What WRT, LLC does

WRT, LLC (operating as WRT | Planning + Design, and formerly known as Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC) is a privately-held professional services firm headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1963. The firm operates an integrated practice across four disciplines — community planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture — staffed by 101-250 employees working from offices in Philadelphia and San Francisco.

WRT's core offering is fee-for-service project work delivered primarily to public-sector and institutional clients. Engagements are won through RFPs and direct business development and span comprehensive citywide plans (e.g., Imagine Austin), neighborhood transformation programs (Choice Neighborhoods plans for Philadelphia Housing Authority), park and open space master plans (FDR Park, Fresno Parks, SteelStacks), campus planning for universities and independent schools (Stevens Institute, Villanova, Haverford School, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy), and climate resilience/waterfront projects (Green City Clean Waters for Philadelphia Water Department, CHEERS in Cleveland, Bothin Marsh in Marin County). Differentiated methodology centers on community-based planning, ecological and equity-focused frameworks, and nature-based solutions for climate adaptation.

Revenue is generated entirely through professional services contracts on a project basis. The customer base skews heavily toward government agencies (municipal, county, state, water, parks, housing authorities) and educational institutions, with a small number of notable enterprise clients such as Adobe. The firm has no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing, no parent company, and no acquisition history, operating as a self-sustaining employee-owned LLC under successive Managing Principals — most recently Richard King, who succeeded Joe Healy in 2025. Geographic reach is concentrated in the United States across at least 14 states, with selective international engagement via design competitions (notably the 2025 Maebashi Creative City International Competition in Japan).

Name

WRT, LLC

Legal name

WRT, LLC

Website

https://wrtdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WRT, LLC is a Philadelphia-based, 62-year-old privately-held planning and design firm offering integrated community planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture services to government agencies, educational institutions, and community development clients across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Planning and Design Services: WRT generates revenue through fee-for-service professional services contracts for planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture projects. Projects include master plans, specific area plans, park designs, campus planning, and community development initiatives for public and institutional clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WRT, LLC is a professional design and planning firm offering integrated planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture services. The firm delivers comprehensive plans, specific area plans, park and campus master plans, community-based engagement programs, and resilience planning for public-sector and institutional clients across the United States and selected international markets. Services are delivered through two offices (Philadelphia and San Francisco) and acquired primarily through RFPs, direct engagement, and long-term client relationships.

Product overview

WRT, LLC is a professional services firm offering integrated planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture services. The firm operates as a unified practice with disciplines of planners, urban designers, landscape architects, and architects working across scales—from neighborhood and district plans to regional and citywide plans to park and resiliency master plans. Their portfolio spans community design, parks and open space, housing and neighborhoods, education facilities, waterfronts, and coastal resiliency projects. The practice is guided by four themes: Achieving Equity, Embracing Community Values, Placemaking at All Scales, and Long-Term Resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Planning Services Comprehensive urban and regional planning services including comprehensive plans, specific area plans, corridor plans, and neighborhood plans focused on creating socially vibrant, culturally distinctive, healthy, and sustainable communities.
• Urban Design Services Urban design services creating forward-thinking, actionable solutions for the unique needs of communities, integrating mobility, culture, nature, and lived experience across scales from neighborhoods to districts.
• Landscape Architecture Services Landscape architecture services for parks, open space, waterfronts, campuses, and public spaces, emphasizing ecological planning, sustainability, and resilience.
• Architecture Services Architectural services for educational facilities, residential projects, community centers, and institutional buildings with emphasis on social connection, materiality, and integration of nature.
• Community Engagement Services Community-based planning processes that depend upon and respond to community values and aspirations, including resident engagement, capacity building, and stakeholder collaboration across planning initiatives.
• Resiliency Planning Climate adaptation and resilience planning services addressing sea-level rise, weather-related impacts, and environmental challenges through nature-based solutions and green infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60% reduction in unemployment targeted for priority neighborhoods (Allentown Works)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Reinvestment FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025WRT partnered with The Reinvestment Fund to help the City of Allentown structure the Allentown Works initiative. Together the teams provided research, planning, and design support to bridge community needs with long-term investment in economic stability, focusing on connecting residents with jobs, training, childcare, and transportation.
• Philadelphia Housing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT worked with Philadelphia Housing Authority as planning coordinator for HUD Choice Neighborhoods planning grant, focusing on the Sharswood-Blumberg neighborhood transformation. Later assisted with housing implementation strategy with development partners.
• PennrosecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT is working as lead designer with Pennrose to redevelop Bartram Village in Southwest Philadelphia as part of the Choice Neighborhoods transformation plan, creating an integrated mixed-income community.
• Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation (TEC-CDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT collaborated with TEC-CDC to tailor and implement their Community Leaders Program for fifteen neighborhood residents as part of the Sharswood-Blumberg planning process, helping residents develop skills to lead needs assessment and visioning.
• Habitat for Humanity PhiladelphiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHA and Habitat for Humanity partnered on the Sharswood Preservation Home Repair program to provide home repairs including roofing, heating, electric, plumbing, and structural work to existing residents as part of gentrification mitigation efforts.
• Mt. Fuji Architects StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborator on Maebashi Creative City International Design Competition. The multidisciplinary team developed Maebashi Ridgeline vision reimagining 1.5 km central corridor as pedestrian-oriented space anchored in nature, culture, and community.
• SystematicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborator (US/Italy) on Maebashi Creative City International Design Competition, contributing transportation and mobility expertise to the winning team.
• Sanyo ConsultantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese collaborator on Maebashi Creative City International Design Competition team, contributing local expertise for the winning urban development vision.
• Fukken TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese engineering collaborator on Maebashi Creative City International Design Competition team, contributing technical expertise to the winning proposal.
• John Bartram AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT is working with the John Bartram Association to design and construct the Mussel Hatchery and Education Center within historic Bartram's Garden, supporting extensive educational, ecological, and community-based programs.
• Partnership for the Delaware EstuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT is working with The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary to design a freshwater mussel hatchery producing 500,000 mussels annually including endangered species to repopulate and clean the estuary's streams and rivers.
• Oakland Trust for Clean Water and Safe ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeasure DD bond funding provided through Oakland Trust for Clean Water and Safe Parks for Estuary Park renovation and expansion project in Oakland, CA.
• California State Coastal ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant funding for development of resilient shoreline design for Estuary Park renovation and expansion project.
• Golden Gate National Parks ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT partnered with Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy on the Bothin Marsh Adaptation Project, working with Evolving Shorelines project partners to develop conceptual designs for climate and sea-level rise adaptation.
• Trust for Public LandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor jointly with San Francisco Public Works and San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department for Glen Canyon Park improvement project.
• Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRT worked with the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation to improve the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza around Nathan Rapoport's monument, creating a contemplative space on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
• PBS39coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner at SteelStacks Arts and Cultural Campus providing year-round public television programs and expanding public programs at the campus.
• ArtsQuestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit arts institution at SteelStacks campus providing year-round art education and performances, working to expand public programs at the Bethlehem campus.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SWA Group: SWA is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning studio with a similar multi-office US structure and public-sector client base (cities, parks agencies, universities). It is among the closest direct competitors to WRT for park master plans and waterfront resilience work.
• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates: MVVA is a landscape architecture and urban design firm renowned for large urban park master plans (Brooklyn Bridge Park, Maggie Daley Park). It competes with WRT for the same marquee public park and waterfront planning engagements.
• Sasaki Associates: Sasaki is an interdisciplinary planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture firm with a comparable practice footprint to WRT, including major university, municipal, and waterfront planning engagements. Both firms compete directly for the same large-scale comprehensive plans and campus work.
• OLIN: OLIN is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning studio with a comparable focus on parks, campuses, and urban regeneration. Its profile closely mirrors WRT's interdisciplinary approach and award-driven positioning in public-sector planning work.
• James Corner Field Operations: Field Operations is a landscape architecture and urban design firm specializing in large-scale public realm projects (High Line, Freshkills Park). It directly competes with WRT for high-profile waterfront, park, and resiliency master plans.
• SCAPE Landscape Architecture: SCAPE is a landscape architecture and urban design practice focused on waterfronts, climate resilience, and public space — overlapping WRT's CHEERS, Bothin Marsh, and SteelStacks portfolio. It is a direct competitor on resilience-driven planning and design commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a global architecture firm with significant K-12 and higher education campus planning and design practices that overlap WRT's educational client work (Villanova, Springside Chestnut Hill, Haverford School). It competes as a broader-scope incumbent on campus master plans.
• HOK: HOK is a global design, architecture, and planning firm whose campus planning, urban design, and sports/civic practices overlap with WRT's higher education and public-sector work. It competes as an incumbent on large campus and civic RFPs.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): SOM is a global architecture, urban design, and planning firm with deep campus and civic planning credentials that overlap WRT's interdisciplinary, large-scale public-sector planning engagements. It competes as a broad incumbent rather than a specialist.
• AECOM: AECOM is a global AEC firm whose planning, landscape, and urban design practice competes with WRT for large municipal, HUD, and federal planning RFPs, though AECOM bundles these capabilities with a much wider engineering and program management portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNGcw3YD5g1GT3g8KH4SPYg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wallace-roberts-&-todd-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/wrtdesign
• Xx.com/wrtdesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/wrtdesign

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 WRT, LLC