CMG

What CMG does

CMG Landscape Architecture is a San Francisco-based landscape architecture and urban design firm founded in 2000. The firm provides project-based professional services across four primary verticals: government municipalities and agencies (Port of San Francisco, San Mateo County Parks), real estate developers (Tishman Speyer, Brookfield Properties), educational institutions (UC Berkeley, UCSD, The Nueva School), and technology companies (Meta, Google/YouTube). Its portfolio spans park master planning, waterfront resilience, campus design, and mixed-use urban development, with named signature projects including Mission Rock (28 acres), Mission Creek Stormwater Park, Flood Park (21-25 acres), Cityside Park on Treasure Island, and the 7.5-mile San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program.

The firm's technical differentiation centers on climate resilience, green infrastructure, stormwater management, and ecological design. Notable proprietary and methodology components include Climate Positive Design (a carbon-measurement research initiative led by Principal Pamela Conrad), the Pathfinder landscape carbon calculator (recognized with the 2021 AILA President's Award), and demonstrated stormwater systems such as the Mission Creek bioretention basins (treating runoff from 13.8 acres) and 500 County Center bioretention planters (managing 100% of site stormwater). Services are delivered through multi-year contracts won via RFP processes and direct commissions from government and institutional clients.

Revenue is generated exclusively through professional services fees on a project-based, multi-year basis, with pricing determined by scope, team requirements, and client type. The firm employs approximately 40+ professionals across principals, associate principals, senior associates, designers, marketing, and operations functions, and operates from a single headquarters at 444 Bryant Street in San Francisco's SOMA district. In 2024, the firm transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust structure, transferring ownership from founding partners Kevin Conger, Willett Moss, and Chris Guillard to employees — a structural change that signals long-term continuity over exit-driven growth.

Name

CMG

Legal name

CMG Landscape Architecture

Website

https://cmgsite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CMG Landscape Architecture is a San Francisco-based landscape architecture and urban design firm serving government agencies, real estate developers, universities, and technology companies. Founded in 2000, the employee-owned firm specializes in climate-resilient public space design, waterfront resilience, and stormwater management across the Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD), Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GI/LID) (Bioretention, Permeable Pavements, Green Roofs) (EUANAEAE), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Urban design
• Park master planning
• Waterfront resilience planning
• Green infrastructure design

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Landscape Architecture Professional Services: CMG generates revenue through project-based professional services fees for landscape architecture, urban design, and planning engagements. Projects range from park master plans to large-scale waterfront resilience programs, typically won through RFP processes or direct commissions from government agencies, developers, and institutional clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CMG Landscape Architecture is a professional services firm providing landscape architecture, urban design, and climate resilience planning for parks, public spaces, waterfronts, campuses, and mixed-use developments. The firm delivers project-based services spanning park master planning, green infrastructure and stormwater management, sea level rise adaptation, and community engagement for government agencies, developers, educational institutions, and technology companies primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Product overview

CMG Landscape Architecture is a landscape architecture and urban design studio offering a unified portfolio of design services rather than a modular software platform. The firm's core offerings span park and public space design, waterfront resilience planning, campus landscape architecture, and climate adaptation services. Key named projects include Mission Rock (28-acre waterfront neighborhood), Mission Creek Stormwater Park (green infrastructure), Flood Park (comprehensive park renovation), Cityside Park (Treasure Island promenade), San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program (7.5-mile shoreline adaptation), Gateway of Pacific (biotech campus), YouTube Campus Expansion, Civic Center Public Space Design, Potrero Power Station, and Meta Headquarters. These projects are delivered as professional design services rather than standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parks and Public Space Design

Quantifiable outcome

• Mission Creek Stormwater Park treats runoff from 13.8 acres of adjacent open space and streets, preventing flooding in Mission Bay
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• San Francisco GiantsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-phase partnership for the 28-acre Mission Rock waterfront development, creating a work-live-play district south of downtown San Francisco with pedestrian plazas, green space, and waterfront amenities.
• Port of San FranciscoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership on the Waterfront Resilience Program to adapt 7.5 miles of shoreline to sea level rise and seismic hazards, plus Mission Rock development.
• Tishman SpeyercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Mission Rock project, working alongside CMG on the public realm Master Plan and Phase I implementation.
• Brookfield PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with CMG and City of Concord to redevelop the 5,050-acre Concord Naval Weapons Station site.
• City of ConcordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to transform Concord Naval Weapons Station, with CMG providing landscape architecture and urban design services.
• San Mateo County Parks DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership on Flood Park renovation project, including Realize Flood Park community engagement and park improvement projects.
• BioMed RealtycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Gateway of Pacific 36-acre campus in South San Francisco, a biotechnology research hub with FLAD Architects since 2013.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on San Francisco Waterfront Flood Study to analyze sea level rise risks for 7.5 miles of Port jurisdiction waterfront.
• SWA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Aquatic Park project, working together on waterfront resilience and flood protection planning.
• SITELAB Urban StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-Urban Design Lead on San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program partnership.
• CH2M/ArcadiscoreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering partner on San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program, providing infrastructure analysis and design.
• EHDDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partner on Tilden Environmental Education Center project.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect on 500 County Center project, the nation's first civic building made of mass timber.
• Kengo Kuma Architects AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partner on Park Habitat project in San Jose.
• Ayers Saint GrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partner with Kevin Daly Architects and CMG on UC Berkeley xučyun ruwway Graduate Student Apartments.
• Google/YouTubecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner/developer partner on YouTube Campus Expansion in San Bruno, a 15-acre carbon positive campus.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SWA Group: SWA Group is a leading landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with a strong Bay Area / California presence and global reach. It directly competes with CMG for waterfront, park, and campus commissions (CMG already partners with SWA on Aquatic Park), making it the closest direct peer in scale, geography, and service mix.
• OLIN: OLIN is a nationally recognized landscape architecture and urban design studio with offices in Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles. It competes head-to-head with CMG for high-profile public realm, waterfront, and cultural landscape commissions for institutions, developers, and municipalities.
• Sasaki Associates: Sasaki is a multi-disciplinary design practice spanning landscape architecture, urban planning, and architecture, with deep waterfront and campus planning credentials. It competes directly with CMG on large master planning and resilience engagements and is a comparable partner for institutions like MIT and Port authorities.
• James Corner Field Operations: Field Operations is a New York-based landscape architecture and urban design firm behind High Line and other high-profile public realm projects. It competes with CMG for marquee waterfront, park, and urban design commissions, particularly on East Coast and global projects of similar scale and profile.
• Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN): GGN is a Seattle-based landscape architecture firm with strong civic, campus, and waterfront portfolios. It overlaps directly with CMG in tech-campus, civic, and waterfront resilience work, serving similar institutional and developer clients in the West Coast market.
• Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture: Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture is a San Francisco-based award-winning studio focused on residential, institutional, and civic landscape design. It directly competes with CMG for Bay Area private estate, museum, and institutional commissions and shares the same regional client base.
• PWP Landscape Architecture: PWP Landscape Architecture is a Berkeley-based firm with deep expertise in urban design, waterfronts, and campus planning. It is a direct competitor to CMG for Bay Area waterfront, campus, and civic projects, and its geographic proximity makes it a particularly relevant peer.
• Hood Design Studio: Hood Design Studio is an Oakland-based landscape architecture, urban design, and art studio with strong cultural landscape and public realm credentials. It competes with CMG for Bay Area civic, cultural, and community-engaged design commissions, and shares CMG's social-equity orientation.
• MIG (Moore Iacofano Goltsman): MIG is a California-based planning, landscape architecture, and community engagement firm with a strong Bay Area presence. It overlaps with CMG on park master planning, public engagement, and civic design commissions for municipalities and public agencies.
• WRT (Wallace Roberts & Todd): WRT is a Philadelphia-based planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm with national reach across waterfront, campus, and civic projects. It is comparable to CMG in its integrated planning and design practice and competes for similar large-scale public and institutional clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CMGLandArch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 CMG