Name

Orms

Legal name

Orms Designers & Architects

Website

https://orms.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Full-service architectural practice providing design, planning, and project delivery services across commercial, residential, education, and hospitality sectors. Revenue derived from professional fees on project-based engagements with developers, property companies, schools, and hospitality brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Orms is an architecture practice delivering integrated architectural design and consulting services across commercial, residential, education, hospitality, heritage, and urban regeneration sectors. The firm focuses on intelligent retrofit, building reuse, estate strategy, and heritage and listed building design, applying sustainable and circular design principles. Services are delivered through proprietary frameworks including the Ultrapractical methodology and Material Passports methodology to support long-term asset value and environmental performance.

Product overview

Orms is an architecture practice offering a comprehensive suite of design and consulting services centered on their core Architecture & Design practice. Their portfolio includes specialized services in Intelligent Retrofit & Building Reuse, Estate Strategy, Heritage Design, and Sustainable/Circular Design. The practice works across multiple building sectors including Education, Commercial Workplace, Hotel, and Residential projects. Their projects range from large-scale commercial retrofits like 75 London Wall and 101 Moorgate to education facilities like Uppingham School and The American School, hotel projects including The Standard London, and heritage-led developments such as Central St Martins. The practice emphasizes 'ultrapractical' architecture that is deeply functional and 'forever generous,' with a strong focus on sustainability and circular economy principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of original structure retained at The Bailey
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Circularity in Practice TaskforcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Founding signatory of nationwide reuse initiative inspired by His Majesty King Charles III. First architecture practice in UK to sign the pledge. Coalition includes Sir Robert McAlpine, JLL, McGee, Great Portland Estates plc, Tata Steel UK, Saint-Gobain, SUEZ, and British Chambers of Commerce.
• Lancaster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on Material Passports methodology, funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council. Joint development of opensource database template and example databases for material reuse in construction.
• Grosvenor Britain & IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on circular economy practices, trialing second-hand market for materials in Central London. Grosvenor is seeking to boost circular economy practices in the built environment.
• BOB DesignminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBrand design agency that led the graphic design work in Orms' rebrand, translating the Ultrapractical philosophy into visual identity and website design.
• Free Projects (Emma Keyte)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmma Keyte at Free Projects collaborated on Orms' rebrand evolution, helping translate the Ultrapractical book into website and brand expression.
• Beispiel (Sven Mündner)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeispiel, led by placemaker Sven Mündner, collaborated with Orms on vision and ground-floor activation strategies for 2 Waterhouse Square project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Heatherwick Studio: London-based design studio working at the intersection of architecture, public realm, and product design. Adjacent to Orms on placemaking/urban design and London profile rather than direct commercial architecture competition.

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architecture firm with a London base, working across commercial, infrastructure, and masterplanning. Competes with Orms for institutional commissions but at a much larger scale and broader portfolio; cited as a previous employer of Orms Project Associate Kamil Dassouli.
• Woods Bagot: Global architecture and design practice with a London studio active in commercial and workplace design. Overlaps with Orms in commercial/interior sectors but operates at significantly larger scale; Architectural Assistant Leon Raznatovski joined Orms from Woods Bagot.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture firm with a London presence working across commercial, residential, and mixed-use sectors. Competes with Orms for high-profile commercial commissions but at much greater scale and global reach.

Direct peers

• Squire & Partners: Long-established London architecture practice with a similarly broad commercial, residential, and heritage portfolio. Directly comparable in service scope and London CRE client base; Tom Perez Kendall joined Orms from Squire & Partners in 2025.
• AHMM (Allford Hall Monaghan Morris): Mid-sized London architecture practice with deep expertise in commercial workplace, retrofit, and adaptive reuse. Highly comparable to Orms on project type, sector mix, and London commercial developer client base; one of Orms' architects (Emmanuel Anim-Ayekoh) joined from AHMM in 2024.
• Allies and Morrison: Long-standing London architecture practice with strong portfolio in commercial, education, residential, and heritage work. Highly comparable to Orms on practice size, sector breadth, and London institutional client mix.
• Make Architects: Mid-to-large London architecture practice with overlapping commercial office, mixed-use, and interior refurbishment portfolio. Comparable to Orms on client types (UK developers, REITs) and project typologies.
• Buckley Gray Yeoman: London commercial architecture practice known for mixed-use, hotel, and workplace projects. Closely comparable to Orms in scale, sector mix, and London CRE focus; AJ100 Practice of the Year 2023 and a known source of talent flowing into Orms.
• Maccreanor Lavington Architects: London practice specializing in housing, estate regeneration, and residential-led mixed-use. Comparable to Orms' growing Living sector; Senior Associate Colin Wharry joined Orms in 2026 from Maccreanor Lavington, signalling direct competition for residential talent and briefs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orms
• Instagraminstagram.com/ormsarchitects
• Xx.com/Orms_Architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orms