What O'Donnell + Tuomey does

O'Donnell + Tuomey is a private architectural practice founded in 1988 by Sheila O'Donnell and John Tuomey, operating studios in Dublin, Cork, and London. The firm specializes in cultural, educational, and public-sector buildings, with a portfolio anchored by landmark cultural institutions (V&A East Museum, Sadler's Wells East, UCC Glucksman Gallery, Irish Film Centre, Lyric Theatre Belfast), university projects (Liverpool University School of Architecture, LSE Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, TU Dublin Academic Hub, Hopkins Student Center, UCC Student Hub), and civic facilities (Swords Cultural Quarter). Notable technical competencies include adaptive reuse of protected structures, craft-based construction using stone/timber/thatch, distinctive folded concrete facade systems (479 unique precast panels at V&A East), and timber folded plate construction. The firm competes in three-stage invited international design competitions rather than open commercial bidding, with repeat commissions from clients including University College Cork and Sadler's Wells. Operations span Ireland, the UK, the United States, Hungary, Germany, and the Netherlands, with exhibitions and academic engagement extending reach to Japan and China.

The business operates as a professional services partnership generating revenue through design fees proportional to project scope and complexity, negotiated on a per-commission basis with no public pricing or standardized fee structure. Revenue is project-based, with each commission typically a multi-year engagement (e.g., 6,673m2 Swords Cultural Quarter, 13,938m2 Hopkins Student Center). Go-to-market relies on competition wins, published portfolio, exhibition presence (Venice Biennale 2004/2012/2018), and referral from institutional clients — there are no resellers, intermediaries, or digital sales channels. Awards include RIBA London Award (2026), Architecture MasterPrize (2026), CIBSE Façade Engineering Innovation Award (2025), RIBA International Prize finalist (2018), and RIBA Stirling Prize finalist (2005, Glucksman Gallery). The firm has no external investors, no parent company, and operates as a founder-led partnership retaining full creative and operational independence.

Name

O'Donnell + Tuomey

Legal name

O'Donnell + Tuomey

Website

https://odonnell-tuomey.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

O'Donnell + Tuomey is a founder-led architectural practice established in 1988, with studios in Dublin, Cork, and London. It designs cultural, educational, and civic buildings for public-sector and institutional clients across Ireland, the UK, and internationally, winning projects through invited design competitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Cultural architecture
• Educational architecture
• Building conservation
• Urban masterplanning

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services including design, planning, and project oversight for cultural, educational, and public buildings. Revenue is generated through design fees proportional to project scope and complexity. Projects range from small cultural pavilions to large institutional complexes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

O'Donnell + Tuomey is an architectural practice providing professional architectural design services for cultural, educational, and public sector buildings. The practice delivers complete services from competition design through construction, with specializations in adaptive reuse of historic structures, folded facade design, timber folded plate construction, and masterplanning for major institutional clients.

Product overview

O'Donnell + Tuomey is an award-winning architectural practice founded in 1988 and led by Sheila O'Donnell and John Tuomey, with studios in Dublin, Cork and London. Their portfolio encompasses a diverse range of completed and ongoing building projects including cultural institutions (V&A East Museum, Sadler's Wells Dance Theatre, UCC Glucksman Gallery, Irish Film Centre), educational facilities (Liverpool University School of Architecture, TU Dublin Academic Hub, Hopkins Student Center, UCC Student Hub), public buildings (Swords Cultural Quarter), and experimental pavilions (Passage House, Irish Pavilion). They also undertake urban masterplans (Olympicopolis, Stratford Waterfront). The practice is known for its sensitive integration of contemporary design with historic contexts, innovative use of materials, and commitment to socially engaged public architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• V&A East Museum A new museum at East Bank in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park featuring a distinctive folded concrete facade inspired by Balenciaga's fashion designs, housing pioneering exhibitions, gallery displays, event spaces, community facilities, and a cafe with views over the Park. Commissioned by the V&A Museum.
• Sadler's Wells Dance Theatre A new 550-seat mid-scale dance theatre at Stratford Waterfront in London, designed with six studios and facilities for research, development and production of dance work. Features industrial-inspired saw-tooth rooflines referencing local warehouse architecture. Commissioned by Sadler's Wells.
• Liverpool University School of Architecture Winner of an international design competition, this project combines Georgian terrace and 1930s Leverhulme building with a contemporary timber-trussed extension. The 9,400m2 building represents a flagship project for architectural education of the future. Commissioned by Liverpool University.
• TU Dublin Academic Hub & Library A landmark building at the heart of Technological University Dublin's Grangegorman Campus. A cluster of buildings arranged around external courts, featuring the protected North House and a light-filled library providing views across the city landscape. Commissioned by TU Dublin.
• Swords Cultural Quarter A cultural centre in Swords, Co. Dublin, bringing together a Theatre, Art Gallery and consolidated public County Library in a naturally ventilated, low carbon construction building with bespoke reconstituted stone facade. Commissioned by Fingal County Council.
• UCC Glucksman Gallery An art gallery and restaurant on the main avenue approach to University College Cork, raised among trees in an interlocking suite of rooms with varied exhibition spaces. The building features stone base, timber gallery structure and podium accessing both gallery and cafe. Commissioned by University College Cork.
• UCC Student Hub Restoration and extension of a historic building at University College Cork, creating a 6-floor student services hub with integrated student services, development facilities, teaching spaces, performance spaces and Students' Union headquarters. Commissioned by University College Cork.
• Irish Film Centre Located in Dublin's Temple Bar, this building accommodates two cinemas, film archive, bookshop, restaurant, bar, education rooms and film production offices. The concept of a 'culture cluster' became a pilot project for subsequent Temple Bar developments.
• Hopkins Student Center A new 13,938m2 student center for Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus in Baltimore, designed as a beacon on Charles Street connecting campus and Baltimore community with outdoor spaces, central daylit hall and stepped forum. Commissioned by Johns Hopkins University.
• Blackwood Golf Centre An open, welcoming golf facility in County Down, Northern Ireland, where different buildings grouped around a raised courtyard provide views over the protected pastoral landscape. The curved driving range directs golfers across a bridge to the first tee.
• Passage House An experimental open-air pavilion collaboration with Joseph Walsh Studio, constructed by craftspeople using locally sourced stone, timber and thatch. Part of a series of 'rambling houses' inspired by traditional Irish gathering places.
• Irish Pavilion The first built structure of the O'Donnell + Tuomey partnership, designed with painter Brian Maguire for the 11 Cities/11 Nations exhibition in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Later re-erected at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.
• Olympicopolis Masterplan A winning international competition entry for the Stratford Waterfront development in London, working with Allies & Morrison Architects. O'Donnell + Tuomey were responsible for V&A Museum and Sadler's Wells Theatre within this 161,206m2 masterplan.

Quantifiable outcome

• RIBA Stirling Prize finalist for Glucksman Gallery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered notable and flagship.

• Joseph Walsh StudionotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration on Passage House, an experimental open-air pavilion constructed with locally sourced materials (stone, timber, thatch) and crafted by local craftspeople. This was a demonstration of local skills and traditional building techniques, not a conventional architectural project.
• Allies & MorrisonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Joint team for Olympicopolis/Stratford Waterfront Masterplan at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Won international design competition in 2015. O'Donnell + Tuomey responsible for V&A East Museum and Sadler's Wells Theatre within the masterplan developed with Allies & Morrison and Arquitecturia Camps Felip.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/odonnell_tuomey
• Facebookfacebook.com/odonnell.tuomey
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/odonnell-tuomey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 O'Donnell + Tuomey