The United Kingdom is a treasure trove of architectural gems, with diverse buildings across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The four countries that make up the larger sovereign state each have their own unique history, which plays out in an architecturally unique way. So while London-based firms may be more heavily represented in ranked lists, many of the designers working in the city’s offices come from further afield, bringing knowledge and culture from more distant parts of the islands.
The United Kingdom’s strength is the sum of its parts. Firms commissioned with projects in the state’s more rural areas are forging a uniquely modern rural aesthetic. At the same time, growing cities in the north and south alike have served as fertile ground for new civic designs. As a result, both established and younger UK firms alike are finding ways to design more sensitive to context and typologically innovative.
With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in the United Kingdom based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.
How are these architecture firms ranked?
The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority:
- The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2024)
- The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2024)
- The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2024)
- The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2024)
- The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2024)
Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of the United Kingdom architecture firms throughout the year.
Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in the United Kingdom:
30. David Chipperfield Architects
David Chipperfield Architects was founded in 1985 and has offices in London, Berlin, Milan and Shanghai. The practice works internationally on cultural, residential and commercial projects providing full architectural and interior design, master planning, product and furniture design services for both public and private sectors. Our diverse built portfolio includes museums and galleries, libraries, apartments, private houses, hotels, offices, master plans and retail facilities. David Chipperfield Architects has won more then fifty national and international competitions and many international awards and citations for design excellence.
Some of David Chipperfield Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- The Hepworth Wakefield, Wakefield, United Kingdom
- Cafe Royal, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, London, United Kingdom
- Villa Eden, Italy
- James Simon Gallery, Berlin, Germany
- Nobel Center, Stockholm, Sweden
The following statistics helped David Chipperfield Architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 8 |
29. Jestico + Whiles
Jestico + Whiles is an award winning architecture and interior design practice with offices in London and Prague. At the forefront of innovation and design excellence, the practice has won over one hundred national and international awards. We have proven expertise for excellent and sustainable designs across a wide range of sectors, including universities, schools, hotels, housing, cultural facilities, offices, transport infrastructure and retail, many within schemes involving major urban regeneration, refurbishment of historic buildings or low energy designs.
Some of Jestico + Whiles’s most prominent projects include:
- National Graphene Institute, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Stoke Newington Sixth Form Centre, London, United Kingdom
- House 19, Amersham, United Kingdom
- Southwark Town Hall & Theatre Peckham, London, United Kingdom
- Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Jestico + Whiles achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 8 |
28. Thor Architects
Thor Architects, a London-based architecture firm, is led by the visionary Gudjón Thor Erlendsson. With his decades of experience and passion for emerging Nordic design, Thor has established himself as a leading figure in the architectural world. While he primarily operates as a sole practitioner, Gudjón collaborates with a select team of experts to tackle larger-scale projects, ensuring that each project receives the attention and expertise it deserves.
Thor Architects’ portfolio reflects a deep understanding of Nordic design principles, characterized by clean lines, natural materials, and a focus on creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces. From sleek London townhouses to rustic Scandinavian homes, the firm’s projects embody the essence of Nordic charm while seamlessly integrating with their specific environments. As a pioneer in parametric architecture, Thor Architects embraces cutting-edge technologies to deliver bespoke designs that are tailor-made for each client’s unique needs and aspirations.
Some of Thor Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Icelandic Prime-Ministry
- Foreign Language Building, Izmir, Turkey
- Skerjabru bridge
- Ermine Road, London, United Kingdom
- Izmir Modular Docks – Think Micro, Izmir, Turkey
The following statistics helped Thor Architects achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 15 |
27. Eldridge London
London architectural practice Eldridge Smerin was established in 1998 and has since relaunched as Eldridge London. Architect Nick Eldridge’s vision continues to inspire the design and material quality of the practice’s recent projects in the UK and abroad defined by a series of cutting-edge houses including the Stirling Prize nominated Lawns project and the House in Highgate Cemetery.
The practice has also completed a number of high profile retail, commercial and cultural projects including interiors for Selfridges Birmingham, Villa Moda Kuwait, O2’s Mobile Applications Development Centre, the Design Council Headquarters, The Business and Intellectual Property Centre and a restaurant at the British Library and the Globe Theatre’s Sackler Studios.
The practice demonstrates a consistent approach to producing intelligent and unique solutions to specific client briefs and often constrained budgets with an unerring attention to detail from concept through to completion.
Some of Eldridge London’s most prominent projects include:
- Cor-Ten House in Putney, London, United Kingdom
- House in Coombe Park, Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
- House in Epsom, Epsom, United Kingdom
- House in Chelsea, London, United Kingdom
- House in Highgate Cemetery, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Eldridge London achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Finalist | 1 |
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 6 |
26. FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture)
Architecture has the power to transform environments and quality of life. FORM studio aims to create places that can be inhabited and experienced by people in a natural and instinctive way. Enjoyable places with a tranquil sense of simplicity, which create a supportive and uplifting backdrop for life.
Individual solutions are developed for our clients which are an intelligent, inventive and sustainable response to the complex matrix of issues that shapes each project. Solutions with a lucidity and apparent simplicity which belie their underlying complexity. Listening, analysis, discussion and clarification are at the heart of an inclusive approach that recognizes the fact that some of the best ideas are generated in the space between people rather than by individuals.
Some of FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture)’s most prominent projects include:
- Bermondsey Warehouse Loft, London, United Kingdom
- Walcot Square mews, London, United Kingdom
- Flatiron House, London, United Kingdom
- Benbow Yard, London, United Kingdom
- Narrow House, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped FORM studio (previously FORM design architecture) achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 1 |
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 7 |
25. Hopkins Architects
Hopkins Architects is an international architectural practice with studios in London and Dubai. Led by its five principals, the practice’s work is rooted in clear and logical design thinking, a deep understanding of the potential of materials and craft, and consideration of context. A consistent and rigorous approach has resulted in a portfolio of ground-breaking, beautiful and functional buildings across Europe, the US and Asia which have added tangible value for both clients and users.
The practice has designed and delivered a portfolio of renowned, award-winning projects, including Portcullis House at Westminster and the London 2012 Olympic Velodrome.
Some of Hopkins Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, Colby College, Waterville, Maine
- Buhais Geology Park Interpretive Centre, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Eton Sports & Aquatics Centre, Windsor, United Kingdom
- Khor Kalba Turtle and Wildlife Sanctuary, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- London 2012 Olympic Velodrome, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Hopkins Architects achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 1 |
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 18 |
24. Knight Architects
Knight Architects is an extraordinary architectural practice specializing in the design of bridges and infrastructure. We have brought architectural excellence and design creativity to infrastructure since 2006, generating value for communities and recognition for our clients. Through intelligent design and proactive collaboration with the world’s leading engineers, we create memorable and distinctive landmarks as well as understated structures which embody the ‘beautiful ordinary.’
Some of Knight Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Lower Hatea River Crossing, Whangarei, New Zealand
- Merchant Square footbridge, London, United Kingdom
- Network Rail FLOW Bridge, Craven Arms, United Kingdom
- Ordsall Chord, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Town Centre Link, Station Street, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Knight Architects achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 3 |
Total Projects | 13 |
23. 6a architects
6a architects was founded by Tom Emerson and Stephanie Macdonald in 2001. They are best known for their contemporary art galleries, educational buildings, artists’ studios and residential projects, often in sensitive historic environments. 6a architects rose to prominence with the completion of two critically acclaimed public art galleries, Raven Row (2009), which won a RIBA Award in 2011, and the expanded South London Gallery (2010). Recently completed projects include a new 68-room hall of residence at Churchill College, Cambridge (2016), which garnered a RIBA Regional East Award (2017), and a new studio complex for photographer Juergen Teller (2016), which was winner of both RIBA London Building of the Year (2017) and a RIBA National Award (2017).
Some of 6a architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Tree House , London, United Kingdom
- Façade for Paul Smith, Mayfair, London, London, United Kingdom
- V&A Gallery 40, London, United Kingdom
- Photography Studio for Juergen Teller, United Kingdom
- Cowan Court, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped 6a architects achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 5 |
Total Projects | 6 |
22. John McAslan + Partners
We create architecture that improves people’s lives. We do it like this: we aim for an architecture which is rational and poetic, robust and delightful; we tread carefully and build with conviction; we tackle problems head on and think laterally; we deconstruct a brief and let a design emerge from close examination of the pieces; we don’t necessarily take ‘no’ for an answer; we believe the power of architecture extends much further than the dimensions of individual buildings; we believe architecture is about making life better. We believe that buildings should be underpinned by a powerful idea; that the idea should be an intelligent and logical response to functionality and a sense of place; and the power of that idea should be embedded in the built form.
Some of John McAslan + Partners’s most prominent projects include:
- The Burrell Collection, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- UK Holocaust Memorial
- Void Practice Rooms, London, United Kingdom
- King’s Cross Station, London, United Kingdom
- Library + Student Hub, Ambleside Campus, University of Cumbria, Cumbria, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped John McAslan + Partners achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Finalist | 1 |
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 14 |
21. Atelier Chang Ltd
Atelier Chang is an international design praxis based in South Kensington, London and Zurich since 2011. Our design philosophy is to create innovative design through focusing on the unembellished basics – basics of nature, social behavior and urban phenomena. To achieve this absolute simplicity of content through impactful forms takes extra effort in researching the context, a devotion to material and technology, and active interaction with other industries. Currently we work on projects in Asia and Europe at multiple scales of design, covering master plans, architecture, interior design, installations and products.
Some of Atelier Chang Ltd’s most prominent projects include:
- Knot House, Geoje-si, South Korea
- SJCC Glamping Resort & White Forest Restaurant, Suncheon-si, South Korea
- Glamping, Yangpyeong-gun, South Korea
- KCP Fffice, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Atelier Chang Ltd achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 2 |
Featured Projects | 3 |
Total Projects | 4 |
20. Levitt Bernstein
As architects, landscape architects and urban designers, Levitt Bernstein creates award winning buildings, living landscapes and thriving urban spaces, using inventive design to solve real life challenges. Putting people at the heart of our work, each of our projects is different but the driving force behind every one is the desire to create an environment that is beautiful, sustainable and functional.
Some of Levitt Bernstein’s most prominent projects include:
- Vaudeville Court, London, United Kingdom
- Sutherland Road, London, United Kingdom
- King’s School, Bruton, Somerset, United Kingdom
- The Courtyards, Dovedale Avenue, Lancashire, United Kingdom
- Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France
The following statistics helped Levitt Bernstein achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 10 |
19. Fraher and Findlay
Fraher Architects was founded in 2009 by Joe and Lizzie, delivering small scale and award winning residential projects throughout London. Since then, our practice has grown in size and project scope, with the aim of constantly improving areas of our expertise, and where possible, beyond those boundaries, toward even broader fields.
This has been achieved by consciously evolving our practice, and we’ve done this by placing learning, improving and refining every aspect of what we do, at the very core of our business. This means being aware of opportunities as they arise, and being proactive in making positive change. Most visibly, it is this philosophy that led to our joining forces with Findlay Construction.
Some of Fraher and Findlay’s most prominent projects include:
- The Green Studio, London, United Kingdom
- The Lantern, London, United Kingdom
- Fan House, London, United Kingdom
- The Ladder Kitchen, London, United Kingdom
- The Signal House, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Fraher and Findlay achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 16 |
18. Haworth Tompkins
Haworth Tompkins is an award-winning British architectural studio united by a commitment to integrity, intellectual quality and the art of making beautiful buildings. Founded in 1991 by Graham Haworth and Steve Tompkins, the rapidly-growing London-based studio consists of 70 people, and specializes in bespoke buildings in the public, cultural, private and financial sectors. Acclaimed projects include the Everyman Theatre, winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2014, Young Vic Theatre, Royal College of Art campus in Battersea, Coin Street housing development and the London Library, for which they received the prestigious American Institute of Architect’s Excellence in Design award. The studio is currently working on a number of highly anticipated schemes including the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Fish Island Village, Bristol Old Vic and Kingston University.
Some of Haworth Tompkins’s most prominent projects include:
- National Theatre ‘The Shed’, London, United Kingdom
- Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Dovecote Studio, Snape, United Kingdom
- Open Air Theatre, Inner Circle, London, United Kingdom
- Park View School, Birmingham, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Haworth Tompkins achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 10 |
17. Arup Architecture
Arup Associates is the architecture practice of Arup. Set up in 1963 and underpinned by Ove Arup’s belief that built space will be inspirational when all of its components work in harmony, our holistic design approach integrates expertise from the diverse range of specialists and the amassed body of knowledge across Arup. The practice has repeatedly won awards for our projects on the basis of the exceptional standards that they set.
Some of Arup Architecture’s most prominent projects include:
- The Smile, London, United Kingdom
- Royal Arena, København, Denmark
- Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore
- Nordic Music Acoustic Center, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Embassy Gardens – Legacy Buildings, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Arup Architecture achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 2 |
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 3 |
Total Projects | 8 |
16. Hawkins\Brown
The first time someone decided to mix sweet and salty popcorn, their guests must have been horrified. Minutes later though they would be guzzling the lot. That’s the thing about new combinations – you have to be a bit odd to consider them in the first place, but when they pay off you’re left wondering how you managed before they existed.
Admittedly, this isn’t a usual sort of About page for an architectural practice, but we’re not a usual sort of practice. We believe that projects come alive through uncommon combinations of ideas and people. In fact, we think that’s the only way they really come alive at all.
Some of Hawkins\Brown’s most prominent projects include:
- 1235 Vine Street, Los Angeles, California
- Corby Cube, Corby, United Kingdom
- Student Village, Royal Veterinary College, Brookmans Park, United Kingdom
- Beecroft Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Park Hill, Sheffield, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped HawkinsBrown achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 19 |
15. AL_A
Architecture studio AL_A was founded in 2009 by the RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architect Amanda Levete with directors Ho-Yin Ng, Alice Dietsch and Maximiliano Arrocet. Their designs are conceived not just as buildings, but as urban propositions. Spaces that promote reciprocity between nature and neighborhood; projects that express the identity of an institution, reflect the ambitions of a place and hold the dreams of a community.
Recently completed projects include an undergraduate and outreach centre for Wadham College at the University of Oxford and a new centre for the cancer care charity Maggie’s within the grounds of University College Hospital in Southampton.
Some of AL_A’s most prominent projects include:
- Maggie’s Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- V&A Exhibition Road Quarter, London, United Kingdom
- MAAT, Lisbon, Portugal
- Corian Super-surfaces
- Spencer Dock Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
The following statistics helped AL_A achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
Featured Projects | 5 |
Total Projects | 10 |
14. Buckley Gray Yeoman
Formed in 1997, Buckley Gray Yeoman is an award-winning architecture and design practice based in Shoreditch, London. Directed by Matt Yeoman and Paul White, the firm provides pragmatic and deliverable solutions to complex design issues.
Founded on the premise that outstanding results require careful planning and an intuitive approach, Buckley Gray Yeoman’s designs adapt and respond to the context of each project to create intelligent and enduring architecture. The practice’s work is driven by the needs and ambitions of its clients.
Some of Buckley Gray Yeoman’s most prominent projects include:
- Apparatus, London, United Kingdom
- Carnaby Club, London, United Kingdom
- Henry Wood House, London, United Kingdom
- Channing School, London, United Kingdom
- The Buckley Building, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Buckley Gray Yeoman achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 3 |
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 10 |
13. Bennetts Associates
Bennetts Associates creates sustainable and enduring architecture. As one of the UK’s leading practices, their diverse portfolio has been celebrated with more than 150 awards over 30 years and covers education, cultural and workplace projects in both the public and private sector, ranging from masterplans to small historic buildings. They are an employee-owned trust of 70 people with studios in London, Edinburgh and Manchester, and have recently earned Building Design’s Higher Education Architect of the Year 2019 Award.
Bennetts Associates also leads in their field in sustainability — in April 2019 they became the world’s first architects to secure Science Based Target approval and commit to the UN’s Climate Neutral Now campaign.
Some of Bennetts Associates’s most prominent projects include:
- The Royal College of Pathologists, London, United Kingdom
- Storyhouse, London, United Kingdom
- Jaguar Land Rover Advanced Product Creation Centre, Gaydon, United Kingdom
- Bennetts Associates’ London Studio, London, United Kingdom
- London Fruit and Wool Exchange, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Bennetts Associates achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 5 |
Total Projects | 19 |
12. Studio Seilern Architects
Studio Seilern Architects is a London based international creative practice established in 2006 by Christina Seilern with the intent of producing exceptional architecture that lasts, working across geographies, building sizes and typologies. Our diverse portfolio of built work spans the UK, Europe and Africa.
While we tackle a diversity of projects, it is our conscious decision to keep working on the smaller and larger scales both simultaneously and continuously: from new build to restoration works. Irrespective of size or context, each project we undertake informs another. The smaller scale keeps our pencils sharp on questions of intricate detailing and the unraveling of the human condition both on the living and working fronts.
Some of Studio Seilern Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Andermatt Concert Hall, Andermatt, Switzerland
- El Gouna Plaza, Hurghada, Egypt
- G.W.Annenberg Performing Arts Centre, Reading, United Kingdom
- Boksto Skveras, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Kensington Residence, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Studio Seilern Architects achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 3 |
Featured Projects | 5 |
Total Projects | 9 |
11. Steyn Studio
Steyn Studio is a collaborative architecture practice. We believe that design has the power to solve problems, inspire, and improve lives and work hard everyday to realize this ambition. We always aim to do this honestly and with the freedom to creatively explore meaningful design solutions. Designs that make a real difference to the end-user and the client; culturally and commercially.
Some of Steyn Studio’s most prominent projects include:
- Bosjes Chapel, South Africa
- Spens Garden Café & Winkel Gift Shop, South Africa
- Sierra House, Madrid, Spain
- Kombuis Restaurant, South Africa
The following statistics helped Steyn Studio achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 4 |
Featured Projects | 4 |
Total Projects | 4 |
10. Allies and Morrison
We are architects and urbanists. We strive to design beautiful buildings that have long life and can adapt over the generations. We also shape enduring places whether new pieces of city or settlements at any scale. All our projects are concerned with the crafting of every detail and an appreciation for the uniqueness of each context.
As architects, we are known for the rigor of our technical delivery, a commitment to quality, to embedded environmental performance. As urbanists, we are known for developing plans that are flexible and pragmatic, inspirational in vision, responsive to the local climate and character. Based in London and Cambridge, we come from around the world and our diversity is one of our fundamental strengths.
Some of Allies and Morrison’s most prominent projects include:
- Msheireb Downtown Doha Phase 4, Doha, Qatar
- Sir Michael Uren Hub, London, United Kingdom
- 100 Bishopsgate , London, United Kingdom
- 2150 Lake Shore, Toronto, Canada
- The Design Museum, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Allies and Morrison achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
A+Awards Finalist | 4 |
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 24 |
9. Hugh Broughton Architects
Hugh Broughton Architects creates remarkable buildings fit for the most complex and challenging of circumstances. From resilient structures able to withstand Antarctic ice and winds to contemporary interventions which preserve and enhance historic landmarks, our success comes from a truly collaborative approach. Our empathy with context and sensitivity to the environment underpins our design ethos. Sustainability and resilience are embedded from concept to delivery in every one of our projects, whether rejuvenated old buildings or state-of-the-art science research bases in remote locations.
Some of Hugh Broughton Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Halley VI Antarctic Research Station, Antarctica
- Maidstone Museum East Wing, Maidstone, United Kingdom
- Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
- The Portland Collection, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
- Clifford’s Tower, York, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Hugh Broughton Architects achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 3 |
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 16 |
8. bureau de change
Bureau de Change is an award winning architecture practice founded by architects Katerina Dionysopoulou and Billy Mavropoulos. Its work is a direct product of the founders’ upbringing, passions and experiences – combining the pragmatism and formality of their architectural training with a desire to bring a sense of theatre, playfulness and innovation to the design of spaces, products and environments. The result is a studio where rigorous thinking and analysis are brought to life through prototyping, testing and making.
Some of bureau de change’s most prominent projects include:
- The Interlock, London, United Kingdom
- Clay House, London, United Kingdom
- Homemade, London, United Kingdom
- Folds House, London, United Kingdom
- Slab House, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped bureau de change achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 1 |
Featured Projects | 10 |
Total Projects | 20 |
7. Alison Brooks Architects
Founded in 1996, Alison Brooks Architects has developed an international reputation for delivering design excellence and innovation in projects ranging from urban regeneration, masterplanning, public buildings for the arts, higher education and housing.
ABA’s award-winning architecture is born from our intensive research into the cultural, social and environmental contexts of each project. Our approach enables us to develop pioneering solutions for our buildings and urban schemes, each with a distinct identity and authenticity. Combined with rigorous attention to detail, ABA’s buildings have proved to satisfy our client’s expectations and positively impact the urban realm. Our approach has led ABA to be recognized with both national and international awards.
Some of Alison Brooks Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- The Smile, London, United Kingdom
- Lens House, London, United Kingdom
- Exeter College Cohen Quad, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mesh House, London, United Kingdom
- Newhall Be, Harlow, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Alison Brooks Architects achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 3 |
A+Awards Finalist | 3 |
Featured Projects | 6 |
Total Projects | 8 |
6. Squire and Partners
Squire & Partners is an architecture and design practice with experience spanning four decades, earning it an international reputation for architecture informed by the history and culture of where it is placed. Their award winning portfolio, for some of the world’s leading developers, includes masterplans, private and affordable residential, workspace, retail, education and public buildings.
In addition, the practice has a series of dedicated teams for model-making, computer generated imaging, illustration, graphics and an established interior design department, which has created a number of bespoke product ranges. Squire & Partners’ approach responds to the unique heritage and context of each site, considering established street patterns, scale and proportions, to create timeless architecture rooted in its location.
Some of Squire and Partners’s most prominent projects include:
- Zubabox, Bogotá, Colombia
- The Ark, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, Greater London, United Kingdom
- 5 Hanover Square, London, United Kingdom
- Mayfair House, London, United Kingdom
- Reiss HQ
The following statistics helped Squire and Partners achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 7 |
Total Projects | 49 |
5. AR Design Studio
A young, innovative award-winning RIBA certified contemporary architectural practice, based in Winchester, Hampshire working throughout the south of England including London.
Some of AR Design Studio’s most prominent projects include:
- Water Lily House
- Black House, Kent, United Kingdom
- The Climber’s Cabin, Hampshire, United Kingdom
- 4 Views, Winchester, United Kingdom
- The Lighthouse 65, Fareham, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped AR Design Studio achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
Featured Projects | 13 |
Total Projects | 33 |
4. Adjaye Associates
Since establishing Adjaye Associates in 2000, Sir David Adjaye OBE has crafted a global team that is multicultural and stimulated by the broadest possible cultural discourse. The practice has studios in Accra, London, and New York with work spanning the globe. Adjaye Associates’ most well-known commission to date, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), opened in 2016 on the National Mall in Washington DC and was named “Cultural Event of the Year” by The New York Times.
Further projects range in scale from private houses, bespoke furniture collections, product design, exhibitions, and temporary pavilions to major arts centers, civic buildings, and master plans.
Some of Adjaye Associates’s most prominent projects include:
- Winter Park Library & Events Center, Winter Park, Florida
- The Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- dot.ateliers, Accra, Ghana
- 130 William, New York City, New York
- Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
The following statistics helped Adjaye Associates achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 6 |
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 16 |
Total Projects | 37 |
3. Heatherwick Studio
Heatherwick Studio is a team of 180 problem solvers dedicated to making the physical world around us better for everyone. Based out of our combined workshop and design studio in Central London, we create buildings, spaces, master-plans, objects and infrastructure. Focusing on large scale projects in cities all over the world, we prioritize those with the greatest positive social impact.
Working as practical inventors with no signature style, our motivation is to design soulful and interesting places which embrace and celebrate the complexities of the real world. The approach driving everything is to lead from human experience rather than any fixed design dogma. The studio’s completed projects include a number of internationally celebrated buildings, including the award-winning Learning Hub at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The studio is currently working on 30 live projects in ten countries.
Some of Heatherwick Studio’s most prominent projects include:
- Coal Drops Yard, London, United Kingdom
- Maggie’s Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Bombay Sapphire Distillery , Hampshire, United Kingdom
- 1000 Trees Phase 1, Shanghai, China
- Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa
The following statistics helped Heatherwick Studio achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 11 |
A+Awards Finalist | 2 |
Featured Projects | 12 |
Total Projects | 14 |
2. Foster + Partners
Foster + Partners is a global studio for sustainable architecture, engineering, urbanism and industrial design, founded by Norman Foster in 1967. Since then, he, and the team around him, have established an international practice with a worldwide reputation. With offices across the globe, we work as a single studio that is both ethnically and culturally diverse.
Some of Foster + Partners’s most prominent projects include:
- Ombú, Madrid, Spain
- Apple Battersea, Battersea, Greater London, United Kingdom
- Apple Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States
- House of Wisdom, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar
- Top image: Swiss Re, 30 St Mary Axe, London, United Kingdom
The following statistics helped Foster + Partners achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 9 |
A+Awards Finalist | 10 |
Featured Projects | 38 |
Total Projects | 94 |
1. Zaha Hadid Architects
Internationally renowned architecture firm Zaha Hadid Architects works at all scales and in all sectors to create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces that work in synchronicity with their surroundings.
Some of Zaha Hadid Architects’s most prominent projects include:
- Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing, China
- KnitCandela, Mexico City, Mexico
- Leeza SOHO, Beijing, China
- Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Salerno Maritime Terminal, Salerno, Italy
The following statistics helped Zaha Hadid Architects achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in United Kingdom:
A+Awards Winner | 17 |
A+Awards Finalist | 14 |
Featured Projects | 44 |
Total Projects | 68 |
Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking?
With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year.
Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.
A Guide to Project Awards
The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.
The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:
- Project completed within the last 3 years
- A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs
- Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value
- High quality, in focus photographs
- At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building
- Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings
- Inclusion of construction photographs
There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.
We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.