Agency Landscape + Planning

What Agency Landscape + Planning does

Agency Landscape + Planning is a privately held, woman-owned landscape architecture and urban planning firm headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 2017 by Gina Ford, FASLA, and Brie Hensold, HASLA. The firm delivers professional services across the full lifecycle of public realm projects — from strategic planning and community engagement through landscape architecture, site design, and construction documentation — for municipal, state, federal, and institutional clients. Core service lines include landscape architecture, urban and comprehensive planning, parks and recreation master planning, waterfront and campus design, climate resilience planning, and structured community engagement processes, anchored in a stated mission of advancing social equity, cultural vitality, and environmental resilience through design excellence.

The firm's underlying methodology is systems-based and community-engagement-led, combining participatory design processes with data-driven spatial analysis (e.g., GIS-based urban systems work performed by associates such as Justina Cheng). It is a certified DBE/WBE practice with US DOT certification and 25+ state and municipal certifications, providing eligibility for set-aside public sector work. The firm maintains formal subconsultant and co-design partnerships with Sasaki, David Rubin Land Collective, Ross Barney Architects, HR&A Advisors, and others, and consistently serves as the named landscape architecture partner on marquee public projects.

Commercially, Agency operates as a professional services firm on a project-based, RFP/RFQ-driven model with multi-year contract cadences typical of public sector work. Pricing is quote-based and customized to project scope, with no standardized tiers. Revenue is generated through billable professional fees on landscape architecture, planning, and consulting engagements for government (cities, counties, state agencies), educational institutions (Harvard, Syracuse), and urban development organizations (e.g., Sarasota Bay Park Conservancy, Albina Vision Trust). With approximately 30+ professionals across principal, director, senior, associate, and administrative tiers and a national client footprint spanning more than 20 states, the firm maintains a boutique, talent-dense model oriented around its founder brand and Harvard GSD/UPenn/RISD talent pipeline.

Name

Agency Landscape + Planning

Legal name

Agency Landscape + Planning

Website

https://agencylp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agency Landscape + Planning is a woman-owned, Cambridge, MA-based landscape architecture and urban planning firm delivering systems-based, community-engagement-led design, planning, and resilience services for municipal, state, and institutional clients across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAKAC

Landscape Architecture & Site Design

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAD

Urban Planning & Master Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAE

Regional & Land Use Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Urban planning services
• Community engagement planning
• Parks and recreation planning
• Climate resilience planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Landscape Architecture Services: Project-based professional fees for landscape architectural design services including master planning, site design, and construction documentation for parks, public spaces, and urban landscapes
2. Urban Planning and Strategic Planning Services: Planning services including comprehensive plans, park system plans, downtown plans, resilience strategies, and community engagement facilitation for municipal and institutional clients
3. Research and Consulting: Strategic consulting on urban design, public realm planning, and design policy guidance

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Agency Landscape + Planning is a woman-owned landscape architecture and urban planning firm that designs and plans parks, public spaces, waterfronts, and urban landscapes through community engagement processes. The firm provides comprehensive services ranging from strategic master planning and downtown plans to site design and construction documentation, serving government and institutional clients across the United States. Their work integrates social equity, cultural vitality, and environmental resilience into project delivery.

Product overview

Agency Landscape + Planning is a woman-owned landscape architecture and urban planning firm offering a comprehensive suite of design and planning services. The firm operates as a unified practice rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, providing landscape architecture, urban planning, community engagement, and strategic planning services across specialized domains including parks and recreation, waterfronts, climate resilience, campus planning, and public space design. Notable projects include the Chicago Riverwalk, Sarasota's The Bay, and various park master plans across North American cities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture Services Professional landscape architecture services covering design and planning of parks, public spaces, waterfronts, and urban landscapes across multiple scales for government and institutional clients.
• Urban Planning Services Comprehensive urban planning services including downtown plans, community frameworks, parks and recreation master plans, and regional strategic planning for municipalities and institutions.
• Community Engagement Collaborative community engagement processes that bring together diverse constituents to identify shared visions for places and public spaces, forming an integral part of all planning and design engagements.
• Climate Resilience Planning Strategic planning services focused on climate resilience, including coastal resilience, flood recovery, and sustainability strategies for cities and communities facing climate challenges.
• Parks and Recreation Master Plans Comprehensive planning for park systems, recreation facilities, and open space networks at municipal and regional scales for cities, counties, and state agencies.
• Waterfront Design and Planning Design and planning services for urban waterfronts, riverfronts, and waterfront revitalization projects that transform underutilized shoreline areas into vibrant public spaces.
• Campus and Institutional Planning Master planning and design services for university campuses and institutional facilities, balancing historic preservation with modern needs and addressing sustainability and resilience goals.
• Public Space Design Design services for urban public spaces including plazas, streetscapes, and civic spaces that support community life, health, and well-being in urban settings.

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

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• David Rubin Land CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 August 2018Strategic partnership for multiple projects including Fort Wayne Riverfront, Hazelwood Green, and other urban design initiatives. Land Collective leads with Agency as landscape architecture partner.
• Livable Cities StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2018Collaborating partner on High Line Canal Framework Plan. Led by Meredith Wenskoski, working alongside Agency and Sasaki to advance the vision for the 71-mile canal and greenway system in Denver.
• SasakicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and design firm where Gina Ford was formerly principal. Ongoing collaboration on projects including Chicago Riverwalk, Sarasota Bayfront, and Zidell Yards. Sasaki serves as prime consultant with Agency contributing landscape architecture.
• Beyer Blinder Belle Architecture and PlanningsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and planning partner on Fort Wayne Riverfront Phase II/III implementation team.
• HR&A AdvisorssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate and economic development consultants on Fort Wayne Riverfront and other projects including Sarasota Bayfront.
• Bruce Mau DesignsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaborator on Fort Wayne Riverfront implementation team.
• Sarasota Bay Planning Organization / Bay Park ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient-partner for The Bay Sarasota Bayfront Master Plan. Organization tasked with overseeing and managing implementation of the master plan and activation of the site.
• Landscape Architecture FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collaboration on equity and inclusion initiatives. Gina Ford serves on stewardship council. Partnership for events, panels, and New Landscape Declaration initiatives.
• Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSusannah Ross serves on TCLF Board of Directors, Gina Ford on Stewardship Council. Active collaboration on conferences, events, and initiatives including What's Out There Weekend.
• PlaceMatterssupportingTechnology or IntegrationCollaborated on High Line Canal Vision Plan for community engagement and planning tools.
• Atlas LabsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Atlas Lab on Sacramento Waterfront Idea Makers Competition, joining team for design strategies.
• Ross Barney ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead designers alongside Sasaki on Chicago Riverwalk project.
• Hamilton County and IndianapoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic sector partners on White River Vision Plan for Central Indiana.
• Long Beach Island FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on resilience and sea level rise panel discussions.
• American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in ASLA conferences, panels, and award programs. Team members speak at Annual Meetings and serve on committees.
• American Planning Association (APA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in APA conferences and award programs. Recognition including National Planning Achievement Awards.
• Almono LLCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient partner for Hazelwood Green project in Pittsburgh, 178-acre former steel mill site redevelopment.
• El DoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead firm on Albina Vision Community Investment Plan with Agency assisting planning and leading public realm design.
• Albina Vision TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit focused on equitable development and wealth building in Lower Albina. Leading the Albina Vision Community Investment Plan in Portland.
• Intrinsik ArchitecturesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Bozeman Downtown Plan in Montana.
• Leland Consulting GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development consultants on Bozeman Downtown Plan.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SCAPE Landscape Architecture: Mission-driven landscape architecture and urban design practice with comparable focus on public realm, equity, resilience, and post-disaster planning. Overlaps Agency on waterfronts, parks systems, and coastal adaptation work and competes for similar municipal clients.
• OLIN: Philadelphia-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with similar scale and project mix across public parks, campuses, and urban revitalization. Comparable client base and emphasis on equity-driven public sector work.
• Stoss Landscape Urbanism: Boston-based landscape urbanism practice with strong public sector, resilience, and waterfront portfolio. Highly comparable in scale, geography, and equity/resilience framing to Agency.
• Hood Design Studio: Oakland-based, Black-owned landscape architecture and urban design practice with closely aligned mission around equity, cultural vitality, and community-led public realm. Closest peer to Agency in identity, values, and project type.
• James Corner Field Operations: Landscape architecture and urban design firm known for High Line and large-scale public realm projects. Directly competes with Agency on flagship waterfront, park, and downtown master plan pursuits in major US cities.
• Nelson Byrd Woltz: Landscape architecture firm with comparable emphasis on public gardens, parks, and cultural landscapes, including high-profile institutional and civic projects. Directly competes for similar public realm and master planning engagements.
• Reed Hilderbrand: Landscape architecture practice with comparable focus on campus, institutional, and public realm projects. Overlaps Agency on university campus planning (e.g., Harvard work) and similar cultural landscape commissions.
• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA): Brooklyn-based landscape architecture firm with signature public park work (Brooklyn Bridge Park, Maggie Daley Park). Comparable size and pursuit profile in large urban park and waterfront master planning for municipalities.

Broad incumbents

• Sasaki: Large multi-disciplinary planning, design, and architecture firm where Agency's co-founders were previously principals. Sasaki serves as prime consultant on multiple shared flagship projects (Chicago Riverwalk, Zidell Yards, Sarasota Bayfront), making it Agency's closest collaborator and most direct larger-market peer in landscape architecture and urban planning.
• SWA Group: Large, established landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with extensive public and private sector portfolio across the US. Broader and larger than Agency but competes for the same municipal waterfront, park, and downtown planning work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/agency_landplan
• Facebookfacebook.com/agencylp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agencylp
• Instagraminstagram.com/agencylp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Agency Landscape + Planning