What Ellis Williams Architects does

Ellis Williams Architects is a privately held UK architectural practice founded in 1974, headquartered at Sci-Tech Daresbury in Warrington, with 70+ staff distributed across six studios in Warrington, Liverpool, Manchester, London, and Berlin. The firm delivers full-service architecture, conservation architecture, landscape architecture, and lead consultancy on heritage restoration, education, healthcare, civic, leisure, and cultural projects. Its underlying technology stack centres on BIM Level 2 certified delivery, parametric environmental modelling, and One Click LCA carbon/life-cycle assessment software, supported by in-house Certified Passive House Designers and RIBA Conservation Architects.

The practice generates revenue through project-based professional services fees on a multi-year contract basis, securing work via competitive tendering and through appointed status on public sector frameworks including Fusion21 (£175m national construction consultancy framework), NWCH Consult, and NHS SBS HPCCAS. Customer segments are dominated by UK public sector buyers — local authorities, NHS trusts, colleges, and central government departments — alongside a smaller book of private sector commissions for cultural venues, residential developments, and commercial enterprises. The firm holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, Constructionline Gold membership, and BIM Level 2 compliance across projects, and is recognised in the AJ100 ranking at #68 with 35 awards over the past five years.

Name

Ellis Williams Architects

Legal name

Ellis Williams Architects Ltd.

Website

https://ewa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ellis Williams Architects is a UK-headquartered architectural practice with 70+ staff across six studios (Warrington, Liverpool, Manchester, London, Berlin), delivering conservation, education, healthcare, and civic projects primarily for UK public sector clients through framework agreements and direct commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG), Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Conservation architecture
• Landscape architecture
• BIM services
• Sustainable building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Preston Brook

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 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 - Project-Based Fees: Ellis Williams Architects generates revenue through fees for architectural services on a project-by-project basis. Services include design, conservation architecture, landscape architecture, and lead consultancy on construction projects across public and private sectors. Revenue is earned through competitive tendering on public sector frameworks and direct commissions from private clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ellis Williams Architects is an architectural practice founded in 1974 delivering building design, conservation, landscape architecture, and masterplanning services across healthcare, education, heritage, and commercial sectors. Engagements span new-build, refurbishment, and adaptive reuse projects, secured through UK public sector frameworks (NHS Shared Business Services, Crown Commercial Service) and direct private commissions, and delivered with BIM Level 2 and sustainability/social value assessment tools.

Product overview

Ellis Williams Architects is a multi-award-winning architecture practice ranked in the AJ100 top 100, offering a unified suite of architectural and design services centred on its core architecture offering. The practice's portfolio spans architecture and design services, RIBA Conservation Architecture, landscape architecture, sustainability and carbon reduction services, and BIM Level 2 delivery. Its services are delivered across six UK and European studios (Warrington HQ, London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Berlin) and are accessible through public sector frameworks including Fusion21, NWCH Consult, and NHS SBS. The practice serves sectors including arts and leisure, civic and community, education, health and care, heritage and reuse, living, and sport, integrating social value planning and technical advisory capabilities as standard across all projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Design Services End-to-end architectural design and project delivery spanning new-build, refurbishment, and adaptive reuse for public and private sector clients across healthcare, education, heritage, and commercial sectors.
• Conservation Architecture Specialist restoration, repair, and conservation services for historic and listed buildings, supporting heritage bodies and institutional clients.
• Landscape Architecture Landscape design and masterplanning services for urban, civic, and institutional projects.
• Heritage Restoration and Adaptive Reuse Renovation, extension, and adaptive reuse of heritage assets for cultural, civic, and private clients.
• Healthcare Design Services Design of hospitals, healthcare facilities, and NHS-commissioned buildings for NHS Trusts and healthcare clients.
• Education Design Services Design of schools, further education colleges, and university campuses for education institutions.
• Public Sector Framework Services Architectural services delivered through UK public sector framework agreements (NHS Shared Business Services and Crown Commercial Service) for NHS, education, local authority, and housing association clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 517 tCO2 saved per year at National Cycling Centre velodrome
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fusion21coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 October 2025Ellis Williams Architects was successfully appointed to the Fusion21 Construction Consultancy Services Framework worth up to £175 million over four years. The framework supports public sector organisations by providing access to experienced and qualified consultants. Ellis Williams joins 120 specialist firms selected to deliver consultancy services for the built environment through this national framework.
• NWCH Consult FrameworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 July 2025Ellis Williams was selected as a consultancy partner on the newly launched NWCH Consult Framework designed by the public sector for the public sector. The framework enables the firm to continue delivering projects across the North West region including the Manchester SEND Schools Programme (Delivering Social Value Award 2022), National Cycling Centre, Abraham Moss Library & Leisure Centre, and Storyhouse.
• PLACED AcademyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2025Ellis Williams continues as Bronze Sponsor of PLACED Academy, a programme dedicated to breaking down barriers that young people face when pursuing careers in architecture, planning, urban design, and landscape architecture. The firm delivered the Academy's third design session focused on masterplanning for Royal Liverpool University Foundation Hospital, providing hands-on experience for participants.
• Invisible StudiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Invisible Studio collaborated with Ellis Williams Architects on the East Quay project in Watchet, Somerset, which won RIBA Client of the Year 2023 for Onion Collective. The project is recognised as an uplifting model for community-led regeneration.
• NHS Shared Business ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 July 2023Ellis Williams was named as a supplier on NHS SBS Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy and Ancillary Services (HPCCAS) framework agreement on Lot 1 – Architectural and Lot 7 – Multi-Disciplinary Services. NHS SBS provides finance & accounting, procurement and workforce services to more than half the NHS in England as a joint venture with Sopra Steria.
• RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEllis Williams is an RIBA Future Architects Mentoring Practice, supporting the next generation of emerging architects transitioning from study to practice. The practice also commits to RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and UK Architects Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.
• Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEllis Williams has a long-standing collaboration with LSTM delivering three recent projects including a Human Challenge Facility for clinical trials, Category 3 AI-Robotics Laboratories supporting pathogen research, and refurbishment of the Mary Kingsley Building. The firm is designing one of the UK's first robotic High-Containment Level 3 laboratories for the £260m iiCON consortium.
• Tilbury Douglas ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTilbury Douglas is the construction partner on multiple Ellis Williams projects including the Oldham Old Library restoration, Oldham Coliseum revitalisation, and the LSTM robotic laboratory project. Collaboration on public sector frameworks and heritage restoration projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Major international architecture, engineering, and design practice with deep public sector presence including healthcare, education, and civic projects. Larger and more diversified than Ellis Williams but directly competes on public sector framework appointments.
• Allies and Morrison: Larger UK architecture practice with broader portfolio spanning heritage, education, and public sector work. Overlaps with Ellis Williams on cultural/heritage projects but at a meaningfully larger scale and with a wider London-centric footprint.
• Foster + Partners: Global architecture incumbent with a London heritage practice competing for the same RIBA and public sector awards. Operates at vastly greater scale but shares cultural, heritage, and sustainability positioning on landmark public commissions.
• Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios: Larger UK architecture practice with strong sustainability and public sector credentials, including education and heritage commissions. Overlaps with Ellis Williams on net-zero carbon design leadership and AJ100 standing.

Direct peers

• Pollard Thomas Edwards (PTE): Mid-sized UK architecture practice with comparable public sector, housing, and regeneration focus. Similar size band and client mix in local authority and housing association work.
• Purcell Architecture: UK heritage and conservation-focused architecture practice of comparable scale, with similar specialisation in listed buildings, adaptive reuse, and cultural/heritage commissions for public sector clients. Closest direct peer to Ellis Williams on heritage credentials and public sector mix.
• Levitt Bernstein: London-based architecture practice of similar scale with a strong public sector and social housing/regeneration portfolio. Comparable on public sector client base and BIM-led delivery.
• MJP Architects: Mid-sized UK architecture practice with strong public sector and education sector focus, similar headcount and AJ100 tier. Comparable on education, healthcare, and civic project types.
• Feilden+Mawson: UK architecture practice with established heritage/conservation and cultural sector portfolio, comparable on listed-building and arts/cultural commissions. Similar headcount scale.
• JTP (John Thompson & Partners): Mid-sized UK architecture and masterplanning practice with strong public sector, housing, and placemaking credentials. Comparable on mixed-tenure public/private portfolio and framework-led public sector work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/EWArchitects
• Facebookfacebook.com/ewarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ellis-williams-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/elliswilliamsarchitects

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Ellis Williams Architects