Laguarda.Low Architects

What Laguarda.Low Architects does

Laguarda.Low Architects, LLC is a privately held global architectural practice founded in 2000 and headquartered in New York, with wholly-owned regional offices in Beijing and Tokyo. The firm provides professional architectural services across master planning, architectural design, interior design, and landscape design, specializing in large-scale mixed-use developments, waterfront retail parks, transit-oriented developments (TOD), hospitality, office, and cultural projects. Its core product is human-authored design work delivered to enterprise-grade real estate developers and public-sector clients in Asia, North America, Europe, and South America.

The practice generates revenue through fee-for-service project commissions acquired via architectural competitions, direct principal-level engagement with major developers (OCT Group, Vanke Group, Tokyu Corporation, New World Development, Kyosei Bank Group, Horoy Group), and referrals from completed projects. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based with no publicly disclosed rates. Notable project portfolio includes the 300,000 sqm OCT Bay Master Plan (Shenzhen), 35,000 sqm OCT Bao'an OH Bay Retail Park (Shenzhen), 70,000 sqm Grandberry Park (Tokyo, 14M annual visitors), 100,000 sqm Chengdu Co-Innovation and Cooperation Center, 43,000 sqm K11 Select (Tianjin), 380,000 sqm Gateway Narita (Japan, 2025), 431,990 sqm Jining Cultural Center, and 109,215 sqm Uniwalk Center (Shenzhen), supported by partnerships with landscape firm SWA Group and interiors firm LANYA Architectural Design.

The firm is led by principals Pablo Laguarda and John Low (both based in Beijing) and Ken Shigematsu (Tokyo), with Jimmy Pan (潘欣志) as China Region Director. It has accumulated a sustained award record across 2022-2025 including American Architecture Awards, Architizer A+Awards, Architecture Masterprize, AIA Awards, CDEA Awards, and Future City Awards. The firm is founder/partner-owned with no disclosed external institutional investment, operates with 101-250 employees across three offices, and maintains an active project pipeline extending into 2025.

Name

Laguarda.Low Architects

Legal name

Laguarda.Low Architects

Website

https://laguardalow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Laguarda.Low Architects is a privately held global architecture practice founded in 2000 with offices in New York, Beijing, and Tokyo, specializing in master planning and mixed-use retail, transit-oriented, and hospitality projects for enterprise real estate developers and public-sector clients across Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Master planning
• Mixed-use developments
• Retail architecture
• Urban design

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services including master planning, architectural design, interior design, and landscape design for commercial, mixed-use, retail, hospitality, transit, and residential projects worldwide

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Laguarda.Low Architects is a global architectural practice providing professional architectural design, master planning, urban design, and interior design services. The firm specializes in mixed-use developments, waterfront retail parks, transit-oriented developments, hospitality venues, and large-scale master plans for enterprise real estate developers and public sector clients worldwide.

Product overview

Laguarda.Low Architects is a global architectural practice focused on creating exciting experiences. The firm offers master planning, mixed-use development, retail design, and sustainability services. Their portfolio includes projects across Asia (China, Japan), Europe, and the Americas, spanning retail centers, office towers, hospitality venues, transit hubs, and residential developments. Key projects include OCT Bao'an OH Bay Retail Park, Gateway Narita, K11 Select, Grandberry Park, and OCT Bay Master Plan, all characterized by innovative design that integrates nature, culture, and commercial spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OCT Bao'an OH Bay Retail Park A 35,000 m2 waterfront retail park in Shenzhen, China featuring organic pebble-shaped volumes arranged along a waterfront park, integrating shopping, dining, and nature.
• Gateway Narita A transformative 380,000 sqm development in Narita, Japan featuring a Digital Dome arena with 5,000+ seats and 6,000 sqm screen area.
• K11 Select A 43,000 m2 cultural retail destination in the 530-meter Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, integrating art, humanities, and nature into the shopping experience.
• Jining Cultural Center A 431,990 m2 mixed-use master plan in Jining, China featuring retail, four office towers, and a residential tower, designed in harmony with adjacent cultural facilities.
• Grandberry Park A 70,000 m2 mixed-use lifestyle center in Tokyo's Machida section featuring retail, library, Snoopy museum, children's playgrounds, and forest garden, attracting 14 million visitors annually.
• Chengdu Co-Innovation and Cooperation Center A 100,000 m2 mixed-used center in Chengdu combining office, hotel, and retail spaces with a curvilinear facade and central garden.
• Uniwalk Center A 109,215 m2 five-story retail addition in Shenzhen featuring abundant natural light through skylights, high-tech finishes, and dynamic circulation patterns.
• OCT Bay Master Plan A 300,000 m2 mixed-use retail and entertainment development on Shenzhen Bay including O'Plaza Mall, Bay Breeze Hotel, Marriott, and IMAX theater.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grandberry Park expected to attract 14 million visitors per year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SWA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWA Group serves as Landscape Consultant on OCT Bao'an OH Bay Retail Park project, contributing to the organic waterfront design integration with natural landscape elements.
• LANYA Architectural Design CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLANYA Architectural Design Company of Australia designed the interiors for OCT Bay Breeze Hotel, contributing luxury guest rooms, restaurants, and health club/pool design.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Benoy: UK-headquartered global architecture and design firm with strong Asian presence, specializing in retail, mixed-use, and master planning. Closely comparable to Laguarda.Low in client mix (Asian developers), project type (mixed-use retail, lifestyle centers), and geographic focus.
• Aedas: Global architecture practice with major offices in Asia (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo) and deep expertise in mixed-use, retail, and master planning. Directly comparable to Laguarda.Low in serving large Asian developers on experience-driven mixed-use projects.
• DP Architects: Singapore-based global architecture practice renowned for retail, mixed-use, and transit-oriented developments across Asia. Comparable in specialty (integrated retail and lifestyle destinations), regional base, and developer client profile.
• SHoP Architects: New York-headquartered architecture firm known for large-scale mixed-use, retail, and urban infill projects globally. Comparable to Laguarda.Low in NYC base, project scale, and the design-led development of complex mixed-use programs.
• MAD Architects: Beijing-based architecture practice with a strong international profile for distinctive, sculptural mixed-use and cultural projects. Comparable to Laguarda.Low in Beijing presence, signature visual identity, and portfolio of large-scale Asian mixed-use and cultural commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF): Major global architecture firm with broad practice across commercial, mixed-use, and master planning worldwide. Overlaps with Laguarda.Low in mixed-use and large-scale developer commissions but serves a much broader client and project portfolio.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): One of the largest global architecture firms with deep mixed-use, urban design, and master planning capabilities. Competes with Laguarda.Low for marquee developer mandates but at much greater scale and breadth.
• Gensler: World's largest design firm with extensive retail, hospitality, and mixed-use practices. Overlaps Laguarda.Low in retail and mixed-use developer work but operates across a much wider portfolio and client base globally.
• Foster + Partners: London-based global architecture practice with signature mixed-use, master planning, and urban regeneration projects. Compares to Laguarda.Low in pursuing large, complex developer-led commissions but at materially greater scale and prestige.

Others

• SWA Group: Landscape architecture and urban design firm that is documented as Laguarda.Low's landscape consultant on the OCT Bao'an OH Bay project. An enabling ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but materially related through their shared project work on integrated mixed-use design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/laguardalow
• Facebookfacebook.com/laguardalowarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1239133

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Laguarda.Low Architects