Urban Edge Architecture

What Urban Edge Architecture does

Urban Edge Architecture Limited is a UK-based architectural practice founded in 2007 in Stamford, Lincolnshire, that delivers integrated architecture, landscape architecture, and Principal Designer – Building Regulations (PD-BR) services to commercial developers, property funds, and institutional investors across retail and leisure, industrial and logistics, later living, residential, and public-sector schemes. The firm serves a roster of major UK property names including Hammerson, British Land, Legal & General, Inspired Villages, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, CBRE Investment Management, Aviva Investors, USS, and BlackRock, alongside government clients such as Newark & Sherwood District Council and Manchester City Council. As of late 2024 it transitioned to 100% employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust, employs approximately 20 staff, and operates from two UK offices (Stamford HQ and Nottingham, opened 2024).

The practice's core delivery stack uses Revit for technical documentation and coordination, 3D modelling for design development, and SketchUp and Enscape for visualisation, supplemented by a proprietary PD-BR compliance toolkit (SKE questionnaires, building compliance trackers, design decision logs, construction control plans) aligned with the Building Safety Act 2022. Revenue is generated through project-based, typically fixed-fee professional services engagements procured via direct appointments or competitive tender processes; the integrated landscape team (led by Andrew Cottage) is positioned as a differentiator against purely architectural peers, and the practice claims delivery of the UK's first net-zero retirement community (Millfield Green for Inspired Villages). The firm holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, Cyber Essentials Plus, and CHAS Designer/Principal Designer certifications, and runs an Urban Edge Academy graduate pipeline partnered with Loughborough University to support headcount growth.

Name

Urban Edge Architecture

Legal name

Urban Edge Architecture Limited

Website

https://urbanedgearchitecture.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK-based architectural practice (~20 staff, founded 2007) delivering integrated architecture, landscape, and PD-BR compliance services to commercial developers and institutional investors across retail, industrial, later living, and residential sectors; 100% employee-owned via EOT since December 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAKAA

Architectural Design Services

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAC

Landscape Architecture & Site Design

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Landscape architecture
• Principal designer consultancy
• Commercial property development
• Building regulations compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Stamford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full architectural services from concept design through to construction delivery for retail, industrial, later living, residential, and leisure projects. Revenue is project-based, typically fixed-fee arrangements with commercial developers, property funds, and institutional investors.
2. Landscape Architecture Services: Standalone and integrated landscape design services covering commercial, heritage, industrial, later living, and residential sectors. Services include site analysis, landscape masterplanning, detailed design, and Biodiversity Net Gain integration.
3. Principal Designer (Building Regulations) Services: Specialist PD-BR services under the Building Safety Act 2022, including compliance reviews, team competence assessment, regulatory milestone tracking, and golden thread documentation. Thomas Baines leads the PD-BR team, registered with the Association for Project Safety (APS).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Urban Edge Architecture is a professional architectural practice delivering full architectural design services across retail, industrial, later living, residential, and leisure sectors, alongside integrated landscape architecture and a dedicated Principal Designer (Building Regulations) service for Building Safety Act 2022 compliance. Services span concept design through to construction delivery, with project-based fixed-fee engagements for commercial developers, property funds, and institutional investors.

Product overview

Urban Edge Architecture is an architectural practice offering a unified service that combines architectural design across multiple sectors (retail, industrial, later living, residential, leisure) with integrated landscape design services. The practice also provides a specialized Principal Designer - Building Regulations (PD-BR) service for Building Safety Act compliance. Additionally, the Urban Edge Academy supports talent development through student placement programs. All services are delivered through offices in Stamford and Nottingham, with the practice becoming 100% employee-owned in December 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural practice offering design, planning, and delivery across retail, industrial, later living, residential, and leisure sectors, for commercial developers, property funds, and institutional investors.
• Landscape Design Services Integrated and standalone landscape architecture service covering commercial, heritage, conservation, industrial, later living, and residential projects, including site analysis, landscape masterplanning, detailed design, and Biodiversity Net Gain integration.
• Principal Designer - Building Regulations (PD-BR) Services Specialist PD-BR service guiding clients through Building Safety Act 2022 compliance, including design review, competent team assembly, compliance tracking, and Golden Thread documentation, using proprietary internal toolkits including SKE questionnaires, compliance trackers, design decision logs, and construction control plans.

Quantifiable outcome

• UK's first net-zero retirement community delivered at Millfield Green, Caddington
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Farrans ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 16 January 2025Farrans Construction is the main contractor for Widmore Park Retirement Community in Sonning Common, Oxfordshire. Urban Edge marked one year on-site with Farrans in January 2025. The project commissioned by Inspired Villages demonstrates collaborative effort between the design team and contractor.
• Thomas SindencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMulti-sector specialist contractor for the West Thurrock commercial vehicle body shop project. Thomas Sinden developed the site including main workshop, bespoke paint centre, and two-storey office block for Spectrum VR.
• Knight WebbsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject managers for the Cold Store, Theale project in partnership with CubeCold/Pulleyn Specialist Transportation.
• BE DesignsupportingTechnology or IntegrationStructural engineering partner for the Cold Store, Theale project. Developed innovative structural solution for constructing Warehouse 4 on stilts on a flood plain.
• MBA ConsultantssupportingTechnology or IntegrationM&E (Mechanical & Electrical) engineering consultants for the Cold Store, Theale project. Designed high-efficiency M&E systems with photovoltaic panels.
• Housing Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Edge was headline sponsor of the Housing LIN Annual Conference in 2018 and has contributed to multiple reports and thought leadership initiatives. The partnership supports the practice's expertise development in later living sector.
• ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Edge contributed to ARCO's 'Grey Going Green' report highlighting how the integrated retirement community sector can tackle the net zero carbon challenge. Draws on practice's experience working with Inspired Villages.
• Newark & Sherwood District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Newark Castle and Gardens project. Joint funder alongside The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Government's Towns Fund. Urban Edge leads the landscape design element.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EPR Architects: UK architecture practice with strong retail, leisure, and mixed-use specialism serving major commercial developers and investors. Closely comparable to Urban Edge in sector mix (retail parks, shopping centres, leisure) and client base (institutional property companies), making it the most direct peer in the UK commercial architecture segment.
• Chapman Taylor: International architecture practice with deep UK retail, leisure, and mixed-use credentials, including shopping centres, retail parks, and masterplanning. Highly comparable to Urban Edge's retail repurposing, leisure, and commercial development focus, with a similarly strong institutional client base.
• Rolfe Judd: London-headquartered architecture firm with significant retail, commercial, and residential sector work. Comparable to Urban Edge in serving major UK property developers with design-led commercial schemes and in offering both architecture and interior design services.
• Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands: UK architecture practice with strong credentials in commercial, retail, and mixed-use developments for major property clients. Directly comparable to Urban Edge in working with institutional developers on flagship commercial and retail-led projects in London and the regions.
• Broadway Malyan: International architecture practice with substantial UK retail, residential, and later living work. Comparable to Urban Edge in multi-sector specialism and in serving institutional property investors, though operating at a larger scale with international offices.
• Assael Architecture: UK architecture practice with residential, later living, and mixed-use expertise serving major developers and operators. Directly comparable in later living specialism and in serving institutional clients in the senior living / build-to-rent segments.
• LDA Design: UK landscape architecture practice working across commercial, residential, and public realm projects with institutional clients. Comparable to Urban Edge's integrated landscape capability and in addressing Biodiversity Net Gain, masterplanning, and regeneration briefs for major property developers.
• Grant Associates: UK landscape architecture practice with sustainability and masterplanning expertise, working on residential, commercial, and public realm projects. Comparable to Urban Edge's landscape design capability and in integrating environmental performance (including Biodiversity Net Gain) into commercial development briefs.

Broad incumbents

• Allies and Morrison: Larger UK architecture practice with broad public, commercial, and residential portfolio. Overlaps with Urban Edge on commercial and mixed-use commissions, but operates at a significantly larger scale and across wider sectors including heritage and public buildings.
• Sheppard Robson: Larger UK architecture practice with established commercial, retail, and later living credentials. Comparable to Urban Edge in serving major institutional property clients, though with a broader portfolio spanning healthcare, education, and workplace.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urbanedge-architecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanedge_uk

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Urban Edge Architecture