Oliver & Robb Architects

What Oliver & Robb Architects does

Oliver & Robb Architects LLP, trading as ORA Architects, is a private architectural practice headquartered in Dunfermline, Scotland, operating since 1971 as a Limited Liability Partnership. The firm employs 11–50 staff (14 listed team members) and delivers architectural design services across four principal verticals: affordable and social housing for housing associations and local authorities, private residential projects, healthcare and care home facilities, and commercial/office buildings, with supplementary work in conservation of Grade A-C and Grade 2* listed buildings.

The practice's technical capabilities centre on Building Information Modelling (BIM), Passivhaus-certified design (expertise held since 2010), visualisation, thermal modelling, energy calculations compliant with Section 6 of the Scottish Building Standards, drone surveys, 3D printing for physical modelling, and Principal Designer services under CDM Regulations. Notable technical credentials include delivery of the first certified rented Passivhaus social home in the UK (2012), a 30-unit certified Passivhaus development at Gauldry for Kingdom Housing Association, and the award-winning Kincardine High Flats Regeneration (CIH Excellence in Regeneration 2016 winner).

ORA Architects operates a sales-led, project-based professional services model with fees derived from project commissions across Scotland and the UK, including selective English projects in Ipswich, Cambridge, Worcester, Sutton, and Surrey. Client acquisition is driven by direct engagement, referrals, sector reputation, and award recognition rather than digital or marketplace channels. Pricing is custom-quoted per project, and there are no external investors, parent companies, or funding events disclosed; the partnership remains owned and controlled by its working partners.

Name

Oliver & Robb Architects

Legal name

Oliver & Robb Architects LLP

Website

https://oliverandrobb.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oliver & Robb Architects LLP (ORA Architects) is a Dunfermline-based Scottish architectural practice founded in 1971, delivering BIM-led, Passivhaus-certified design across affordable housing, healthcare, private residential, and conservation sectors for housing associations, local authorities, and care operators throughout the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunfermline

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Project-based professional services for architectural design, from concept to completion. Covers residential (affordable and private housing), healthcare, commercial offices, and conservation projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Oliver & Robb Architects is an architectural practice delivering comprehensive design services from concept to completion across residential (affordable and private housing), healthcare, commercial offices, and heritage/conservation sectors. The firm combines Building Information Modelling (BIM), Passivhaus-certified design, visualisation, drone surveys, and thermal modelling to deliver energy-efficient, sustainable buildings for housing associations, local authorities, care home operators, and private clients.

Product overview

ORA Architects is an award-winning architectural practice offering a comprehensive suite of services encompassing architectural design, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Passivhaus design, visualisation, and urban masterplanning. The practice operates across Scotland and the UK with expertise spanning affordable housing, private housing, healthcare, commercial, and conservation sectors. Supplementary services include 3D printing, drone surveys, thermal modelling, and energy calculations, all integrated to deliver innovative, sustainable, and high-quality design solutions from concept to completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural design services crafting innovative and functional spaces from concept to completion, tailored to client needs across residential, commercial, public sector, and conservation projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• First certified rented Passivhaus social home in the UK
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature6 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Elder & Cannon: Glasgow-headquartered architectural practice with a residential, conservation and masterplanning focus comparable to ORA's sector mix.
• Page\Park Architects: Scottish architectural practice with a similar size and multi-sector portfolio including housing, conservation and cultural projects, operating from Glasgow and competing for many of the same Scotland-based affordable-housing and heritage commissions.
• Collective Architecture: Glasgow-based practice with comparable focus on affordable housing, Passivhaus and community-led design across Scotland, directly contesting the same housing-association tender pool.
• Anderson Bell + Christie: Mid-sized Scottish architectural firm with strong affordable-housing and conservation credentials, often bidding against ORA on social-housing and heritage commissions in Scotland.
• Mikhail Riches: Award-winning UK practice specialising in Passivhaus, social housing and climate-led design, directly comparable on Passivhaus affordable-housing capability that ORA also markets.
• Pollard Thomas Edwards: London-headquartered practice with a large affordable-housing, social housing and care-home portfolio across the UK; comparable in sector mix and BIM-led delivery.
• Karakusevic Carson Architects: Specialist UK practice focused on council housing, affordable housing and care/independent-living schemes, bidding in the same housing-association and local-authority segment as ORA.
• Austin-Smith:Lord: UK practice with comparable focus on housing, conservation and healthcare architecture across Scotland and the rest of the UK; similar scale and sector mix.

Broad incumbents

• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Large UK multidisciplinary practice with extensive healthcare, housing and conservation work; larger and broader than ORA but routinely competes on the same care-home and affordable-housing briefs.
• John McAslan + Partners: Larger UK architectural practice with strong housing, education and conservation credentials; serves as a broader incumbent competing for the same public-sector and heritage commissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oraarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oraarchitects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Oliver & Robb Architects