What Yiangou Architects does

Yiangou Architects Ltd is a privately held UK architectural practice, registered in England (Company No. 08936262) and headquartered in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Founded over 40 years ago, the firm specialises in high-end residential and country house architecture, with particular depth in classical, traditional, vernacular, and contemporary design, alongside historic building conservation. The practice is led by four Directors (Andrew Inchley, Neil Quinn, Ross Sharpe, Tony Salmon) and supports an additional team of approximately 20 architectural, interior design, technical, and administrative staff. Roughly one-third of employees have been with the practice for more than ten years, indicating strong retention of institutional knowledge.

The firm serves four principal client segments: ultra-high-net-worth private individuals and families commissioning bespoke country houses, wellness facilities, and estate improvements; educational institutions including Oxford and Cambridge colleges; major landowners and institutions such as the Duchy of Cornwall, Crown Estate, and National Trust; and heritage organisations and museums. Project values disclosed range from £1m to over £50m, and the practice operates nationally with active work extending from the Cotswolds and South East to Yorkshire, Cornwall, and remote northern Scotland. Service offerings span new country house design, historic building conservation, remodelling and extensions, wellness facility design, estate masterplanning, in-house interior design, and a newly formalised Sustainability service line. Specialist expertise includes obtaining planning consents in designated contexts (Green Belt, AONB, National Parks), Listed building works (Grade I, II*, II), and Paragraph 84 'truly outstanding' houses.

Revenue is generated through professional fees, typically calculated as a percentage of construction cost or on a fixed-fee basis, with multi-year project engagement from sketch design through planning, technical documentation, and construction administration. The go-to-market is sales-led but driven primarily by professional reputation, press coverage (Country Life, Sky Arts), and word-of-mouth referrals rather than outbound selling. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based with no public rate card. The firm holds no external investors, has no disclosed funding rounds, and operates as an independent partnership of directors with no parent company or subsidiaries. Notable credentials include RIBA, IHBC, INTBAU, RICS, BIID, and Georgian Group affiliations, with multiple award wins across RIBA Regional Awards, Georgian Group Awards, Oxford Preservation Trust, CNU Charter, and the Thames Valley Property Awards.

Name

Yiangou Architects

Legal name

Yiangou Architects Ltd

Website

https://yiangou.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yiangou Architects is a privately held, 40-year-old UK architectural practice based in Cirencester specialising in bespoke country houses, historic building conservation, and estate masterplanning for ultra-high-net-worth private clients, leading universities, and major heritage landowners such as the Duchy of Cornwall and National Trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Residential architecture services
• Historic building conservation
• Country house design
• Listed building restoration
• Classical architecture design

Headquarters

HQ city

Cirencester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural firm providing design services from initial sketch design through planning, technical documentation, and project management during construction. Revenue generated through professional fees calculated as percentage of construction cost or fixed fees for specific services.
2. Interior Design Services: In-house interior design team providing complete decoration and furnishing services for projects, contributing to overall project value and client experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Yiangou Architects is a private UK architectural practice delivering full-service design and project management for high-end residential and heritage projects. The firm's core work spans bespoke new country houses, conservation of Grade I, II*, and II Listed buildings, alterations and extensions to existing properties, leisure and wellness facilities, and estates and masterplanning work for major landowners. Services extend from initial sketch design and planning consent navigation through technical documentation, construction management, and interior design, with specialist capability in obtaining planning consents in sensitive designated landscapes and with heritage assets.

Product overview

Yiangou Architects is an architectural practice offering a comprehensive suite of design and construction services centred on high-quality residential architecture. The core offering spans five interconnected service areas: New Country Houses (bespoke residential design), Historic Houses (conservation of listed buildings), Remodelling and Transformation (extensions and alterations), Wellness Facilities (spas and leisure buildings), and Estates and Masterplanning (commercial and estate projects). These services are supported by Craft and Construction Services (on-site project delivery), Sustainability Services (environmental design), and Interior Design capabilities. The practice operates across traditional, classical, and contemporary architectural styles, working on projects ranging from small country houses to large country estates and institutional buildings. Based in Cirencester, the practice has over 40 years of experience and serves clients throughout the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Georgian Group Award for New Building in the Classical Spirit Award
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Colonial PicturesminorOthersProduction company responsible for filming the Sky Arts 'Art of Architecture' documentary episode featuring the practice. Video footage used throughout website.
• Sky ArtsminorOthersTelevision network that produced and aired 'The Art of Architecture' documentary episode featuring Yiangou Architects.
• Broughton Hall EstatecoreOthersClient for Avalon wellbeing centre project. Provided drone footage of completed project for practice's use. Estate home of Tempest family for nearly 950 years.
• R W Armstrong & SonsminorOthersConstruction company that built Freelands project. Provided site visit video of their team at work.
• FinchattonminorOthersInterior design firm that provided footage of Millhanger Farm project, an extended version available on their website.
• GuncastminorOthersSwimming pool consultants and contractors for the New Leisure Facilities project (NMF). Provided project video showcasing the pool and spa facilities.
• Country Life MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUK's leading prime country property publication. Features Yiangou projects regularly, includes practice in annual Top 100 listing, and hosts panel discussions with practice Directors.
• ThymeminorOthersVenue in Oxfordshire that hosted Country Life panel discussion on future of the country house with Yiangou Director Andrew Inchley.
• ArtichokeminorOthersProduction company that provided film of Historic House project for practice's video credits.
• Duchy of CornwallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor landowner client for masterplanning and development design proposals including Nansledan development near Newquay and projects in South-West and Herefordshire.
• Oxford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarris Manchester College commissioned practice for new Tower and Gateway, with subsequent additional student and lecture room projects.
• INTBAUminorOthersInternational Network for Traditional Buildings and Urbanism. Ross Sharpe elected to International College of Traditional Practitioners in 2010. Practice offers INTBAU scholarship for international students.

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Francis Terry Architects: Small classical and traditional architecture practice designing country houses and estate buildings in historic styles. Closely comparable niche positioning to Yiangou in the UHNW traditional residential segment.
• Mole Architects: East Anglian architecture practice with strong residential, heritage and context-driven design portfolio, including work on Listed buildings and rural sites. Comparable in scale and traditional-plus-contemporary design approach.
• Adam Architecture: UK classical and traditional architecture practice with strong expertise in country houses, heritage and new-build in classical styles. Closest direct competitor to Yiangou, sharing the Country Life Top 100 segment and traditional design vocabulary.
• Julian Harrap Architects: Traditional and classical UK architectural practice with deep experience in country houses, estate buildings and Listed building work. Operates in the same niche traditional-design segment as Yiangou.
• Feilden+Mawson: UK architectural practice with strong heritage, conservation and education sector portfolio including historic estates and listed buildings. Comparable in working with institutional clients such as Oxford/Cambridge colleges and conservation contexts.
• Purcell: Largest UK heritage and conservation architecture firm, working on listed buildings, country houses and institutional heritage assets. Competes with Yiangou for high-end heritage commissions and major institutional clients.
• Donald Insall Associates: Heritage-led architectural practice specialising in conservation of historic and Listed buildings, including Grade I and II* work. Direct peer in the conservation and heritage-design space that Yiangou operates in.
• Ben Pentreath Ltd: Classical and traditional architecture and design practice with a focus on country houses and Georgian/Regency-style work. Shares Yiangou's design philosophy and target UHNW residential segment.

Regional players

• Stanton Williams: Award-winning UK practice with strengths in cultural, educational and heritage architecture, including institutional clients in Oxford and Cambridge. Competes for institutional commissions like Harris Manchester College and similar sensitive-context briefs.

Broad incumbents

• Pollard Thomas Edwards (PTE): Larger UK architectural practice with significant residential and heritage portfolio, including estate-scale and masterplanning work. A broader incumbent with overlapping service lines but a wider project mix than Yiangou's country-house focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/yiangouarchitects
• Xx.com/yiangouarch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Yiangou Architects