Echo Urban Design
Echo Urban Design is a Rotterdam-based urban design practice founded in 2006, delivering integrated urbanism, landscape architecture, masterplanning, and public space design for Dutch and European municipalities, housing corporations, and real estate developers via tenders and design competitions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersRotterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Echo Urban Design does
ECHO Urban Design is a privately held Dutch urban design practice headquartered at Vijverhofstraat 47 in Rotterdam, founded in 2006 and operating as a private limited company under Dutch law. The firm delivers an integrated portfolio spanning urban design, landscape architecture, area and master planning, public space design, and architectural concepts, organized around interdisciplinary teams that combine urbanists, landscape architects, architects, and project managers under a single roof. Its service model is professional services: fees are generated through commissioned design work won via competitive tenders, municipal partner selections, design competitions, and direct commissions. The practice is privately held and independently operated, with no external investment or parent company identified in the source material.
The firm's client base spans two primary verticals. Public-sector clients include Dutch municipalities (Gemeente Amsterdam, Gemeente Nissewaard, Gemeente Zoetermeer, Gemeente Vlissingen) and international governments (Ville de Lausanne, Stadt Bern, City of Kaarina, Tallinna Sadam, City of Prague); private-sector clients include housing corporations (Woonstad Rotterdam, Woonplus) and real estate developers and investors (ERA Contour | TBI, Synchroon, Fullhouse, SBB CFF FFS Immobilien, Regie CHAMOT, Achmea Real Estate, LIMECO Energy). Its geographic footprint is anchored in the Netherlands but actively extends to Switzerland, Finland, Estonia, and the Czech Republic through competition wins and joint commissions. Revenue mechanics rely on a Dutch CAO employment base, no publicly disclosed pricing, and sales-led project acquisition rather than productized offerings.
ECHO operates a related entity, ECHO Urban Management, which is positioned as a sub-brand offering process and stakeholder management services that bring together parties, interests, and opportunities behind a shared narrative for urban challenges. Technology usage is conventional for design practices, with no proprietary platform disclosed; the principal intellectual asset is the firm's competition-winning design quality, evidenced by wins such as the Admiral Harbour Bridge international competition (Tallinn, 2018; realized 2021) and the Gemma Smid Architectuurprijs 2025 jury prize and shared public choice award for the Happy Days project in Zoetermeer. No funding, M&A, patents, or AI/ML capabilities were disclosed in the input.
Echo Urban Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Echo Urban Design
- Legal name
- ECHO Urban Design
- Website
- https://echo-urbandesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Echo Urban Design is a Rotterdam-based urban design practice founded in 2006, delivering integrated urbanism, landscape architecture, masterplanning, and public space design for Dutch and European municipalities, housing corporations, and real estate developers via tenders and design competitions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Echo Urban Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Design and Landscape Architecture
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Echo Urban Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rotterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Echo Urban Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Urban design and architecture consultancy fees: Professional services fees generated through commissioned design work for urban planning, landscape design, and architectural concept projects for public and private sector clients. Projects are won through competitive tenders, municipal partner selections, and direct commissions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Echo Urban Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Echo Urban Design is an integrated urban design firm delivering urban planning, landscape architecture, area visions, masterplans, public space design, and architectural concepts for municipalities, developers, and housing corporations. The firm operates through interdisciplinary teams combining urbanism, landscape architecture, and architecture under one roof to deliver projects from concept to execution across the Netherlands and internationally.
Product overview
Echo Urban Design is an integrated urban design firm offering a unified service portfolio centered on urban planning, landscape architecture, and area development. The core offering combines urban design services with landscape architecture and ECHO Urban Management (process/stakeholder management), providing end-to-end capabilities from vision development through design execution. The firm operates across disciplines to tackle integrated challenges in urbanism, landscape, and architecture, delivering projects ranging from neighborhood visions and masterplans to public space and architectural concept development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ECHO Urban Management: Related entity focused on urban management, bringing together parties, interests and opportunities in shared narratives for urban challenges
Products and services
- Urban Design Services
- Landscape Architecture
- Area and Master Planning
- Public Space Design
- Architectural Concepts
- ECHO Urban Management
Quantifiable outcome
- Happy Days project: won Gemma Smid Architectuurprijs 2025 — juryprijs and shared publieksprijs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Echo Urban Design
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Echo Urban Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Echo Urban Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
42 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RoosRos Architecten GoescoreECHO Urban Design and RoosRos Architecten partnered to win the municipal tender for Machinewerf Vlissingen. ECHO is responsible for urban design, landscape design, and architectural concept; RoosRos provides technical architectural support.
- LeytenminorPartner in the consortium selected by Gemeente Vlissingen for the Machinewerf development in the Scheldekwartier.
- Fullhouse B.V.minorPartner in the consortium for Machinewerf Vlissingen development.
- DEPARTminorPartner in the consortium for Machinewerf Vlissingen development.
- SteenvlinderminorPartner in the consortium for Machinewerf Vlissingen development.
- Witteveen+BoscoreEngineering partner for the Admiral Harbour Bridge competition win. Witteveen+Bos provided technical engineering expertise for Estonia's first dynamically movable pedestrian bridge in Tallinn.
- BETA office for architecture and the citycoreJoint development of area vision, masterplan, and architectural design code for Malley Manufacture in Lausanne. ECHO and BETA collaborated on the urban transformation of this former industrial site.
- SBB CFF FFS ImmobiliencoreSwiss Federal Railways real estate arm and development partner for Malley Manufacture urban district in Lausanne.
- Regie CHAMOT & Cie SAcoreReal estate management partner for Malley Manufacture development in Lausanne.
- Filippo BologneseminorDesign partner for Market Interspaces competition in Prague.
- VIVID VisionminorVisualization partner for Market Interspaces competition in Prague.
- MulderZonderland ArchitectscoreJoint vision for Gaswerkareal transformation in Bern. ECHO and MulderZonderland developed the area vision and masterplan for this former gasworks site along the Aare river.
- Achmea Real EstatecorePart of the Coalition De Esch, working with ECHO and other partners on the area vision and future development of De Esch in Rotterdam.
- StebruminorHousing developer partner in Coalition De Esch for area vision in Rotterdam.
- ERA ContourcoreLongstanding development partner on multiple projects including Happy Days and Skill City in Rotterdam M4H. ERA Contour is part of TBI.
- Woonstad RotterdamcoreHousing corporation partner in Coalition De Esch, jointly owning 85% of homes in the district.
- KraaijvangerminorArchitecture firm partner in Coalition De Esch.
- BluehouseminorDeveloper partner in Coalition De Esch.
- VestedaminorResidential investor partner in Coalition De Esch.
- MNminorInvestment manager partner in Coalition De Esch.
- Bakkers | HommenminorDeveloper partner in Coalition De Esch.
- BAUKUNSTcoreArchitecture partner in the Limmattal Energy Centre international design competition and research project in Zurich, Switzerland.
- Raivio BumanncoreArchitecture partner for ECHO of the forest — city vision and masterplan competition for Kaarina city centre, Finland.
- Finch buildingsminorPartner for Kaarina city vision competition — sustainable building solutions.
- Planetary ArchitectureminorPartner for Kaarina city vision competition.
- Zaha Hadid ArchitectsminorMasterplan by ZHA for Tallinn harbour district provides context for Admiral Harbour Bridge placement and waterfront redevelopment.
- EcogroenminorEcological research partner in the Happy Days multi-year socio-economic and ecological impact measurement project.
- Antea GroupminorTechnical and engineering consultancy partner for Spijkenisse Centrum Station Area public realm design.
- Sander van der HamminorUrban psychologist collaborator for Spijkenisse Centrum Station Area, translating traveller needs into legible and safe public space design.
- HeijmansminorConstruction partner for Spijkenisse Centrum Station Area redevelopment.
- BrinkminorMobility and accessibility consultancy partner for Spijkenisse Centrum Station Area.
- Struyk Verwo InframinorInfrastructure partner for Spijkenisse Centrum Station Area.
- Architectuur MakencoreArchitecture partner for Swanla Triangle (Zuidplas) — soft landscape transition between the polder landscape and the 212-house residential area.
- WaalPartnersminorPartner for Swanla Triangle development in Zuidplas.
- ParallelminorPartner for Swanla Triangle development in Zuidplas.
- Bura UrbanismcoreUrbanism partner for Gooiseweg area vision in Amsterdam East and Southeast — 130 ha densification and improvement zone.
- Stichting Moving Arts ProjectminorCultural partner for Gooiseweg area vision, involving local community engagement.
- Het Lege AtelierminorDesign partner for Gooiseweg area vision in Amsterdam.
- Antea GroupminorEngineering and consultancy partner for Parkweg-middle neighborhood reconstruction in Schiedam (238 dwellings, 60% social housing).
- Conversation NextminorStakeholder engagement partner for Parkweg-middle Schiedam project.
- ZichtbaarminorCommunication partner for Parkweg-middle Schiedam project.
- WoonpluscoreHousing corporation partner for Parkweg-middle reconstruction in Schiedam — 238 homes, 60% social housing.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Echo Urban Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mecanoo: Dutch architecture firm with an established urban planning and landscape practice, delivering masterplans, public space, and architectural concept work for municipalities and developers — overlapping directly with ECHO's integrated urbanism offer.
- West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture: Rotterdam-based urban design and landscape architecture practice with a strong portfolio of public space, masterplans, and waterfront developments. Closely comparable in discipline mix, Dutch base, and competition-driven GTM.
- MVRDV: Rotterdam-based architecture and urban design practice working across stedenbouw, architecture, and landscape on mixed-use, public, and masterplan projects worldwide. Most direct Dutch peer to ECHO in scale, design ambition, and integrated urbanism offering.
- Karres en Brands: Dutch landscape architecture and urban design office known for public space, residential area plans, and competition-winning masterplans. Directly comparable in service mix, scale, and reliance on municipal tenders.
- KCAP Architects & Planners: Rotterdam-based firm specializing in architecture and urban planning, with a portfolio of area visions, masterplans, and mixed-use district developments across Europe. Highly comparable to ECHO in discipline mix and public-sector client base.
- H+N+S Landscape Architects: Dutch landscape architecture practice delivering area visions, public space, and climate-adaptive urban design for municipalities and developers. Strong overlap with ECHO's landscape architecture and nature-inclusive positioning.
Broad incumbents
- OMA: Global architecture and urbanism firm headquartered in Rotterdam with deep experience in masterplans, area visions, and large-scale urban transformation. Competes for the same high-profile municipal and developer commissions as ECHO but at significantly larger scale.
Emerging players
- COBE: Copenhagen-based architecture and urban design studio active across European area transformations, masterplans, and public space. Comparable in integrated urbanism approach and European competition-winning track record.
- LOLA Landscape Architects: Rotterdam-based landscape architecture firm working on public space, parks, and area visions internationally. Overlaps with ECHO in landscape-led urbanism and competition-based project acquisition.
- Felixx Landscape Architects: Rotterdam-based landscape architecture and urban design studio working on area transformations, public realm, and masterplans for Dutch and European clients. Comparable focus on landscape-led urbanism, with partial overlap in client base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Echo Urban Design social profiles
Digital presenceEcho Urban Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Echo Urban Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Echo Urban Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Echo Urban Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Echo Urban Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Echo Urban 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 Echo Urban Design
What does Echo Urban Design do?
Echo Urban Design is an integrated urban design firm delivering urban planning, landscape architecture, area visions, masterplans, public space design, and architectural concepts for municipalities, developers, and housing corporations. The firm operates through interdisciplinary teams combining urbanism, landscape architecture, and architecture under one roof to deliver projects from concept to execution across the Netherlands and internationally.
Is Echo Urban Design a public or private company?
Echo Urban Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Echo Urban Design founded?
Echo Urban Design was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Echo Urban Design based?
Echo Urban Design is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Echo Urban Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: urban design and architecture consultancy fees.
Who are Echo Urban Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mecanoo, West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, MVRDV, Karres en Brands, KCAP Architects & Planners and H+N+S Landscape Architects. OMA is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are COBE, LOLA Landscape Architects and Felixx Landscape Architects.
Does Echo Urban Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Echo Urban Design.
What industry is Echo Urban Design in?
Echo Urban Design's product category is Urban Design and Landscape Architecture. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAD, Urban Planning & Master Planning, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 54131.