What K2 Architects does

K2 Architects is a Liverpool-headquartered strategic and creative design practice founded in 2006 by Mark Davies and Kevin Horton. The firm operates a six-service integrated portfolio spanning Architecture, Interior Design, Principal Designer (CDM compliance), Strategic Adviser, Client Adviser, and Masterplanning, with a particular specialism in adaptive reuse, heritage retrofit, sustainable design, and community-focused placemaking. Its technology stack is methodological rather than digital, including low-carbon and offsite kit-of-parts construction approaches, Net Zero-aligned design features (photovoltaics, air-source heat pumps, upgraded insulation), and structured stakeholder co-design processes applied to Grade II listed buildings, 1980s sports halls, and post-war office blocks. Revenue is generated through professional-services architecture and design fees, typically structured as a percentage of construction cost or fixed fees aligned to RIBA stages, secured via competitive public-sector tendering (Procure Partnerships Framework, Levelling Up, Towns Fund, DLUHC funding) and direct commissions from private developers and cultural organisations. The client base is concentrated in UK regional and national public bodies (Sefton Council, Liverpool City Council, Bolton Council, Conwy CBC, LJMU, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) supplemented by cultural and private developers (Eureka!, Queensberry Real Estate, NuGen, Apple Corps). The firm is a Certified B Corporation with Net Zero commitments (halve emissions by 2030, Net Zero by 2045).

Name

K2 Architects

Legal name

K2 Architects

Website

https://k2architects.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

K2 Architects is a Liverpool-headquartered Certified B Corporation design practice founded in 2006 by Mark Davies and Kevin Horton. It delivers architecture, interior design, masterplanning, and principal designer services to UK public-sector bodies, universities, cultural organisations, and private developers, specialising in adaptive reuse, heritage retrofit, and Net Zero-aligned placemaking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Adaptive reuse design
• Masterplanning services
• Heritage building retrofit
• Sustainable architecture consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Fees: Professional architecture and design services charged on a project fee basis, typically as a percentage of construction cost or fixed fee for defined scopes (RIBA Stages). Services include masterplanning, lead design, interior design, client advisory, and principal designer services. Revenue is project-based and episodic, driven by public sector procurement cycles and private developer commissions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

K2 Architects is a UK-based architectural practice delivering architecture, interior design, masterplanning, and Principal Designer (CDM) services, alongside strategic and client advisory work. The firm is focused on adaptive reuse, heritage retrofit, and sustainable design, working with public sector bodies, developers, and education institutions across the United Kingdom.

Product overview

K2 Architects is a strategic and creative design practice offering a unified portfolio of architectural and design services. The core offering comprises six integrated service lines: Architecture, Interior Design, Principal Designer Services, Client Adviser, Masterplanning, and Strategic Adviser. Working with public and private sector partnerships, the practice transforms overlooked spaces into vibrant and sustainable places through innovative, ethical working practices combined with strategic partnerships. Key project types include adaptive reuse, education facilities, cultural destinations, retail regeneration, and community hubs, delivered across sectors including culture, education, masterplanning, retail, and workspace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Full architectural services for new build, adaptive reuse and heritage-led projects across the UK, delivered to public sector, education and private developer clients.
• Interior Design
• Masterplanning
• Principal Designer Services
• Strategic Adviser
• Client Adviser

Quantifiable outcome

• Halve emissions by 2030, achieve Net Zero by 2045
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Vinci ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Vinci Construction is the main contractor on the LJMU Henry Cotton Building project (£12.5m), working with K2 Architects as lead designer and AtkinsRéalis as engineering partner to deliver the decarbonisation and adaptive reuse of the 1980s university building.
• AtkinsRéaliscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AtkinsRéalis provides engineering consultancy services alongside K2 Architects and Vinci Construction on the LJMU Henry Cotton Building project, contributing to the decarbonisation design strategy.
• Avison YoungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Avison Young is a property consultancy that has partnered with K2 Architects on major regeneration projects including the Bootle Strand Transformation (£20m) and The Pool cultural destination project. Avison Young provides planning and development advisory expertise alongside K2's design services.
• WSPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023WSP is a global engineering firm appointed alongside K2 Architects as part of the multi-disciplinary team for the Bootle Strand Transformation project, providing engineering and technical consultancy services.
• OPEN (Optimised Environments)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023OPEN (Optimised Environments) is an environmental and masterplanning consultancy collaborating with K2 Architects and Avison Young on the Bootle Strand Transformation, providing landscape and public realm expertise.
• Liverpool City Region Combined AuthorityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Liverpool City Region Combined Authority partnered with K2 Architects on the Bootle Canalside Salt & Tar entertainments venue and the wider Strand regeneration. The Combined Authority also partnered on The Pool cultural destination (£500m) alongside Apple Corps and private sector collaborators.
• Apple CorpsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Apple Corps (the Beatles company) is a private sector partner alongside K2 Architects, Avison Young, and ARUP in conceiving The Pool — a £500M transformational cultural destination in Liverpool, supported by £2m of Central Government funding from the 2021 Budget.
• NuGenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNuGen appointed K2 Architects through a RIBA International Design Competition to design the Moorside Visitor Centre (£25m), a world-class visitor destination at Lake District National Park. This was K2's winning RIBA International Competition entry.
• Conwy County Borough CouncilflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerConwy County Borough Council commissioned K2 Architects following an international design competition to design Porth Eirias (£5m), a landmark waterfront destination in Colwyn Bay, Wales, achieving BREEAM Excellent rating.
• Eureka! The National Children's MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEureka! The National Children's Museum appointed K2 Architects to design Eureka! Science + Discovery (£12m), an innovative adaptive reuse of a Grade II listed building. K2 led the design process in close partnership with municipal planning and heritage officials.
• KQ LiverpoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKQ Liverpool (Knowledge Quarter) is a key stakeholder in the Upper Central SRF planning framework, where K2 Architects worked alongside Avison Young to deliver a regeneration framework for 56 acres of Liverpool's Upper Central district, unlocking 2.5 million ft² of development.
• BruntwoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBruntwood is a major property company and operator of Liverpool Science Park, working with K2 Architects on the IC1 fit-out project (£1.5m) that transformed fragmented working environments into a collaborative hub for innovators and scientists.
• Gower Street EstatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGower Street Estates commissioned K2 Architects to design the Royal Albert Dock Pavilion (£1.7m), a welcome and interpretation centre celebrating 175 years of the dock's construction. K2 demonstrated excellent understanding of heritage requirements and client needs.
• ARUPflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerARUP is the engineering partner alongside K2 Architects and Avison Young in The Pool project — a £500M cultural destination for Liverpool. ARUP provides structural and engineering expertise on this landmark project.
• Robertson ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobertson Construction served as the main contractor on The Wellsprings project (£11.9m) in Bolton, delivering the transformation of a dated office building into a 55,000 sq ft mixed-use business hub in partnership with Clear Futures and Bolton Council.
• Clear FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClear Futures is a development partner on The Wellsprings (£11.9m) and Westhoughton Town Hall (£4m) projects in Bolton, working with K2 Architects and Robertson Construction to deliver regeneration schemes funded by Towns Fund and UKSPF.
• Galliford TrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGalliford Try is the main contractor on The Heights new SEN school project for The Education Partnership Trust in Burnley. The company has worked collaboratively with K2 Architects delivering award-winning school projects across the North West.
• Sefton CouncilflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSefton Council is the client for Crosby Village Library (£9.1m) and the Bootle Strand Transformation (£20m). K2 Architects acts as lead designer and masterplanner, working in long-term collaborative partnership with the Council on multiple regeneration projects.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AHR (formerly Aedas HR): Large UK architecture practice operating nationally with a substantial public sector, education, and regeneration portfolio. Competes with K2 on framework bids but at much greater scale and broader sector coverage.
• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Major UK architecture and multidisciplinary design practice with extensive public sector, education, and regeneration work. Frequently competes for the same large-scale civic and university commissions as K2, but at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Buttress Architects: Manchester-based architecture practice of comparable size, with strong heritage, adaptive reuse, and public sector credentials including work for historic estates, museums, and civic clients across the North West.
• Donald Insall Associates: UK heritage architecture specialist focused on conservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic and listed buildings. Direct overlap with K2's heritage integration and civic retrofit work.
• Purcell: UK-wide heritage and adaptive reuse architecture specialist, comparable on Grade II listed building expertise (e.g. Eureka!) and cultural/education sector work, though operating at larger scale.
• Levitt Bernstein: London-based architecture practice with strong public sector, housing, and regeneration credentials. Comparable in values-driven approach, social value focus, and public sector tender orientation.
• Falconer Chester Hall: Liverpool-based architecture practice working across commercial, education, and heritage sectors. Similar boutique scale and North West regional footprint, competing for the same public and private commissions.
• Feilden Fowles: Award-winning UK architecture practice of comparable size, recognised for cultural, civic, and education projects. Similar trajectory profile with national award recognition and strong public sector positioning.
• Austin-Smith:Lord: Liverpool-headquartered architecture and masterplanning practice with a strong public sector and heritage retrofit focus. Most comparable peer given shared Liverpool base, council client base, and adaptive reuse specialism.
• Brock Carmichael Architects: Liverpool-based architectural practice with a long heritage in civic, education, and residential regeneration. Comparable in scale and public sector orientation, with overlapping client relationships in Merseyside.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/K2_Architects

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 K2 Architects