ABOUT ME
Capital A is run by me, Níall Hedderman. Originally from Ireland, I trained at the University of Dundee, where I focused on contemporary and sustainable design. After graduating in 2004, I worked at a number of Architecture practices in Edinburgh, where I gained experience on projects in a variety of sectors, from schools and healthcare to commercial offices and listed buildings.
I started Capital A in Edinburgh in 2009 and I have always worked alone, specialising in contemporary house extensions and modern interiors. Over the years I built a reputation for delivering complex projects on challenging sites.
In 2012 I moved to Fife with my family but continued to focus on the Edinburgh market, which makes up the majority of my work.
Why is the practice called Capital A?
For two reasons;
One, people sometimes struggle to pronounce my name, so calling the practice after myself might cause issues.
Two, I believe that if someone values good design in buildings, they want to make Architecture with a capital A
I only take on a small number of projects every year, typically 4 - 8 jobs so that I can focus on delivering a high standard of design to all my clients. My work has been recognised as being of the highest quality by the RIAS, The Scottish Design Awards and Urban Realm Magazine, who have included Capital A among their Top 100 Architects in Scotland seven times, including 2024. See all the details on the Awards page.
Content Creator
I run a separate consultancy called Real Life Architecture which has a growing following on social media and offers advice about altering or extending homes across the UK. I talk about issues around altering and extending homes and offer online consultations to homeowners anywhere in the UK.