The Design Collective Architects

What The Design Collective Architects does

The Design Collective Architects (legally TDC Architects Ltd) is a UK-headquartered architectural practice founded in 2016 by Chris Shearman and Richard Bailey, specialising in care home and retirement living design. The firm operates from its headquarters at 13 Museum Street, York, with a second office in Melbourne, Australia led by Senior Architect Gwilym McGivern. Across its two offices the practice deploys approximately fifteen professionals spanning architectural design, architectural technology, interior design, 3D visualisation, and project management roles, holding professional credentials with RIBA, ARB, and CIAT.

The firm's core offering is end-to-end architectural services for healthcare and senior-living developers: feasibility studies, planning applications, detailed design, refurbishment and remodelling (including conservation work on listed buildings), and project management. Its 3D visualisation capability is delivered in-house through a dedicated visualiser and is positioned as a presentation and design communication tool rather than a software product. The firm has completed over 200 developments and holds four Pinder's/Healthcare Design Awards, with sustained recognition into 2025 and 2026 across Best New Care Home, Best Interior Design, and luxury care home shortlists. Dementia-friendly design expertise and BREEAM-rated sustainability delivery are recurring specialisations.

Commercially, the firm operates as a private, founder-owned professional services practice with no external capital and no public revenue disclosure. Revenue is generated through project-based, one-time fees negotiated per engagement, with go-to-market executed via direct, consultative B2B engagement with care home developers, retirement living operators, and healthcare property investors. Targeted segments are care homes (dementia-friendly environments for elderly residents) and retirement living communities (luxury combined with accessibility). The customer base spans private and public healthcare property investors across England and Australia, with a current planning pipeline spanning at least nine UK locations.

Name

The Design Collective Architects

Legal name

TDC Architects Ltd

Website

https://tdc-arch.design

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Design Collective Architects is a York-headquartered, founder-owned UK architectural practice specialising in care home and retirement living design, delivering feasibility, planning, detailed design, and project management services to healthcare property developers across England and Australia, with 200+ completed projects and four industry design awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Whole-Home Interior Renovation (Non-Structural) (HSAPAEAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Care home design
• Retirement living design
• Healthcare architecture
• 3D visualization services

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Services: Comprehensive architectural services from feasibility studies and planning applications through to detailed design and project management. Includes refurbishment, remodelling, and conservation work on listed buildings. Revenue is project-based, one-time fees for each engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Design Collective Architects provides comprehensive architectural design services for care homes and retirement living developments, spanning feasibility studies, planning applications, detailed design, and project management. The practice also delivers refurbishment, remodelling, and conservation services for listed buildings, supported by in-house 3D visualization capabilities for project presentations and design communication.

Product overview

The Design Collective Architects is a national award-winning architectural practice offering a unified suite of architectural design services. The core offering consists of comprehensive architectural services (feasibility studies, planning applications, detailed design, and project management) with specialisations in Care Home Design and Retirement Living Design. Additional offerings include Refurbishment & Remodelling Services for listed buildings and Planning Projects for upcoming developments. The practice has completed over 200 developments and holds expertise spanning commercial, residential, healthcare, restoration, and international projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Comprehensive architectural services spanning feasibility studies, planning applications, detailed design, and project management for care homes, retirement living, and other development projects. Delivered to care home developers, retirement living operators, and healthcare property investors.
• Care Home Design
• Retirement Living Design
• Refurbishment and Remodelling Services
• 3D Visualisation Services
• Planning Project Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 developments completed since 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Benoy: International architectural and design firm with mixed-use, retail, and hospitality focus but some healthcare exposure. Larger and broader than TDC; relevant as a broader incumbent that could expand into care homes.
• IBI Group (Arcadis IBI): Large global design and engineering firm with a dedicated healthcare practice serving hospital and senior living clients. Competes with TDC on larger care home and retirement schemes, though TDC's niche focus is tighter.

Direct peers

• CDA Architects (formerly Cowper Griffiths Davies): UK architectural practice widely recognized for healthcare and care village design, particularly for older people. Closely comparable to TDC in sector specialization, project type, and UK market focus.
• PRP Architects: Long-established UK architectural practice with a major healthcare and residential portfolio, including care homes, extra-care, and retirement living. Most direct UK competitor to TDC in the care home architecture segment, with deeper resources but a broader portfolio.
• Leach Rhodes Walker Architects: UK architectural practice with experience across residential, healthcare, and care-related projects. Comparable in geography and partial overlap in healthcare/residential typologies relevant to retirement living.
• 3DReid: UK architectural practice delivering residential, care, and mixed-use schemes including senior living. Comparable in size tier, UK focus, and overlap with TDC's care and residential segments.
• Pozzoni Architecture: UK architectural practice with significant healthcare, retirement, and extra-care sector work. Comparable to TDC in healthcare design focus and UK care home client base.
• Gilling Dod Partnership: UK architectural firm with deep specialization in care homes, retirement living, and healthcare projects. Directly comparable to TDC in vertical focus, geography, and project scale.

Regional players

• White Arkitekter: Swedish architectural firm with deep expertise in healthcare and senior living design across the Nordics. Comparable in eldercare typology and dementia-friendly design approach, though primarily regional.
• C.F. Møller Architects: Scandinavian architectural practice with substantial healthcare and eldercare portfolio across the Nordics and selected international markets. Relevant peer for the architectural approach and care home typology; geographic competition is limited.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tdc-architects

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Design Collective Architects