The Architects Behind Brooklyn's Small-Condo Boom

Condo Book Research · Updated Oct 10, 2026 · 4 min read

Brooklyn's small condo buildings, from brownstone conversions to 30-unit walk-ups, are designed by a surprisingly small group of local firms. Here's who they are, where they work, and how to look up the architect behind any building you're considering.

Shopping for a condo in a small Brooklyn building? Chances are a handful of local firms designed it. Every condo offering plan names the architect behind the building, so we looked at nearly 2,000 Brooklyn condo plans for buildings of 3 to 30 apartments to see whose names come up again and again.

The Short Version

• About 15 firms appear on roughly 4 in 10 boutique Brooklyn condos where the architect is named.
• REFORM Architecture is the most frequent name since 2020.
• Firms tend to specialize by neighborhood and price point.
• The architect named in a plan isn't always the designer, especially in conversions.

The Names You'll See Most Often

• REFORM Architecture: the busiest firm in recent years, with buildings across Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy and Bushwick, from small conversions to 26-unit new builds.
• Bricolage Designs: one of the longest-running names, active since the mid-2010s, especially in Bed-Stuy and Carroll Gardens.
• ARC Architecture: mid-size buildings in Bed-Stuy, Bushwick and Crown Heights.
• Paul Lombardi, R.A.: smaller, higher-priced buildings in Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Gowanus.
• HPL Engineering: brownstone-area projects in Carroll Gardens and Brooklyn Heights, and larger buildings elsewhere.
• Brent M. Porter, Architect and Associates: active for more than a decade, from Park Slope to Clinton Hill.
• Paul Christakos Architecture: small brownstone-Brooklyn buildings, mostly in Park Slope.
• STUDIOSC Architecture: boutique new construction in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.

See every firm in our architects directory, where each profile lists the buildings it has worked on.

Architects Follow the Neighborhood

Each firm tends to stick to a part of the borough, and that often lines up with price:

• Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Brooklyn Heights: Paul Christakos and HPL Engineering. These are some of the priciest boutique buildings, often around $1,600 to $1,800 a square foot.
• Williamsburg and Greenpoint: STUDIOSC and Paul Lombardi, also at the higher end.
• Bed-Stuy, Bushwick and Crown Heights: ARC, Infocus and Zarina Kindo, typically a little below the borough's median of about $1,250 a square foot.
• Borough Park and Sunset Park: firms like Asher Hershkowitz and S M Tam, where prices are lowest.

Prices here are developers' offering prices from the plans, not sale prices.

Where Brooklyn's Boutique Condos Are Going Up

Bed-Stuy has the most small condo buildings, and it's grown its lead. Since 2018, building has spread east and south, with more boutique condos in Bushwick, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Gowanus, while Borough Park's share has shrunk.

"Architect" Can Mean Different Things

The architect named in an offering plan is usually the architect of record: the licensed professional who files the plans with the city and certifies the building. In a new building, that's often the designer. But some plans split the role, naming a separate design architect, as at 41 Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill. And in a conversion or renovation, the named professional may simply have inspected and certified an existing building.

You'll also see engineering firms like HPL Engineering and Infocus on many small buildings. For a small project, one licensed engineer or architect often handles everything.

Why the Architect Matters to You

• Track record: a firm with many buildings gives you finished examples to visit or look up.
• Consistency: firms that work for the same developers tend to repeat layouts and finishes. See do developers rehire the same firms?
• Questions to ask: if something about the layout or construction worries you, knowing who designed it helps you research.

How to Find a Building's Architect

• Check the building's page on The Condo Book Project, which lists the team from the offering plan.
• Look in the plan under "Identity of Parties" or the architect's or engineer's report.
• Read the floor plans, usually prepared by the same firm.

Search Bed-Stuy condos or any neighborhood on The Condo Book Project.

Common Questions

Who are the most common architects for small Brooklyn condos?

REFORM Architecture, Bricolage Designs, ARC Architecture, Paul Lombardi, HPL Engineering, Brent M. Porter and Infocus are among the most frequently named firms in recent boutique Brooklyn condo plans.

What's the difference between an architect of record and a design architect?

The architect of record files and certifies the building's plans with the city. A design architect, when there is one, is responsible for the look and layout. Most small Brooklyn buildings use one firm for both.

Do pricier Brooklyn condos use different architects?

Often. Firms working mostly in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg and Greenpoint tend to be on higher-priced buildings than firms working mainly in Borough Park and Sunset Park.

Is the architect in an offering plan always the designer?

Not always. In conversions and renovations, the plan may name the professional who inspected and certified the existing building.

Where this comes from: the architects named in nearly 2,000 Brooklyn condo offering plans for buildings of 3 to 30 apartments, approved from 2012 through 2026. Updated October 2026.