About us

da Architects Ltd was originally established as Donaldson Architects, run by practitioner Ian Donaldson. In 2007, the practice was taken over by Sam Nicholson and George Fekkes, who subsequently rebranded the company as da Architects Ltd.

da Architects is an architectural practice with offices in Armagh and Larne, Northern Ireland. The firm works closely with clients across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, providing architectural services across a wide geographic area.

The practice offers a full architectural service in both the public sector, operating under NEC contracts, and the private sector, working with JCT contracts.

da Architects Ltd delivers a diverse range of high-quality projects, including residential extensions, bespoke dwellings, social housing developments, schools, community centres, hotels, conservation and restoration projects, as well as large-scale industrial factories. This wide portfolio of work reflects the firm’s extensive experience and its continued commitment to delivering high-standard architectural design.

Sam Nicholson

George Fekkes

Sam Nicholson

A Chartered Architect with over 25 years of design experience, he is a certified assessor and a Grade 2 Conservation Architect, bringing extensive expertise in both contemporary design and heritage conservation. As a Director of da Architects Ltd, based in the Armagh office, he plays a key leadership role within the practice. He shares responsibility for the delivery of all design packages, contract administration, and project supervision, ensuring that projects are carried out to a high professional standard from concept through to completion. In addition to his project responsibilities, he has sole responsibility for the financial management of the practice, overseeing the firm’s financial performance and ensuring the effective operation and long-term sustainability of the business.

George Fekkes

A practitioner with over 32 years of design experience, he is a Principal Designer and Conservation Architect with extensive knowledge across a wide range of architectural projects. He originally began his career working with Ian Donaldson Architects as a practitioner, where he gained valuable professional experience before becoming a Partner at Donaldson Architects. Following the evolution of the practice, he is now a Director of da Architects Ltd, based in the Larne office. In this role, he contributes significant expertise in design development, project delivery, and conservation work, supporting the practice in delivering high-quality architectural solutions across a diverse portfolio of projects.