What MDO Architects does

MDO Architects is a private Irish architecture and interiors firm headquartered in Dublin at 11 Merrion Square N, with a regional office in London (International House, Cornhill). Founded in 2004 by co-founders David O'Connell and Dan Daye alongside director Martin Spillane, the firm employs 50+ professionals drawn from 14 nationalities, with 50% gender balance. Directors David O'Connell, Dan Daye, and Martin Spillane lead the practice alongside associate directors and a technical director.

The firm delivers fully BIM-enabled design and project management services across six sectors: Residential, Hospitality, Education & Healthcare, Workplace, Industry & Research, and Adaptation & Reuse. Its technology platform centres on ISO 19650-accredited BIM using Autodesk Construction Cloud as a Common Data Environment, with cloud-based Revit modelling and Navisworks for federated clash detection across disciplines. The practice supports BREEAM, LEED, Passive House, and EU Taxonomy-aligned outcomes and is pursuing ISO 14001 Energy Management Systems certification on top of its existing ISO 9001:2015 quality certification. Logistics span concept-to-construction administration, interior design, masterplanning, technical advisory (statutory compliance, Fire Safety and Disability Access Certificates), and dispute resolution.

MDO operates a project-based professional services revenue model, billing clients per project on multi-year contracts with fees determined by scope, complexity, and size. The go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement with corporate occupiers, developers, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and hospitality operators. Notable enterprise mandates include Meta's 250,000 sq ft EMEA HQ at Grand Canal Square (the only Meta-owned building outside Menlo Park), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Connolly Hospital ERC, Beaumont ERC, PBS Labs, Dental Education Centre), Cairn Homes (Opus Building, 120-unit), Kennedy Wilson (Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links), Fairmont Hotels (Carton House refurbishment), Tetrarch (The Marker Hotel), Heineken Ireland, PepsiCo, Global Pharmaceutical Client, and Ardmore Studios. Marketing is conducted primarily through project portfolio, awards recognition, LinkedIn, Instagram, and a thought-leadership Insights blog on BIM, sustainability, and adaptive reuse.

Name

MDO Architects

Legal name

MDO Architects

Website

https://mdo.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MDO Architects is an ISO 19650 BIM-enabled Dublin-headquartered architecture and interiors firm with a London office and 50+ professionals, delivering project-based design, masterplanning, and sustainability services across residential, hospitality, education, healthcare, workplace, and industry sectors for enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Building information modelling
• Interior design services
• Sustainable architecture consulting
• Construction project management

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional services revenue from architectural design, interior design, masterplanning, technical advisory, and project management services across residential, hospitality, education, workplace, and industry sectors. Projects billed on a per-project basis with fees based on scope, complexity, and size.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MDO Architects provides architectural design, interior design, masterplanning, technical advisory, sustainability consulting, and project management services to enterprise clients across residential, hospitality, education and healthcare, workplace, industry and research, and adaptation and reuse sectors. Project delivery is anchored by an ISO 19650-accredited, fully BIM-enabled design process, combined with deep multidisciplinary collaboration between architects, consultants, contractors, and clients.

Product overview

MDO Architects is an architecture and interiors firm offering a comprehensive suite of services rather than a traditional software product. The core offering comprises architecture and interior design services spanning from feasibility studies through construction administration, delivered through a unified practice approach. The portfolio is organized across six key sectors: Residential, Hospitality, Education & Healthcare, Workplace, Industry & Research, and Adaptation & Reuse. Core enabling capabilities include BIM (Building Information Modelling) with ISO 19650 accreditation, Sustainability Services incorporating BREEAM/LEED certification support, Compliance & Technical Advisory, and Project Management & Construction Services. All projects leverage their evidence-based design approach, advanced BIM 3D modelling, and focus on deep client/consultant/contractor collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture & Interior Design Services Comprehensive architectural and interior design services spanning concept development, design, technical documentation, and construction administration, delivered to enterprise clients across multiple building sectors.
• BIM (Building Information Modelling) Services Fully BIM-enabled design process using advanced 3D modelling and collaborative BIM practices with ISO 19650 accreditation, enabling clash detection, federated model coordination, and information management across project stages for enterprise clients.
• Sustainability Services Sustainability integration services from early design stages through project delivery, including BREEAM and LEED certification support, Passive House principles, lifecycle assessment, and ESG guidance aligned with EU Taxonomy standards for enterprise clients.
• Compliance & Technical Advisory Technical advisory services including statutory compliance audits, planning applications, Fire Safety and Disability Access Certificates, ESG Assessments, and alignment with EU Taxonomy and HPI 3.0 standards for project owners and developers.
• Project Management & Construction Services Project management and construction services including multidisciplinary team leadership, Construction Administration, Employer's Representative roles, and dispute resolution services (arbitration and expert witness support) for enterprise project owners.
• Residential Architecture Future-ready residential design balancing wellness, style, and sustainability across apartments, houses, social and private housing, and urban/rural contexts, delivered to residential developers and housing associations.
• Hospitality Architecture Design of immersive hospitality spaces including hotels, restaurants, bars, venues, and food & beverage establishments for owners, operators, investors, and brands.
• Education & Healthcare Architecture Design of holistic healthcare and educational environments tailored to evolving needs, including state-of-the-art clinics, medical centres, outpatient facilities, healthcare campuses, dental education centres, and research laboratories for healthcare providers and educational institutions.
• Workplace Architecture Workplace design combining efficiency with distinctive design to create spaces reflecting business identity and culture, delivered to corporate workplace clients ranging from global multinationals to local companies.
• Industry & Research Architecture Design of flexible, high-spec spaces for innovation and industry, including film studios, life science buildings, innovation hubs, data centres, and mission-critical environments integrating cutting-edge technology and sustainability for industry and research clients.
• Adaptation & Reuse Architecture Sustainable architecture services that restore, repurpose, and retrofit existing structures to minimise environmental impact, address embodied and operational carbon emissions, and advance circular economy principles for building owners and developers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% increase in laboratory teaching capacity achieved for RCSI PBS Labs (from 89 to 140 students)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gensler: Global design and architecture firm with dominant workplace practice. Direct competitor for Meta, PepsiCo, and other enterprise workplace clients that MDO serves in Ireland and the UK.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture leader with a much larger footprint and broader sector reach. Relevant as the global incumbent MDO benchmarks against on flagship commercial and cultural briefs.

Direct peers

• Benoy: International architecture, interiors, and branding firm with strong hospitality and retail portfolios. Comparable to MDO in its integrated architecture-and-interiors offering and hospitality sector focus.
• Bucholz McEvoy Architects: Dublin-based architectural firm with similar sector focus in residential, workplace, and cultural projects. Comparable in scale and project typology overlap with MDO.
• Wilkinson Eyre: UK-based international architecture practice covering commercial, cultural, and infrastructure projects. Comparable peer for enterprise-scale workplace and masterplanning briefs in the UK/Ireland market.
• Scott Tallon Walker: One of Ireland's largest and longest-established architecture practices with offices in Dublin, London, and Cork. Directly comparable as an Irish full-service architecture firm covering healthcare, workplace, residential, and education sectors with similar enterprise clients.
• Grafton Architects: Dublin-founded, internationally awarded (Pritzker Prize 2020) Irish architecture practice. Most comparable Irish peer by heritage and design prestige, competing for premium cultural, educational, and workplace commissions.
• McCullough Mulvin Architects: Irish architecture practice with strong reputation in cultural, educational, and healthcare buildings. Comparable in scale and sector mix, and frequent co-competitor on Irish institutional commissions.
• John McAslan + Partners: UK-headquartered architecture firm with comparable team size and portfolio across workplace, education, and hospitality. Direct peer for cross-border UK and Irish commissions.
• Henry J Lyons: Dublin-headquartered architecture firm of comparable size serving commercial, residential, healthcare, and education clients across Ireland. Directly competes for the same mid-to-large enterprise briefs MDO pursues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mccauley-daye-o'connell-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/mdo.architects
• Xx.com/mdoarchitects
• Facebookfacebook.com/McCauleyDayeOConnellArchitects

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 MDO Architects