What Cracknell does

Cracknell is a privately held landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning practice founded by Paul Cracknell in London in 1987. The firm specialises in creating liveable external spaces in challenging climates and operates through seven international offices in London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Shenzhen, Manila, Riyadh, and Lugano, employing more than 360 landscape architects, creatives, and engineers from 35+ nationalities. Cracknell has delivered over 2,000 projects globally and is ISO 9001 certified.

Name

Cracknell

Legal name

Cracknell Landscape Investments Limited

Website

https://cracknell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cracknell is a privately held landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning firm founded in 1987, operating from seven international offices. It serves real estate developers, government clients, and hospitality operators across the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Landscape Architecture: Project-based professional services for landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning. Cracknell works as lead designer or in partnership with developers, architects, and government bodies to deliver landscape design from concept to completion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Cracknell provides professional landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning services for residential communities, public realms, streetscapes, plazas, parks, waterfronts, resorts, and cultural sites. The firm works as lead designer or in partnership with developers, architects, contractors, and government bodies, delivering landscape design from concept to completion including integrated services such as design guidelines, sustainability manifestos, and collaborative BIM-based 3D design.

Product overview

Cracknell is a landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning practice offering professional services rather than a software product. The firm provides integrated design services across landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning, working on projects ranging from world-famous iconic landmarks to sensitive heritage settings, sustainable retail and resort destinations, city parks, plazas, and green residential communities. The company operates as a service-based practice with expertise in landscape architecture, urban design, masterplanning, and integrated services including sustainability guidelines and BIM practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered notable.

• Boris Micka AssociatesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the KSA Pavilion EXPO 2020 Dubai project. Cracknell worked closely alongside Boris Micka Architects (BMA) on the interaction of the architecture with the landscape to ensure a consistent design language.
• Gehry PartnersnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking on Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project - formal landscape setting for Frank Gehry's cultural and architectural icon in Abu Dhabi.
• One WorksnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCracknell was shortlisted in a consortium with global multidisciplinary firm One Works and Italian architects Maofficina for the Sveta Nedelya Square project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SWA Group: SWA Group is one of the world's largest dedicated landscape architecture, urban design, and planning practices, with a similar global project portfolio spanning cultural, civic, and waterfront commissions. Directly comparable to Cracknell in scale (~hundreds of staff), discipline focus, and mega-project orientation.
• Sasaki Associates: Sasaki is an integrated design practice combining landscape architecture, urban planning, architecture, and urban design on large-scale masterplans and campuses. Comparable to Cracknell in providing landscape architecture plus masterplanning and urban design services to developers, institutions, and governments globally.
• OLIN: OLIN is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning studio known for high-profile public realm and cultural projects. Highly comparable to Cracknell in creative-led positioning, project types (parks, plazas, cultural institutions), and global client base.
• James Corner Field Operations: Field Operations is a leading landscape architecture and urban design practice behind landmark projects such as the High Line and many waterfronts. Directly comparable to Cracknell as a design-led, project-based practice competing for the same tier of high-profile public realm and developer commissions.
• HASSELL: HASSELL is an international integrated design practice with a strong landscape architecture and urban design offering, with significant Middle East and Asia-Pacific presence. Comparable to Cracknell in multi-region delivery, hospitality and large masterplanning briefs, and developer/government client mix.
• Gross Max: Gross Max is a London- and Edinburgh-based landscape architecture and urban design practice with international work on public realm, parks, and cultural projects. Comparable to Cracknell in discipline focus and in working with cultural institutions and city authorities on flagship urban landscape briefs.
• Design Workshop: Design Workshop is a US-based landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with masterplanning capabilities for resort, residential, and civic projects. Comparable to Cracknell as a mid-sized, design-led landscape practice serving developers and public sector clients on integrated projects.
• OJB Landscape Architecture: OJB is a landscape architecture practice known for public realm, hospitality, and cultural projects across the US and internationally. Directly comparable to Cracknell in project types (urban plazas, hospitality landscapes, cultural commissions) and in operating as a dedicated landscape architecture studio.

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm with a large dedicated landscape architecture and urban design practice embedded within a much broader engineering/architecture portfolio. Competes with Cracknell on integrated RFPs where clients prefer a single multi-disciplinary prime consultant.
• Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design and consultancy firm offering landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning as part of its broader real estate and mobility portfolio. Competes with Cracknell at the multi-disciplinary masterplanning and urban development end of the market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 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 Cracknell