Choosing a web designer for an architecture practice is not the same as choosing a web designer. The built environment has a visual culture, a client base and a set of functional requirements that are specific enough to reward specialism. A generalist designer may produce something beautiful. A designer who understands architecture, engineering and development will produce something that works.

There are five things worth checking before appointing anyone. First, have they worked with practices in the built environment before — not just “creative businesses”, but specifically architecture or engineering firms? Second, do they understand how commissioning decisions are made in your sector? Third, can they build in Webflow or a similarly flexible CMS, so your team can manage the site independently? Fourth, do they do strategy before design — positioning, messaging, content architecture — or do they go straight to visual concepts? And fifth, will you work directly with the person doing the work, or will your project be handed to a junior?

The last point matters more than most practices realise. The quality gap between senior and junior work in web design is significant, and at agencies it is common for the senior designer who wins the pitch to hand the project to a junior who delivers it.