7N Architects
7N Architects is an employee-owned Edinburgh architecture practice delivering placemaking-led masterplanning, residential, education, civic and retrofit services to public sector bodies, developers and housing associations across Scotland and the UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 7N Architects does
7N Architects is an employee-owned architecture and design studio headquartered at 7 Randolph Place, Edinburgh, founded in 2009 by Ewan Anderson (formerly of Conran + Partners and Foster + Partners). The practice operates under an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) structure, offering tax-free profit share to staff, and is led by Anderson alongside Directors Craig Tait and Ben Watson. As of 2024 the practice employs between 11 and 50 people, with 15 named staff across founding, director, senior architect, architect, architectural assistant, associate, practice manager and designer roles.
The studio delivers placemaking-led architectural services across eight core categories: masterplanning, residential, commercial, industrial, education, civic, retrofit, and community engagement. Technical delivery is based on BIM Level 2 standards using Revit, supplemented by certified Passive House design capability and low-carbon retrofit methodologies. Differentiated proprietary methodologies include a 'Placemaking' framework that integrates physical, social and economic contexts, and a Community Charrette process - pioneered through Scotland's Charrette Mainstreaming Programme, with approximately 12 charrettes delivered and methodology embedded in the Scottish Government's Town Centre Toolkit. The practice holds RIBA Chartered, RIAS, ARB, ISO 9001/14001/45001, Cyber Essentials and Living Wage accreditations.
Revenue is generated entirely from professional services fees on a project-by-project basis negotiated through competitive tendering, invited competitions, and direct appointments with public sector clients (local authorities, government agencies, universities) and private sector clients (developers, housing associations, landowners). Customer concentration sits across Scottish councils, regional development bodies, housing associations and housebuilders, with major commissions including the 200-acre Clyde Gateway Innovation masterplan, the 215-acre Inverness Campus masterplan for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the University of Glasgow Gilmorehill expansion, the 182-room Russell Road PBSA, and multiple affordable housing schemes. The practice operates primarily across Scotland with a UK-wide reach and does not publicly disclose pricing or revenue.
7N Architects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 7N Architects
- Legal name
- 7N Architects (Randolph) Ltd.
- Website
- https://7narchitects.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 7N Architects is an employee-owned Edinburgh architecture practice delivering placemaking-led masterplanning, residential, education, civic and retrofit services to public sector bodies, developers and housing associations across Scotland and the UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
7N Architects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural 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 industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where 7N Architects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
7N Architects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Architectural Services: Professional architectural services revenue from masterplanning, building design, and planning consultation engagements with public and private sector clients. Projects range from large-scale masterplans to individual building commissions, delivered across all work stages from inception through to completion.
- Design and Planning Consultancy: Strategic placemaking advice, urban design, and planning consultation services including charrette facilitation, design review, and design guideline preparation for local authorities and government bodies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
7N Architects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
7N Architects is an employee-owned architecture and design practice delivering integrated placemaking-led services across masterplanning, residential, commercial, industrial, education, civic, retrofit, and community engagement. Projects range from large-scale 200-acre regeneration masterplans (Clyde Gateway Innovation) and 215-acre regional campuses (Inverness) to individual building commissions for public sector and private developer clients. Services span all work stages from inception and strategic vision through planning, technical design and completion, applying BIM Level 2 workflows and Passive House certified design.
Product overview
7N Architects is an employee-owned architectural practice offering an integrated placemaking approach across eight core service areas: Masterplanning, Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Education, Civic, Retrofit, and Community. The practice delivers projects from strategic vision through to completion, spanning urban regeneration masterplans, residential developments (affordable and market housing), workplace design, educational facilities, civic/public realm projects, building retrofit/adaptive reuse, and community engagement processes. Their portfolio includes notable projects such as the Clyde Gateway Innovation Masterplan (1 million sq.ft. across 200 acres), University of Glasgow campus expansion, Russell Road PBSA (182-room student accommodation), and various residential neighborhoods. The practice operates from Edinburgh and serves clients throughout Scotland and the UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Masterplanning Services Strategic placemaking-led masterplanning services delivered at every scale, from city strategies to district frameworks, providing an overarching strategic vision to unlock value and deliver transformational change through collaborative approaches.
- Residential Architecture Design and delivery of high-quality housing across all tenures and scales, from public sector affordable housing to private developments, facilitating sustainable lifestyles for residents and communities.
- Commercial Architecture Workplace design applying placemaking principles to create a holistic balance of commercial, environmental and social value for landlords, investors and occupiers.
- Industrial Architecture Design of efficient, future-ready industrial facilities that meet operational demands while enriching surrounding communities and unlocking long-term value.
- Education Architecture University masterplans and education buildings with flexible, dynamic, technologically nimble spaces that create dynamic learning landscapes for collaborative research.
- Civic Architecture Design of dynamic and welcoming public and civic environments with innovative, context-driven approaches that enhance functionality, foster community engagement and celebrate local identity.
- Retrofit Services Reimagining of existing buildings through thoughtful, low-carbon interventions and informed contextual understanding to create sustainable places and spaces that respect heritage, enhance usability, and deliver long-term environmental and social value.
- Community Engagement Services Collaborative community design processes including Charrette workshops that directly connect people who will shape and live in places with designers, facilitating shared vision creation and neighbourhoods that stand the test of time. Approximately 12 charrettes conducted across Scotland as part of the Charrette Mainstreaming Programme.
Quantifiable outcome
- Clyde Gateway Innovation won Scottish Design Awards 2026 Gold Award in Regeneration & Masterplanning and Client of the Year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 7N Architects
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
7N Architects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
7N Architects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pick EverardcoreEngineering and multi-disciplinary consultancy as part of design team for Clyde Gateway Innovation masterplan - a 200-acre mixed-use regeneration project on the River Clyde.
- LDA DesigncoreLandscape architecture consultancy collaborating on Clyde Gateway Innovation masterplan, bringing placemaking and landscape design expertise.
- Thomas & AdamsoncoreCost management and quantity surveying consultancy as part of Clyde Gateway Innovation design team.
- DAAKOcoreArchitecture and design consultancy collaborating on the Clyde Gateway Innovation masterplan project.
- Max FordhamminorEnvironmental engineering consultancy working with 7N on Granton Lighthouse retrofit project for net zero in operation.
- Simpson & BrownminorArchitectural practice collaborating on Granton Lighthouse retrofit project - a 19th-century lighthouse requiring heritage-sensitive upgrades.
- Armour Cost ConsultantsminorCost consultancy providing cost management services for Granton Lighthouse project.
- AECOMcoreMajor infrastructure and engineering firm partnered with 7N on University of Glasgow Gilmorehill Campus expansion masterplan, incorporating the former Western Infirmary site.
- Simpson & BrownminorArchitectural conservation and historic building specialists collaborating on University of Glasgow project.
- MaceminorConstruction and infrastructure firm leading design team for Shawfield National Business District with 7N as masterplanner.
- RankinFraser Landscape ArchitecturecoreLong-standing landscape architecture collaborator on multiple award-winning projects including Phoenix Flowers (Garscube Link) and Russell Road PBSA. Multiple Scottish Design Award wins with this partner.
- Horner + MaclennancoreLandscape architects collaborating on International Business Gateway masterplan and Jordanhill residential project.
- Lisa Mackenzie ConsultancycoreLandscape architecture consultancy for Inverness Campus masterplan - a 215-acre regional campus in the Scottish Highlands.
- Land EngineeringminorCivil engineering contractor for Phoenix Flowers public realm project.
- Pudsey DiamondminorContractor for Garscube Underpass (Phoenix Flowers) project, fabricated lighting columns.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
7N Architects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Foster + Partners: Global architecture and masterplanning practice where Founding Director Ewan Anderson previously worked. A significantly larger incumbent that competes for the same major masterplanning commissions, particularly on high-profile UK regeneration and institutional projects.
- Make Architects: Larger UK architecture practice where 7N's founding team originated before forming in 2009. Operates at significantly greater scale and broader geography, including commercial and mixed-use projects comparable to 7N's commercial and masterplanning work.
Direct peers
- Page\Park Architects: Scottish architecture firm with similar scale and specialism in heritage, community, and placemaking-led design. Competes head-to-head for cultural, civic, and regeneration projects across Scotland.
- Stallan-Brand: Glasgow-based architecture and design studio of similar scale with comparable residential, regeneration, and masterplanning work. Direct competitor in the Scottish developer and public sector market.
- Collective Architecture: Glasgow-based architecture practice of comparable size with strong placemaking, residential, and masterplanning focus. Directly competes for Scottish public sector and developer commissions in the same regional market as 7N.
- Anderson Bell Christie: Scottish architecture practice with similar size and a comparable portfolio across housing, education, and masterplanning. Competes directly for Scottish public and housing association commissions.
- jmarchitects: Edinburgh/UK architecture practice with comparable headcount and residential and masterplanning portfolio. Overlapping public and private developer client base in Scotland (where Director Craig Tait was previously an Associate).
- Reiach and Hall Architects: Edinburgh-based architectural practice of comparable size with strengths in civic, cultural, and education design. Direct competitor for Scottish institutional clients (where Joe Leask previously worked).
- Elder & Cannon: Glasgow architecture practice of similar headcount focused on residential, commercial, and masterplanning. Direct peer competing for the same private developer and public sector briefs across Scotland.
- McInnes Usher McKnight Architects (MUMA): Glasgow-based practice comparable in size with placemaking and mixed-use regeneration expertise. Direct competitor for West of Scotland regeneration and masterplanning commissions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
7N Architects social profiles
Digital presence7N Architects compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
7N Architects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
7N Architects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
7N Architects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
7N Architects 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 7N Architects
What does 7N Architects do?
7N Architects is an employee-owned architecture and design practice delivering integrated placemaking-led services across masterplanning, residential, commercial, industrial, education, civic, retrofit, and community engagement. Projects range from large-scale 200-acre regeneration masterplans (Clyde Gateway Innovation) and 215-acre regional campuses (Inverness) to individual building commissions for public sector and private developer clients. Services span all work stages from inception and strategic vision through planning, technical design and completion, applying BIM Level 2 workflows and Passive House certified design.
Is 7N Architects a public or private company?
7N Architects is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was 7N Architects founded?
7N Architects was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 7N Architects based?
7N Architects is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does 7N Architects make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Architectural Services are the primary driver. The others are design and Planning Consultancy.
Who are 7N Architects's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Foster + Partners and Make Architects. Direct peers are Page\Park Architects, Stallan-Brand, Collective Architecture, Anderson Bell Christie, jmarchitects, Reiach and Hall Architects, Elder & Cannon and McInnes Usher McKnight Architects (MUMA).
Does 7N Architects have an API?
No public API is recorded for 7N Architects.
What industry is 7N Architects in?
7N Architects's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 54131.