CLR Design
CLR Design is a Philadelphia-based architectural and landscape architectural firm founded in 1984, specializing in master planning, exhibit design, and habitat construction services for AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations across the U.S. and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CLR Design does
CLR Design is a privately held architectural and landscape architectural firm founded in 1984 by Jon Coe and Gary Lee, headquartered in Philadelphia with a second office (CLR West) in Dana Point, California opened in 2016. The firm specializes exclusively in the design of animal conservation, zoological, and botanical spaces, serving AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations in the United States and internationally. CLR has authored over 60 master plans and developed several proprietary design frameworks — including Activity-Based Design, Landscape Immersion, Mixed-Species Habitats, Habitat Transects, Adventure Education, and Campus Ecology — that have become industry standards in zoological architecture.
The firm's service offering spans the full project lifecycle: master planning, feasibility planning, research and exhibit design development, construction document preparation, construction administration, and fundraising/promotional imagery. Project budgets range from under $1M to over $50M. Notable clients include Denver Zoo, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Zoo Knoxville, Oregon Zoo, Utah's Hogle Zoo, Riverbanks Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, ABQ BioPark, Lincoln Park Zoo, Louisville Zoo, and Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The firm has accumulated 20+ Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) exhibit and design awards, including the prestigious 2017 Wendy Fisher Award for Professional Excellence received by co-founder Gary Lee. Leadership transitioned from Coe (who relocated to Australia in 2003) to a new generation of principals including Mark Beauchamp, Greg Dykstra, and Gregg Leicester.
CLR generates revenue through professional services fees on a project-by-project basis, with direct enterprise engagement as the primary go-to-market motion. The firm employs approximately 30+ professionals across architecture, landscape architecture, exhibit design, graphic design, and illustration. It maintains a small but globally distributed project footprint across the U.S. Northeast, Midwest, West, Southwest, Southeast, and Mountain West regions, plus international engagements in Singapore, Switzerland, and China. CLR does not disclose financials publicly and operates as an independent firm with no evidence of external private equity or venture capital investment.
CLR Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CLR Design
- Legal name
- CLR Design Inc.
- Website
- https://clrdesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CLR Design is a Philadelphia-based architectural and landscape architectural firm founded in 1984, specializing in master planning, exhibit design, and habitat construction services for AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations across the U.S. and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CLR Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Zoological Architectural and Landscape Design Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH)
Keywords
Where CLR Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
CLR Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural and Design Services: Full-service architectural and landscape architectural firm providing master planning, feasibility planning, research and exhibit design development, construction document preparation, and construction phase services for zoos and wildlife parks. Project budgets range from less than $1M to over $50M.
- Fundraising and Promotional Imagery: Produces high quality architectural illustrations, hand drawn and digital modeling and animation techniques for promotional and fundraising needs of clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services with varying scales |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CLR Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CLR Design is a specialized architectural and landscape architectural firm that provides full-service design for animal conservation, zoological, and botanical spaces, including master planning, feasibility studies, exhibit and habitat design, construction documentation, and construction administration. The firm serves AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations globally, with project budgets ranging from under $1M to over $50M, and also produces hand-drawn and digital architectural illustrations for client fundraising and promotion.
Product overview
CLR Design is an award-winning architectural and landscape architectural firm providing specialized design services for animal conservation, zoological, and botanical spaces worldwide. The firm's service offerings include Master Planning, Feasibility Planning, Research & Exhibit Design Development, Construction Document Preparation, Construction Phase Services, Fundraising & Promotional Imagery, and Cutting-Edge BIM & Software Utilization. These services work together to guide clients from initial concept through project completion, with a focus on immersive habitat design, activity-based design, mixed-species habitats, and landscape immersion principles. The firm has authored over 60 master plans for zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations, and has developed many concepts now routinely found in contemporary zoo design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Master Planning
- Feasibility Planning Expert insight and analysis to help clients articulate goals and discover opportunities and constraints unique to their institution, confirming the vision aligns with mission, site, facility, and funding.
- Research and Exhibit Design Development Cutting-edge habitat solutions developed using over 30 years of accumulated research and experience, considering animal welfare as paramount to drive design thinking and process.
- Construction Document Preparation Thorough documentation process from early conceptual studies to detailed construction documents, skillfully managing the unique complexity of zoo projects including spaces for people and animals.
- Construction Phase Services Construction administration ensuring project vision is executed according to construction documents, including weekly meetings, site visits, and management of communication with owner, contractor, and specialists.
- Fundraising and Promotional Imagery High-quality architectural illustrations and animation services using hand-drawn and digital modeling techniques to help clients visualize projects for promotional and fundraising needs.
- Cutting-Edge BIM and Software Utilization Integration of hand-drawn work with sophisticated Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows using state-of-the-art computer software for documentation and coordination.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60+ master plans completed for zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CLR Design
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CLR Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
CLR Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Children's Hospital New OrleansminorCollaboration with Audubon Zoo (New Orleans) to incorporate views for Children's Hospital patients into new giraffe habitat design. Cross-organizational mission and brand collaboration.
- Chinese Academy of SciencesminorIn 2014, CLR participated in international competition to design National Primate Learning Centre - world-class research facility for orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas for 600,000 annual visitors.
- Zoo ZürichminorIn 2008, CLR participated in international design competition for new elephant exhibit at Zoo Zürich, addressing climate and year-round accommodation challenges.
- National Elephant CenterminorCLR provided Concept Design, Schematic Design services pro bono from 2007-2012 for major elephant breeding, training and research center. Center is no longer open.
- Zoo KnoxvillecoreCLR designed Zoo Knoxville's Asian Trek - Tiger Forest exhibit (AZA award-winning) and Clayton Family Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus. Projects include Malayan tigers, white naped crane, and 85 species of amphibians and reptiles in $18M herpetarium.
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & AquariumcoreMultiple award-winning projects including Bay Family Children's Adventure Trails (AZA Innovation Award 2019) and Suzanne and Walter Scott African Grasslands. 3-acre adventure trail sequence with educational activities for children.
- Denver ZoocoreAZA Top Honors Exhibit Award for Entry & Benson Predator Ridge. Major new entry complex with 4.7-acre immersive savanna exhibit. Also Toyota Elephant Passage (LEED Platinum).
- DLR GroupminorDLR Group designed the Conservation Academy Education Building (42,000 SF) as part of Omaha Zoo project; CLR provided overall exhibit and habitat design.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CLR Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Portico Group: Seattle-based architecture firm specializing in zoo, aquarium, and cultural institution design with project portfolios featuring major zoo master plans and immersive habitats — directly comparable to CLR's specialty.
- PGAV Destinations: St. Louis-based planning and design firm focused on zoos, aquariums, museums, and themed destinations — competes for many of the same AZA-accredited institution master planning and exhibit design engagements as CLR.
- Jones & Jones: Seattle landscape architecture firm where CLR co-founders Jon Coe and Gary Lee developed the Landscape Immersion philosophy before founding CLR in 1984; historically a direct competitor and intellectual predecessor in zoo design.
- Evidence Design: Canadian firm with practice in zoos, natural history museums, and aquariums — competes for North American zoo master planning and exhibit commissions alongside CLR.
- Ben Wood Studios: Architecture firm specializing in zoological and aquarium projects, providing zoo master planning and exhibit design that overlaps CLR's core service offering.
Emerging players
- Forrec: Toronto-based themed entertainment design firm with zoo, theme park, and aquarium projects; an adjacent player whose work sometimes intersects with immersive animal-habitat design.
Broad incumbents
- SWA Group: Large landscape architecture and planning firm with a broad portfolio of cultural and park projects; competes for landscape-architecture scopes on the kind of immersive habitats CLR specializes in.
- OLIN Partnership: Philadelphia-based landscape architecture and urban design firm — geographically adjacent peer competing for high-profile cultural, park, and institutional projects of comparable scale and ambition.
- Sasaki Associates: Planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm with strong cultural-institution and campus-master-planning credentials — viable peer for the master-planning side of CLR's practice.
- HKS: Large AEC firm with animal-care and conservation facility projects (e.g., Dallas Zoo, Smithsonian) — broad incumbent increasingly active in zoological architecture at scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CLR Design social profiles
Digital presenceCLR Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CLR Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
CLR Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
CLR Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CLR Design 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 CLR Design
What does CLR Design do?
CLR Design is a specialized architectural and landscape architectural firm that provides full-service design for animal conservation, zoological, and botanical spaces, including master planning, feasibility studies, exhibit and habitat design, construction documentation, and construction administration. The firm serves AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation foundations globally, with project budgets ranging from under $1M to over $50M, and also produces hand-drawn and digital architectural illustrations for client fundraising and promotion.
Is CLR Design a public or private company?
CLR Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CLR Design founded?
CLR Design was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CLR Design based?
CLR Design is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does CLR Design make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Architectural and Design Services are the primary driver. The others are fundraising and Promotional Imagery.
Who are CLR Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Portico Group, PGAV Destinations, Jones & Jones, Evidence Design and Ben Wood Studios. Forrec is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are SWA Group, OLIN Partnership, Sasaki Associates and HKS.
Does CLR Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for CLR Design.
What industry is CLR Design in?
CLR Design's product category is Zoological Architectural and Landscape Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAK, Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAH, Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning. Its NAICS code is 54131.