About Our Architectural Practice in Sussex

About Us

Experience and Precision

DA Design is a design-led practice working throughout the South East, creating refined architectural solutions for residential and mixed-use projects, with particular expertise in Sussex, Surrey, and London. From considered alterations and extensions to carefully curated multi-unit developments, we approach each commission with the same attention to detail and care, as if it were our own.

Our ethos is encapsulated in our guiding principle: Rooted in Balance. Designed for Life. Every decision we make throughout the design and delivery process is considered with care and precision, ensuring that the spaces we create are both elegant and practical. Designed for Life reflects our commitment to architecture that is enduring, timeless, and crafted to be lived in and enjoyed for generations.

Led by Courtney Darby, DA Design works alongside a trusted network of engineers, consultants, and specialist advisors who share his commitment to quality and clarity. This ensures every project benefits from proven expertise, coordinated technical delivery, and a consistently high standard of design.

“Every project begins with listening and ends with architecture that endures.”

Meet The Team

Courtney Darby

Principal / Director

Courtney is an Architectural Technologist and CIAT affiliate member with over a decade of experience delivering residential and mixed use projects across the South East and London. He graduated with honors from the University of Northampton in 2014 and has worked in private practice on a wide range of schemes, from sensitive home extensions to complex multi unit developments.

“Good architecture is quiet, but never passive.”

Gino

Head of Security & Sunspot Strategy

With a calm demeanour and a strategic eye for comfort, Gino takes his role seriously – whether it’s monitoring the front window or claiming the warmest patch of floor. He brings a steady presence to the studio and a quiet confidence that sets the tone for the day.

“If it’s not sunlit, it’s not worth sitting on.”

Nico

Director of Distraction & Morale

With impeccable timing and a flair for mischief, Nico ensures the studio never takes itself too seriously. Equal parts curious and cuddly, he’s a reminder that good design should always make space for joy.

“Deadlines are flexible. Naps are not.”

A Life Of Balance

Outside the studio, Courtney maintains a structured lifestyle shaped by fitness and time spent with his two dogs, Gino and Nico. His design sensibilities lean toward minimalism, with a particular appreciation for Japandi (a fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian principles that values simplicity, natural materials, and quiet elegance).

Having travelled across the USA, Europe, Egypt, Thailand, and the Middle East, Courtney brings a global awareness to his work, with a deep respect for architecture that’s well considered, regardless of style or scale.

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