DLA Architecture
DLA Architecture is a UK architectural practice operating from Leeds, London, and Manchester that delivers masterplanning, architectural, interior, and landscape design services across residential, workplace, education, leisure, and industrial sectors for public-sector, developer, and enterprise clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersLeeds, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DLA Architecture does
DLA Architecture (legal entity: dla architecture Ltd, registered in England No. 01711510) is a privately held UK architectural practice founded circa 1980 and headquartered in Leeds, with additional studios in London (Clerkenwell) and Manchester. The practice employs 51-100 architects, master planners, and technologists and operates across eight defined sectors: Blended Living, Community, Homes, Industry, Learning, Leisure, Re-use, and Workplace.
The firm delivers end-to-end architectural services spanning masterplanning, architectural design, interior design, landscape architecture, CDM Principal Designer compliance, BIM Level 2 coordination, and sustainability / BREEAM consulting. Its technology stack centres on Revit, AutoCAD, 3ds Max, V-ray, Photoshop, and After Effects, used for massing, daylight, wind, and townscape analysis plus client-facing visualisation. A 2025-created Creative Technology & AI Lead role signals emerging investment in AI-assisted design workflows. DLA holds ISO 9001 certification and is a registered GDPR data controller.
Revenue is generated on a project-by-project professional services fee basis, with projects acquired via direct appointments, competitive tenders (including DfE education frameworks), and tier-1 contractor partnerships (Morgan Sindall, Galliford Try, Caddick). Notable commissions span Channel 4's national HQ at The Majestic (Leeds), Arla's one-billion-litre Super Dairy, the Morrisons Distribution Centre, the Hyatt hotel at Sovereign Square, Leeds Arts University, the £67m Riverside Place development (814 homes, Salford), and the £46m Lisbon Street hotel / 578-home Build to Rent scheme. No revenue or financial figures are publicly disclosed.
DLA Architecture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DLA Architecture
- Legal name
- dla architecture Ltd
- Website
- https://dla-architecture.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- DLA Architecture is a UK architectural practice operating from Leeds, London, and Manchester that delivers masterplanning, architectural, interior, and landscape design services across residential, workplace, education, leisure, and industrial sectors for public-sector, developer, and enterprise clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DLA Architecture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410), Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)
Keywords
Where DLA Architecture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leeds
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
DLA Architecture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architectural Services: Professional architecture services billed on a project fee basis. Revenue is generated through design fees, project management, and delivery services for residential, commercial, educational, industrial, and community developments across various UK sectors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
DLA Architecture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DLA Architecture provides full-service architectural design, masterplanning, interior design, and landscape architecture for residential, commercial, educational, hospitality, and industrial projects. The firm also delivers CDM Principal Designer services, BIM and digital visualisation, and sustainability consulting, supporting clients from concept through delivery across its three UK studios.
Product overview
DLA Architecture is an established architectural practice offering a comprehensive suite of services centered on narrative-led architectural design and masterplanning. The firm operates as a single integrated practice rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, providing architectural design, interior design, landscape architecture, and CDM Principal Designer services as core offerings, supplemented by specialized capabilities in BIM/digital visualization and sustainability consulting. The practice serves diverse sectors including Homes, Workplace, Education (Learning), Leisure, Industry, Community, Blended Living, and Re-use, delivering projects from inception through to completion across the UK from studios in Leeds, London, and Manchester.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services
- Interior Design
- Landscape Architecture
- CDM Principal Designer Services
- BIM and Digital Visualisation
- Climate Leadership and Sustainability Consulting
Quantifiable outcome
- Riverside Place expected to create over 1,000 construction jobs and generate £67m in economic value
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use DLA Architecture
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
DLA Architecture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
DLA Architecture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DLA Architecture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Proctor & Matthews Architects: UK architecture practice of comparable size with strong residential, education, and neighbourhood regeneration focus; directly comparable multi-sector regional model to DLA.
- Allies and Morrison: Established UK architecture practice with broader portfolio across residential, education, and masterplanning; comparable multi-sector model at slightly larger scale.
- Mikhail Riches: Award-winning UK architecture practice specialising in housing and sustainability-led design; comparable on residential pipeline and BREEAM-focused approach.
- Stanton Williams: London architecture practice with overlapping education, residential, and re-use sector expertise; comparable on heritage adaptation and BREEAM-rated projects.
- Haworth Tompkins: Mid-sized London-based architecture practice with similar multi-sector expertise across residential, education, and cultural buildings; comparable scale and design-led positioning.
- AHMM (Allford Hall Monaghan Morris): Major UK architecture practice with extensive residential, workplace, and education portfolio; comparable multi-sector offering at larger scale.
- Feilden Fowles: Mid-sized UK architecture practice with comparable scale and award-winning residential, education, and cultural portfolio; similar design-led positioning.
- Karakusevic Carson Architects: London architecture practice with deep housing and residential-led mixed-use expertise; directly comparable on BTR and council-led residential commissions.
- Mae Architects: UK architecture practice with strong education and residential portfolio including DfE framework work; comparable scale and multi-sector remit to DLA.
Broad incumbents
- Foster + Partners: Global architecture giant with extensive UK residential, workplace, and education work; sets competitive benchmark DLA must differentiate against on smaller commissions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DLA Architecture social profiles
Digital presenceDLA Architecture compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance12 records
DLA Architecture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DLA Architecture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
DLA Architecture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DLA Architecture M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DLA Architecture
What does DLA Architecture do?
DLA Architecture provides full-service architectural design, masterplanning, interior design, and landscape architecture for residential, commercial, educational, hospitality, and industrial projects. The firm also delivers CDM Principal Designer services, BIM and digital visualisation, and sustainability consulting, supporting clients from concept through delivery across its three UK studios.
Is DLA Architecture a public or private company?
DLA Architecture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DLA Architecture founded?
DLA Architecture was founded in 1980. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is DLA Architecture based?
DLA Architecture is headquartered in Leeds, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does DLA Architecture make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Services.
Who are DLA Architecture's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Proctor & Matthews Architects, Allies and Morrison, Mikhail Riches, Stanton Williams, Haworth Tompkins, AHMM (Allford Hall Monaghan Morris), Feilden Fowles, Karakusevic Carson Architects and Mae Architects. Foster + Partners is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does DLA Architecture have an API?
No public API is recorded for DLA Architecture.
What industry is DLA Architecture in?
DLA Architecture's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAK, Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services. Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 1520.