SWA Group

What SWA Group does

SWA Group is a global landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm founded in 1973 and headquartered in Sausalito, California. It has operated as a 100% employee-owned company under an ESOP structure since inception, organized today as eight independent studios in the United States (Dallas, Houston, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, New York/SWA-Balsley, San Francisco, Sausalito) and Shanghai, China. The firm is led by Co-CEOs Gerdo Aquino and David Thompson, with studio-level managing principals, and pursues enterprise field sales targeting institutional clients including universities, government entities, real estate developers, healthcare systems, and hospitality operators, with projects won through design competitions, RFPs, and long-standing client relationships.

The firm's core offering is fee-based professional services across landscape architecture, urban design, and master planning, with no distinct software products or branded product lines. Underlying design methodology centers on a published Climate Action Plan, Carbon Positive Design (used on projects such as World Trade Center Seoul, which projects 1,936 tons of atmospheric CO2 sequestration over 60 years), and applied techniques such as the Miyawaki Method for fast-growing urban forests. Marquee projects include Stanford University campus work spanning nearly 300 projects since 1980, California Academy of Sciences' 2.5-acre living roof with Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Halperin Park in Dallas, Hunter's Point South Park in New York, World Trade Center Seoul, Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, and Walmart's 350-acre global headquarters in Arkansas.

Revenue is generated through negotiated project-based professional fees and is not publicly disclosed. Geographic footprint covers the US, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Mexico, supported by an international ecosystem of architectural partners (Heatherwick Studio, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Tadao Ando, Perkins+Will, HKS, Steinberg Hart, Olson Kundig, Junglim Architecture, Seo-Ahn Landscape Architecture) and active participation in industry bodies such as ASLA and ULI.

Name

SWA Group

Legal name

SWA Group

Website

https://swagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

SWA Group is a 100% employee-owned landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm operating eight studios across the US and Shanghai. It serves universities, governments, healthcare systems, and developers through design competitions and long-term institutional engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Urban design planning
• Campus master planning
• Waterfront public realm
• Sustainable landscape design

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Landscape Architecture: Fee-based professional services for landscape architecture, urban design, and planning projects. Revenue is generated through design fees, master planning engagements, and implementation services for institutional, civic, and commercial clients worldwide.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SWA Group is a global landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm that designs parks, plazas, waterfronts, campuses, and public-realm projects for institutional, civic, and commercial clients. The firm operates as eight independent studios across the US and China, delivering master plans, site design, and climate-resilient landscape interventions as fee-based professional services. It has been 100% employee-owned since 1973 and is led by Co-CEOs Gerdo Aquino and David Thompson.

Product overview

SWA Group is a global landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm operating as eight independent studios. Their core offering is professional design services organized by geography rather than product lines—each studio (Dallas, Houston, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Sausalito, Shanghai) provides landscape architecture, urban design, and planning services. Projects span parks and public spaces, waterfronts, campus planning, urban districts, and mixed-use developments. There are no distinct software products, modules, or branded product offerings—only service offerings in design and planning disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture Services SWA Group's primary service offering, encompassing the design, planning, and implementation of outdoor spaces including parks, plazas, waterfronts, trail systems, and public-realm projects worldwide. Delivered to institutional, civic, healthcare, hospitality, and commercial clients through eight independent studios.
• Urban Design Services Strategic design services for urban districts, corridors, and city-scale planning that integrate density, mobility, and public-space frameworks. Includes projects such as Alief Neighborhood Center & Park and Halperin Park cap-park design.
• Planning Services Comprehensive planning services including campus master plans (e.g., Stanford, UC San Diego, Cal Poly), resilient city strategies, and long-term development frameworks for institutional and public-sector clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Halperin Park projected to attract 2M+ annual visitors and generate $1B+ economic impact over 5 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• Korea International Trade Association (KITA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025KITA selected SWA through an international design competition to lead the landscape architecture for World Trade Center Seoul's major public realm redesign. SWA will design a 36-acre urban forest and public spaces as the primary landscape architect for one of Asia's preeminent convention venues.
• Junglim ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Local architecture lead for the World Trade Center Seoul redevelopment project. Junglim Architecture is collaborating with SWA on the overall campus redesign including the public realm and urban forest.
• Seo-Ahn Landscape ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Local landscape architecture lead for World Trade Center Seoul project, working alongside SWA as the primary landscape architect for the 36-acre public realm redesign.
• Heatherwick StudioflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Commissioned as architect of a new exhibition hall façade at World Trade Center Seoul. Heatherwick Studio works in close collaboration with SWA and other teams on this landmark project targeting 2029 completion.
• Carbon Positive DesignsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025SWA worked with Carbon Positive Design for initial carbon calculations on the World Trade Center Seoul project, which projects 1,936 tons of atmospheric CO2 sequestration over 60 years.
• Southern Gateway Public Green FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Led public-private partnership for Halperin Park project in Dallas, collaborating with City of Dallas and Texas Department of Transportation to deliver the cap park spanning I-35E that reconnects the Oak Cliff community.
• Renzo Piano Building WorkshopflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SWA worked alongside Renzo Piano on the California Academy of Sciences redesign, leading site landscape architecture and designing the 2.5-acre living roof.
• Tadao AndoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SWA provided site design extending Tadao Ando's formal language into the landscape for Universidad de Monterrey's Centro Roberto Garza Sada, completed in 2013.
• HKScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Dallas-based architectural firm leading the Halperin Park project alongside SWA. HKS and SWA collaborated as the design team for this major cap park reconnecting communities divided by highway construction.
• Steinberg HartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Project architect for Cal Poly Student Housing Program with SWA providing landscape architecture. The program features 4,100 beds across nine strategically positioned buildings.
• Olson KundigsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Architecture firm for Center for Advanced Studies in Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford, with SWA providing landscape architecture for the 1,700-square-foot facility completed in 2024.
• Perkins+WillcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Architecture firm for multiple SWA collaborations including UC San Diego Theatre District and Health Sciences Building, and Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• James Corner Field Operations: New York-based landscape architecture and urban design firm known for the High Line and similar high-profile public realm projects. Directly comparable to SWA in scale, clientele (cities, developers, institutions), and design competition-driven business model.
• Sasaki Associates: Massachusetts-based planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture firm with similar higher education and waterfront portfolios. Closely comparable in multidisciplinary design services and institutional client base.
• OLIN: Philadelphia-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm serving cultural, educational, and civic clients. Comparable in size, project scale, and award-winning portfolio focus.
• Hood Design Studio: Oakland-based landscape architecture and urban design practice. Comparable in West Coast civic and cultural project focus, though smaller in scale than SWA.
• LandDesign: Charlotte-based landscape architecture, civil engineering, and urban design firm. Directly comparable as a multi-office landscape architecture firm serving institutional, commercial, and public sector clients.
• MIG: Berkeley-based planning, design, and communications firm specializing in public engagement, parks, and civic projects. Comparable in California public realm work and multidisciplinary planning services.

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a substantial landscape architecture and urban design practice. Competes on integrated capital project delivery and represents a much larger-scale, publicly listed incumbent.
• Stantec: Canadian-based global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with a landscape architecture practice. Represents a broader AEC incumbent that competes on bundled service delivery.
• HDR: Global architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with landscape architecture capabilities, particularly in healthcare and campus markets. Overlaps with SWA in healthcare system and institutional client work.

Emerging players

• West 8: Rotterdam-based international landscape architecture and urban design firm with a strong portfolio of waterfronts and public realm projects. Comparable in design competition wins and international civic project scope, though based in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/swagroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swa-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/swagroup
• Xx.com/swagroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SWA Group