OLIN
OLIN is a Philadelphia-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm serving government, cultural institutions, and corporate clients across the U.S. and internationally through competitive RFPs and direct commissions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What OLIN does
OLIN is a Philadelphia-headquartered landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm founded in 1976 by Robert Hannah and Laurie Olin. The practice operates as a private partnership (Olin Partnership Ltd.) with offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago, employing 101–250 people across project-based design commissions spanning parks, waterfronts, public plazas, campuses, and regional infrastructure. Core offerings include Landscape Architecture Services (site analysis through post-occupancy evaluation), Urban Design, and Planning Services (park needs assessments, climate resilience planning, regional infrastructure master plans), supplemented by the OLIN Labs research practice, which develops frameworks such as the OLIN Climate Action Plan.
The firm generates revenue through professional services fees on competitive government RFPs and direct institutional and corporate commissions. Customer mix spans municipal and state parks departments (City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, State of New York, City of Hoboken, Portland Parks and Recreation), cultural institutions (Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Carnegie Hall, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, Folger Shakespeare Library), and enterprise clients (Google Bay View Campus, Shanghai Vanke). Notable commissions include the 51-mile LA River Master Plan Update (2022), ResilienCity Park in Hoboken (2023), Google Bay View's LEED Platinum 20-acre landscape, and the 2025 City of LA Park Needs Assessment covering 16,000+ acres.
OLIN's go-to-market is enterprise field sales conducted through RFP processes for public sector work and direct commissions for private clients, supported by an ecosystem of strategic partners including Gehry Partners, KieranTimberlake, Scenic Hudson, River LA, Arup, and Janet Echelman. The firm is governed by a multi-generational partner-owned model, with March 2026 leadership transition to co-CEOs Tiffany Beamer and Richard Roark (Lucinda Sanders moving to Board Chair), and has earned 20+ industry recognitions including ASLA National awards, an AIA National Honor Award, and TIME's World's Greatest Places.
OLIN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OLIN
- Legal name
- Olin Partnership Ltd.
- Website
- https://theolinstudio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- OLIN is a Philadelphia-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm serving government, cultural institutions, and corporate clients across the U.S. and internationally through competitive RFPs and direct commissions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where OLIN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
OLIN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Landscape Architecture: OLIN generates revenue through fees for landscape architecture, urban design, and planning services on public and private projects. Revenue is project-based, earned through consulting fees for design, planning, and implementation services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
OLIN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OLIN is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm that delivers comprehensive design services across site analysis, master planning, design development, construction documentation, and post-occupancy evaluation. The firm serves government agencies, cultural institutions, and corporate clients on parks, waterfronts, public plazas, campuses, and regional infrastructure projects, supported by an in-house research practice (OLIN Labs) focused on climate action, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions.
Product overview
OLIN is a landscape architecture and urban design studio offering a unified portfolio of design and planning services. The core offerings include Landscape Architecture Services, Urban Design, and Planning Services. The firm also operates OLIN Labs as its research practice component, which develops specialized offerings such as the Climate Action Plan framework. OLIN serves diverse project types including parks, waterfronts, public plazas, institutional campuses, residential developments, and regional infrastructure projects across multiple geographic markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OLIN Labs: The research practice component of OLIN, serving as a conduit between academia and practice. Hosts programming aligned with global Climate Week, drives climate action initiatives, and incubates multiple initiatives advancing discrete climate themes.
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture Services Comprehensive landscape architecture design services covering site analysis, master planning, design development, construction documentation, and post-occupancy evaluation. Serves parks, public spaces, waterfronts, campuses, and urban environments for government, institutional, and corporate clients.
- Urban Design Urban design services focused on creating cohesive public realms, streetscapes, and mixed-use developments that integrate ecological systems, social infrastructure, and human experience for municipalities, developers, and institutional clients.
- Planning Services Strategic planning services including comprehensive infrastructure master plans, park needs assessments, climate resilience planning, and regional planning initiatives for government and institutional clients.
- Climate Action Planning Climate action planning services committed to achieving zero-emissions in landscape architecture by 2040, incorporating carbon reduction strategies, sustainable materials sourcing, and nature-based solutions integrated into project practice for clients pursuing climate and resilience goals.
Quantifiable outcome
- ResilienCity Park stores at least 1 million gallons of stormwater
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use OLIN
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
OLIN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
OLIN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
34 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GooglecoreClient and strategic partner for Google Bay View Campus - a 20-acre resilient landscape achieving LEED Platinum and pursuing Living Building Challenge certification.
- GWWO ArchitectsminorArchitecture subconsultant for High Falls State Park Framework Plan project.
- Chiuten Trowbridge Landscape Architects DPCminorLandscape architecture subconsultant for High Falls State Park project.
- Highland Planning LLCcoreLocal planning partner for High Falls State Park in Rochester, part of the ROC The Riverway initiative.
- BiohabitatsminorEcological consulting subconsultant for High Falls State Park project.
- TYLinminorEngineering subconsultant for High Falls State Park project.
- Mott MacDonaldminorEngineering subconsultant for High Falls State Park project.
- The LiRo GroupcoreEngineering and consulting partner for High Falls State Park project, part of ROC The Riverway initiative.
- Kounkuey Design InitiativecoreSubconsultant on City of LA Park Needs Assessment project, bringing design initiative expertise to the comprehensive park evaluation effort.
- Geosyntec ConsultantscoreSubconsultant providing technical expertise for LA Park Needs Assessment and LA River Master Plan Update, specializing in environmental and water-related consulting.
- HR&A AdvisorscoreSubconsultant on LA Park Needs Assessment providing economic and financial advisory services for parks funding analysis.
- Estolano AdvisorsminorSubconsultant providing strategic advisory services for the LA Park Needs Assessment project.
- The Robert GroupminorSubconsultant providing community engagement and outreach expertise for the LA Park Needs Assessment.
- Agency: ArtifactminorSubconsultant providing creative agency services for the LA Park Needs Assessment.
- Better World GroupminorSubconsultant for LA Park Needs Assessment providing sustainability and environmental services.
- GreenInfo NetworkminorSubconsultant providing geographic information systems and mapping services for the LA Park Needs Assessment.
- Scenic HudsoncoreKey partner organization for Sojourner Truth State Park Framework Plan, the 520-acre Hudson River park project in Ulster County, NY.
- eDesign DynamicsminorHabitat assessment, stormwater and ecological design consultant for Sojourner Truth State Park.
- HudsoniaminorHabitat assessment consultant for Sojourner Truth State Park project.
- PennPraxisminorHeritage consulting for Sojourner Truth State Park project.
- Scenic HudsoncoreStrategic partner for ResilienCity Park project in Hoboken, NJ - the city's largest park featuring stormwater storage infrastructure.
- Gehry PartnerscoreStrategic design partner collaborating with OLIN and Geosyntec on the LA River Master Plan Update, providing architectural vision for the 51-mile corridor reimagining.
- Street Level AdvisorsminorSubconsultant providing street-level expertise for the LA River Master Plan Update.
- River LAcoreStrategic partner organization collaborating on the LA River Master Plan Update for reimagining the 51-mile river corridor.
- ECo Design StudiocoreDesign studio partner for Caño Martín Peña Comprehensive Infrastructure Master Plan in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- ArcadiscoreEngineering and consulting partner for Caño Martín Peña Comprehensive Infrastructure Master Plan.
- eDesign DynamicsminorEngineering dynamics consultant for Caño Martín Peña project.
- KieranTimberlakecoreArchitecture firm that crafted the iconic arched glass headhouses and cafe for Dilworth Park at Philadelphia's City Hall.
- Janet EchelmancoreWorld-renowned artist who created 'Pulse' - the dramatic kinetic public artwork for Dilworth Park using mist and light.
- Urban EngineerscorePrime consultant for Dilworth Park project, providing engineering and project management for the park built atop Philadelphia's transit system.
- Overland PartnerscoreArchitect partner for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens master plan, collaborating on the comprehensive botanical garden design.
- ARUPcoreEngineering partner providing structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, AV/IT and acoustic engineering for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
- Kimley HornminorCivil and site structural engineering consultant for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens project.
- Portland Parks and RecreationcoreClient and strategic partner for Simon and Helen Director Park - the transformation of a parking lot into a vibrant urban piazza.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
OLIN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- James Corner Field Operations: New York-based landscape architecture and urban design firm with a comparable portfolio of high-profile public realm projects (e.g., High Line, Freshkills Park). Closest direct peer to OLIN in scale, project type, and municipal client base.
- SWA Group: Large landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with offices across the U.S. and Asia. Comparable to OLIN in project scale, parks/waterfront portfolio, and award-winning public-sector work.
- Sasaki Associates: Boston-based planning, design, and landscape architecture practice with comparable multi-disciplinary master-planning capabilities and similar municipal/institutional client mix to OLIN.
- Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates: Brooklyn-based landscape architecture firm renowned for major parks (Brooklyn Bridge Park, Maggie Daley Park). Comparable to OLIN in signature public-park design and award recognition.
- Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects: Landscape architecture firm with comparable work in civic parks, cultural institutions, and ecological restoration; similar project scale and award profile to OLIN.
- Hargreaves Associates: San Francisco-based landscape architecture practice with parallel portfolio in waterfronts, parks, and campus master plans; similar public-sector focus and design reputation.
- Andropogon Associates: Philadelphia-based ecological landscape architecture firm with comparable focus on environmental planning, stormwater, and native planting design in the Mid-Atlantic region.
- Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects: Mid-sized landscape architecture firm with parallel work in civic plazas, parks, and cultural landscapes; comparable in scale and client segments to OLIN.
Broad incumbents
- Snøhetta: Multidisciplinary architecture, landscape, and design firm working on similar cultural and public realm projects. Comparable in prestige but broader in scope and significantly larger than OLIN.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a large landscape architecture practice that competes on bundled, large-scale master-planning and infrastructure RFPs alongside OLIN.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
OLIN social profiles
Digital presenceOLIN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OLIN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
OLIN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OLIN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OLIN
What does OLIN do?
OLIN is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm that delivers comprehensive design services across site analysis, master planning, design development, construction documentation, and post-occupancy evaluation. The firm serves government agencies, cultural institutions, and corporate clients on parks, waterfronts, public plazas, campuses, and regional infrastructure projects, supported by an in-house research practice (OLIN Labs) focused on climate action, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions.
Is OLIN a public or private company?
OLIN is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was OLIN founded?
OLIN was founded in 1976. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is OLIN based?
OLIN is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does OLIN make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services - Landscape Architecture.
Who are OLIN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are James Corner Field Operations, SWA Group, Sasaki Associates, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, Hargreaves Associates, Andropogon Associates and Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects. Broad incumbents are Snøhetta and AECOM.
Does OLIN have an API?
No public API is recorded for OLIN.