Ackroyd Lowrie
Ackroyd Lowrie is a London-based architectural practice delivering urban regeneration, masterplanning, and retrofit/adaptive-reuse design for developers, housing associations, local authorities, and institutional clients across the UK, using VR as a core design tool.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ackroyd Lowrie does
Ackroyd Lowrie Limited is a privately-held London architectural practice (registered in England, company no. 09248805), co-founded by Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, headquartered at The Old Vyner Street Gallery, 21–23 Vyner Street, London E2 9DG. The firm delivers full-service architectural, masterplanning and interior-design work across residential, commercial, mixed-use, education, healthcare and hospitality schemes, with a stated specialisation in urban regeneration and the retrofit and adaptive reuse of historic and underused buildings. Notable quantified outcomes include 4,593 tonnes of CO2 saved at the Camberwell Magistrates' Court transformation and 378.5% Biodiversity Net Gain on the same project, plus 93% of existing structure retained at the Thomas's Kensington school retrofit.
The practice operates a project-based professional services model, earning fees from developers, housing associations, local authorities and institutional clients secured through direct business development, tenders, and repeat relationships. Its core technology differentiator is Virtual Reality (VR) used at 1:1 scale for design testing and client sign-off before construction — applied across project types including the Alva Coachworks photographic studios and the NHS-tested Bancroft Dialysis Ward. Marketing and client development run through the proprietary Breakfast Club Briefings networking series (held in London, at MIPIM Cannes and UKREiiF Leeds, sponsored by Capital Economics), the Urban Forecast editorial newsletter and podcast, a blog cadence of 1–2 posts per month, active LinkedIn presence and PR coverage in Building Design, BD Online and The Guardian. Adjacent initiatives include the AL Academy workforce-development programme with New City College and London Southbank University, and a co-authorship of BESA's Client's Guide to the Building Safety Act with Technical Director Wayne McKiernan. Operations span London, the wider Southeast, the West Midlands and selected UK locations.
Ackroyd Lowrie firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ackroyd Lowrie
- Legal name
- Ackroyd Lowrie Limited
- Website
- https://ackroydlowrie.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ackroyd Lowrie is a London-based architectural practice delivering urban regeneration, masterplanning, and retrofit/adaptive-reuse design for developers, housing associations, local authorities, and institutional clients across the UK, using VR as a core design tool.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Ackroyd Lowrie is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ackroyd Lowrie business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Architectural and Design Services: Fee-based professional services for architectural design, masterplanning, and interior design across residential, commercial, mixed-use, and public sector projects. Revenue is project-based and recurring through client relationships with developers, housing associations, local authorities, and institutional clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Ackroyd Lowrie product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ackroyd Lowrie is a London-based architectural practice providing architectural design, urban regeneration, masterplanning, and retrofit/adaptive reuse services. The firm serves residential, commercial, educational, mixed-use, and hospitality developments for developers, housing associations, local authorities, and operators. It supports clients from feasibility and concept stages through delivery, employing VR to test and communicate design proposals.
Product overview
Ackroyd Lowrie is an architectural practice offering a unified set of services centered on urban regeneration, masterplanning, and architectural design for residential, commercial, educational, and mixed-use developments. The practice operates across several interconnected offerings: core architectural services (including new build and retrofit/adaptive reuse), urban regeneration and masterplanning at scale, the AL Academy workforce development program, the Breakfast Club Briefings event series, and the Urban Forecast editorial newsletter and podcast. Their work spans from individual building retrofits (such as Alva Coachworks and Thomas's Kensington) to large neighbourhood masterplans, with a consistent focus on sustainability, placemaking, and community benefit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Urban Forecast: An editorial newsletter and podcast about cities, AI and the built environment published by Ackroyd Lowrie.
- Breakfast Club Briefings
- AL Academy
Products and services
- Architectural Design Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 4,593 tonnes of CO2 saved by retaining the concrete frame at Camberwell Magistrates' Court retrofit.
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Ackroyd Lowrie
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ackroyd Lowrie technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Ackroyd Lowrie partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BESA (Building Engineering Services Association)coreCollaborated with BESA to develop The Client's Guide to the Building Safety Act, providing industry insight and practical guidance to help clients understand their statutory duties under the new building safety regime. Technical Director Wayne McKiernan contributed to shaping the guide's practical application.
- Capital EconomicsminorSponsor for the 2024 Breakfast Club Briefings event series. Capital Economics, a leading provider of economic insight relied upon by institutions from Pension Funds to Governments, sponsors the BCB events held in London, Cannes (MIPIM), and Leeds (UKREiiF).
- New City CollegecorePartnership with New City College for the AL Academy programme, providing Level 3 BTEC Construction in the Built Environment qualifications and work placements for students from East London boroughs. Students can progress to university Part 1 courses or the AL Academy Apprenticeship Part 1 scheme with London Southbank University.
- Social Mobility FoundationminorParticipation in the Aspiring Professionals Programme (APP), pairing AL team members with young people wanting to learn about the architecture industry who might otherwise not have the opportunity.
- Jason Roberts FoundationminorLongstanding charity partner dedicated to empowering the local Brent community through sport and development. Ackroyd Lowrie supports careers events, work placements, and community initiatives including co-hosting charity football events.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ackroyd Lowrie competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Allies and Morrison: Established London architectural practice of comparable scale with a parallel portfolio spanning residential, mixed-use, cultural and masterplanning work. Highly comparable in client base (developers, housing associations, public sector) and service breadth, making it the closest like-for-like UK peer.
- Karakusevic Carson Architects: London housing-led practice specialising in residential and public-sector projects for councils and housing associations. Closely aligned with Ackroyd Lowrie's affordable housing and masterplanning work for the Major Housing Association and local authorities.
- Maccreanor Lavington: London architecture practice focused on housing-led urban regeneration and mixed-use neighbourhood projects for local authorities and housing associations. Directly comparable in typology and client mix to Ackroyd Lowrie's residential and masterplanning portfolio.
- Mikhail Riches: Award-winning London practice (RIBA Stirling Prize winner) with a sustainability-led, housing-focused portfolio. Comparable to Ackroyd Lowrie on scale, sustainability positioning, and emphasis on residential and public-sector commissions.
- Haworth Tompkins: London practice known for heritage retrofit, theatre/cultural buildings and housing. Strong overlap with Ackroyd Lowrie's retrofit specialism and London-focused client base.
- Pollard Thomas Edwards: London practice with deep residential, housing-association and regeneration expertise at similar scale. Directly comparable client mix and project typology to Ackroyd Lowrie.
- Jestico + Whiles: London practice of broadly comparable scale with a portfolio spanning residential, hospitality, education and adaptive reuse. Closely matches Ackroyd Lowrie's mixed-asset-class, sustainability-aware profile.
Broad incumbents
- Foster + Partners: Global architecture incumbent operating across residential, commercial, infrastructure and masterplanning. Competes with Ackroyd Lowrie for high-profile developer and institutional clients but at a materially larger scale and with a much broader portfolio.
- Heatherwick Studio: London-based design-led practice of similar reputation tier working across architecture, masterplanning and public realm. Comparable brand positioning and media profile but operates at a different scale and project typology.
Emerging players
- Feilden Fowles: Smaller sustainability-focused London practice (RIBA Stirling Prize winner). Competes for the same developer RFPs in the sustainability/retrofit niche and represents the emerging cohort Ackroyd Lowrie is scaling into.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Ackroyd Lowrie social profiles
Digital presenceAckroyd Lowrie financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ackroyd Lowrie leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Ackroyd Lowrie funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ackroyd Lowrie 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 Ackroyd Lowrie
What does Ackroyd Lowrie do?
Ackroyd Lowrie is a London-based architectural practice providing architectural design, urban regeneration, masterplanning, and retrofit/adaptive reuse services. The firm serves residential, commercial, educational, mixed-use, and hospitality developments for developers, housing associations, local authorities, and operators. It supports clients from feasibility and concept stages through delivery, employing VR to test and communicate design proposals.
Is Ackroyd Lowrie a public or private company?
Ackroyd Lowrie is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ackroyd Lowrie founded?
Ackroyd Lowrie was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ackroyd Lowrie based?
Ackroyd Lowrie is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ackroyd Lowrie make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural and Design Services.
Who are Ackroyd Lowrie's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Allies and Morrison, Karakusevic Carson Architects, Maccreanor Lavington, Mikhail Riches, Haworth Tompkins, Pollard Thomas Edwards and Jestico + Whiles. Broad incumbents are Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio. Feilden Fowles is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ackroyd Lowrie have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ackroyd Lowrie.