What DSDHA does

DSDHA is a London-based architecture and urban design practice structured as DSDHA Limited (Company No. 4282335), founded by co-founding directors David Hills and Deborah Saunt. The firm operates from a single headquarters in Kennington, London, with a lean team of 11-50 employees delivering integrated architecture, urban strategy, and public realm design services. Its core offering spans new build, refurbishment, and adaptive reuse projects across four primary verticals: education (schools, nurseries, special needs through-schools), arts & culture (galleries, artist studios, heritage buildings), residential & housing (private, affordable, and mixed-tenure), and civic & public realm (parks, urban regeneration, placemaking).

The practice's technical differentiation rests on regenerative design principles, adaptive reuse methodologies, and circular construction techniques, exemplified by the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens project targeting 50%+ carbon reduction to 2030 LETI benchmarks through material reuse, ground source heat pumps, solar panels, and reclaimed timber. The firm holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, is an Architects Declare and RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge signatory, and maintains a Living Wage Employer accreditation. Its work has been recognized with 20+ RIBA awards, multiple Stirling Prize and Mies van der Rohe Award shortlistings, Building Design Architect of the Year 2025, and the Brick Awards Supreme Winner designation.

DSDHA operates a traditional professional services revenue model, acquiring projects through competitive tenders, RIBA competitions, and direct commissions from repeat clients. Project fees span RIBA work stages with milestone-based billing, and individual project values range from approximately £300k for small residential and studio conversions to £33m for flagship institutional campuses such as Christ's College. The client roster is diversified across UK public sector bodies (Surrey County Council, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Olympic Delivery Authority, Sure Start Colchester), educational institutions (Christ's College, Churchill College Cambridge), and cultural/enterprise clients (Henry Moore Foundation, Edmund de Waal, National Youth Theatre, Alex Monroe). Geographic reach is restricted to the UK, with no international projects identified in the current portfolio.

Name

DSDHA

Legal name

DSDHA Limited

Website

https://dsdha.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DSDHA is a London-based architecture and urban design practice delivering education, arts & culture, residential, and civic projects through regenerative design and adaptive reuse. Founded by David Hills and Deborah Saunt, the firm serves UK public sector bodies, educational institutions, and cultural organizations with project fees ranging from £300k to £33m.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

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. Architectural Services: Full architectural services for projects ranging from small-scale residential/studio conversions (£300k-£600k) to large educational campuses (£10-33m). Services include concept design, technical documentation, contract administration, and project management. Revenue is project-based, earned through RIBA work stages with payment milestones tied to design phases and project completion.
2. Urban Strategy Services: Strategic urban design and public realm planning services, exemplified by projects like Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens framework planning and Central Somers Town. These engagements provide masterplanning, public realm design, and strategic advisory services to local authorities and community organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DSDHA is a London-based architecture and urban design practice delivering full architectural services including new build, refurbishment, adaptive reuse, and regenerative design projects. The firm also provides urban strategy services such as masterplanning, public realm design, and neighbourhood-scale development frameworks. Projects span cultural, educational, civic, and residential sectors, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and community-focused design.

Product overview

DSDHA is an architecture and urban design practice offering a unified service portfolio centered on architectural design and urban strategy. Their practice encompasses architecture, urbanism, landscape design, and public realm architecture, delivered as integrated services rather than discrete software products or modules. The core offering spans architectural services for buildings (new build, retrofit, adaptive reuse) and urban strategy/planning services for larger-scale urban interventions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full-service architectural design covering new build, refurbishment, adaptive reuse, and regenerative design projects for public sector and private clients across cultural, educational, civic, and residential sectors.
• Urban Strategy Strategic urban planning and public realm design services, including masterplanning, landscape architecture, and neighbourhood-scale development frameworks, delivered to local authorities and community organisations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50%+ carbon reduction to 2030 LETI targets for embodied and operational carbon achieved in Henry Moore Studios Sheep Field Barn project through regenerative design
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RIBAcoreOthersDSDHA participates in Royal Institute of British Architects competitions, award programs, and continuing professional development. The practice has won multiple RIBA awards and been shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize.
• Architects DeclarecoreOthersDSDHA is a signatory to Architects Declare, a commitment by architectural practices to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies. The practice is also a RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge signatory.
• Webb YatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering consultant on Henry Moore Studios & Gardens project, providing structural design for the Sheep Field Barn refurbishment and extension.
• Harley HaddowminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMechanical engineering consultant on Henry Moore Studios & Gardens project, providing HVAC design including ground source heat pumps and efficient conditioning systems.
• TurleyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPlanning consultant on Henry Moore Studios & Gardens project, providing planning application services.
• StockdaleminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerQuantity surveying services on Henry Moore Studios & Gardens project, providing cost management and commercial advisory.
• RooffminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMain contractor for Henry Moore Studios & Gardens Sheep Field Barn project, responsible for construction delivery.
• Sandy BrownminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcoustic engineering consultant on Henry Moore Studios & Gardens project, providing acoustic design services for gallery and learning spaces.
• Price & MyersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering consultant used on multiple DSDHA projects including Edmund de Waal Studio II and Gallery, John Perry Nursery, and children's centre projects.
• Atelier TenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerServices engineer on Christ's College and Pond Meadow School projects, providing mechanical and electrical engineering design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Morris + Company: London architecture practice operating across housing, education, and public realm at a similar scale to DSDHA, with comparable mixed-tenure housing, education, and civic briefs and a similar RIBA award profile.
• Mikhail Riches: Stirling Prize-winning practice focused on sustainable housing, education, and public projects, with a similarly strong RIBA award record and comparable commitment to low-carbon and Passivhaus design principles.
• Levitt Bernstein: London practice with parallel focus on social housing, education, and community architecture, including award-winning sustainable and socially focused schemes that compete for similar local authority briefs.
• Stanton Williams: Comparable-scale London practice recognised for award-winning cultural and education work (e.g., Royal Academy, UCL Student Centre). Overlaps directly with DSDHA on RIBA-awarded cultural infrastructure and education portfolios.
• dMFK Architects: London architecture practice of similar headcount operating across cultural, education, and civic briefs, with overlapping client types (foundations, local authorities, cultural institutions).
• Pollard Thomas Edwards: London practice with comparable scale and portfolio overlap in housing, education, and public realm — particularly on estate regeneration and council-commissioned projects, paralleling DSDHA's Sure Start and children's centre work.
• Haworth Tompkins: Mid-sized London practice with strong cultural and theatre portfolios (e.g., Young Vic, Royal Court, National Theatre) and similar focus on sustainable retrofit — directly comparable to DSDHA's cultural and adaptive-reuse work.
• 6a architects: London-based architecture practice of similar scale with parallel specialism in cultural buildings, galleries, and education projects (e.g., South London Gallery, Horniman Museum), making it the closest comparable peer in size, sector focus, and design-led ethos.
• Feilden Fowles: RIBA Stirling Prize-winning London practice of comparable scale with parallel interests in cultural buildings, education, and sustainable construction (e.g., Weston Park Museum, Battersea Power Station phases), making it a strong award-comparable peer.

Broad incumbents

• Allies and Morrison: Larger, established London practice with a much broader portfolio spanning masterplanning, education, cultural, and residential sectors. Overlaps on cultural infrastructure and education but with significantly greater scale and a broader client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/dsdha
• Instagraminstagram.com/dsdha_architecture

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 DSDHA