PLACE Lab
PLACE Lab is an Australian landscape architecture and urban design firm founded in 2010, serving government, private developers, and education clients with place-making, master planning, and community engagement services from studios in Perth and Canberra.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersPerth, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PLACE Lab does
PLACE Lab (legally PLACE Laboratory) is an Australian landscape architecture and urban design practice founded in 2010 by co-directors Anna Chauvel and Shlomit Strum. The firm delivers place visioning, master planning, community engagement, public art strategy, landscape design, design documentation, construction administration, and visualisations for public realm, civic, infrastructure, education, health, residential, and playspace projects. Its work emphasises narrative-driven, place-based design that responds to local environments, Indigenous heritage, and stakeholder needs, exemplified by projects such as the $55M Perth Cultural Centre Rejuvenation, the National Site of Recognition for Thalidomide Survivors in Kings Park, the ACT Gender Sensitive Urban Design Framework, and the Mindeerup Piazza and Mends Street revitalisation.
The firm operates studios in Perth (headquarters on Whadjuk Country) and Canberra (on Ngunnawal Country), with a small team of approximately 14 design and technical specialists supplemented by senior leadership and associates. Revenue is generated exclusively through professional design services delivered on a project-based, tendered basis to government agencies (federal, state, territory, and local councils), private developers, educational institutions, and healthcare providers. The company does not disclose pricing publicly; engagements are won through competitive tenders and direct commissions, with collaborative delivery alongside architects, engineers, and planning consultants on larger public realm works.
PLACE Lab is privately held with no external equity investors or disclosed funding rounds, and ownership appears founder-controlled. The firm has accumulated national recognition through AILA, UDIA, PIA, and AIA awards spanning 2016 to 2024, supporting its go-to-market strategy of award-driven reputation building, project portfolio showcasing, and professional referrals rather than paid marketing.
PLACE Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PLACE Lab
- Legal name
- PLACE Laboratory
- Website
- https://placelaboratory.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PLACE Lab is an Australian landscape architecture and urban design firm founded in 2010, serving government, private developers, and education clients with place-making, master planning, and community engagement services from studios in Perth and Canberra.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where PLACE Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Perth
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
PLACE Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Design Services: PLACE Lab generates revenue through providing landscape architecture, urban design, and placemaking consulting services to government and private sector clients. Projects include master planning, design documentation, construction administration, and project management.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
PLACE Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PLACE Lab provides landscape architecture, urban design, and placemaking professional services to government agencies, local councils, redevelopment authorities, private developers, and educational institutions. Core service capabilities include place visioning and strategic planning, master planning, feasibility assessment, community and stakeholder engagement, public art strategy, landscape design documentation, construction contract administration, and project management. Projects are won through competitive tendering and direct client engagement across Australia.
Product overview
PLACE Laboratory is a landscape architecture and urban design practice offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around place-making. Their core offerings include strategic planning services (place visioning, place planning, master planning), community engagement, public art strategy, design documentation, and visualizations (artists impressions and 3D models). They work across diverse project categories including public realm, regional development, health and education infrastructure, playspaces, residential and mixed-use developments, and placemaking initiatives. Their notable projects include the Perth Cultural Centre Rejuvenation ($55M), Mindeerup Piazza, the ACT Gender Sensitive Urban Design Framework, and the National Site of Recognition for Thalidomide Survivors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture & Urban Design Services Comprehensive landscape architecture and urban design services for government, private developers, and institutions, including place visioning, master planning, design documentation, construction administration, project management, community engagement, public art strategy, and visualizations.
- Place Visioning & Planning
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple AILA, UDIA, PIA, and AIA national and state awards
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use PLACE Lab
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PLACE Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
PLACE Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- COX ArchitecturecorePLACE Lab is leading the landscape transformation of the Perth Cultural Centre in collaboration with COX Architecture and the Noongar community. This $55M project involves landscape design and Indigenous storytelling integration.
- Communication LinkcoreCollaboration partner for the ACT Gender Sensitive Urban Design Framework and Implementation Toolkit project commissioned by ACT Government.
- OCULUScoreCollaboration partner for the ACT Gender Sensitive Urban Design Framework and Implementation Toolkit project commissioned by ACT Government.
- Inhabit PlacecoreCollaboration partner for the ACT Gender Sensitive Urban Design Framework and Implementation Toolkit project commissioned by ACT Government.
- PLAYCEsecondaryCollaborated with PLAYCE on the design of skate plaza and pump track for Beaumont Hills Parks for People project.
- TPGcoreCollaborated with TPG, JCY, and New York-based PPS to develop a long-term activation plan for Yagan Square.
- JCYcoreCollaborated with TPG, JCY, and New York-based PPS to develop a long-term activation plan for Yagan Square.
- PPS (Project for Public Spaces)coreNew York-based PPS collaborated with PLACE Lab and JCY on Yagan Square Place Activation plan development.
- Coniglio Ainsworth ArchitectssecondaryDesigned the Cycle Hub in collaboration with Coniglio Ainsworth Architects for Curtin University.
- WSPcoreMETRONET engaged WSP with sub-consultants Coniglio Ainsworth Architects, PLACE Laboratory & Flint Engineering for Southern Rail Infrastructure preliminary place plans.
- Flint EngineeringsecondarySub-consultant partner with WSP, Coniglio Ainsworth Architects and PLACE Lab on METRONET Southern Rail Infrastructure project.
- Syrinx PLsecondaryPLACE Laboratory together with Syrinx PL prepared the Urban Design and Landscape Strategy for Stirling City Centre.
- Noongar CommunitycorePLACE Lab works extensively with Noongar Elders for the Perth Cultural Centre project, weaving Indigenous stories into the landscape and celebrating connection to Country.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PLACE Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- COX Architecture: COX Architecture is a major Australian architecture firm and a current collaboration partner of PLACE Lab on the Perth Cultural Centre Rejuvenation. It competes for the same cultural and civic precinct briefs while also being a client/partner ecosystem participant.
- Architectus: Architectus is a major Australian architecture and urban design practice with landscape capability. It competes for the same mixed-use, civic, and education precinct briefs and operates across the same Australian geographies.
- Urbis: Urbis is an Australian urban design, planning, and property consultancy with strong public-sector clients. It competes with PLACE Lab for town centre revitalisation, streetscape, and urban design briefs across local and state government.
- ASPECT Studios: ASPECT Studios is an award-winning Australian landscape architecture and urban design practice with studios across Australia and internationally. It competes with PLACE Lab for the same council, state, and institutional public-realm commissions and is similarly recognised by AILA.
- Taylor Cullity Lethlean (TCL): TCL is a leading Australian landscape architecture practice with deep experience in cultural, civic, and park projects. It is a direct competitor for the same AILA-recognised public-realm and cultural precinct briefs that PLACE Lab targets.
- Tract Consultants: Tract Consultants is an Australian landscape architecture, urban design, and project management practice. It serves overlapping council, infrastructure, and developer clients with comparable placemaking and public-realm services.
Broad incumbents
- Arup: Arup is a global engineering and design consultancy with urban design and landscape advisory practices in Australia. It competes for and partners on the same large-scale public-realm and transport-adjacent precinct projects.
- Hassell: Hassell is one of Australia's largest architecture and design practices with integrated urban design and landscape capability. It competes for the same large civic and precinct commissions and frequently partners with or against PLACE Lab on public-realm projects.
- AECOM: AECOM is a global multi-disciplinary design, engineering, and consulting firm with significant landscape architecture and urban design capacity in Australia. It competes for major precinct and infrastructure tenders, often as prime contractor with landscape as a sub-discipline.
- WSP: WSP is a global engineering and design consultancy that leads major Australian infrastructure programs (including METRONET, where PLACE Lab is a sub-consultant). It competes for or commissions urban design and landscape services on the same public-sector projects.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PLACE Lab social profiles
Digital presencePLACE Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PLACE Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
PLACE Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PLACE Lab 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 PLACE Lab
What does PLACE Lab do?
PLACE Lab provides landscape architecture, urban design, and placemaking professional services to government agencies, local councils, redevelopment authorities, private developers, and educational institutions. Core service capabilities include place visioning and strategic planning, master planning, feasibility assessment, community and stakeholder engagement, public art strategy, landscape design documentation, construction contract administration, and project management. Projects are won through competitive tendering and direct client engagement across Australia.
Is PLACE Lab a public or private company?
PLACE Lab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PLACE Lab founded?
PLACE Lab was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PLACE Lab based?
PLACE Lab is headquartered in Perth, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does PLACE Lab make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Design Services.
Who are PLACE Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are COX Architecture, Architectus, Urbis, ASPECT Studios, Taylor Cullity Lethlean (TCL) and Tract Consultants. Broad incumbents are Arup, Hassell, AECOM and WSP.
Does PLACE Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for PLACE Lab.