What Harrison Stringfellow Architects Ltd. does

Harrison Stringfellow Architects Ltd. is a Liverpool-based RIBA Chartered architectural practice founded in 2010 by Sarah Harrison and Su Stringfellow, operating with approximately 7 staff across offices in Liverpool (headquarters at 43 Penny Lane) and Kendal in the Lake District. The practice delivers full architectural services across all RIBA Work Stages 0-7, organized into four client segments: Commercial (retail, hospitality, office fit-outs including Maray, Bunch, Utility Design, James Begley), Heritage (listed building conservation including the RIBA Crown Estate Conservation Award-winning £11m Midland Hotel Morecambe refurbishment), Community (social enterprise and nonprofit projects including Growing Sudley CIC, Park Palace Ponies, The Bronte Youth and Community Centre, National Museums Liverpool waterfront work), and Residential (homeowner extensions and refurbishments).

The practice differentiates through a community co-design methodology, Certified Passive House Design capability (Katie Beeby), and specialization in low-carbon natural materials including hempcrete, lime render, and cork flooring for sustainable retrofits. Its underlying technology is craftsmanship- and methodology-led rather than platform-based, leveraging external consultants such as Max Fordham for sustainability strategy and PLACED for community consultation. Revenue is generated entirely through project-based professional fees negotiated individually, with 90% of work sourced via referrals indicating strong organic growth rather than active marketing investment.

The practice holds B Corp certification (since 2018), is one of only 9 RIBA Practice Role Models (2024), and has won the RIBAJ MacEwen Award (2020) and BD Architect of the Year Social Impact Award (2021). Funding sources for projects include Sport England, Power to Change, National Lottery Heritage Funding, and Youth Investment Fund. Ownership is private and concentrated with the two founding directors, with no disclosed external investment, funding rounds, or parent company.

Name

Harrison Stringfellow Architects Ltd.

Legal name

Harrison Stringfellow Architects Ltd.

Website

https://harrisonstringfellow.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Liverpool-based RIBA Chartered architectural practice co-founded in 2010 by Sarah Harrison and Su Stringfellow, delivering full design services across commercial, heritage, community, and residential sectors with specialization in Passive House design, community co-design methodology, and low-carbon natural materials retrofits throughout the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable architecture
• Community architecture
• Heritage conservation
• Passive house design

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Full architectural services from briefing and feasibility through to planning, project management, construction administration and post-occupancy evaluation. Revenue generated through professional fees for design and project delivery services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Harrison Stringfellow Architects is an RIBA Chartered architectural practice delivering full architectural services across all RIBA Work Stages 0-7, from briefing and feasibility through planning, project management, construction administration to post-occupancy evaluation. The practice serves commercial, heritage, community and residential clients with specialist expertise in sustainable design, Passive House, and community co-design methodologies.

Product overview

Harrison Stringfellow Architects Ltd. is an RIBA Chartered architectural practice offering a unified portfolio of architectural design services rather than a modular software platform. The practice operates across five interconnected service categories: Commercial Architecture (retail, hospitality, office fit-outs), Heritage Architecture (listed building conservation), Community Architecture (social enterprise and nonprofit projects), Residential Architecture (homeowner projects), and specialized offerings in Passive House design and Sustainable Retrofit. All services are delivered through all RIBA Work Stages 0-7, with a holistic methodology emphasizing sustainability, community engagement, and added value. The practice is co-founded by Sarah Harrison and Su Stringfellow, based in Liverpool with a secondary office in Kendal, Lake District.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of work is through referrals, indicating exceptional client satisfaction
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Museums Liverpool (NML)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Cultural masterplan commission and multiple projects including Hartley Hut micro-museum, Sankofa Docks installation, and ongoing waterfront transformation work
• MICA ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Supporting MICA Architects and creative consultants on feasibility for transformational cultural masterplan of Museum of Liverpool and Canning Dock collection, part of National Museum's Liverpool Waterfront Transformation Project
• Growing Sudley CICcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner12+ year partnership developing social enterprise, walled garden regeneration, forest schools, holiday clubs, and Changing Rooms retrofit into wellbeing hub. HSA co-founded the organization and continues as ongoing design partner
• Howard Miller DesignmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on final garden design for Sudley Walled Garden, translating community engagement into detailed landscape design
• PLACEDmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on community consultations including The Bronte Youth Club engagement, bringing expertise in participative planning
• JA ProjectsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of multi-disciplinary team with BIG and HSA for Sankofa Docks waterfront competition and installation
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead architect on Sankofa Docks waterfront competition; HSA acted as local architect and insight within the design team
• Laura Naylor (Ceramic Artist)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLed botanical tile-making workshops with 197 community members creating 500+ tiles for Changing Rooms project
• Liverpool Architecture FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStakeholder participation in LAF 2021, hosting tours and open studio events
• Dutch ScotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative agency collaborated on developing new brand identity and font for The Bronte centre

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture: UK practice where Katie Beeby was Project Architect on a £10m Hindu Temple Hall. Similar ethos around education, community, and quality-led design; comparable practice size and project mix.
• shedKM: Liverpool-based architecture practice where HSA's Alan Ross previously served as Technical Director. Comparable in size and regional focus, with overlapping work in education and community-led projects in the North West.
• Proctor & Matthews Architects: UK practice known for community-led and social architecture with a strong track record in civic, education, and heritage projects. Closely aligned with HSA's mission-driven, community-focused positioning.
• MICA Architects: Liverpool-based architecture practice that partnered directly with HSA on the National Museums Liverpool cultural masterplan. Shares HSA's regional Liverpool/North West base and cultural/community sector focus, making it a close operational peer.
• AOC Architecture: London-based practice recognised for community, social, and education architecture. Directly comparable to HSA in sector focus (charities, community, education) and design-led approach to social impact briefs.
• Union North: Design-led practice where co-founder Su Stringfellow worked before founding HSA. Comparable design ethos and reputation for creative reuse and detailing; relevant cultural peer for talent and methodology benchmarking.
• Foster Wilson Architects: UK architecture practice where HSA's Katie Beeby worked as Project Lead on a £2m children's theatre extension. Similar practice size and focus on heritage, education, and community projects.

Broad incumbents

• Haworth Tompkins: Larger UK practice with deep portfolio in theatre, education, and community projects. Operates broadly across architectural sectors but with overlapping client types and project typologies relevant to HSA's heritage/community work.
• Allies and Morrison: Large established UK practice with significant heritage, cultural, and public-sector commissions. A broader incumbent competitor for the larger cultural and heritage projects HSA is increasingly targeting.
• Donald Insall Associates: Specialist heritage conservation architecture firm operating nationally on listed and historic buildings. Overlaps with HSA's heritage practice (e.g., Midland Hotel work) and represents the type of larger specialist incumbent HSA could grow into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harrison-stringfellow-architects-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Harrison Stringfellow Architects Ltd.