What Ronald Lu & Partners does

Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP), founded in 1976 by Ronald Lu (呂元祥博士) and headquartered in Hong Kong, is an architectural practice with 294 employees operating across Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and London. The firm delivers full-service architectural design, interior design, master planning, and transit-oriented development (TOD) services primarily to enterprise clients including major real estate developers (Henderson Land, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, New World Development, Sun Hung Kai Properties, Harbour City Estates), corporate occupiers (Tencent), and government and institutional bodies (Construction Industry Council, HKSH). Its core technical platform is Building Information Modelling (BIM), which RLP applies to precision design of complex curved glass façades and supertall structures, complemented by two granted patents covering Solar Responsive Ventilators and Lift Sterilisation Technology.

RLP's revenue model is project-based professional services for enterprise clients, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The firm operates as a private Hong Kong-incorporated entity (RLP Research Limited) under family leadership, with no external institutional investors or public listing. Over 80% of projects achieve environmental certification (LEED, WELL, BEAM Plus, China 3-Star), and the firm holds ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 management system certifications. A dedicated sub-brand, BEHAVE, extends the practice into behavioral research and consulting for built environments, while strategic collaborations with global design firms (Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster + Partners, Kohn Pedersen Fox, SOM) support execution of landmark projects such as The Henderson, the 530m Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, Victoria Dockside, and CIC Zero Carbon Park.

Name

Ronald Lu & Partners

Legal name

RLP Research Limited

Website

https://rlp.asia

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ronald Lu & Partners is a Hong Kong-founded, privately held architectural practice established in 1976, delivering sustainable, BIM-driven design for real estate developers, corporates, and government clients across Asia with offices in Hong Kong, mainland China, and London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable architecture
• Transit-oriented development
• Master planning services
• Building information modelling

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Core architectural design services for sustainable buildings, master planning, transit-oriented development (TOD), and interior design. The firm provides comprehensive project services from concept planning through construction for clients across Asia.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ronald Lu & Partners provides full-service architectural design, interior design, master planning, sustainable/green building design, transit-oriented development (TOD), and advanced BIM services for enterprise clients across Asia. The firm serves real estate developers, government agencies, and institutions, delivering projects from concept planning through construction administration, with life-centric and sustainability-led design at the core.

Product overview

Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP) is an architectural firm offering comprehensive design services including architectural design, interior design, sustainable building design, transit-oriented development (TOD), and master planning. The firm operates across Asia with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and London. Notable projects include The Henderson (Hong Kong), Tianjin Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre, TODTOWN (Shanghai), CIC Zero Carbon Park, Victoria Dockside, and Parc Central (Guangzhou). The firm also operates a behavioral research subsidiary called BEHAVE, focused on human experience in built environments. Over 80% of their projects achieve environmental certification, with more than 60 sustainability awards received.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design covering concept design, project coordination, and construction administration for residential, commercial, mixed-use, and civic buildings across Asia.
• Interior Design Services Interior design services for commercial, residential, and hospitality projects, focusing on human-centric, sustainable, and biophilic design approaches.
• Sustainable / Green Building Design Sustainable building design services emphasising environmental performance, carbon reduction, and wellness-oriented architecture. The firm has received over 60 sustainability-related awards and certifies over 80% of projects.
• Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) TOD expertise including station integration, platform development, and mixed-use urban complexes connected to transportation hubs, with projects including TODTOWN in Shanghai.
• Master Planning Services Urban master planning services for large-scale developments, including district planning, waterfront development, and mixed-use complexes.
• Building Information Modelling (BIM) Services Advanced BIM services used for precision in complex projects, including 3D scanning, data modeling, and analysis for ultra-complex building facades and structures.
• BEHAVE — Behavioral Research and Consulting Service A research and consulting service exploring human behavior in built environments, helping clients understand and adapt to urban challenges through science-based, evidence-driven insights.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26% energy consumption reduction achieved in The Henderson through high-performance façade combined with smart systems
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017ZHA served as Design Architect while RLP Asia was Lead Architect for The Henderson project in Hong Kong. RLP coordinated all technical, aesthetic, structural, and interior-related aspects of the project, working with ZHA on the complex curved glass façade design and implementation.
• Foster + PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Foster + Partners was the Design Architect while RLP was Executive Architect for the Ocean Terminal Extension project in Hong Kong, collaborating on the sustainable design of the five-storey complex.
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012SOM was the structural engineer for the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre project where RLP served as Executive Architect. The 530m tall skyscraper required close collaboration on structural engineering and construction methods.
• KPF (Kohn Pedersen Fox)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012KPF collaborated with RLP Asia on the Victoria Dockside project, serving as one of the major consultant teams. RLP acted as Executive Architect and Authorized Person for this major urban redevelopment.
• JCFO (James Corner Field Operations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012JCFO worked alongside RLP Asia and KPF on the Victoria Dockside project as part of the consultant team, contributing to the public realm and landscape design.
• Revery Architecture (formerly谭秉荣建筑事务所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Revery Architecture (formerly Tom | Mand Partners) co-designed the Xiqu Centre with RLP Asia. This was the final project of the late architect Barry G. H. Tom. The seven-storey building features a theatre, teahouse studio, and public spaces.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HASSELL: Australia-headquartered design practice with significant Asia operations across commercial, mixed-use, and TOD projects. Comparable in scale, regional reach, and the type of developer clients served.
• Benoy: UK-origin international architecture practice with major Asia studios competing for retail, mixed-use, and commercial commissions across China and Southeast Asia — overlapping target clients and project typologies with RLP.
• P&T Group (Palmer & Turner): Long-established Asia-based architectural practice with a similar Hong Kong origin, comparable project portfolio in commercial towers and mixed-use developments, and overlapping institutional and developer clients.
• Wong Tung & Partners: Hong Kong-headquartered architectural practice with comparable scale and a similar focus on residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments for leading Hong Kong and mainland developers. A natural head-to-head competitor for HK projects.
• WOHA Architects: Singapore-based practice recognized for sustainability-led, biophilic, and high-density tropical design — philosophically aligned with RLP's sustainability positioning and competing for similar ESG-driven developer mandates in Asia.
• DLN Architects (formerly DLN & Associates): Hong Kong architecture practice with a comparable regional footprint and similar work in commercial towers, residential complexes, and transit-related developments for major Asian developers.
• DP Architects: Singapore-headquartered architectural firm with strong Asia-wide footprint competing on large-scale mixed-use, transit-oriented, and high-density urban projects comparable to RLP's TODTOWN and Henderson-style briefs.
• Aedas: Global architecture firm with deep roots across Greater China and Asia, competing for the same large-scale mixed-use, high-rise, and TOD commissions from major Asian developers. Closest direct peer by geography, project type, and client base.

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architecture incumbent and documented RLP collaborator on Ocean Terminal Extension. While much larger and offering a broader portfolio, Foster's Asia ambitions increasingly overlap with RLP's lead-architect territory in Greater China.
• Gensler: Global design and architecture firm with significant Asia presence and a broader workplace, hospitality, and mixed-use offering. Competes for the same major-developer commissions but at far greater scale and with a wider service menu.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RLP.asia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rlpasia
• Instagraminstagram.com/rlp.asia

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Ronald Lu & Partners