I’m still processing this one, honestly.
Sitting at an AIA conference breakfast in DC last week, I learned that TPD had been named to Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Top 400 Residential Architects. Apparently, during one of our recent email hiccups, my confirmation email for the award that had been sent two weeks prior didn’t get to my inbox. Let’s just say the recognition came as a great and welcome surprise. And while I am deeply honored, I also find myself thinking about what this means—both for us and for residential architects in general.
After the successful publication of the Top 200 residential firms last year, Forbes started the process again by evaluating over 20,000 architectural offices nationwide, drawing from AIA and ICAA membership bases, professional directories, and awards programs. (America’s Best-in-State Residential Architects 2025 Methodology) Twenty thousand. As someone who knows how many incredibly talented architects are doing beautiful residential work across this country, that number is humbling.
From this massive initial review, more than 1000 firms were invited to submit an “exemplary house”— completed in 2018 or later—for formal consideration. This was followed by a three-tiered evaluation process that looked at everything from our online presence and professional credentials to how our projects aligned with their seven identified guiding principles.
What strikes me most about this recognition is Forbes’ stated mission: to identify firms “whose work stands apart for its excellence in the combined context of high design and distinctly place-based principles and practice of design and construction.” (America’s Best-in-State Residential Architects 2025 Methodology) As someone who regularly writes about the importance of designing homes that are anchored to context and tailored to clients, this resonates deeply.
Our work at TPD has always centered on helping families live longer in homes they love. We focus on designing spaces that can adapt as families change and creating homes that work beautifully for generations. It’s about listening more than talking, understanding place and people, and getting the details right- because details matter when someone trusts you with their home.
Being recognized alongside firms across the country practicing thoughtful residential design affirms what we’ve tried to emphasize in our practice all along. Good residential architecture isn’t about following trends – it’s about understanding how people actually live and creating spaces that support and enhance that life for years to come.
We owe thanks to the team at Forbes for the extensive research and thoughtful work that went into creating this list. As the incoming chapter president of the AIA here in Birmingham, I’m keenly aware that residential firms don’t often get the recognition they deserve, and Forbes’ effort to identify and elevate the important work that these architects do across the country means a great deal.
I’m grateful for this recognition, and I’m especially grateful for the clients who have trusted us with their projects over the years, the skilled contractors whose craftsmanship brings our designs to life, and all the collaborators who help transform ideas into the homes our families love. Their willingness to engage in the design process, their expertise, and their commitment to quality—that’s what makes this work possible. If you have a project you’d like to discuss, or if you just want to talk about what makes a house feel like home, I’d love to hear from you.
