GHD Design

What GHD Design does

GHD Design is the architecture and design practice of GHD, an Australian-origin, employee-owned professional services firm founded in 1928. The design practice operates more than 400 professionals across 20 global studios and is ranked among the leading 100 architectural firms worldwide. It delivers four core disciplines - architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design - organized across ten sector specializations including civic and justice, commercial and workplace, defence and national security, education and science, health and wellbeing, industrial, precincts and places, residential and aged care, retail and hospitality, and transport.

The practice operates an integrated delivery model that combines its design disciplines with engineering, digital, and specialist services from the broader GHD group, allowing engagement from business case through to operations. Revenue is generated through fee-based professional consulting engagements on a project-by-project basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting government and commercial clients, with services delivered directly through the studio network.

The firm serves clients such as Western Australian energy operator Synergy (battery energy storage), Sydney Metro West (transport infrastructure), and the US Federal Government (via the RIM Architects acquisition, July 2024). Operations span Australia, Canada, Chile, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the USA.

Name

GHD Design

Legal name

GHD

Website

https://ghdwoodhead.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

GHD Design is the architecture and design practice of employee-owned GHD, providing integrated architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design services across ten sectors. It serves government and commercial clients worldwide from a network of 20 global studios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Interior design consulting
• Landscape architecture services
• Urban design consultancy
• Built environment design

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Consulting Services: GHD Design generates revenue through fee-based professional services engagements for architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design projects. Services are delivered from business case through to operations, serving government federal clients and commercial customers globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GHD Design provides professional architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design services delivered through a global network of 20 studios and more than 400 design professionals. Services span business case development through to operations across 10 market specializations including civic/community/justice, commercial and workplace, defence and national security, education and science, health and wellbeing, industrial, precincts and places, residential/retirement/aged care, retail and hospitality, and transport sectors.

Product overview

GHD Design is an integrated design services firm offering architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design services. The firm operates a global network of over 400 professionals across 20 studios and is ranked among the top 100 global architectural firms. The core disciplines (Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design) are delivered across 10 market specializations including Civic/Community/Justice, Commercial and Workplace, Defence and National Security, Education and Science, Health and Wellbeing, Industrial, Precincts and Places, Residential/Retirement and Aged Care, Retail and Hospitality, and Transport. GHD's integrated offering combines design services with engineering, digital, and specialist services to deliver technically elegant, intelligent, and sustainable outcomes from business case to operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GHD Design: Architecture, interior design, landscape and urban design practice within GHD, ranked among the leading 100 global architectural firms with more than 400 professionals across 20 studios.

Products and services

• Architecture Provides architectural design services transforming spaces and structures through a design-led approach, delivered from business case to operations for enterprise and government clients globally.
• Interior Design Transforms interior spaces for clients to achieve their aspirations through human-centred design approaches, serving commercial, institutional, and government end-users.
• Landscape Architecture Delivers high-quality community amenity in the public realm through landscape design solutions for civic, urban, and institutional clients.
• Urban Design Applies a holistic, place-led approach to deliver community and environmental benefits in urban environments for government, developers, and institutional clients.
• Defence and National Security Design Design services that enhance defence capabilities for national security projects, delivered to federal and defence-sector clients across the US West and Pacific regions.
• Health and Wellbeing Design Applies human-centred design in critical healthcare facilities to support health and wellbeing outcomes for hospital, aged care, and health-system clients.
• Transport Design Optimises customer experience and technical performance for transport infrastructure projects, including the Sydney Metro West Western Tunnelling Package.
• Civic, Community and Justice Design Creates sustainable communities through design for civic, community, and justice facilities serving government and public-sector clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 400 professionals across 20 studios
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RIM ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2024GHD acquired RIM Architects, a firm with 38-year history providing design services in US West and Pacific regions, including significant federal sector work. RIM will operate under the GHD Design brand, enhancing GHD's architectural capabilities and supporting growth strategy in the US Federal sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP Global: Global professional services firm with a large architecture and buildings practice serving transport, property, and environment markets. Comparable as a multi-discipline competitor on large infrastructure and built environment projects, though WSP is materially larger.
• AECOM: Global AEC firm with a substantial architecture practice spanning transport, defence, water, and environment verticals. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary design competitor for large-scale government and infrastructure mandates, though AECOM operates at materially greater scale.
• Jacobs Solutions: Global professional services firm with deep infrastructure, water, and built environment design capabilities. Comparable as a competitor for government and infrastructure design mandates, particularly in defence and federal sectors where Jacobs is a major incumbent.

Direct peers

• Hassell: Australian-headquartered international architecture and design practice with civic, workplace, education, and urban design focus. Closely comparable in geography, scale, multi-disciplinary offering, and Australian government/infrastructure client base.
• Arup: Employee-owned global engineering and design consultancy with integrated architecture, structural engineering, and specialist services. Highly comparable in ownership structure, multi-disciplinary integration, and sector breadth across transport, buildings, and energy.
• HOK (now part of Populous/HOK): Global architecture, engineering, and planning firm with strong civic, healthcare, education, and aviation practices. Comparable as a top 100 global architecture peer competing for large-scale government and institutional design mandates.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture and design firm with strong healthcare, education, civic, and commercial practices. Comparable as a multi-sector architecture peer with similar sector breadth and comparable scale in global design rankings.
• Woods Bagot: Australian-headquartered global architecture and design practice with studios across Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized Australian-origin peer competing for the same international design mandates.
• HDR Inc. Employee-owned global architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with strong health, defence, and civic sector practices. Comparable in ownership structure, sector mix, and federal sector focus—particularly relevant as a US peer following the RIM Architects acquisition.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm specializing in commercial workplace, retail, hospitality, and residential sectors. Comparable as a top-tier architecture practice competing for premium commercial design mandates, though Gensler is more commercial-focused versus GHD's infrastructure tilt.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GHDWoodhead
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwUGfe6zgaddIXqA7entIwQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/GHDWoodheadcreativespaces
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ghddesign

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GHD Design