POLA
POLA Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH is a Berlin- and Hamburg-based landscape architecture practice that designs public landscapes, gardens, and urban spaces for German municipalities, foundations, and research institutions through competition-led tenders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What POLA does
POLA Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH is a Berlin-headquartered landscape architecture practice founded in 2009 by Jörg Michel, the sole shareholder. The firm provides landscape, garden, and urban-space design services with a particular emphasis on public-sector commissions, and operates a secondary studio in Hamburg. Its team of approximately 24 staff combines landscape architecture, architecture, civil engineering, communications, and humanities disciplines, and it works alongside recurring collaborators Schulz und Schulz, Stadt Land Fluss, and &MICA on multidisciplinary tenders.
The business model is competition-driven: POLA positions itself as a Wettbewerbsbüro, winning work through architectural competitions and public-sector procurement rather than commercial sales. Clients are predominantly German municipal authorities, public foundations, and research institutions, with occasional international briefs such as the City Balcony Hangzhou project in China. Project budgets range from approximately €0.32M to €17M, indicating the firm operates across small-scale urban interventions and large master-planning commissions, with revenue derived from HOAI-regulated design fees tied to construction cost. The firm is privately held, with no external investors and no disclosed funding events.
POLA has built a recognisable brand around its "poetic landscapes" positioning, supported by a self-published "Portraits" monograph series, the "Poetische Landschaften" exhibition at Architektur Galerie Berlin in October–December 2025, and recognition including the German Natural Stone Award 2026 and multiple 2026 nominations. No AI/ML capabilities, digital-product lines, or technology-platform assets are associated with the firm.
POLA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- POLA
- Legal name
- POLA Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH
- Website
- https://pola-berlin.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- POLA Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH is a Berlin- and Hamburg-based landscape architecture practice that designs public landscapes, gardens, and urban spaces for German municipalities, foundations, and research institutions through competition-led tenders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
POLA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where POLA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
POLA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Landscape Architecture Services: Professional services revenue from landscape architecture planning and construction management services, including design competitions, master planning, and full-service project delivery from conception through construction supervision. Revenue generated through competitive tendering and direct commissions from public and private clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
POLA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
POLA is a landscape and garden architecture firm that delivers professional design services for public outdoor spaces, including parks, plazas, gardens, campuses, cemeteries, and waterfronts. The firm operates across the full project lifecycle from concept and master planning through construction supervision (planning phases 1-9), winning projects primarily through design competitions and direct commissions from public sector clients.
Product overview
POLA Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH is a landscape architecture firm founded in 2009 with offices in Berlin and Hamburg, operating internationally. The firm creates 'poetic landscapes' — spaces that evoke emotions and invite different perspectives. Their service portfolio spans the full project lifecycle (planning phases 1-9, including design and construction management) across public spaces including parks, gardens, city squares, school campuses, courtyards, and waterfront areas. Projects range from small urban plazas to large-scale landscape transformations, with completed works in Germany and internationally (China). The firm also produces publications documenting their work and curates exhibitions on landscape architecture themes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple award wins including German Natural Stone Award 2026, nominations for Berlin-Brandenburg and North German Landscape Architecture Awards 2026
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use POLA
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
POLA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
POLA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Schulz und Schulz ArchitektenminorCollaborative partnership for Fraunhofer Institute Building competition in Bonn. POLA provided landscape architecture services while Schulz und Schulz provided architectural design. Project received 3rd prize.
- Stadt Land Fluss StädtebauminorCollaboration for Rhede town centre transformation project. Joint second prize in competition. POLA handled landscape architecture while Stadt Land Fluss handled urban planning aspects.
- &MICAminorCo-development partner for Kreativ Quartier project in Potsdam (4,878 m², €1.84M). &MICA collaborated on planning and construction management.
- Atelier Sunder-PlassmannminorArchitectural partner for Zentraler Ankunftsbereich Rüdesheim project. POLA won 1st prize for landscape design, Atelier Sunder-Plassmann provided architectural design.
- Winking Froh Architekten + GILDEHAUS LANKENAUminorArchitecture partners for Europaplatz Heidelberg project. POLA provided landscape architecture (1st prize, €4M).
- Obermeyer Planen und Beraten GmbH, MOD (Shanghai), ECADI (Shanghai)minorInternational partnership for City Balcony Hangzhou project (5.5 ha, €17M). POLA won 1st prize in 2004 competition with international team.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
POLA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hager Partner: Swiss-German landscape architecture firm with a larger international footprint and broader portfolio of public urban and infrastructure projects. Acts as a larger incumbent competitor for premium commissions.
- OKRA landschapsarchitecten: Dutch landscape architecture firm with comparable competition-driven approach and similar public-sector design portfolio, operating at a larger international scale across Europe.
Direct peers
- Topotek 1: Berlin-based landscape architecture firm of comparable size with a strong competition-driven portfolio and signature modern-aesthetic style. Operates in the same German municipal landscape architecture market as POLA, frequently competing for the same public projects.
- ST raum a. Wiesbaden-based landscape architecture practice with a profile of public urban space projects and competition-led project acquisition. Directly comparable in size and target market.
- Planergruppe Prof. Laage: German landscape architecture firm with a comparable mix of public-sector urban design, park, and campus projects. Direct competitor in the same competition-driven German market.
- Club L 94: Cologne-based landscape architecture office with a strong competition record and comparable public-sector client base. Directly comparable in size, GTM (competition-led), and project types.
- bbz Landschaftsarchitekten: Berlin-based landscape architecture office with a similar focus on public space, urban design, and competition entries. Direct competitor for the same German municipal and Berlin-Brandenburg commissions.
- Winking Noah Landschaftsarchitekten: Hamburg-based landscape architecture firm that competes directly with POLA for Hamburg-area public-sector projects (e.g., Hamburg BUKEA commissions). Overlapping geographic footprint increases direct competition.
- ASP Landschaftsarchitekten: German landscape architecture office active in public urban space and park design. Competes with POLA in the same German municipal competition landscape.
- Rainer Schmidt Landschaftsarchitekten: Munich-based landscape architecture firm with comparable profile of public competition wins and large-scale urban landscape projects. Competes with POLA for high-profile German municipal commissions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
POLA social profiles
Digital presencePOLA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
POLA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
POLA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
POLA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
POLA 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 POLA
What does POLA do?
POLA is a landscape and garden architecture firm that delivers professional design services for public outdoor spaces, including parks, plazas, gardens, campuses, cemeteries, and waterfronts. The firm operates across the full project lifecycle from concept and master planning through construction supervision (planning phases 1-9), winning projects primarily through design competitions and direct commissions from public sector clients.
Is POLA a public or private company?
POLA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was POLA founded?
POLA was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is POLA based?
POLA is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does POLA make money?
One revenue line is on record: landscape Architecture Services.
Who are POLA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hager Partner and OKRA landschapsarchitecten. Direct peers are Topotek 1, ST raum a., Planergruppe Prof. Laage, Club L 94, bbz Landschaftsarchitekten, Winking Noah Landschaftsarchitekten, ASP Landschaftsarchitekten and Rainer Schmidt Landschaftsarchitekten.
Does POLA have an API?
No public API is recorded for POLA.
What industry is POLA in?
POLA's product category is Landscape Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 541320.