Design Research Studio
Design Research Studio is a London-based design and innovations consultancy, founded in 2002, delivering multi-disciplinary services across products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding and content for global enterprise clients in hospitality, real estate, retail and consumer products, led by Creative Director Tom Dixon.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Design Research Studio does
Design Research Studio is a London-based design and innovations consultancy founded in 2002 and operating with 51-100 employees from The Coal Office in King's Cross. The studio delivers multi-disciplinary design services across products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding and content for a roster of global enterprise clients spanning hospitality (Morgans Hotel Group, Pan Pacific Hotels Group), real estate development and investment (Canary Wharf Group, AMP Capital Investments, ABRDN Standard Investments), consumer products (Tom Dixon, IKEA, VitrA, Hydro) and specialist manufacturing (Prolicht, Verbom). Tom Dixon serves as Creative Director.
Its core technical capability is the integration of physical and spatial design disciplines under a single narrative-led creative direction, with documented execution across high-complexity built environments (the 359-key Mondrian Hotel London; a 49-storey vertical-village interior at Quay Quarter Tower Sydney with architects 3XN and BVN; 140-unit micro-housing and 200 co-working spaces at UNITY Stockholm; penthouse interiors at One Park Drive for a Herzog & de Meuron-designed tower). Alongside interiors, the studio produces co-developed consumer products using advanced manufacturing techniques, notably the Hydro Chair (a 100% recyclable aluminium stacking chair built with Hydro and automotive engineers via superplastic forming), the Liquid bathroom collection with VitrA, and the CODE light sculptures with Prolicht.
The business model is professional-services consulting on undisclosed project-by-project fees, sold through direct senior-led client engagement to enterprise customers globally. The studio realises work internationally via a documented network of design and manufacturing partners rather than owned offices abroad. Revenue concentration around a limited number of marquee client relationships, combined with multi-year project cadence across continents, points to a boutique consultancy model monetising design IP, brand association and delivery capacity rather than volume licences.
Design Research Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Research Studio
- Legal name
- Design Research Studio
- Website
- https://designresearchstudio.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Design Research Studio is a London-based design and innovations consultancy, founded in 2002, delivering multi-disciplinary services across products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding and content for global enterprise clients in hospitality, real estate, retail and consumer products, led by Creative Director Tom Dixon.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Research Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interior Design Consulting
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (541410), Industrial Design Services (54142), Graphic Design Services (541430)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)
Keywords
Where Design Research Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Design Research Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Design Consultancy Services: Project-based design and innovation consultancy services spanning products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding and content across global markets
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Design Research Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Research Studio is a design and innovations consultancy that delivers project-based services across products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding, and content for global enterprise clients. The studio combines multi-disciplinary design expertise with a network of international design and manufacturing partners to realize projects globally across hospitality, retail, co-working, and monumental complex sectors.
Product overview
Design Research Studio is a design and innovations consultancy offering services across products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding, and content. The studio works with global clients including Tom Dixon, VitrA, IKEA, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Canary Wharf Group, and AMP Capital Investments. Their product portfolio includes CODE light sculptures, the Hydro Chair for Tom Dixon, and the Liquid bathroom collection for VitrA. Their spaces portfolio encompasses hotel interiors (Mondrian Hotel London), mixed-use developments (Quay Quarter Tower Sydney), cocktail bars (Silverleaf), retail/showroom spaces (The Manzoni Milan), and micro-housing (UNITY Stockholm). The studio also provides art direction services for clients like Tom Dixon and IKEA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Interior and Space Design Services Project-based interior design and space design services delivered to enterprise clients across hospitality, retail, residential, and commercial sectors, with each engagement executed from concept through completion using a global network of design and manufacturing partners.
Companies that use Design Research Studio
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Design Research Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Design Research Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ProlichtcoreCollaboration with specialist architectural lighting producer Prolicht for the Code series of experimental light sculptures demonstrating decorative potential of warm LEDs. Resulted in limited edition constructivist light sculptures and minimal track lighting system now sold by Tom Dixon.
- 3XNcoreCollaboration with renowned Danish Architects 3XN (Design Architect) for Quay Quarter Tower Sydney project. DRS appointed to design office lobby, reception, hospitality offerings, market hall, retail and co-working floors of the 49-storey vertical village development.
- BVNcoreDelivery Architect for Quay Quarter Tower Sydney project in collaboration with 3XN and Design Research Studio.
- VitrAcoreGlobal bathroom brand collaboration creating the Liquid bathroom collection as part of VitrA's long-standing programme of designer collaborations. DRS explored new design opportunities while gaining appreciation of manufacturing complexities for bathroom products.
- HydrocoreCollaboration with world's largest aluminium producer Hydro to develop the Hydro chair - an innovation in aluminium manufacturing using automotive industry engineering expertise and superplastic forming processes.
- VerbomcoreManufacturing partner for Hydro chair, producing the 100% recyclable aluminium stacking chair in Canada.
- Pan Pacific Hotels GroupcoreMulti-disciplinary collaboration for Silverleaf cocktail bar including interior design, restaurant operations advisory, graphic identity and branding, and bespoke furniture and glassware production.
- MADE A MANOminorSupplier and partner for The Manzoni project, contributing to the experimental space featuring restaurant, exhibition and shop in Milan.
- KVADRATminorSupplier and partner for The Manzoni project, providing materials for the Tom Dixon showroom and restaurant space.
- SORENSEN LEATHERminorSupplier and partner for The Manzoni project, contributing leather materials to the experimental space.
- Automotive Industry EngineerscoreSkilled engineers from automotive industry collaborated on Hydro chair development, bringing advanced manufacturing methods to create unprecedented chair design with complex contours.
- Herzog de MeuroncoreArchitectural partnership for One Park Drive penthouses designed by Herzog & de Meuron, for which DRS created the Home Of The Collector interior concept.
- IKEAcorePartnership for Gardening Will Save The World experimental project imagining future of urban farming, presented at RHS Chelsea Flower Show featuring vertical gardens and innovative agricultural technologies.
- Bibbings and HensbyminorCustom-made Elm timber furniture supplier for One Park Drive project.
- Above ZerocoreBoutique developer for Rondure House Melbourne penthouse project in Studley Park precinct, collaborating with Cera Stribley Architects and Design Research Studio.
- Cera Stribley ArchitectscoreArchitecture firm collaboration for Rondure House Melbourne project alongside Design Research Studio.
- More and More StudiominorAnimation studio providing animation services for the Liquid product range project.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Design Research Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Yabu Pushelberg: Toronto-based luxury interior design and product studio with a comparable hospitality, retail, and residential client roster. Closely mirrors DRS's multi-disciplinary, narrative-driven design approach and global project delivery model.
- Heatherwick Studio: London-based design and architecture studio working across products, buildings, and public realm with a similar reputation-led, conceptual positioning. Comparable in city, scale, and the breadth of disciplines covered.
- Studio Indigo: London-based design consultancy working on luxury residential, hospitality, and workspace interiors. Comparable in city, scale, and project-based delivery model for premium UK and international clients.
- Rockwell Group: New York-based cross-disciplinary design firm working across hospitality, interiors, product, and set design. Similar narrative-driven, multi-sector approach and comparable client prestige tier.
- Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA): Global hospitality interior design specialist with deep hotel chain relationships (e.g., Morgans, Pan Pacific-adjacent). Direct peer for DRS's hotel interiors work, though typically larger and more hotel-focused.
- Tara Bernerd & Partners: London-headquartered interior design firm specializing in hotels, residential, and restaurants globally. Direct overlap with DRS's hospitality and luxury residential focus and similar project-based engagement model.
- AvroKO: New York-headquartered design firm spanning hospitality, restaurants, and branding. Highly comparable multi-disciplinary model (interior + brand identity) and similar premium hospitality client base to DRS.
Broad incumbents
- Foster + Partners: Global architecture and design practice with significant interior and product capability. Comparable as a UK-headquartered partner for major real estate developments, but far larger and broader in scope than DRS.
- Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with interior, brand, and product practices across hospitality, retail, and residential. Significantly larger but operates in the same end markets and competes for similar enterprise briefs.
- Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): International architecture and design practice with growing interior and product capabilities. Comparable partner profile for starchitect-led developments, though primarily architecture-led rather than interior-led.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Design Research Studio social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Research Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Research Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Design Research Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Research Studio 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 Design Research Studio
What does Design Research Studio do?
Design Research Studio is a design and innovations consultancy that delivers project-based services across products, interiors, architecture, graphics, branding, and content for global enterprise clients. The studio combines multi-disciplinary design expertise with a network of international design and manufacturing partners to realize projects globally across hospitality, retail, co-working, and monumental complex sectors.
Is Design Research Studio a public or private company?
Design Research Studio is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Design Research Studio founded?
Design Research Studio was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Design Research Studio based?
Design Research Studio is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Design Research Studio make money?
One revenue line is on record: design Consultancy Services.
Who are Design Research Studio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Yabu Pushelberg, Heatherwick Studio, Studio Indigo, Rockwell Group, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), Tara Bernerd & Partners and AvroKO. Broad incumbents are Foster + Partners, Gensler and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
Does Design Research Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Research Studio.
What industry is Design Research Studio in?
Design Research Studio's product category is Interior Design Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAM, Industrial/Product & Furniture Design. Its NAICS code is 541410 and its SIC code is 8700.