, artfully crafted homes, that are deeply connected to their place,” said Professor Emerita Amy Gardner, principal at Gardner Architects. “We are incredibly proud to be recognized—twice—for these principles, which remain the heart of everything we produce as a firm.”
See the full list of architects and learn about Forbes criteria here.