TLS Landscape Architecture
TLS Landscape Architecture is a Berkeley, California-based landscape architecture and urban design practice serving government, educational, and real estate clients across the United States, China, and emerging markets through international design competitions and direct commissions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What TLS Landscape Architecture does
TLS Landscape Architecture is a privately held landscape architecture and urban design practice founded in 1999 by Tom Leader and headquartered in Berkeley, California. The firm delivers professional design services spanning master planning, urban park design, waterfront revitalization, campus landscape design, ecological park design, public realm design, and heritage and adaptive reuse projects. Core technical capabilities include water management systems (water harvesting, bio-retention, biorunnels, bioswales), ADA-compliant landscape design, and ecological restoration integrating habitat and wetland creation. TLS operates on a project-based professional services model, generating revenue through negotiated per-project fees for municipal, institutional, and private developer commissions.
The firm acquires work primarily through winning international design competitions and direct commissions from government agencies, educational institutions, and real estate developers, with a notable concentration of competition wins in China. Clients span U.S. cities (Birmingham, Boulder, San Francisco, Minneapolis) and Chinese municipalities (Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Guangzhou, Kunming, Changzhou, Wuxi), with emerging presence in Saudi Arabia (Dhahran U.S. Consulate) and Chile (Valparaiso). Notable engagements include the 19-acre Railroad Park in Birmingham (winner of the 2012 ULI Amanda Burden Urban Open Space Award), the Stanford University School of Medicine campus plan (2013 SCUP Award), and the Hangzhou Steelworks Park (2024 WLA Award of Excellence).
TLS maintains a 37-person team organized around a principal-led creative model, with dedicated Asia practice leadership formalized in 2016 through the appointment of a Senior Associate and Asia Practice Director. The firm has accumulated 15+ industry awards across ASLA, WLA, IDA, ULI, and SCUP since 2012, and runs no technology product, API, or AI offering. TLS is founder-controlled with no disclosed institutional investment or external capital structure.
TLS Landscape Architecture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TLS Landscape Architecture
- Legal name
- TLS Landscape Architecture
- Website
- https://tlslandarch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TLS Landscape Architecture is a Berkeley, California-based landscape architecture and urban design practice serving government, educational, and real estate clients across the United States, China, and emerging markets through international design competitions and direct commissions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TLS Landscape Architecture industry classification
Industry- 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 industry
- Commercial Landscape Design & Installation (HSAIABAJ)
Keywords
Where TLS Landscape Architecture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TLS Landscape Architecture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Landscape Architecture Design Services: Professional design services for landscape architecture projects including master planning, concept design, detailed design, and construction observation. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for municipal, institutional, and private client commissions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
TLS Landscape Architecture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TLS Landscape Architecture provides professional landscape architecture and urban design services including master planning, concept design, detailed design, and construction observation for parks, waterfronts, campuses, civic areas, ecological parks, public realms, and heritage/adaptive reuse projects. The firm delivers project-based design commissions for municipal, institutional, and private developer clients across the United States and China.
Product overview
TLS Landscape Architecture is a landscape architecture firm that provides design services for urban parks, waterfronts, campuses, ecological parks, public realms, and heritage sites. The firm works on projects across the United States and China, collaborating with architecture firms such as SOM, Jiakun Architects, Kevin Daly Architects, and AZPML Architecture LTD. Projects range from urban parks and civic spaces to campus landscapes and waterfront designs, with a focus on sustainability, ecology, and community engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture Design Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Railroad Park won 2012 ULI Amanda Burden Urban Open Space Award
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use TLS Landscape Architecture
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TLS Landscape Architecture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
TLS Landscape Architecture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)coreOngoing collaboration on major projects including San Bernardino Justice Center, Berkeley Global Campus, Wuxi Taihu New City, Shanghai Carpet, Xiong'an New Area, and Stanford Medical School Campus Plan.
- Jiakun ArchitectscoreCollaborative design partnership for Hangzhou Grand Canal Steelworks Park project.
- AZPML Architecture LTDcorePartnership for Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Central Green Axis landscape design with 'Super Campus' concept. Won international competition together.
- Kevin Daly ArchitectsmajorCollaboration on Berkeley Global Campus project. Also collaborated on UC Santa Barbara San Joaquin Student Housing.
- Greg Lynn FormmajorCollaboration on Berkeley Global Campus project.
- 64NorthmajorCollaboration on Berkeley Global Campus project.
- Vanke ShanghaimajorClient collaboration for Xuhui Vanke Center Green Spine Park.
- PURE ArchitectsmajorCollaboration on Fanshan Mining Town tourism planning and concept design.
- Cushman & WakefieldmajorCollaboration on Fanshan Mining Town core area tourism planning.
- Lotus WaterminorCollaboration on Shanghai Qianwan Urban Design project.
- Tianhua Architecture Planning & Engineering Ltd.minorCollaboration on Shanghai Qianwan Urban Design project.
- Minhang Planning InstituteminorCollaboration on Shanghai Qianwan Urban Design project.
- Legorreta + LegorretamajorCollaboration on Stanford GSB Highland Hall residential complex.
- Steinberg ArchitectsmajorCollaboration on Stanford GSB Highland Hall residential complex.
- GenslermajorPrincipal architect for Berkeley Commons/Aquatic Park life science development.
- Jiakun ArchitectscoreOngoing collaboration including Suzhou Shishan Park, Kunming Wujiaba, and Hangzhou Steelworks Park.
- Valentina Rozas-Krause ArchitectureminorCollaboration on Paseo del Mar Valparaiso waterfront park project.
- Jaime Orrego Transportation EngineeringminorCollaboration on Paseo del Mar Valparaiso waterfront park project.
- LANDMRXminorCollaboration on Paseo del Mar Valparaiso waterfront park project.
- Suzhou Hi Tech DistrictminorClient for Suzhou Grand Canal Waterfront project (287 acres).
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TLS Landscape Architecture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- James Corner Field Operations: Directly comparable landscape architecture practice specializing in urban design and large-scale public realm projects such as the High Line, with a similar competition-driven project mix to TLS.
- Sasaki Associates: Multi-disciplinary design practice with a substantial landscape architecture and urban planning group; competes with TLS on campus master plans, waterfronts, and large-scale civic landscapes.
- OLIN: Landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm of comparable size with award-winning campus, park, and waterfront projects that overlap directly with TLS's service categories.
- SWA Group: A peer landscape architecture and urban design firm with comparable scale, award-winning portfolio of parks, waterfronts, and campuses, and an international project footprint that mirrors TLS's positioning.
- PWP Landscape Architecture: Berkeley-adjacent landscape architecture firm of similar scale with projects in civic open space, waterfronts, and campus design directly adjacent to TLS's market.
- Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA): Landscape architecture firm with comparable boutique scale and a portfolio of award-winning parks and public spaces (e.g., Brooklyn Bridge Park), competing for similar high-profile commissions.
- West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture: Internationally recognized Dutch landscape architecture and urban design firm that competes with TLS for high-profile waterfront and large-scale public realm projects globally.
- Reed Hilderbrand: Landscape architecture and urban design firm with comparable scale and a focus on campuses, civic landscapes, and private institutions - directly competitive in TLS's core verticals.
- Hargreaves Associates: Landscape architecture practice with waterfront, urban park, and campus expertise and a comparable international project footprint overlapping with TLS.
Broad incumbents
- SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill): Large multi-disciplinary AEC firm that includes landscape architecture capability and acts as TLS's partner on multiple flagship projects; can compete for the same master-planning commissions at a much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
TLS Landscape Architecture social profiles
Digital presenceTLS Landscape Architecture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TLS Landscape Architecture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
TLS Landscape Architecture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TLS Landscape Architecture 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 TLS Landscape Architecture
What does TLS Landscape Architecture do?
TLS Landscape Architecture provides professional landscape architecture and urban design services including master planning, concept design, detailed design, and construction observation for parks, waterfronts, campuses, civic areas, ecological parks, public realms, and heritage/adaptive reuse projects. The firm delivers project-based design commissions for municipal, institutional, and private developer clients across the United States and China.
Is TLS Landscape Architecture a public or private company?
TLS Landscape Architecture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TLS Landscape Architecture founded?
TLS Landscape Architecture was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is TLS Landscape Architecture based?
TLS Landscape Architecture is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does TLS Landscape Architecture make money?
One revenue line is on record: landscape Architecture Design Services.
Who are TLS Landscape Architecture's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are James Corner Field Operations, Sasaki Associates, OLIN, SWA Group, PWP Landscape Architecture, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA), West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, Reed Hilderbrand and Hargreaves Associates. SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does TLS Landscape Architecture have an API?
No public API is recorded for TLS Landscape Architecture.
What industry is TLS Landscape Architecture in?
TLS Landscape Architecture's product category is Landscape Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design, with a secondary code of HSAIABAJ, Commercial Landscape Design & Installation. Its NAICS code is 541320.