What Layer.studio does

Layer.studio is a UK-based landscape and urbanism design studio founded in 2016, operating from four studio locations across Manchester/Wilmslow (headquarters), Newcastle, London, and Bristol with a team of approximately 13 employees. The studio delivers an integrated service across four core offerings: Landscape Architecture, Urbanism, Creative Community Engagement, and Visual Impact Assessments, serving two primary client segments - developers undertaking residential, commercial, and mixed-use schemes, and local authorities/public sector bodies responsible for urban regeneration and town centre renewal. Notable project work includes Mayfield Park in Manchester (the city's first new public park in over 100 years, with 96% biodiversity net gain), the £250m Climate Innovation District in Leeds for CITU, and the Chillingham Road Rain Garden in Newcastle.

The studio has developed two proprietary methodologies: PikTOC, a transit-oriented community decision-support tool co-developed with Ramboll and Hatch and deployed with GMCA, Transport for Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and Tameside Council; and Circ_it, an open-source 'hack the system' regeneration workshop framework with a published playbook of repeatable fixes. Layer.studio monetises through project-based professional services fees for landscape architecture, masterplanning, community engagement, and visual impact assessment work, with pricing determined per project scope and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct via enterprise field sales and public sector procurement, supported by thought leadership through industry events (UKREiiF, MIPIM), case study content, and a co-design methodology that the studio positions as a core differentiator versus less community-embedded competitors.

Name

Layer.studio

Legal name

Layer.studio

Website

https://layer.studio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Layer.studio is a UK landscape and urbanism design studio with four studios (Manchester, Newcastle, London, Bristol) serving developers and local authorities via landscape architecture, urbanism, community engagement, and visual impact assessment services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture & Urbanism Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Urbanism design
• Community engagement consultancy
• Visual impact assessment
• Masterplanning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester / Wilmslow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Landscape Architecture: Project-based fees for landscape architecture services including masterplanning, detailed design, and construction oversight for public realm, parks, and urban spaces. Revenue is earned through client commissions and consultancy engagements with developers and public sector bodies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Layer.studio is a UK landscape and urbanism design practice that provides landscape architecture, urbanism strategy, creative community engagement, and visual impact assessment services to developers, local authorities, and education and innovation-property clients. The firm also operates two proprietary methodologies — PikTOC (a people-near-towns-and-cities visualisation tool co-developed with Ramboll and Hatch) and Circ_it (a collaborative workshop format co-developed with Mastercard and WSP) — which are used to support client engagements.

Product overview

Layer.studio is a landscape and urbanism design studio offering an integrated service comprising four core service lines: Landscape Architecture, Urbanism, Creative Community Engagement, and Visual Impact Assessments. These services are delivered across four UK studio locations (Manchester, Newcastle, London, Bristol) to developers and public sector bodies. The studio also offers proprietary methodologies including PikTOC (a transit-oriented development decision-support tool) and Circ_it (a regeneration hack framework). The company approaches projects with three core values: Nature, People, and Place, creating resilient places rooted in context that allow nature and people to thrive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% biodiversity net gain achieved at Mayfield Park, Manchester
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RambollcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPikTOC was developed in collaboration with Ramboll, a global engineering, design, and consultancy firm. Ramboll contributes engineering and infrastructure expertise to Layer.studio's transit-oriented development decision-support tool, enabling data integration across transport, environment, and urban planning domains.
• HatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHatch collaborated with Layer.studio and Ramboll on the development of PikTOC, contributing expertise in urban mobility and integrated transport planning to the transit-oriented community decision-support tool.
• SLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLayer.studio collaborated with globally renowned SLA (formerly known as Sk山海绿建筑) on the SISTER masterplan in Manchester, producing their first Manchester masterplan. Layer.studio contributed local knowledge and urbanism expertise while SLA provided international landscape architecture perspective on Plot H and Plot C.
• Bruntwood SciTechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBruntwood SciTech is the developer overseeing the SISTER regeneration area. Layer.studio holds an overseeing role for Bruntwood and is delivering key elements of SISTER's masterplan vision. The studio also designed Booths Park Courtyard for Bruntwood SciTech.
• Buttress ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLayer.studio worked alongside Buttress Architects on the Workington Innovation Centre project, supporting from concept through to delivery. Buttress served as lead architects while Layer.studio shaped the landscape strategy.
• Morgan SindallcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMorgan Sindall was the main contractor for the Workington Innovation Centre public realm project. Layer.studio worked closely with Morgan Sindall and the wider design team during construction to respond to technical queries, oversee delivery, and maintain quality throughout.
• Oxford Innovation SpaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOxford Innovation Space operates the Workington Innovation Centre building. The public realm designed by Layer.studio supports the Innovation Centre's ambition to provide flexible accommodation for innovative businesses and SMEs.
• Harper PerrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarper Perry led a multidisciplinary team alongside Layer.studio on the Chillingham Road Rain Garden project in Newcastle, developing and delivering early engagement workshops with local school children for the Chillizens Play Pocket.
• PLACEDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLACED led community engagement for The Iron Line project in Millom, running workshops, meetings, and site visits to invite residents and local organisations to share their vision. Layer.studio served as lead landscape architects on the project.
• Howarth TompkinsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLayer.studio collaborated with Howarth Tompkins and PLACED on the Williamson Square refurbishment project in Liverpool, undertaking detailed engagement and visioning exercises for the potential refurbishment of this iconic public square.
• PLACEDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLACED collaborated with Layer.studio and Howarth Tompkins on the Williamson Square project, contributing community engagement expertise for stakeholder consultation.
• CITU (Climate Innovation Towns)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCITU is the developer behind the Climate Innovation District in Leeds. Layer.studio served as landscape architects for this landmark £250m sustainable residential development on a former industrial brownfield site along the River Aire.
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)coreOthersGMCA is a key client using PikTOC methodology to shape Transport-Led Regeneration across Greater Manchester. Layer.studio's work aligns with GMCA's Rail Vision (On the Right Track for Growth) for integrating local rail into the Bee Network.
• Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)coreOthersTransport for Greater Manchester is part of the growing family of partners using PikTOC to create connected, resilient places and better everyday journeys for residents.
• Liverpool City Region Combined AuthoritycoreOthersLiverpool City Region Combined Authority commissioned Layer.studio to extend PikTOC methodology to a broader regional context, mapping brownfield potential, transit accessibility, and neighbourhood inequalities.
• Tameside CouncilcoreOthersTameside Council is using PikTOC across their 13 rail hubs as part of Government-identified transit-led regeneration exemplars. Layer.studio is supporting the council to shape opportunities responding to local community needs.
• Platform 4minorOthersPlatform 4 is part of Layer.studio's growing network of partners working to create connected, resilient places using the PikTOC methodology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• SWA Group: Internationally recognised US-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm. Comparable on award-winning public park and urban regeneration portfolio but serves primarily North American clients.

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Global engineering and design consultancy with a strong urbanism and landscape practice. Competes for large-scale regeneration and transit-oriented development projects, often as prime consultant on flagship UK schemes.
• WSP: Global professional services consultancy with extensive landscape architecture and urban design capabilities. Competes for major UK public realm, regeneration, and property development commissions with deeper resourcing.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering, management, and development consultancy with urban development and landscape advisory capabilities. Competes for UK regeneration, transit-led development, and place strategy advisory mandates.
• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Major UK interdisciplinary design practice offering architecture, landscape, urbanism, and engineering under one roof. Broader incumbent competing for integrated regeneration commissions where Layer.studio also bids.

Direct peers

• LDA Design: UK-based landscape architecture, urban design, and masterplanning practice working on regeneration, green infrastructure, and public realm projects. Closely comparable on integrated landscape + urbanism + engagement services for developers and local authorities.
• J&L Gibbons: London-based landscape architecture and urban design studio focused on public realm, regeneration, and green infrastructure. Comparable in scale, nature-led design ethos, and UK public-sector engagement.
• Gustafson Porter + Bowman: London-headquartered landscape architecture practice delivering major public realm, parks, and urban regeneration projects internationally. Comparable on high-profile urban park commissions and developer/local authority client mix.
• Gillespies: One of the UK's leading independent landscape architecture and urban design practices with offices in London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Highly comparable in scale, service offering, and UK public/developer client base to Layer.studio.
• Grant Associates: Bath-based landscape architecture practice working across UK and international projects in parks, regeneration, and ecological design. Comparable on biodiversity, climate adaptation, and community-led design methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/layer-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/layer.studio_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Layer.studio