What McLean Quinlan does

McLean Quinlan is a privately held, UK-based architectural practice founded in 1982 by Fiona McLean, operating from studios in Winchester (headquarters) and London. The firm employs approximately 15-20 architects and designers, supported by an external network of professionals and craftspeople, and delivers a deliberately small number of bespoke residential, cultural, and hospitality projects each year. Its work is concentrated on high-net-worth private clients commissioning family homes, holiday retreats, and second residences, with a secondary segment in boutique hotels and cultural venues. The practice is differentiated by deep specialisation in Passivhaus-certified, low-carbon sustainable design — most visibly demonstrated by the Devon Passivhaus, an energy-positive home that generates 40% more power than it consumes — and by a proven track record securing planning consent in tightly regulated landscapes including National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Listed sites, and Paragraph 84 (open countryside) projects.

The firm operates as a professional services business, generating revenue through custom-quoted architectural design fees on a project basis, with no standardised pricing tiers or published rate cards. Go-to-market is sales-led and reputation-driven: new commissions originate from direct engagement with HNW clients, referrals, and the practice's extensive earned media presence in Dezeen, Wallpaper*, the Financial Times, RIBA Journal, House & Garden and Country Life, reinforced by 25+ industry awards spanning 2018-2025. Internally, the firm has invested in a practice-wide BIM strategy under architect Nicola Mullard to support design-to-construction delivery, and maintains a three-director leadership model (Fiona McLean, Kate Quinlan, Alastair Bowden) augmented by Associates and architects with niche expertise in heritage and sensitive-landscape work. Geographic reach spans multiple UK regions — London, Winchester, Devon, Cornwall, Kent, the Cotswolds, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and West Sussex — alongside overseas projects in Tuscany (Italy), Jackson Hole and Wyoming (USA), and Lisbon (Portugal), delivered without overseas offices.

Name

McLean Quinlan

Legal name

McLean Quinlan Limited

Website

https://mcleanquinlan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McLean Quinlan is a UK-based, 40+ year-old boutique architectural practice with 15-20 staff across Winchester and London, designing bespoke high-net-worth residential, cultural, and hospitality projects, with particular specialisation in Passivhaus-certified sustainable buildings and sensitive-landscape planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Residential architecture
• Passivhaus design
• Sustainable architecture
• Heritage architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural practice providing residential, cultural, and hospitality architecture. Revenue is generated through professional fees for design services from concept through construction completion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

McLean Quinlan is an award-winning architectural practice providing bespoke design services for residential, cultural, and hospitality projects. The firm delivers full architectural services from concept through construction, with specializations in sustainable Passivhaus-certified design, heritage and listed buildings, and projects in sensitive landscapes such as National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The practice operates from studios in London and Winchester, serving private clients and cultural institutions primarily in the UK and selectively overseas.

Product overview

McLean Quinlan is an award-winning architecture firm offering architectural and interior design services for residential, cultural, and hospitality projects. The firm does not sell a software product; its offerings are professional design services delivered through a tight-knit team of architects and designers. Services span from initial concept through construction, with specialties including sustainable/Passivhaus design, heritage conversions, and projects in sensitive landscapes. The firm operates studios in London and Winchester and works on projects in the UK and overseas. The portfolio includes named projects (not products) such as Devon Passivhaus, Tuscan Villas, Chelsea Townhouse, and numerous residential homes, but these are completed architectural works rather than commercial products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bespoke Residential Architectural Design
• Cultural and Hospitality Architectural Design
• Passivhaus and Sustainable Design Services
• Sensitive Context and Heritage Design Services
• Interior Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Devon Passivhaus: Energy positive with power generated exceeding power consumed by 40%, CO2 negative
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Allies and Morrison: Long-established UK architecture firm with mixed residential, cultural, and urban portfolio. Comparable in cultural and high-end residential exposure but materially larger and broader than McLean Quinlan's boutique model.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture giant with a residential portfolio spanning luxury towers, masterplans, and individual homes. Overlaps with McLean Quinlan in luxury residential and cultural sectors but operates at vastly larger scale across many typologies.
• SHH (formerly Squire and Partners): Major London architecture and interior design practice with significant luxury residential and hospitality work. Comparable in integrating architecture and interior design for HNW clients, but at substantially larger scale.

Direct peers

• John Pardey Architects: UK practice widely recognized for sustainable and Passivhaus residential design. Directly comparable on the sustainability/Passivhaus specialization and high-end UK residential focus that differentiates McLean Quinlan.
• Studio Indigo: London-based boutique practice combining architecture and interior design for luxury residential and hospitality clients. Comparable on integrated architecture/interior offering and UK HNW positioning.
• Olson Kundig: US boutique practice renowned for high-end residential architecture with strong craft, materials, and contextual sensitivity. Comparable international peer at the premium residential tier with similar craft-led ethos.
• Vincent Van Duysen Architects: Belgian-born practice with international luxury residential and interior commissions emphasizing natural materials, craft, and timeless aesthetics. Highly comparable in design philosophy and HNW international client base.
• Carmody Groarke: London boutique practice with award-winning cultural, residential, and hospitality work. Comparable on London boutique scale, design-led positioning, and award recognition across residential and cultural typologies.
• Bates Masi + Architects: US luxury residential practice with deep craft and material focus, frequently working in sensitive coastal and landscape contexts. Strongly comparable on materials-driven, contextual luxury residential work.
• Tayberry House Architects: London-based boutique architecture practice focused on luxury bespoke residential projects for high-net-worth clients. Closely comparable to McLean Quinlan in scale, segment, and emphasis on crafted one-off homes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mcleanquinlan

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 McLean Quinlan