Hood Design Studio

What Hood Design Studio does

Hood Design Studio is a privately held landscape architecture and social art practice founded by Walter Hood and headquartered in Oakland, California. The firm operates across four service lines—Landscape Architecture, Social Art Practice, Urbanism/Research, and Exhibitions—and serves government agencies, museums, cultural institutions, universities, and select corporate clients in the United States. Its design methodology is organized around a proprietary "Three-Lens Cultural Practice Framework" (Everyday, Lifeways, Commemoration) that emphasizes place-specific work rooted in community history and ecology.

The studio's portfolio spans more than 100 completed projects across at least 15 U.S. cities, including the International African American Museum landscape in Charleston, NVIDIA's Santa Clara campus, the Intuit Dome landscape for the LA Clippers, McColl Park in Charlotte, the Migrations sculpture at San Diego International Airport, and the ongoing $335 million Lincoln Center West Side redesign. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees; project budgets disclosed in the data range from approximately $300,000 for smaller public art installations (e.g., Witness Walls) to $30 million for large corporate campus commissions, with museum landscapes typically $3-14 million. Auxiliary revenue derives from publications including "Black Landscapes Matter" and "The African Ancestors Garden."

The firm is led by Walter Hood (Creative Director and founder) with a bench of principals including Alma Du Solier (Partner), Paul Peters (Principal), Michael DeGregorio (Principal), and Sarita Schreiber (Social Art Director), supported by approximately 20+ design professionals. Hood Design Studio's go-to-market relies on competitive design competitions, direct institutional commissions, and reputational pull generated by award recognition (MacArthur Fellowship, Gish Prize, Vincent Scully Prize, 2025 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal) and media presence. The firm is actively expanding into new geographies (Detroit via Kresge Foundation partnership) and verticals (sports/entertainment, corporate campuses) while deepening delivery partnerships with fabricators and structural engineers to support larger technical installations.

Name

Hood Design Studio

Legal name

Hood Design Studio Inc.

Website

https://hooddesignstudio.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hood Design Studio is a privately held Oakland-based landscape architecture and social art practice that designs public spaces, commemorative landscapes, and art installations for government agencies, museums, universities, and select corporate clients across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Public art installations
• Urban design planning
• Commemorative landscape design
• Master planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Landscape Architecture Services: Project-based fees for landscape architecture design services on public and institutional projects including parks, museums, campuses, and public spaces.
2. Social Art Practice: Public art installations and commemorative works commissioned by government agencies, museums, and cultural institutions.
3. Publications: Studio produces books, essays, and publications including 'Black Landscapes Matter', 'Architectures of Spatial Justice', and 'The African Ancestors Garden'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hood Design Studio is a landscape architecture and social art practice that delivers site planning, environmental design, public space design, commemorative works, sculptural installations, urban master plans, and exhibition design for civic, cultural, and institutional clients. The studio's practice is organized around three cultural lenses—Everyday, Lifeways, and Commemoration—that guide the creation of place-specific landscapes rooted in local history, ecology, and cultural memory. Projects span large-scale civic landscapes, museum gardens, corporate campuses, airport public art, and commemorative installations across the United States.

Product overview

Hood Design Studio is a landscape architecture and social art practice offering three interconnected service lines: Landscape Architecture (site planning, environmental design, public space design), Social Art Practice (public art installations, commemorative works, sculptural elements), Urbanism/Research (urban planning, master planning, community engagement), and Exhibitions (design and installation for cultural institutions). The studio's work spans from large-scale civic landscapes like the International African American Museum and Oakland Waterfront to signature art installations including The Nest in Charlotte and Migrations at San Diego Airport. Publications including 'The African Ancestors Garden' book document their design methodology. Their practice philosophy centers on three lenses—Everyday, Lifeways, and Commemoration—to create landscapes that strengthen endemic ecological and cultural patterns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture Services Site planning, environmental design, and public space design services for civic, institutional, and commercial clients, covering parks, plazas, campus landscapes, waterfronts, and streetscapes.
• Social Art Practice Creation of public art installations, commemorative works, and sculptural elements that engage communities and reflect cultural narratives for government, museum, and institutional clients.
• Urbanism / Research Urban planning research and master planning services for neighborhoods, campuses, and waterfronts, including the Oakland Waterfront Master Plan.
• Exhibitions Exhibition design and installation services for museums and cultural institutions, including participation in Venice Biennale, MoMA exhibitions, and Chicago Architecture Biennial.
• The African Ancestors Garden Book Monacelli Press publication by Hood Design Studio documenting the landscape design for the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC; available for sale through book retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ completed projects across the United States
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marygrove ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025As part of The Kresge Foundation's multi-million dollar investment in Detroit neighborhoods, Hood Design Studio will partner with Marygrove Conservancy to develop a campus plan for the institution's headquarters.
• The Kresge FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Multi-million dollar investment in Detroit neighborhoods with Hood Design Studio developing projects in partnership with community organizations including Marygrove Conservancy.
• Ignition ArtscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Fabrication partner for Migrations sculpture at San Diego Airport and other art installations. Worked with studio on modular design challenges.
• Tipping StructuralcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Structural engineering partner for Migrations sculpture, addressing technical requirements for 40-foot public art installation.
• Bolton and MenkminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Engineering/landscape architecture collaboration on McColl Park project in Charlotte, NC.
• Looney Ricks KissminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on Crosstown Concourse project in Memphis, TN with DIALOG and Spatial Affairs Bureau. The project received AIA Award and Congress for New Urbanism Charter Award.
• DIALOGminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on Crosstown Concourse project in Memphis, TN with Looney Ricks Kiss and Spatial Affairs Bureau.
• Spatial Affairs BureauminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on Crosstown Concourse project in Memphis, TN with Looney Ricks Kiss and DIALOG.
• CultureLab, NADAA, and Alibi StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Finalist team for Detroit Institute of Arts Museum Plaza Design Competition.
• MASS Design GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Finalist team for MLK Jr. Branch Design Competition with Cleveland Public Library.
• Thomas Phifer & PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Finalist team for Jones Plaza Redesign Competition with Houston F1rst.
• Huff Good ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Partnership on Virginia Key Beach Museum Competition winner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture: San Francisco-based landscape architecture firm with an award-winning portfolio of gardens, museums, and corporate campuses. Comparable in size, prestige, and project types (museum landscapes, campus design) to Hood's practice.
• Land Morphology: Seattle-based landscape architecture practice recognized for high-design public and cultural projects. Overlaps with Hood on the museum and civic landscape side of the practice at a similar boutique firm scale.
• James Corner Field Operations: New York-based landscape architecture and urban design firm behind the High Line, Fresh Kills Park, and major public realm projects. Comparable to Hood in pursuit of large-scale, culturally significant civic landscapes and in competing for the same institutional and municipal clients.
• OLIN: Philadelphia- and LA-based landscape architecture and urban design practice known for high-profile cultural, civic, and campus projects of comparable scale and prestige to Hood's work (e.g., the Barnes Foundation, Washington Monument grounds). OLIN is the most directly comparable US firm in scope, client mix, and award profile.
• SWA Group: Large, multi-office landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with a comparable portfolio of urban parks, waterfronts, and campus work. Overlaps with Hood on civic, cultural, and corporate campus commissions at similar budget tiers.
• MASS Design Group: Architecture and design practice focused on social justice, health, and equity-driven built work. A past collaboration partner of Hood (Cleveland Public Library MLK Jr. Branch competition), and closely comparable in mission-driven, community-engaged design.
• SCAPE Landscape Architecture: New York-based landscape architecture and urban design practice focused on civic and waterfront projects with a strong social and ecological agenda. Closely comparable to Hood's tripartite cultural-ecological methodology and public-realm focus.
• Sasaki: Boston-based interdisciplinary design practice with a large landscape architecture and urban planning studio. Competes with Hood for campus master plans, cultural institution landscapes, and waterfront civic projects.
• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA): Brooklyn-based landscape architecture practice with an award-winning portfolio of parks and public spaces (Brooklyn Bridge Park, Maggie Daley Park). Closely matches Hood's mix of signature civic commissions, master planning, and design competition wins.

Broad incumbents

• Snøhetta: Internationally recognized architecture, landscape, and design practice with a strong cultural-civic and public realm portfolio (SFMOMA expansion, Times Square, libraries). Competes with Hood for the same high-prestige cultural and public commissions, with a much larger multidisciplinary footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wjhooddesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hood-design-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Hood Design Studio