What Archio Ltd does

Archio Ltd is a London-based architecture practice founded in 2013 by Kyle Buchanan, specializing in housing, community-led design, and sustainable retrofit. The firm operates three integrated service lines: Homes and Neighbourhoods (full-lifecycle architectural design from concept through site delivery), Specialist Skills (co-design workshops, community engagement, housing/design strategy authoring, and bid writing), and Consultancy and Advisory (Passivhaus design with PHPP modelling, Principal Designer services under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and Building Safety Act, technical advisor and design guardian roles, and design review/policy guidance). Its core methodology is codified in two published toolkits, the Co-Design Toolkit and the Retrofit Co-Design Toolkit, which extend the practice's participatory design IP to external clients and community groups.

The practice serves four primary customer segments: UK local authorities (Westminster, Hackney, Southwark, Camden, Hounslow, plus Be First as the development vehicle for Barking and Dagenham), housing associations (Habinteg), community-led organisations (London Community Land Trust entities partnering with Citizens groups), and selected commercial developers (Landsec U+I, The Crown Estate with TOWN). Notable commissions include Citizens House (London's first purpose-built Community Land Trust, 11 homes, 2025 RIBA National Award winner), 200 Becontree Avenue (19 affordable homes on the world's largest council estate), Becontree Future House retrofit strategy (27,000 homes), Queens Park Healthy Homes (1,800-home retrofit), Lewisham Shopping Centre (119 homes), and Westwick Row (75 homes, Housing Demonstration Programme). Geographic reach spans London, South East, South West, and East of England.

Archio generates revenue through professional service fees on commissioned architectural projects, won via competitive tendering and direct appointments in the UK public and third sectors. The firm is privately held with no external funding disclosed, operates with approximately 13 staff, and holds ISO 9001 quality management accreditation. Its go-to-market is relationship-based, supported by thought leadership (toolkits, Dezeen Top 50 ranking, RIBA and Housing Design Awards), with the practice positioned as a UK leader in social housing architecture and community-led co-design.

Name

Archio Ltd

Legal name

Archio Ltd

Website

https://archio.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Archio Ltd is a London-based architecture practice providing design, co-design, and consultancy services for UK social housing, community-led developments, and sustainable retrofit. It serves local authorities, housing associations, community land trusts, and select developers through commissioned architectural projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Residential Building Construction (2361)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB), Full Gut Renovation (Studs-Out Remodel) (HSAPAEAA), Accessibility & Universal Design Consulting (HSABAJAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Social housing architecture
• Community-led design
• Sustainable retrofit design
• Passivhaus housing design

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Archio generates revenue through providing architectural design services across the full project lifecycle, from early concept through to delivery of homes on site. Services include designing homes, neighbourhoods, running workshops, co-designing, and creative strategies. Revenue is project-based, earned through professional service fees for architectural commissions.
2. Consultancy and Advisory Services: Specialist advisory services including Passivhaus design, Technical Advisor/Design Guardian roles, Principal Designer services under CDM and Building Safety Act, design review and policy guidance. These professional consulting services complement core architectural work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Archio is an architecture practice delivering full-lifecycle design of homes, mixed-use housing, neighbourhoods, feasibility studies, technical packages, and retrofit design and strategy for social and affordable housing projects. The practice combines core architectural services with specialist co-design, community engagement, and workshop facilitation, alongside Passivhaus design, technical advisory, Principal Designer services, and policy/design guidance.

Product overview

Archio is an architecture practice offering a unified service focused on housing design and community-led development. The core offering consists of three integrated service streams: Homes and Neighbourhoods (architectural design from concept to delivery), Specialist Skills (co-design, community engagement, and strategic advisory), and Consultancy Services (Passivhaus design, technical advisory, and design review). The practice differentiates through its Co-Design Toolkit and Retrofit Co-Design Toolkit—practical methodology resources that consolidate their collaborative design expertise for use by clients and community groups. Projects range from small infill sites to large housing masterplans, with particular specialisation in retrofit strategies for existing estates and community-led housing development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Co-Design Toolkit: A practical resource consolidating Archio's experience in co-design processes to demystify community engagement and enable clients and community groups to benefit from collaborative design approaches.
• Retrofit Co-Design Toolkit

Quantifiable outcome

• Citizens House achieved £3,748/sqm cost efficiency while winning multiple awards including RIBA London Award, RIBA National Award, and London Client of the Year 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Future of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-design consultants working alongside Archio on the Queens Park Healthy Homes project, supporting resident engagement and retrofit strategy development for Westminster City Council.
• KSquaredcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborators on Queens Park Healthy Homes project providing expertise in the retrofit strategy development.
• HumblebeesupportingTechnology or IntegrationCollaborator on Queens Park Healthy Homes project, contributing to the technical retrofit expertise.
• Simple WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on Becontree Future House retrofit project, working on the practical implementation of retrofit strategies.
• Urban SymbioticssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on Becontree Future House project, contributing urban design expertise to the retrofit strategy.
• Studio ONBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaborator on Morris Blitz Passivhaus social housing project in Hackney.
• XCO2supportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnical consultant on Morris Blitz project, providing energy modelling and sustainability expertise for Passivhaus certification.
• Mole ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with Archio on Westwick Row project, with Mole leading the design of neighbouring build-to-rent homes while Archio leads co-housing community design.
• PeriscopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMasterplanners on Westwick Row project with The Crown Estate and TOWN, refining the masterplan and landscape while coordinating engagement activities.
• Studio Egret WestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead masterplanners on Lewisham Shopping Centre project working alongside Archio's detailed plot design.
• MaesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the design team on Lewisham Shopping Centre masterplan.
• Studio MultisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the design team on Lewisham Shopping Centre masterplan.
• DK:CMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborators with Archio on Hounslow Housing Quality Vision Statement, developing the framework for assessing housing quality.
• Periscope ArchitectssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Phoenix Cohousing project providing architectural expertise.
• William Hardie DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTimber construction partner on Flower Kiosk project, designing and building the distinctive timber structure.
• EtudesupportingTechnology or IntegrationSustainability consultants on Susan Road project, collaborating on Passivhaus design standards.
• Community Led Homes LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Barking and Dagenham Community-Led Housing Accelerator project, facilitating workshops and supporting the programme.
• TOWNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-housing developers and recurring partner on multiple projects including Angel Yard, Westwick Row, and Phoenix CoHousing, running competitions and commissioning Archio.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Haworth Tompkins: Established London practice with significant residential, theatre, and public-sector work. Competes with Archio on larger mixed-use and housing-led schemes though with broader sector coverage.
• Allies and Morrison: Major London practice with masterplanning, residential, and public-sector portfolio. Overlaps with Archio on regeneration and housing-led briefs but operates at substantially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Mikhail Riches: London-based architecture practice specialising in sustainable housing and Passivhaus design, with a strong social-housing portfolio and Stirling Prize credentials. Direct competitor for the same public-sector and housing-association commissions Archio targets.
• Levitt Bernstein: Long-established UK architecture practice with deep housing, regeneration, and landscape expertise. Directly comparable to Archio in social-housing design, co-design methodology, and public-sector client base, with prior common employment history for some Archio team members.
• Maccreanor Lavington: London practice focused on social housing, estate regeneration, and co-design-led community projects. Strong direct overlap with Archio in affordable housing delivery and public-sector tendering.
• Proctor & Matthews Architects: UK practice with award-winning social housing and regeneration projects, including housing association and council-led work. Direct competitor for community-led housing commissions.
• Karakusevic Carson Architects: London practice renowned for council estate regeneration and social housing masterplanning. Direct peer competing for the same London borough and housing association briefs, with overlapping expertise in co-design and community engagement.
• HTA Design: Multi-disciplinary practice with significant housing, retrofit, and regeneration expertise, particularly in residential and mixed-use schemes. Comparable scale and project typology to Archio with overlapping public-sector client list.
• PRP Architects: Large UK housing specialist practice with extensive local authority and housing association portfolio, including retrofit and estate regeneration. Comparable end markets with materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Mae Architects: Smaller London practice working on community-led housing, co-design, and masterplanning projects (including alongside Archio at Lewisham Shopping Centre). Comparable niche focus and emerging reputation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/archio-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/archio_ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Archio Ltd