CUSP
CUSP is a Brisbane-based landscape architecture and urban design studio providing masterplanning, urban design, and ecological design services to Queensland government agencies and major property developers including Stockland, City of Gold Coast, and Destination Brisbane Consortium.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBrisbane, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CUSP does
CUSP is a privately held landscape architecture and urban design studio headquartered in Newstead, Brisbane, founded in 2013 by Stephen Pate and Daniel Wright. The firm operates as a professional services consultancy delivering four core service lines: landscape architecture, urban design, masterplanning, and ecological design. Its portfolio spans residential masterplanned communities, cultural precincts, public realm infrastructure, civic spaces, tourism destinations, and environmental rehabilitation projects across Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba) with selected international work in Fiji. Signature engagements include the HOTA Cultural Precinct on the Gold Coast, the 1.2km Queens Wharf Brisbane foreshore public realm for the Destination Brisbane Consortium, the Newport masterplanned community for Stockland, the Bradbury Park Playscape, and waterway rehabilitation projects such as Small Creek Stage 3 for Ipswich City Council.
The firm's underlying technology stack centres on industry-standard design software, notably Revit for project delivery (where CUSP was an early Australian adopter) and 3D modelling plus high-quality visualisation for communicating design intent. There is no proprietary software product, app, or API; the technology layer is conventional CAD/BIM tooling deployed for project documentation, cost control, and stakeholder communication. The firm has accumulated 40+ industry awards (AILA National and QLD, Good Design Award Gold 2024, UDIA, PLA, Lord Mayor's Brisbane Prize) and proprietary design assets including Botanical Overlays and subtropical plant palettes tailored to Queensland conditions.
CUSP generates revenue through project-based professional services fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed and determined per engagement by scope and complexity. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by direct tender submissions, repeat client engagements, and collaborative design team arrangements with architecture firms such as ARM Architecture, Populous, Arkhefield, and AMAO Architects. Customer segments split between Queensland government agencies (local and state) and major property developers, with Stockland representing a flagship repeat client since 2015. The firm is independently owned with no external investment, no subsidiaries, and no parent company.
CUSP firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CUSP
- Legal name
- CUSP
- Website
- https://cusp.net.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CUSP is a Brisbane-based landscape architecture and urban design studio providing masterplanning, urban design, and ecological design services to Queensland government agencies and major property developers including Stockland, City of Gold Coast, and Destination Brisbane Consortium.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CUSP industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where CUSP is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brisbane
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
CUSP business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Landscape Architecture Services: Professional services revenue generated through landscape architecture design projects including masterplanning, concept design, detailed design, and contract administration across residential, commercial, civic, and infrastructure projects.
- Urban Design Services: Urban design consulting services providing strategic planning, public realm design, and environmental planning for government and private sector clients.
- Ecological Design Services: Specialised ecological design services including environmental assessments, botanical overlays, and rehabilitation planning.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
CUSP product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CUSP is an award-winning landscape architecture and urban design studio that delivers four core services — Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Masterplanning, and Ecological Design — for residential estates, cultural precincts, public realm, infrastructure corridors, tourism destinations, and commercial developments. Projects range from small lookouts to 100+ hectare masterplanned communities across Queensland, Australia, and selective international markets. The studio combines built-environment design with botanical overlays, revegetation, and rehabilitation expertise suited to subtropical climates.
Product overview
CUSP is an award-winning landscape architecture and urban design studio offering four core service areas: Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Masterplanning, and Ecological Design. The firm delivers projects across residential communities, cultural precincts, public realm spaces, infrastructure corridors, tourism destinations, and commercial developments throughout Queensland, Australia, and internationally. Their portfolio includes signature projects such as HOTA Cultural Precinct (Gold Coast), Queens Wharf Brisbane (Waterline Park, Bicentennial Bikeway, Mangrove Walk), Newport masterplanned community (Stockland), Maravista Farm tourism destination, and international work in Fiji. The studio has received over 40 industry awards for design excellence across state, national, and international levels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture Core design service creating outdoor spaces, parks, public realm, and environmental landscapes through sustainable and resilient design principles, delivered for government, developer, and private clients.
- Urban Design Design service focusing on the arrangement, appearance, and functionality of urban environments including streets, public spaces, and city-scale planning for government and private sector clients.
- Masterplanning Strategic planning service for large-scale developments creating comprehensive design frameworks for residential estates, commercial precincts, and community spaces ranging from small lookouts to 100+ hectare masterplanned communities.
- Ecological Design Environmental design service incorporating biodiversity, habitat corridors, revegetation, and sustainable ecosystem integration into landscape projects, including waterway rehabilitation, botanical overlays, and plant palettes specific to Queensland's subtropical climate.
Quantifiable outcome
- Award-winning projects recognised at state and national levels by AILA, UDIA, and Good Design Awards
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CUSP
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CUSP technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
CUSP partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- AMAO ArchitectsminorCollaboration with AMAO Architects, Playworks and EPOCA on Bradbury Park Playscape design, developing themed playground around 'Biological City' concept.
- Alluvium ConsultingminorCollaborative development of landscape design with hydraulic and environmental engineers to realise vision for Small Creek Stage 3.
- Volks and PetersminorPartnership with architects Volks and Peters on Walker Avenue residential project, emphasising relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces.
- PopulousminorClose working relationship with Populous architects on The Reserve Community Arena for Brisbane Lions, ensuring interface between pedestrian concourse and stadium allowed appropriate circulation, wayfinding, and integrated pedestrian links.
- ArkhefieldminorCollaboration with Arkhefield architects on Newport Retirement Living project to deliver high-end landscape product with luxurious resort feel.
- StocklandcoreOngoing partnership with Stockland for masterplanning and landscape design of major residential communities including Newport, AURA Peoples Place, and commercial developments. CUSP has been engaged across early masterplanning phases through to detailed design and construction administration of ongoing development.
- ARM ArchitecturecoreCollaboration with ARM Architecture on HOTA Cultural Precinct transformation, including outdoor stage and masterplan. CUSP developed landscape design suitable for climate and context, coordinated external works package, and provided construction supervision.
- Destination Brisbane ConsortiumcoreEngagement for Queens Wharf Brisbane foreshore public realm, including Bicentennial Bikeway, Waterline Park, and Mangrove Walk. Philip Kleinschmidt serves as project manager on the 1.2km river foreshore reimagining.
- Topotek1coreCollaboration with Berlin-based Topotek1 and ARM Architecture on HOTA masterplan. CUSP joined the design team providing detailed landscape design, botanical overlay, and construction supervision for stages of the winning masterplan.
- ARUPminorEngaged by ARUP for City of Gold Coast to produce HOTA Green Bridge Reference Design as part of the HOTA masterplan, working on bridge design with various consultants.
- Queensland GovernmentcorePartnership with Queensland Government through Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) to develop new design guidelines for cycle and pedestrian shared zones at Queens Wharf Precinct.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CUSP competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aspect Studios: Australian landscape architecture and urban design studio with offices across Australia and internationally. Directly comparable to CUSP as a specialist landscape architecture firm serving developers, government, and cultural precinct clients with similar project scales and award-winning positioning.
- Tract Consultants: Australian landscape architecture, urban design, and ecology consultancy with strong presence in Queensland and NSW. Closely comparable to CUSP in service mix (masterplanning, landscape architecture, urban design), target clients (government, developers), and emphasis on ecologically sensitive design.
- Oculus (formerly CHT Architects): Multi-disciplinary Australian architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design practice. Comparable to CUSP through its integrated landscape and urban design offering for civic, residential, and masterplanned community projects in Australia.
- Urbis: Australian planning, urban design, and property economics consultancy. Comparable to CUSP through its focus on urban design, masterplanning, and public realm work for government and property developer clients across Australian cities.
- ASPECT Studios (Landscape Architecture): (Already listed above - duplicate)
Broad incumbents
- Hassell: Large international architecture and design practice with significant Australian landscape architecture capability. Comparable to CUSP through its work on public realm, cultural precincts, and masterplans across Australia, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
- Cardno: Major Australian-headquartered engineering, environmental, and design consultancy that absorbed CUSP co-founder Stephen Pate's prior firm (S.P.L.A.T.). Comparable through its landscape architecture and urban design practice within a broader infrastructure and environmental services portfolio.
- AECOM: Global engineering and infrastructure consultancy with substantial landscape architecture and urban design capability across its Asia-Pacific operations. Comparable to CUSP through competition for major public realm, infrastructure corridor, and masterplanning commissions in Queensland and Australia.
- Architectus: Major Australian architecture and urban design practice with masterplanning and public realm capabilities. Comparable to CUSP through shared clients (major developers, government) and overlapping work on masterplanned communities and civic precincts in Australia.
Regional players
- Bureau^Proberts: Queensland-based landscape architecture and urban design firm. Comparable to CUSP as a regional landscape specialist serving Southeast Queensland developers and government clients, with similar project types across masterplanning and civic landscape.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CUSP social profiles
Digital presenceCUSP financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CUSP leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CUSP funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CUSP 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 CUSP
What does CUSP do?
CUSP is an award-winning landscape architecture and urban design studio that delivers four core services — Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Masterplanning, and Ecological Design — for residential estates, cultural precincts, public realm, infrastructure corridors, tourism destinations, and commercial developments. Projects range from small lookouts to 100+ hectare masterplanned communities across Queensland, Australia, and selective international markets. The studio combines built-environment design with botanical overlays, revegetation, and rehabilitation expertise suited to subtropical climates.
Is CUSP a public or private company?
CUSP is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CUSP founded?
CUSP was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CUSP based?
CUSP is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does CUSP make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Landscape Architecture Services are the primary driver. The others are urban Design Services and ecological Design Services.
Who are CUSP's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aspect Studios, Tract Consultants, Oculus (formerly CHT Architects), Urbis and ASPECT Studios (Landscape Architecture). Broad incumbents are Hassell, Cardno, AECOM and Architectus. Bureau^Proberts is listed as a regional player.
Does CUSP have an API?
No public API is recorded for CUSP.
What industry is CUSP in?
CUSP's product category is Landscape Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 541320.