Upland Design
Upland Design, Ltd. is a privately held Illinois-based landscape architecture and planning firm that designs parks, playgrounds, streetscapes, and civic spaces for park districts, municipalities, forest preserve districts, and non-profits across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersPlainfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Upland Design does
Upland Design, Ltd. is a privately held landscape architecture and planning firm headquartered in Illinois with offices in Chicago (1229 N North Branch St, Ste 220A) and Plainfield (24042 W. Lockport St, Suite 200). Founded approximately 1998–2002, the firm operates with 11–50 employees under four equity principals — founding principals Michelle A. Kelly and Heath A. Wright, joined in 2023 by promoted principals Maria Blood and Elizabeth Dafoe — and serves government and institutional clients across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
The firm's core offering is professional landscape architecture services, including comprehensive master planning, park and playground design, streetscape and transportation design, sports and recreation planning, public engagement facilitation, and grant application assistance (notably OSLAD grants). Technology is conventional for the discipline — GIS, CAD, sustainable-design practices such as permeable paving, native plantings, and rain gardens, and ADA-compliant design — with no proprietary software, API, or AI/ML component disclosed. The practice is differentiated by its exclusive focus on public-sector parks and civic spaces and by deep expertise in public engagement and grant-driven project execution.
Upland generates revenue through per-project professional services engagements billed to park districts, municipalities, villages, forest preserve districts, libraries, and non-profits; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led, relying on RFPs, public presentations, community engagement processes, long-term client relationships, and active participation in industry bodies such as the Midwest Institute of Park Executives (M.I.P.E.). Repeat engagements with clients such as Kendall County Forest Preserve and Naperville Park District indicate sticky, relationship-driven revenue, while partnerships with Landscape Structures, The Antero Group, 110%, Engineering Resources Associates, and others extend the firm's reach on multi-disciplinary public projects.
Upland Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upland Design
- Legal name
- Upland Design, Ltd.
- Website
- https://uplanddesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Upland Design, Ltd. is a privately held Illinois-based landscape architecture and planning firm that designs parks, playgrounds, streetscapes, and civic spaces for park districts, municipalities, forest preserve districts, and non-profits across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upland Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)
- SIC
- Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Landscape Design, Build & Installation (Hardscapes/Softscapes) (BPABADAF)
Keywords
Where Upland Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plainfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Upland Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Landscape Architecture: The firm generates revenue through professional landscape architecture and planning services billed on a per-project basis. Services include master planning, park design, playground design, streetscape design, construction documents, construction administration, and public engagement facilitation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Upland Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Upland Design, Ltd. provides professional landscape architecture and planning services for parks, playgrounds, recreational facilities, streetscapes, civic plazas, and comprehensive master plans. The firm delivers end-to-end services including master planning, design, construction documents, construction administration, public engagement facilitation, and grant application assistance primarily to government clients including park districts, municipalities, villages, and forest preserve districts across the Midwest.
Product overview
Upland Design is a landscape architecture and planning firm offering professional design services for outdoor spaces. The company provides a comprehensive suite of services including landscape architecture, comprehensive master planning, playground design, parks design, streetscape and transportation design, public engagement, grant application assistance, and sports and recreation planning. Rather than a software product, Upland Design delivers professional consulting and design services to park districts, municipalities, and private clients across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The firm specializes in creating engaging outdoor spaces that connect communities to nature through parks, playgrounds, trails, and civic spaces.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Successful completion of hundreds of park and recreational projects across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan over 20+ years
Companies that use Upland Design
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Upland Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Upland Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- The Antero GroupcorePartnered with Chikaming Township and The Antero Group on the Kohn Park Master Plan project. Upland provided master planning, design, construction documents, and construction assistance while Antero Group served as project partner.
- 110%majorLed the multidisciplinary team for Glencoe Park District Comprehensive Parks Master Plan. Upland provided park system analysis and planning expertise as part of the team.
- Landscape StructurescorePlayground equipment manufacturer headquartered in Delano, Minnesota. Upland Design team visits LSI headquarters to see new products, meet with custom design staff, and tour the factory. LSI is 100% employee-owned. Partnership enables Upland to design playgrounds with quality equipment from a trusted manufacturer.
- Nutoys Leisure ProductsminorPlayground equipment distributor representing Landscape Structures. Upland team accompanied Nutoys representative Rick Bieterman on visit to LSI headquarters.
- Engineering Resources AssociatesmajorEngineering firm collaborated with Upland on Aux Sable Springs Park master planning process along Aux Sable Creek. Team worked together on public input process and OSLAD grant application.
- Charles Vincent George ArchitectsmajorArchitecture firm partnered with Upland and Engineering Resources Associates on Aux Sable Springs Park project for Village of Minooka and Kendall County Forest Preserve.
- Jack Rouse AssociatesmajorDesign firm served as co-lead with Upland on Blackberry Farm master improvement and renovation plan for Fox Valley Park District. Partnership combined attractions design expertise with landscape architecture.
- CallisonRTKLmajorGlobal architecture and design firm partnered with Upland on Wheeling Town Center project - transit-oriented mixed-use development with 100,000 sq ft retail and 301 residential units.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Upland Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- OLIN: Nationally recognized landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with significant park, waterfront, and public-space work — competes for higher-profile public-realm commissions similar to Upland's park district portfolio.
- Woolpert: Large architecture, engineering, and geospatial firm with parks, planning, and public-sector practices — competes with Upland for park district and municipal planning work as a full-service alternative.
- James Corner Field Operations: High-profile landscape architecture and urban design firm specializing in public parks, waterfronts, and large civic spaces — competes for marquee park district commissions similar to Upland's premium work.
- Sasaki Associates: Large interdisciplinary design and planning firm with extensive landscape architecture practice spanning parks, campuses, and urban realm — competes for the same public-sector master-plan RFPs but offers broader architecture and planning capabilities.
- SWA Group: Large international landscape architecture and urban design practice with strong park, waterfront, and master-planning credentials — competes for the same public-sector design commissions at a larger scale.
Direct peers
- Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architecture: Landscape architecture firm with offices in Chicago and other Midwest cities, providing park, streetscape, and public-realm design for municipalities and institutions — overlaps Upland on geography, client type, and project typology.
- LandDesign: Multi-office landscape architecture, civil engineering, and urban design firm with park, recreation, and municipal master-planning practices — comparable client base (park districts and municipalities) and service offerings to Upland.
- Hitchcock Design Group: Midwest-based landscape architecture and planning firm serving municipalities, park districts, and developers with master planning, park design, and streetscape services — highly comparable client mix, geography, and service scope to Upland Design.
- Design Workshop: National landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with strong Midwest presence and a public-sector park and recreation portfolio comparable to Upland's master-planning and park-design work.
- Teska Associates: Illinois-based community planning, landscape architecture, and urban design firm serving municipalities and park districts in the Chicago metro and Midwest — directly comparable geography, client base, and service scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Upland Design social profiles
Digital presenceUpland Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upland Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Upland Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upland Design 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 Upland Design
What does Upland Design do?
Upland Design, Ltd. provides professional landscape architecture and planning services for parks, playgrounds, recreational facilities, streetscapes, civic plazas, and comprehensive master plans. The firm delivers end-to-end services including master planning, design, construction documents, construction administration, public engagement facilitation, and grant application assistance primarily to government clients including park districts, municipalities, villages, and forest preserve districts across the Midwest.
Is Upland Design a public or private company?
Upland Design is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Upland Design founded?
Upland Design was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Upland Design based?
Upland Design is headquartered in Plainfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Upland Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services - Landscape Architecture.
Who are Upland Design's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are OLIN, Woolpert, James Corner Field Operations, Sasaki Associates and SWA Group. Direct peers are Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architecture, LandDesign, Hitchcock Design Group, Design Workshop and Teska Associates.
Does Upland Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upland Design.
What industry is Upland Design in?
Upland Design's product category is Landscape Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design, with a secondary code of BPABADAF, Landscape Design, Build & Installation (Hardscapes/Softscapes). Its NAICS code is 541320 and its SIC code is 7340.