Spindogs!

By helping our clients realise their aspirations, we have built a strong reputation for the successful delivery of innovative, stimulating and responsible designs across a wide range of sectors.

Professional delivery, technical performance and users’ wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. From inception to completion, the team at Rio has the confidence and ability to draw on significant expertise across different building types, balancing flair and adventurousness tempered by rigour and restraint.

Our passion for collaborative design means that the people in our offices across the UK can combine their knowledge and skills to produce fully-integrated design solutions that are exciting, yet affordable.

Adding value is a key ingredient of Rio’s culture and forms the backbone to our service. By analysing the key aspects of a project, we can achieve best value as well as a balance between aesthetic and technical concerns. It is this focus on quality that has won the practice many prestigious awards.

 

Culture

We promote a culture where project ownership is shared and everyone is appreciated, allowing teams to work towards the common goal of delivering quality schemes whilst building long, rewarding and successful careers.

Our philosophy for “exceeding expectations” is made possible by strong cultural values - values that encourage every individual within our company to realise their potential. Our aim is for all staff to see that working for Rio is exciting, interesting and rewarding. We are driven by a creative culture that has knowledge expansion, personal expression, inclusivity and “having fun” at its core.

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Our Team

In order to ensure consistency and personal service, the same core team, with the right blend of skills, enthusiasm and knowledge, sees a project through from beginning to end.

Our strength lies in our exciting mix of motivated, highly skilled and dedicated people drawn from a range of different backgrounds. A blend of ages combines new ways of thinking with experience within a workplace environment where everyone is encouraged to contribute.

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Awards

“Rio Architects' inspiring building design sets a quality benchmark for the one-million-square-feet regenerative development of this neglected city area. Completed in March 2016 and fully let within six months, the facility raises the bar for office design in Wales and has captured the imagination of the city.”

Judges comment National RICS Awards 2017 for One Central Square

 

View our Awards

2023
Education Building Wales Award
Winner - Inspiring Learning Places
STEAM Academy, Pencoed
Education Building Wales Award
Finalist - Project of the Year - Colleges & Universities
STEAM Academy, Pencoed
Tidy Wales Awards
Beautiful Coasts
Finalist
Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards
Finalist - Project of the Year
Live Oasis St Albans Place, Leeds
2022
BCO S.Wales & S.England
Shortlisted - Fit Out of Workplace
Geldards Law Firm, Cardiff
Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards
Shortlisted - Building Project of the Year
STEAM Academy
RICS UK Awards 2022
Shortlisted - Refurbishment / Revitalisation Project of the Year (Wales)
Geldards Law Firm, Cardiff
RICS UK Awards 2022
Shortlisted - Public Sector Category
STEAM Academy
RICS UK Awards 2022
Winner - Community Benefit Category
STEAM Academy
Constructing Excellence East Midlands Awards
Shortlisted - Building Project of the Year
Luxurio
Wales Business Awards
Workplace Wellbeing Award
Finalist
Education Estates Awards
Winner - Project of the Year - Colleges
STEAM Academy
Cardiff Property Awards
Architect of the Year Award
Finalist
Cardiff Property Awards
Employer of the Year Award
Finalist
2019
BCO S.Wales & S.England
Finalist - Refurbished Recycled Workplace
ALUK HQ, Chepstow
RICS Wales Awards
Winner - Residential Category
Bridge Street Exchange
RICS Wales Awards
Shortlisted - Commercial Category
ALUK HQ, Chepstow
RICS Wales Awards
Shortlisted - Regeneration Category
NPTCG Sixth Form Academy Hub
Insider Wales Property Awards
Shortlisted - Workplace Design of the Year
Care for the Family
Education Buildings Wales Awards
Winner - Pupil/Student Experience
NPTC Group 6th Form Academy Hub
Cardiff Business Awards
Category Winner
Financial and Professional Service Business of the Year
Cardiff Property Awards
Category Winner
Architect of the Year Award
2018
Insider Wales Property Awards
Category Winner - Best Workplace Design
ALUK HQ, Chepstow
2017
RICS Grand Final
Category Winner - Commercial Property
One Central Square, Cardiff
BCO S.Wales & S.England
Category Winner - Commercial Workplace
One Central Square, Cardiff
RICS Wales Awards
Category Winner - Commercial Property
One Central Square, Cardiff
RICS Wales Awards
Shortlisted - Tourism & Leisure
The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant
RIBA (RSAW) Awards
Shortlisted
One Central Square, Cardiff
2016
Insider Property Awards Wales
Shortlisted - Development of the Year
One Central Square, Cardiff
Insider Property Awards Wales
Shortlisted - Consultancy of the Year
Rio Architects
Cardiff Business Awards
Shortlisted - Financial & Professional Service Business of the Year
Rio Architects
2015
Wales Fast Growth 50 - 20th Year
Shortlisted - Fastest Growing Firm in Cardiff
Rio Architects
Wales Fast Growth 50 - 20th Year
Shortlisted - Fastest Growing Firm in Professional & Financial Services
Rio Architects
Insider Wales Property Awards
Category Winner - Consultancy of the Year
Rio Architects

 

We are privileged to have been shortlisted as well as receiving numerous awards and commendations for outstanding architectural and environmental design including, RIBA, RICS, BRE, BCIA, BCO, supply chain, innovation and architect of the year awards.