Race Cottam Associates

What Race Cottam Associates does

Race Cottam Associates Ltd (trading as Race Cottam Architects) is a Sheffield-headquartered architectural practice founded in 1993 by Peter Race and David Cottam, with a second office in Nottingham. It delivers full architectural services across RIBA Stages 0–7 for UK institutional and corporate clients, with sector focus on healthcare (notably NHS Trusts), education, industrial, civic/community, and science/technology/workplace projects. The practice operates on project-based professional services fees, typically fixed-fee or cost-plus, with commissions won through competitive tender, negotiation, and repeat-client relationships; named clients include Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, AESSEAL, Siemens Gamesa, North London Waste Authority, and the Department for Education, alongside contractors such as Morgan Sindall, Kier, BAM, Taylor Woodrow, and VolkerFitzpatrick.

The firm's technical foundation centres on BIM Level 2 delivery under BS EN ISO 19650 with COBie data structures for asset information exchange, supported by a dedicated Sustainability Steering Group (including Passivhaus-certified designers) aligned to RIBA Sustainable Outcomes, and a six-person internal AI Steering Group exploring visualisation, project management, and operational workflows. Notable project credentials include BREEAM Excellent-rated buildings (Hull Royal Infirmary entrance, Factory for the Future), heritage restorations (UTC Leeds, Astrea Academy), and large-scale industrial and waste infrastructure (EcoPark South £1.2bn programme, Siemens Gamesa £82m turbine blade facility).

The business is privately held, family-led, with no disclosed external investors, subsidiaries, or funding rounds; ownership and operational leadership sit with founding director David Cottam as Chairman, Laurie Cottam as Managing Director, and Directors Pauline Lake and Paul Foster. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the firm reports 11–50 employees operating from Sheffield and Nottingham with selective overseas work.

Name

Race Cottam Associates

Legal name

Race Cottam Associates Ltd

Website

https://racecottam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Race Cottam Associates is a Sheffield-based UK architecture practice founded in 1993 delivering full RIBA Stages 0–7 services in healthcare, education, industrial, civic, and science sectors for institutional clients including NHS Trusts, universities, and major contractors, via BIM Level 2 and project-based professional fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Architectural services
• Building design
• Interior design
• Masterplanning services
• Sustainable design

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Professional services fees generated through project-based commissions for architecture (RIBA Stages 0-7), interior design, technical delivery, principal designer, sustainable design, technical advisory, and masterplanning services. Revenue is project-based, typically fixed-fee or cost-plus arrangements with institutional clients including NHS Trusts, universities, local authorities, and private sector organisations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Race Cottam Associates is a UK architecture and design practice founded in 1993, delivering full architectural services across RIBA Stages 0-7, including interior design, masterplanning, principal designer, technical advisory, technical delivery, and sustainable design. The firm serves clients across healthcare, education, industrial, science/technology/workplace, and civic & community sectors from offices in Sheffield and Nottingham.

Product overview

Race Cottam Architects is an architectural practice offering a portfolio of interconnected professional services rather than a software product platform. Their core offering comprises Architecture Services (RIBA Stages 0-7) as the primary service, supplemented by Interior Design, Technical Delivery, Principal Designer Services, Sustainable Design, Technical Advisory Services, Masterplanning and Strategic Advice, and BIM Level 2 Services. These services are delivered as integrated professional offerings across sectors including Education, Health, Industrial, Science/Technology/Workplace, and Civic/Community. The firm operates from Sheffield with an additional office in Nottingham.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Services (RIBA Stages 0-7) Full architectural service from concept (Stage 0) through to use and aftercare (Stage 7), covering strategic definition, concept design, spatial coordination, technical design, construction, handover, and post-occupancy review for clients across multiple sectors.
• Interior Design Interior design service for building occupiers, covering space planning, finishes, fittings, and the internal environment within new build and refurbishment projects.
• Masterplanning Strategic masterplanning service for campuses, estates, and sites, supporting clients with long-term development frameworks, phasing, and place-making across multiple building projects.
• Principal Designer Principal Designer service under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, acting as dutyholder to manage design-stage health and safety risk and coordinate pre-construction information for clients.
• Technical Advisory Specialist technical advisory service providing expert input on technical design, regulatory compliance, and construction delivery for clients and project teams.
• Technical Delivery Technical delivery service covering detailed design packages, BIM Level 2 information management, and production of construction-ready information for contractors and clients.
• Sustainable Design Sustainable design service integrating low-carbon, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible design strategies into new build and refurbishment projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hull Royal Infirmary - BREEAM Excellence
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 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

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• LindumcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Main contractor for Newholme Health Centre £10.5m project in Bakewell.
• Tilbury DouglascoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Main contractor for Institute of Safe Autonomy £10m research facility at University of York.
• Turner and TownsendcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Project and cost management for SCC Transformational Hub Sheffield city centre health hub.
• The Ashcourt GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Main contractor for Hull Royal Infirmary new entrance project, working alongside Zenith Development Group.
• GF TomlinsoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Main contractor for Barnsley College SYIoT £10m project, with Race Cottam acting as Principal Designer.
• Morgan Sindall ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Main contractor for Harrogate District Hospital £35m extension. Race Cottam engaged to develop and deliver design through all stages from conception to construction.
• AECOMsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Engineering and design consultancy on Barnsley College SYIoT project.
• Mott MacDonaldsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Engineering consultancy on Hull Royal Infirmary project.
• Morgan Sindall ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Main contractor for CAPA College £4,748 sq.m performing arts facility.
• VolkerFitzpatrickcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020Main contractor for Siemens Gamesa Turbine Blade Facility £82m project in Hull.
• Taylor WoodrowcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020Main contractor for EcoPark South £1.2bn project (1st phase).
• Waterman StructuressupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Structural engineering for Siemens Gamesa Turbine Blade Facility.
• MacesupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Project management and construction consultancy for Turbine Blade Facility.
• BDB Design BuildcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Main contractor for Factory for the Future £13.5m AESSEAL project.
• Kier ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Main contractor for Astrea Academy £24m project combining new build with listed building restoration.
• BAM ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2016Main contractor partner for UTC Leeds project. BAM Construction delivered the £9m Victorian factory transformation alongside Race Cottam's architectural services. Relationship established through Department for Education programmes.
• Balfour Beatty ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Main contractor for Sheffield Children's Hospital £4.2m intraoperative MRI theatres.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bond Bryan Architects: Sheffield-headquartered UK architecture practice with a comparable 30-50 person scale, multi-sector institutional focus across healthcare, education, and regeneration, and Tier-1 contractor delivery model - the closest geographic and size analogue to Race Cottam.
• P+HS Architects: Long-established UK architecture practice specialising in healthcare and public-sector buildings with NHS trust experience - directly comparable on healthcare-led RIBA 0-7 delivery and BREEAM-led sustainability positioning.
• Stride Treglown: UK multi-sector architecture firm with similar headcount and institutional client mix across healthcare, education and civic work - matched scope of RIBA-stage services and sustainability credentials.
• AHR: UK-headquartered multi-sector architecture practice (formerly Aedas) with regional studios and comparable healthcare, education and industrial project portfolios - direct peer on sector mix and BIM-led delivery.
• Corstorphine & Wright: UK mid-size architecture practice with comparable healthcare, education and civic sector coverage and similar multi-studio operating model - directly comparable firm size and RIBA-stage service scope.
• PRP Architects: UK architecture practice focused on public-sector housing, education and community buildings with strong sustainability credentials - directly comparable on civic/community emphasis and BREEAM-led sustainable delivery.
• EPR Architects: UK mid-size architecture practice with heritage, education and mixed-use expertise across RIBA stages - comparable on institutional client mix and adaptive-reuse capability to RCA's UTC Leeds and Barnsley College SYIoT projects.
• Avanti Architects: UK architecture practice with a healthcare-led portfolio and NHS trust client base - closely comparable on healthcare specialisation, clinical-environment expertise, and BREEAM sustainability targets.

Broad incumbents

• BDP (Building Design Partnership): One of the largest UK architecture and design firms with a major healthcare and education practice and global studios - competes with RCA on the same NHS and university briefs but at significantly greater scale and multi-disciplinary scope.
• Allies and Morrison: Established London-based UK architecture firm with broad sector coverage including civic, education, and residential - overlaps with RCA on institutional briefs and sustainability standards but operates from a larger London-centric base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/race-cottam-associates-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/racecottam
• Xx.com/racecottam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Race Cottam Associates