Ground
Ground, Inc. is a privately held, women-owned landscape architecture practice in Somerville, Massachusetts that delivers civic, academic, residential, park, and public art landscape design for universities, municipalities, developers, and cultural institutions, with international projects in the UAE, UK, Ireland, Taiwan, and China.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersSomerville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ground does
Ground, Inc. is a privately held, women-owned landscape architecture practice founded by Shauna Gillies-Smith and headquartered at 285 Washington Street, Somerville, Massachusetts. The firm provides professional landscape architecture services across civic, residential and green roof, academic, public art, parks, and urban planning project categories, serving higher education institutions, municipal governments, private real estate developers, and cultural institutions. Project examples span Tufts University (Collaborative Learning & Innovation Complex, Joyce Cummings Center Plaza), MassArt (Tree House Residence Hall, Design and Media Center), City of Boston (Winthrop Square, Boston Living with Water competition), Millennium Partners Boston, Related Beal, and Boston Development Group, with international work in Dubai (Jameel Art Centre, Madinat Al Soor), Ireland (Grand Canal Square), the UK (Exchange Square), Taiwan (Hsinta Ecological Power Plant), and China (Surf's Up).
The firm operates on a project-based professional services fee model, with pricing determined per engagement scope rather than standardized tiers. Delivery is executed by a small team (11-50 employees) of senior designers including Studio Director Olivera Berce and Associate Principals Curtis Puncher and Yinan Liu, supported by design associates and a planting design consultant. Ground secures work through direct client engagement, architectural firm partnerships (Stantec, Perkins+Will, ADD Inc, Bergmeyer, Elkus Manfredi, Leers Weinzapfel, NBBJ, Ennead), invited competitions, and competitive bidding on public commissions.
Ground holds Women Business Enterprise certification in Massachusetts and has accumulated multiple ASLA Honor Awards, BSLA Merit Awards, BSA Honor Awards, Chicago Athenaeum recognition, and international competition wins (Dubai, Toronto, Taiwan) since its earliest documented project in 1997. The firm's intellectual property centers on deep expertise in sustainable landscape design, green roof systems, stormwater management, and climate-resilient public realm design rather than on proprietary software or technology assets.
Ground firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ground
- Legal name
- Ground, Inc.
- Website
- https://groundinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ground, Inc. is a privately held, women-owned landscape architecture practice in Somerville, Massachusetts that delivers civic, academic, residential, park, and public art landscape design for universities, municipalities, developers, and cultural institutions, with international projects in the UAE, UK, Ireland, Taiwan, and China.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ground industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (541320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Commercial Landscape Design & Installation (HSAIABAJ)
Keywords
Where Ground is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Somerville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ground business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Landscape Architecture Services: Professional consulting services for landscape architecture projects ranging from small-scale residential commissions to large civic projects. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design, planning, and project management services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Ground product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ground, Inc. is a landscape architecture firm that designs civic plazas, public parks, green roofs, residential developments, academic campuses, and integrated public art installations. The firm delivers professional design, planning, and project management services for projects ranging from small-scale residential commissions to large international civic and institutional projects across four continents.
Product overview
Ground, Inc. is an award-winning landscape architecture practice offering a comprehensive suite of landscape architecture services rather than a software product. The firm provides civic landscape design, residential and green roof design, academic campus landscape architecture, public art integration, park and recreation space design, and urban planning and masterplanning services. Their project portfolio spans diverse sectors including urban plazas, university campuses, residential developments, public parks, and waterfront designs across the United States and internationally. The company operates as a service-based firm rather than a technology platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Civic Landscape Design
- Residential and Green Roof Design
- Academic Campus Landscape Design
- Public Art Integration
- Park and Recreation Design
- Urban Planning and Masterplanning
- Sustainable Stormwater Design
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple award-winning projects recognized by ASLA, BSLA, BSA, and international organizations
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ground
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ground technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ground partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regular.
- StanteccoreOngoing collaborative partnership on multiple projects including Union Square redevelopment, Joyce Cummings Center at Tufts, and various residential and mixed-use developments. Ground provides landscape architecture services as part of integrated design teams.
- ADD Inc (now part of时代建筑设计)coreLong-standing partnership on numerous award-winning projects including MassArt Tree House Residence Hall, Tufts Collaborative Learning & Innovation Complex, and Lafayette City Center Green Roof. Multiple BSLA and ASLA award-winning collaborations.
- Perkins+WillcoreCollaborative partnership on university projects including UMass Lowell University Crossing and Keene State College Living + Learning Commons, both receiving design awards.
- BergmeyercorePartnership on Mt. Holyoke College Dining and Community Center, completed in 2015, and other academic and commercial interior projects.
- Ennead ArchitectsmajorCollaboration on MassArt Design and Media Center project, which received multiple awards including BSA Award and Chicago Athenaeum Award.
- Elkus Manfredi ArchitectscoreOngoing partnership on multiple Boston area projects including 66 Galen Street life science campus and 99 Water Street, Watertown.
- Handel ArchitectsmajorCollaboration on 115 Winthrop Square project in Boston's Financial District, currently in design development.
- NBBJmajorPartnership on Boston Living with Water International Competition, receiving Honor Award. Collaboration on Downtown Boston Planning Study.
- Leers Weinzapfel AssociatescoreCollaboration on multiple academic projects including Tufts Collaborative Learning & Innovation Complex, Salem State University Mainstage Theatre, and Hsinta Ecological Power Plant in Taiwan.
- Studio G ArchitectsregularPartnership on WRAP Taunton (DCAMM Women Treatment Center) and other projects including MRAP Taunton.
- OBR ArchitectsmajorPartnership on Jameel Art Centre competition in Dubai, winning 2nd Prize. Ground provided landscape architecture services for this cultural arts center project.
- RMJM Hillier / UtilemajorPartnership on Madinat Al Soor major open space design in Dubai (50 hectare site within Waterfront City development by OMA).
- Martha Schwartz Inc.majorShauna Gillies-Smith worked as Designer for Martha Schwartz Inc. on Exchange Square (Manchester, UK) and Parc Nouvelle Roof (Natick, MA) projects.
- Boston Development GroupcoreOngoing partnership on multiple Watertown developments including 66 Galen Street life science campus and 99 Water Street projects.
- Millennium Partners BostoncorePartnership on Tontine Crescent Tactical Plaza and Plaza projects in Boston's Downtown Crossing area, as well as Winthrop Square development.
- Related BealcorePartnership on multiple residential projects including The Quinn & The Harris roof terraces and Innovation Square developments.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Ground competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- James Corner Field Operations: Internationally recognized landscape architecture and urban design practice with landmark civic and waterfront commissions. Comparable in scope ambition and high-profile competition participation.
- Reed Hilderbrand: Cambridge, MA-based landscape architecture practice with strong academic and institutional portfolio. Direct Boston-area peer competing for higher-education and cultural commissions.
- Design Workshop: National landscape architecture and planning firm with offices across the U.S. Active in parks, campuses, and community-scale projects; comparable in civic and public-realm focus.
- OLIN: Philadelphia-based landscape architecture and urban design firm with a similarly prestigious portfolio of civic, cultural, and academic projects. Directly comparable in scale, design reputation, and project typology mix to Ground.
- Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA): Brooklyn-based landscape architecture firm with award-winning parks, academic, and waterfront work. Closely comparable in scale, creative ambition, and academic client base to Ground.
- Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture: Award-winning San Francisco-based boutique landscape architecture firm with comparable team size and residential, civic, and cultural project mix. Closely matches Ground's boutique-prestige positioning.
- Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects: Chicago-based landscape architecture firm with strong academic, civic, and residential portfolio. Comparable scale and typology mix, particularly in institutional landscape work.
- SWA Group: National landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with extensive parks, civic, and waterfront portfolio. Comparable in service breadth and public-realm specialization.
- Sasaki Associates: Watermark landscape architecture, planning, and urban design practice based in Boston with comparable academic, civic, and waterfront portfolio. Direct competitor for the same institutional and developer clients.
Broad incumbents
- Stantec: Global design and engineering consultancy with a substantial landscape architecture practice and a documented co-design partner of Ground on Union Square, Tufts Joyce Cummings Center, and other projects. Serves as both collaborator and broader-market competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ground social profiles
Digital presenceGround compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Ground financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ground leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Ground funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ground 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 Ground
What does Ground do?
Ground, Inc. is a landscape architecture firm that designs civic plazas, public parks, green roofs, residential developments, academic campuses, and integrated public art installations. The firm delivers professional design, planning, and project management services for projects ranging from small-scale residential commissions to large international civic and institutional projects across four continents.
Is Ground a public or private company?
Ground is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ground founded?
Ground was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ground based?
Ground is headquartered in Somerville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ground make money?
One revenue line is on record: landscape Architecture Services.
Who are Ground's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are James Corner Field Operations, Reed Hilderbrand, Design Workshop, OLIN, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA), Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture, Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, SWA Group and Sasaki Associates. Stantec is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ground have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ground.
What industry is Ground in?
Ground's product category is Landscape Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design, with a secondary code of HSAIABAJ, Commercial Landscape Design & Installation. Its NAICS code is 541320.