If you’re like most people searching for an architecture firm in Long Beach, you probably go to various firms’ websites and then go straight to their online portfolios. You likely want to see what types of projects they work on and whether or not you like the end results. Does the architecture firm appear to work mostly on commercial projects or residential projects? Do they lean toward traditional design or more modern architectural styles? Does it even matter?
Here are some things to be thinking about as you look at the portfolios of different architecture firms in Long Beach, CA.
Architecture Firms with a Varied Portfolio
Most of the portfolios you’ll see online will showcase a variety of projects. You’ll probably notice right away if the firm tends to take on large projects, like large commercial or government projects, or if they tend to focus on smaller projects, such as tenant improvement projects or residential remodels.
At my Long Beach architecture firm, our portfolio features residential remodels (including multi-family properties), as well as a number of medium to large tenant improvement projects. Currently, these types of projects are the bread and butter of our company. That’s not to say that we don’t take on other types of projects—we do—but these are the projects that make up the majority of our business at this point. If you are a homeowner who wants to make some major changes or additions to your home or a business owner who wants to completely revamp a commercial space and customize it for the type of work you do, we’re the firm for you!
You may also notice that an architecture firm completes projects in a variety of styles. You might be tempted to think that the firm doesn’t have a clear point of view when it comes to architectural design. What it likely means, however, is that the firm takes their clients’ style preferences into account when they design. That’s my architecture firm’s preferred approach. We don’t design what we like. Rather, we listen to what our clients like and collaborate with them to design spaces that meet all their needs and match their individual styles.
Architecture Firms in Long Beach That Only Design in One Particular Style
There is also a small percentage of architecture firms that design only in one particular style. They have a clear aesthetic that they prefer and they’re sticking to it! If you happen to like their specific design style, a firm like that may be the right choice for your project. They will likely create something you love.
The downside, however, is that a firm like this might not be very flexible or open to your ideas. They will likely want to stay true to their own point of view, and any suggestions that diverge from it may not be welcomed. If you’re someone who wants to be heavily involved in your project’s design, working with this type of firm could present some challenges.
What About Portfolios That Only Contain Renderings?
If you go to an architect’s online portfolio and it only has renderings, as opposed to photos of completed projects, you will definitely want to ask some questions before hiring the architecture firm. It may be the case that the firm is new and doesn’t have a lot of completed projects to their name, and their portfolio contains conceptual designs that they completed in school or projects that haven’t yet been completed. Or it could be that the firm simply chooses not to go back and photograph completed projects.
If you see a lot of renderings (or only renderings) in an architect’s portfolio, it’s okay to ask why. In my own firm’s portfolio, we have some renderings in our portfolio, mixed in with photos of completed projects. Some of our clients prefer not to have their properties photographed and placed on the internet for all to see. Other renderings are for projects that have a completed design, but the client is waiting to begin construction. Don’t automatically write off an architecture firm with only renderings in their portfolio, but make sure they have actually seen some projects through to completion!
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