KSS Design Group
KSS Design Group is an AJ100, RIBA Chartered architecture practice founded in 1991, specialising in sports stadia and elite training facility design for Premier League football clubs and national sporting venues, with adjacent work in education, residential, and commercial sectors across the UK and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What KSS Design Group does
KSS Design Group (legal entity: KSS Group, registered in England and Wales as company 2614488) is a privately held AJ100 architecture and design practice founded in 1991 and headquartered at 1 James Street, London, with a second office in Sevenoaks, Kent. The firm operates a unified service offering spanning architecture, interior design, masterplanning, BIM services, and graphic design, with a clear specialisation in sports stadia, elite training facilities, stadium hospitality, and adjacent education, residential, commercial, and workplace sectors. Its core technology capability is BIM Level 2 delivery using Revit as the preferred 3D authoring tool, with Navisworks Manage used for clash detection and VR visualisation employed for client communication; KSS states it has been BIM-aware for 18 years and practising Level 2 BIM for 11 years, with all projects delivered using BIM software.
KSS generates revenue through project-based professional services fees, with contracts typically running across multiple years and prices negotiated individually by project scope and complexity. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales anchored on direct engagement, competitive tendering, and design competitions, supplemented by industry event participation and a strong PR-driven brand presence. The client base is concentrated among UK Premier League football clubs (Liverpool FC, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, AFC Wimbledon), national sporting venues (Wembley, Twickenham, Wimbledon), international venues (Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium for Qatar 2022, Stade Océane in France, Coolidge Cricket Ground in the West Indies), and education and commercial clients (Samsung KX, Thurrock College, Wrotham School). Leadership is headed by co-founder and Chairman David Keirle, with directors Gemma Francis (People & Culture), Nick Marshall (Sevenoaks office), and Andy Karaiskos (sports venues), supported by 101–250 employees. The firm is a RIBA Chartered Practice and has won the Football Business Awards 'Best Professional Services Business Serving Football' for six consecutive years through 2024.
KSS Design Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KSS Design Group
- Legal name
- KSS Group
- Website
- https://kssgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- KSS Design Group is an AJ100, RIBA Chartered architecture practice founded in 1991, specialising in sports stadia and elite training facility design for Premier League football clubs and national sporting venues, with adjacent work in education, residential, and commercial sectors across the UK and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KSS Design Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where KSS Design Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
KSS Design Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural and Design Services: KSS generates revenue through professional architectural and design fees for projects spanning sports stadia, training centres, education, residential, commercial, hospitality, and workplace sectors. Revenue is project-based, typically earned through design service contracts with clients ranging from Premier League football clubs to educational institutions and property developers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-specific professional services pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
KSS Design Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KSS Design Group is an award-winning AJ100 architecture and design practice delivering architecture, interior design, masterplanning, BIM and graphic design services. Its core specialisation is sports stadia and elite training centre architecture, complemented by projects in residential, education, commercial, hospitality and workplace sectors. The firm acquires work through direct enterprise engagement, competitive tendering, and design competitions for clients including Premier League football clubs, national sporting venues, educational institutions, and property developers.
Product overview
KSS Design Group is an award-winning AJ100 architecture and design practice offering a unified portfolio of architectural, interior design, BIM, masterplanning, and graphic design services. Their core offering centers on sports stadia and elite training centre architecture, complemented by specializations in residential, education, commercial mixed-use, hospitality, and workplace sectors. The practice operates from London and Kent offices, delivering projects from concept through to completion, with BIM Level 2 capabilities embedded throughout their service delivery. Their portfolio demonstrates expertise across Premier League football clubs, national sporting venues (Wimbledon, Twickenham, Wembley), educational institutions, and large-scale residential developments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architecture Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Project of the Year Award 2021 for Leicester City FC Training Ground
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KSS Design Group
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KSS Design Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
KSS Design Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- adidas and Stormzy's MerkyFCcoreKSS partnered with adidas and Stormzy's #MerkyFC initiative, designing Selhurst Sports Arena as the headquarters for the collaborative venture. KSS was one of ten leading brands included in this high-profile partnership, working alongside Broadwick Studios on the project. The partnership involves designing facilities for Stormzy's football club initiative.
- Coolidge Cricket Ground (West Indies Cricket)minorKSS announced a partnership with Coolidge Cricket Ground, home of West Indies Cricket, working as part of a design collective on the project.
- Broadwick StudioscoreKSS worked closely with Broadwick Studios on the Selhurst Sports Arena project for MerkyFC, delivering the headquarters facility in partnership with adidas and Stormzy.
- Pattern DesignminorKSS partnered with Pattern Design to deliver the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium concept in Qatar, working with main contractor Larsen & Tourbro for the 2022 FIFA World Cup venue.
- PortviewcoreKSS was appointed by Portview (the contractor) to provide architectural and design services for Samsung KX in London. KSS worked closely with Samsung UK, Cheil, Brinkworth and Portview in developing bespoke interior design solutions.
- RC StrasbourgminorKSS submitted a competition proposal for Stade De La Meinau, working on the design and refurbishment project for RC Strasbourg to create a 32,350 capacity stadium for Ligue 1 and Champions League matches.
- AFC WimbledoncoreKSS delivered the Plough Lane Stadium project for AFC Wimbledon, the culmination of a fan-owned rebirth for the club. The new stadium has initial capacity of 9,300.
- Wilkinson EyreminorKSS was selected alongside SKM and Wilkinson Eyre to design the Basketball & Handball Arena for London 2012 Olympics. Wilkinson Eyre led the design with KSS as part of the team.
- Reiach & HallminorKSS acted as specialist sport advisors to lead architects Reiach & Hall on the Aberdeen Sports Village project, advising on detailed design of sporting facilities.
- All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC)coreLong-standing partnership with AELTC including No.1 Court Wimbledon redevelopment (award-winning) and Millennium Building refurbishment. KSS has worked on multiple prestigious projects for the Club.
- Heron Buckingham Joint VentureminorKSS served as contractor-side delivery architect to the Heron Buckingham JV for the National Indoor Arena in Dublin, including reconfiguring and detailed planning of internal spaces and sporting facilities.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
KSS Design Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Populous: Global leader in sports and entertainment venue architecture, with a portfolio spanning NFL, MLB, Premier League, and FIFA World Cup stadiums. Most directly comparable peer to KSS in the elite sports stadia niche and the principal competitor for marquee football club commissions.
- AFL Architects: Manchester-based architecture practice with a strong focus on sports stadia and training facilities for Premier League and Championship clubs. Direct competitor for English football venue commissions and a close peer in the UK sports architecture segment.
- FaulknerBrowns Architects: UK practice with a long-standing sports and leisure portfolio including stadia, leisure centres, and training facilities for football and rugby clubs. Comparable to KSS in combining sports specialization with broader education and leisure work.
Broad incumbents
- Foster + Partners: Global UK-headquartered architecture practice with a broad portfolio including high-profile sports venues (Wembley Stadium, Apple Park). Competes with KSS for major stadium commissions while operating across a much wider range of building types and geographies.
- Wilkinson Eyre: Established UK architecture practice with significant sports venue credentials, including the London 2012 Basketball Arena alongside KSS. Comparable in scale and operates in overlapping sports, infrastructure, and cultural building segments.
- BDP (Building Design Partnership): Major UK multidisciplinary architecture and engineering practice with sports, education, healthcare, and residential portfolios. Overlaps with KSS in stadia, education facilities, and residential sectors, and competes for similar public and private tenders.
- Allies and Morrison: Highly regarded London architecture practice with mixed-use, residential, and cultural projects. A peer for UK architectural talent recruitment and a competitor on urban regeneration and residential masterplan briefs adjacent to KSS's residential and commercial work.
- HOK (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event): Global design practice with a storied sports architecture heritage (renamed venue event group) and an extensive stadium and arena portfolio across North America and Europe. Competes with KSS for international and UK sports venue commissions.
Regional players
- Reiach and Hall Architects: Edinburgh-based practice for which KSS acted as specialist sport advisors on the Aberdeen Sports Village project. Comparable in profile as a mid-sized UK practice with selective sports, education, and civic work, though primarily serving the Scottish market.
Emerging players
- Pattern Design: Design practice that partnered with KSS on the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium concept for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Comparable as a collaborative design partner in stadium projects, though operating at a smaller scale and with a narrower international footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KSS Design Group social profiles
Digital presenceKSS Design Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
KSS Design Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KSS Design Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
KSS Design Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KSS Design Group 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 KSS Design Group
What does KSS Design Group do?
KSS Design Group is an award-winning AJ100 architecture and design practice delivering architecture, interior design, masterplanning, BIM and graphic design services. Its core specialisation is sports stadia and elite training centre architecture, complemented by projects in residential, education, commercial, hospitality and workplace sectors. The firm acquires work through direct enterprise engagement, competitive tendering, and design competitions for clients including Premier League football clubs, national sporting venues, educational institutions, and property developers.
Is KSS Design Group a public or private company?
KSS Design Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KSS Design Group founded?
KSS Design Group was founded in 1991. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is KSS Design Group based?
KSS Design Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does KSS Design Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural and Design Services.
Who are KSS Design Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Populous, AFL Architects and FaulknerBrowns Architects. Broad incumbents are Foster + Partners, Wilkinson Eyre, BDP (Building Design Partnership), Allies and Morrison and HOK (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event). Reiach and Hall Architects is listed as a regional player. Pattern Design is listed as an emerging player.
Does KSS Design Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for KSS Design Group.
What industry is KSS Design Group in?
KSS Design Group's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 8711.