What PFS Studio does

PFS Studio is a Canadian landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm founded in 1993 and operating from studios in Vancouver and Toronto, with a documented team of approximately 30-40 professionals. The firm delivers professional services across the full project lifecycle, from regional master planning and policy work through to detailed site design and construction administration, serving municipal and federal government agencies, universities and colleges, healthcare institutions, and private developers. Core service areas include parks, plazas, and waterfronts; campus and educational landscapes; civic and institutional projects; climate resilience and green infrastructure; Indigenous co-design and Reconciliation-centered work; and community stakeholder engagement.

Revenue is generated entirely through negotiated professional services fees on a per-project basis, with no standardized public pricing. The go-to-market is project-driven: public-sector work is acquired primarily through formal RFP and RFQ processes issued by municipal parks boards, city planning departments, and provincial or federal agencies; private-sector commissions come through direct developer relationships; and international work has historically been won through open and invited design competitions. The firm's underlying "technology" is a site-responsive design methodology that integrates grey and green infrastructure, climate adaptation strategies, Indigenous engagement frameworks, and community consultation across scales from regional districts to public plazas.

The practice is led by seven Principals including three CSLA Fellows and a Harvard GDS-trained Indigenous Design Lead who chairs the CSLA Reconciliation Advisory Committee. Notable proprietary frameworks include the Indigi-Futurist Waterfront Design Framework (co-developed with Sky Spirit Studio) and remote sensing research on 1,380 Toronto green roofs published in Nature Cities Journal. The firm has accumulated over 100 industry awards since 1990, including the 2017 Architecture MasterPrize "Landscape & Urban Design Firm of the Year" designation, and has rebranded from Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg to PFS Studio in 2025 following the retirements of two founding partners.

Name

PFS Studio

Legal name

PFS Studio

Website

https://pfsstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PFS Studio is a Canadian landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm founded in 1993, operating from Vancouver and Toronto studios. It delivers site-responsive design services across parks, waterfronts, campuses, and civic projects for government, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and private developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

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

Revenue model

1. Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Services: PFS Studio generates revenue through professional services fees charged for landscape architecture, urban design, and planning projects. Fees are negotiated on a per-project basis and typically span from initial concept through construction administration. Revenue is derived from both public-sector clients (municipal parks boards, city governments, federal agencies) and private-sector clients (developers, institutions, corporations). Projects range from detailed landscape architecture to large-scale master planning and regional open space planning.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PFS Studio provides professional landscape architecture, urban design, and planning consulting services from Vancouver and Toronto studios. The firm delivers project work ranging from regional open space and campus master plans to detailed park, plaza, waterfront, and civic landscape implementation, integrating climate resilience, Indigenous engagement, and community consultation across all scales. Fees are negotiated per-project and span concept through construction administration for public-sector and private-sector clients.

Product overview

PFS Studio is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm operating from Vancouver and Toronto studios. The firm offers a unified suite of design services centered around landscape architecture, urban design, sustainability/climate resilience, indigenous engagement, and community stakeholder engagement. Their portfolio spans parks, plazas, waterfronts, campuses, civic/institutional projects, and mixed-use residential developments across Canada, the US, and internationally. Rather than a software platform, PFS Studio's 'products' are their professional services and the built landscape projects they deliver.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture Services
• Urban Design & Planning
• Sustainability & Climate Resilience Design
• Indigenous Engagement & Design
• Community & Stakeholder Engagement

Quantifiable outcome

• Remote sensing study published in Nature Cities Journal analyzed vegetation health across 1,380 individual green roofs in Toronto from 2011 to 2018, providing an analytical framework for long-term green roof assessment.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of VancouvercoreOthers · 1 January 2026PFS Studio collaborated with the City of Vancouver and subconsultants to develop the Rain City Green Roof Best Practices Guide, released publicly in 2026. The Guide provides practical information for implementing green roofs as long-term urban climate responses. Subconsultants included Arcadis, LMDG, Introba, KWL, RJC, and Christine Thuring.
• SnohettacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024PFS Studio and Snohetta collaborated as co-designers on the West End Waterfront Vision Plan for Vancouver's downtown waterfront. The multidisciplinary team developed a 30-year strategy addressing sea level rise, climate impacts, and population growth across 90 acres of parks and beaches. The project received the 2026 CSLA Award of Excellence in Planning and Analysis.
• Sky Spirit StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Sky Spirit Studio served as Coast Salish Cultural and Design Advisor on the West End Waterfront Vision Plan. They co-created a Story of Place document integrating Coast Salish history and future speculation about Indigi-Futurist living on the waterfront, centered on Coast Salish values and 2SLGBTQ+IA approaches. UNDRIP and MMIW Report goals were integrated into the design framework.
• KPMB ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFS Studio collaborated with KPMB Architects on the Japanese Canadian Monument Park and Garden in Victoria, BC. Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB received the 2026 Sakura Award for his contributions to architecture and the project. The monument, scheduled for completion in 2026, features a 100-metre curving monument wall within a Japanese-inspired garden honoring 22,000 displaced Japanese Canadians.
• 221A Artist SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFS Studio's Kelty McKinnon participated in a Fireside Chat with Brian McBay of 221A Artist Society at the 2026 UEA Culture in Place Symposium. 221A is a non-profit cultural organization in Vancouver providing affordable space, fellowships, and housing for artists historically excluded from the mainstream arts sector.
• Urban StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFS Studio served as landscape architects on a team led by Urban Strategies to develop a policy document for the Jericho Lands, a 90-acre post-military site co-owned by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh (MST) Partnership and Canada Lands Company. The plan emphasizes the existing ridge, forest, and water drainage as a framework for a mixed-use, high-density multimodal community.
• University of TorontominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFS Studio's Howard Rosenblat collaborated with academic colleagues at the University of Toronto on research published in Nature Cities Journal titled 'Remote Sensing for Healthy Vegetation on Green Roofs.' The study analyzed vegetation health across 1,380 green roofs in Toronto from 2011 to 2018, developing an analytical framework for green roof assessment.
• Henriquez Partners ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFS Studio collaborated with Henriquez Partners Architects and Westbank Corp. on the Mirvish Village Park project within the Mirvish Village redevelopment in Toronto's Annex neighborhood. The design draws inspiration from Honest Ed's iconic filigrees and swirls to create garden rooms inspired by 'jardin à la française.'

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DTAH: DTAH is a Toronto-based landscape architecture, urban design, and architecture firm serving public and private clients across Canada. Highly comparable to PFS Studio in scale, service mix, and target segments including civic plazas, waterfronts, and institutional campus work.
• PWL Partnership Landscape Architects: PWL Partnership is a Vancouver-based landscape architecture firm of similar size and vintage to PFS Studio, with comparable municipal, institutional, and developer clients across BC. Both firms compete directly for BC civic and campus commissions.
• OLIN: OLIN is an internationally recognized landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm based in Philadelphia. Comparable to PFS Studio in focus on public realm design, integrated planning, and award-winning plazas and parks.
• James Corner Field Operations: Field Operations is a leading international landscape architecture and urban design firm behind landmark projects like the High Line and Toronto's The Bentway. Comparable to PFS in design-driven civic and waterfront work but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA):
• Claude Cormier + Associés (CCxA): CCxA is a Montreal-based landscape architecture firm of comparable scale, recognized for award-winning public realm projects in Canada. Direct competitor for high-profile Canadian civic commissions and an indicator of peer-tier positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Sasaki: Sasaki is an international planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture firm. Comparable to PFS Studio in integrated planning/design practice and campus master planning, but operates as a much larger multi-disciplinary incumbent.
• SWA Group: SWA Group is one of the largest global landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firms. Comparable service offering to PFS but at materially larger scale with broader geographic coverage and capacity for mega-projects.
• Snøhetta: Snøhetta is an international architecture, landscape architecture, and design firm that co-designed the West End Waterfront Vision Plan with PFS Studio. Comparable on waterfront and civic projects but operates as a much larger global incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pfs-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 PFS Studio