GE
United States / 1965
Gensler
A global practice working from interiors to urban districts.
WorkplaceMixed-useUrban design
In the index Shanghai Tower
THE GAD INDEX
GAD Architects Directory
An independent guide to the practices shaping the built world. Explore their approach, specialisms and representative work.
52 resultsCurated reference · growing collection
HD
United States
HDR
Architecture within a multidisciplinary engineering and design practice.
HealthcareScienceInfrastructure
AR
Netherlands / 1888
Arcadis
Buildings, infrastructure and environmental expertise in one group.
ArchitectureInfrastructureUrban design
AE
United States / 1990
AECOM
Architecture as part of a global infrastructure consultancy.
InfrastructureArchitecturePlanning
SW
Sweden
Sweco
European architecture and engineering across buildings and cities.
ArchitectureEngineeringUrban design
NI
Japan / 1900
Nikken Sekkei
A Tokyo practice bringing design and engineering together.
Mixed-useUrban designInfrastructure
DL
United States / 1966
DLR Group
Integrated design with deep roots in education and civic buildings.
EducationCultureCivic
HE
South Korea
Heerim
A Seoul-based architecture and planning practice.
ArchitecturePlanning
PE
United States / 1935
Perkins&Will
A Chicago-founded practice with an international institutional portfolio.
EducationHealthcareWorkplace
CA
United States / 1945
CannonDesign
Architecture, engineering and consulting for complex institutions.
HealthcareEducationScience
ZA
United Kingdom
Zaha Hadid Architects
Architecture explored through continuity, circulation and complex form.
CultureInfrastructureMixed-use
In the index Heydar Aliyev Centre
SN
Norway / 1989
Snøhetta
Architecture and landscape shaped as a shared public experience.
CultureLandscapePublic space
In the index Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
MA
China / 2004
MAD Architects
Sculptural architecture informed by landscape and nature.
CultureResidentialLandscape
In the index Harbin Opera House
OM
Netherlands / 1975
OMA
Architecture and urban inquiry, from housing to cultural institutions.
CultureResidentialUrban design
In the index The Interlace
AT
France
Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Place-specific architecture shaped by light, material and narrative.
CultureMuseumsMixed-use
In the index Louvre Abu Dhabi
HE
Switzerland / 1978
Herzog & de Meuron
A Basel practice attentive to material and existing conditions.
CultureAdaptive reuseMixed-use
In the index Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
GE
United States / 2001
Gehry Partners
A Los Angeles practice with an expressive cultural portfolio.
CultureMuseumsPerformance
In the index Fondation Louis Vuitton
SM
Chile / 1995
Smiljan Radić Clarke
An intimate Santiago practice at the meeting of architecture and art.
CultureResidentialPavilions
In the index Serpentine Pavilion 2014
KE
Japan / 1990
Kengo Kuma & Associates
Material-led design connecting buildings with their surroundings.
CultureMaterial researchPublic space
In the index V&A Dundee
SA
Japan / 1995
SANAA
Lightness and openness explored through buildings and landscapes.
CultureEducationMuseums
In the index Rolex Learning Center
AT
Switzerland / 1979
Atelier Peter Zumthor
Material and sensory experience at the centre of architectural work.
CultureMaterial researchWellness
In the index Therme Vals
KR
Germany / 2005
Kéré Architecture
Climate, community and construction developed together.
EducationCommunityClimate
In the index Gando Primary School
MV
Netherlands / 1993
MVRDV
Architecture and urbanism that revisit familiar building types.
CultureHousingUrban design
In the index Tianjin Binhai Library
BI
Denmark / 2005
BIG — Bjarke Ingels Group
Unexpected combinations of programme and public space.
Mixed-useInfrastructurePublic space
In the index CopenHill
A GUIDE TO THE DIRECTORY
Find a practice. Understand its work.
What does GAD mean in this architects directory?
GAD stands for Global Architecture Discovery, an independent architecture reference connecting practices, buildings and design recognition. This directory helps readers discover architects and follow the sources behind their work. GAD does not offer architectural services or operate as a branch of similarly named architecture firms. Inclusion is an editorial reference, not a claim of partnership, representation or endorsement. Visit a listed practice’s own website for its services and contact details.
Where should research into a practice begin?
Start with location, areas of work and a few relevant built projects. An office or founding location does not describe every place a practice works. Look for experience with the building type, climate and scale that interest you. Our project studies connect these questions to specific buildings. Follow the original documentation to distinguish design authorship, local delivery and specialist contributions; a single firm link is not a complete project credits list.
Do rankings and awards measure the same thing?
No. Building Design’s WA100 2026 ranks participating practices by fee-earning architects employed. It describes organizational scale, not design quality or suitability for your project. Architecture awards recognize different achievements: an individual’s career, a completed building, a proposal or a practice. Check the organizer, year and category before drawing comparisons. A founder’s career prize does not mean every building produced by the firm won that award.
How can I build a useful shortlist?
Choose practices with relevant work, then use Compare practices to review their backgrounds side by side. Read the project notes and source links, rather than treating a familiar name or a large portfolio as the deciding factor. The directory is a selected collection, so a missing project or award is not evidence that it does not exist. Our editorial standards explain attribution, dates and the limits of the information provided.
This is a growing selection, not a complete global register. Directory order is alphabetical or editorial and does not constitute a quality ranking. Read our approach