Ares Landscape Architects Ltd

What Ares Landscape Architects Ltd does

Ares Landscape Architects Ltd is a UK-based landscape architecture practice founded in 2011 by Ricardo Ares, operating from three studios in Sheffield (headquarters), London, and Cheltenham. The firm delivers landscape and public realm design services across seven verticals: civic and public space, further and higher education, schools, health and wellness, residential, workplace, and leisure and retail. Named clients include Smith and Nephew, University of Nottingham, Lancashire Constabulary, Derbyshire County Council, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, the Department for Education, Harlow Council, and Clyde Gateway, spanning government, education, healthcare, enterprise, and developer segments.

The practice uses Building Information Modeling (BIM) at Level 2 as its core digital delivery standard, adopted since 2016 as a transition from paper-based methods. The firm is involved in the Landscape Institute Digital Practice Group and organizes the LI Digital Conference, signaling leadership in digital practice within the UK landscape architecture profession. Its revenue model is professional services fees charged on a project-by-project basis; work is won through direct appointments, competitive tenders, and public sector frameworks such as Scape.

Ares typically operates as a sub-consultant within design teams led by larger architects (e.g., Bond Bryan, AHR, Hawkins Brown, McBains) and tier-one contractors (e.g., Willmott Dixon, Wates, Morgan Sindall, Bowmer + Kirkland). The firm employs 34 staff across its three studios and has grown organically from a 2-person start-up to a multi-office practice over 15 years with no disclosed external institutional investment. It remains founder-owned under Ricardo Ares, with a four-person Associate Director leadership bench established in 2022.

Name

Ares Landscape Architects Ltd

Legal name

Ares Landscape Architects Ltd

Website

https://aresdesign.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ares Landscape Architects Ltd is a Sheffield-founded, founder-owned UK landscape architecture practice operating from three studios in Sheffield, London, and Cheltenham. It delivers BIM-enabled landscape and public realm design across civic, education, healthcare, residential, workplace, and leisure sectors for public and private clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Landscape Design & Installation (HSAIABAJ), Residential Landscape Design (HSAIABAA)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Public realm design
• Urban regeneration consultancy
• Biophilic school design
• Masterplanning and site design

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 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: Professional landscape architecture and design consultancy services for complex landscape and public realm projects. Revenue generated through project fees for design, planning, and implementation oversight.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ares Landscape Architects Ltd is a landscape architecture consultancy that designs sustainable outdoor environments and public spaces for civic, educational, healthcare, residential, workplace, and leisure clients. Services cover masterplanning, detailed landscape design, planning inputs, and contract-stage implementation oversight, delivered from three UK studios under a BIM Level 2 design process.

Product overview

Ares Landscape Architects Ltd is a landscape architecture practice founded in 2011, delivering sustainable, practical, and beautiful place design. The practice operates across three UK studios (Sheffield, London, and Cheltenham) and offers comprehensive landscape architecture services organized by sector: Civic & Public Space, Further & Higher Education, Schools, Health & Wellness, Residential, Workplace, and Leisure & Retail. The portfolio spans public realm regeneration, educational campuses, biophilic school designs, healthcare landscapes, residential developments, and corporate workplace environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture Services Full-service landscape architecture practice delivering sustainable, practical, and beautiful place design across civic, educational, residential, healthcare, leisure, and workplace sectors.
• Civic and Public Space Design Design of public realm spaces including parks, squares, streetscapes, and urban regeneration projects for local authorities and public sector clients.
• Further and Higher Education Landscape Design Landscape design for further and higher education institutions, including campuses, research facilities, student accommodation, and associated public realm.
• Schools Landscape Design Landscape design for primary and secondary schools including outdoor learning environments, biophilic school grounds, and ultra-low carbon school prototypes such as GenZero.
• Health and Wellness Landscape Design Therapeutic and wellness-focused landscape design for healthcare facilities, including dementia-friendly care homes and healing environments.
• Residential Landscape Design Landscape design for residential developments including private residences, student accommodation, and extra care facilities.
• Workplace Landscape Design Corporate landscape design for office campuses, business parks, and workplace environments, including biophilic office designs.
• Leisure and Retail Landscape Design Landscape design for leisure destinations, retail environments, and entertainment venues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 2025 AJ Awards Landscape and Public Realm Project of the Year for The Green Heart, Broadmarsh Nottingham
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McBains CoopercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership on multiple projects including Lancashire Constabulary Divisional HQ (with Willmott Dixon) and various public realm projects in Harlow.
• Willmott DixoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegular contractor partner on projects including National College for High Speed Rail, Danum Library, and Lancashire Constabulary HQ.
• Bond Bryan ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing architectural partner on multiple education and public projects including National College for High Speed Rail and Danum Library.
• Wates ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContractor partner on Bennerley Avenue Care Home, Middleton Throstle, and London Design & Engineering UTC projects.
• Tilbury DouglascoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDelivery partner for St Mary's Biophilic School DfE Research Study project, working with Hawkins Brown and Lyall Bills & Young.
• Lyall Bills & Young ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner on St Mary's Biophilic School project, initial approach by DfE for research and feasibility.
• Hawkins BrowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partner on St Mary's Biophilic School DfE Research Study delivery phase.
• Morgan SindallcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContractor partner on The Spine project at Paddington Village, Liverpool.
• AHR ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on The Spine project at Paddington Village and HEMISPHERE Biophilic Project.
• Shepheard Epstein HunterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partner on Space Park Leicester project.
• Balfour BeattyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppointed as preferred bidder for Royal Holloway campus expansion project. Ares provided Masterplan and external areas design.
• Bowmer + KirklandminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContractor partner on Space Park Leicester.
• UK Atomic Energy AgencycoreOthersClient for STEP/UKAEA Offices at Culham Science Centre. Working with McBains on landscape design for new HQ building.
• AECOMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking closely with AECOM on public realm projects in South Dalmarnock, Glasgow for Clyde Gateway.
• Clyde GatewaycoreOthersClient for multiple public realm projects in Dalmarnock area, part of transformative vision for the area.
• RJ McleodcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContractor partner on South Dalmarnock public realm projects.
• Turner+TownsendminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject management on Cadley Park project.
• Whittam CoxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partner on Staveley Market Square and Middlewood Locks projects.
• Harlow CouncilcoreOthersClient for multiple public realm projects including Eastgate, Playhouse Quarter, and Stonecross Square, part of Levelling Up Fund bids.
• Department for EducationcoreOthersClient for GenZero ultra-low carbon building standard for schools and St Mary's Biophilic School research project.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Grant Associates: UK landscape architecture practice with strong portfolio in public realm, parks, and education sectors. Comparable to Ares in its sector mix (civic, education, leisure) and UK regional footprint, including RIBA/Awards profile.
• Churchman Thornhill Finch: UK landscape architecture practice with established public realm, education, and healthcare portfolios. Comparable to Ares as a similarly sized independent consultancy serving local authority and institutional clients.
• HTA Design LLP: Multi-disciplinary UK practice with a strong landscape and urban design team working across residential, education, and public sector regeneration. Comparable to Ares for housing associations, schools, and public realm briefs.
• Maccreanor Lavington: UK landscape and urban design practice with award-winning housing, education, and public realm work. Comparable to Ares for residential developer, education, and regeneration projects, though with stronger London focus.
• Land Use Consultants (LUC): One of the UK's largest dedicated landscape architecture, ecology, and planning consultancies. Directly comparable to Ares as a multi-office UK practice delivering public realm, education, and regeneration projects for government and developer clients.
• Gross Max: London-based landscape architecture studio recognised for award-winning public realm and urban design work. Directly comparable to Ares in scale, sector focus, and award profile (AJ, RIBA), though more London-centric.

Broad incumbents

• LDA Design (Stantec): Major UK landscape and urban design consultancy acquired by Stantec, working across public realm, regeneration, and education sectors. Larger incumbent competitor and potential partner on framework bids.
• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Large multi-disciplinary UK design consultancy with a dedicated landscape architecture division covering civic, education, healthcare, and transport projects. Represents the larger incumbent tier that Ares often partners with as a sub-consultant.

Regional players

• Camlins LLP: Northern England-based landscape architecture and environmental planning consultancy serving Yorkshire and the North West. Comparable to Ares's Sheffield studio in regional focus and public sector client base.

Emerging players

• Re-Form Landscape Architecture: Independent UK landscape architecture practice working across residential, education, and public realm. Comparable to Ares as a similarly sized independent competing for the same UK tender opportunities and awards circuits.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ares-landscape-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/areslandscape

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Ares Landscape Architects Ltd