Urban Field Studio

What Urban Field Studio does

Urban Field Studio is a boutique urban design consultancy headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, founded in 2014 by Jane Lin and Heidi Sokolowsky as a women-owned small business. The firm operates as a collective of five Principals (Lin, Sokolowsky, Frank Fuller, Ryan Call, and John Bela, the last three having joined between 2015 and 2023), each maintaining their own business entity that collaborates under the Urban Field umbrella. Its core service offerings fall into four practice areas: Development and Planning Strategy, Masterplanning and Urban Design, Mobility and Community, and Research Engagement, Education, and Advocacy. The firm serves primarily public sector clients (cities, public agencies, transit authorities including BART-adjacent municipalities, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, and Metro Los Angeles), with secondary engagements for higher education institutions (San Jose State University) and value-aligned private developers and corporate real estate teams (Google, Build Inc.).

The firm's underlying technology is human-centered urban design supported by ethnographic and observational methods adapted from Jan Gehl's Public Space Public Life methodology, a proprietary User-Generated Urbanism Framework for citizen participation, and Tactical Urbanism prototyping tools. Visualization is delivered through sketching, 3-D modeling, plan graphics, and precedent research; research draws on geospatial analysis, market and ethnographic studies, and user surveys. Notable project outputs include the Monon Boulevard in Carmel, Indiana (where $23M of public investment catalyzed $175M+ in adjacent private redevelopment), Google's North Bayshore Master Plan in Mountain View (7,000 homes, approved 2023), the SJSU Campus Master Plan (3.7M gross square feet planned), the India Basin Master Plan in San Francisco (1,575 residential units), and station area planning across five California High-Speed Rail cities.

Urban Field Studio generates revenue through fee-based professional services engagements contracted on a project-by-project basis, with multi-year contracts typical for large-scale planning efforts. Work is acquired through public sector RFP/RFQ procurement, direct invitations from municipal and agency leadership, ULI Technical Assistance Panel chairmanships, and the principals' professional networks in organizations including AIA, SPUR, and ULI. Marketing is conducted through project portfolio visibility, thought leadership content (the Field Notes blog, podcast appearances), university teaching, and award submissions (APA California 2023, ULI 2022 finalist, CNU 2019, INASLA 2020) rather than paid digital channels. The firm is privately held with no external investors, parent company, or disclosed revenue.

Name

Urban Field Studio

Legal name

Urban Field Studio

Website

https://urbanfieldstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Urban Field Studio is a San Francisco Bay Area boutique urban design consultancy founded in 2014, operating as a five-principal collective that provides masterplanning, mobility planning, community engagement, and development strategy services to municipalities, transit agencies, universities, and value-aligned private developers across the western United States and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Design and Planning Consulting

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Urban design consulting
• Master planning services
• Transit oriented development
• Community engagement facilitation
• Public realm strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: Urban Field Studio generates revenue through fee-based professional consulting engagements with public agencies (cities, transit authorities, universities) and private sector clients (developers, non-profits). Engagements span urban design, master planning, development strategy, community engagement, and design guidelines. Revenue is project-based and contracted, with multi-year engagements typical for large-scale planning efforts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Urban Field Studio is a boutique urban design consultancy that delivers urban design, masterplanning, mobility, and community engagement services for public agencies, transit authorities, universities, and private developers. Its work spans specific plans, station area master plans, streetscape designs, public space strategies, and campus planning, delivered through collaborative teams of five Principals using evidence-based research, visual communication, and structured stakeholder facilitation.

Product overview

Urban Field Studio is a San Francisco Bay Area urban design firm founded in 2014 by Jane Lin and Heidi Sokolowsky, offering professional design services rather than a software product. The company provides four core service offerings: Development & Planning Strategy, Masterplanning & Urban Design, Mobility & Community, and Research Engagement, Education & Advocacy. Projects are delivered through collaborative teams of five Principals and include specific plans, station area master plans, streetscape designs, public space strategies, and campus planning. The firm also publishes Field Notes as a thought leadership content platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Development & Planning Strategy Strategic advisory service helping public and private stakeholders visualize future site potential through evidence-based analysis including user research, geospatial analysis, market studies, and ethnographic research to determine development capacity and options.
• Masterplanning & Urban Design Comprehensive planning approach balancing design practicality, financial feasibility, community support, and long-term success. Establishes circulatory systems, activates gathering nodes, and creates adaptable public spaces with enduring design.
• Mobility & Community Transit-oriented development planning focusing on stations as community nodes, corridor planning, and multi-modal transportation design. Advocates for pedestrian, micromobility, and public transit accessibility.
• Research Engagement, Education, & Advocacy Community engagement and facilitation services including user research, public life studies, workshops, and visual communication to help communities understand their built environment and participate in planning processes.

Quantifiable outcome

• $175M+ private sector investment catalyzed by $23M public boulevard investment (Monon Boulevard, Carmel, Indiana)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Hassel (Master Planning + Urban Design)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Part of the multidisciplinary team for the North Bayshore Master Plan with Google. Hassel provided master planning and urban design alongside Urban Field Studio (owner's representative and urban design advisor), SiteLab Urban Studio, West 8 (parks), and other specialist firms.
• Deutsche Bahn (DB E.C.O. North America Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Urban Field Studio has been collaborating with Deutsche Bahn (DB) as part of the Early Train Operator team alongside the California High-Speed Rail Authority since early 2020. Urban Field provides urban design, conceptual station planning, stakeholder and community engagement, and early site activation strategies. DB brings technical rail operations expertise and international experience with transit-centered development. This is a flagship partnership for the firm, representing its highest-profile ongoing project.
• Field Paoli ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Urban Field Studio teamed with Field Paoli Architects for the SJSU Campus Master Planning for Transformation project. Urban Field Studio provided urban design and community engagement while Field Paoli provided architectural expertise. Principals at Urban Field had previously worked at Field Paoli Architects, creating a strong pre-existing working relationship and synergy.
• Gehl Studio (formerly John Bela affiliation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013John Bela, now a principal at Urban Field Studio, previously served as Partner and Director at Gehl Studio. During his tenure, he led major public space and public life studies including the India Basin Master Plan (with SOM and Bionic), Vancouver Places for People, and other projects. This historical affiliation deeply informs Urban Field Studio's methodology and international credibility.
• BASE Landscape ArchitecturecoreTechnology or IntegrationBASE Landscape Architecture collaborated with Urban Field Studio on the Fresno High-Speed Rail Station Early Site Activation project, specifically the conceptual design for the Historic Depot Plaza. BASE provided landscape architecture expertise for the plaza design developed through community and stakeholder input.
• Lexington PlanningsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Field worked for Lexington Planning on the Albany San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, providing urban design and community engagement services as part of the consultant team. Also collaborated on the Newark Old Town Specific Plan.
• M Group, W-Trans, EPS, BKF, ICF, West YostsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborators on the Milpitas Metro Specific Plan: M Group, W-Trans, EPS, BKF, ICF, and West Yost provided various technical services (transportation, environmental, civil engineering, etc.) alongside Urban Field Studio's project management and urban design leadership.
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOM served as a collaborator alongside Gehl (John Bela), Bionic, and Build Inc. on the India Basin Master Plan in San Francisco, providing architectural and urban planning expertise for the mixed-use waterfront development.
• SiteLab Urban StudiosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSiteLab Urban Studio collaborated on the North Bayshore Master Plan as part of the multidisciplinary team led by Google. John Bela also partnered with SiteLab on the Downtown San Francisco Public Realm Action Plan.
• West 8 (Parks + Open Space)supportingTechnology or IntegrationWest 8, an international landscape architecture and urban design firm, served as parks and open space designer on the North Bayshore Master Plan team alongside Urban Field Studio and other collaborators.
• SWA GroupsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSWA served as the landscape architecture and urban design collaborator on the Burlingame Town Square project, working with the City of Burlingame and Urban Field Studio to transform a parking lot into a public town square.
• Gordon Huether (Public Art)supportingTechnology or IntegrationGordon Huether created the public art installations (a steel spider sculpture and glass wall with Poppy Jasper design) for the Morgan Hill Fourth Street Parking Structure. Urban Field Studio coordinated with Gordon Huether and MmM Design during the construction phase.
• MmM DesignsupportingTechnology or IntegrationMmM Design developed the signage program for the Morgan Hill Fourth Street Parking Structure in collaboration with Urban Field Studio, integrating wayfinding with the public art themes created by Gordon Huether.
• Metro (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUrban Field Studio supported Metro's Joint Development, Parking, and Community Relations teams on outreach for the Universal City/Studio City Mobility Hub, designing the outreach process, survey, and summary presented to the Metro Board. Over 1,800 survey responses were gathered.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeidi Sokolowsky engages in the professional discourse through AIA committees, contributing to the urban design profession's development and maintaining visibility within the Bay Area design community.
• SPUR (San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeidi Sokolowsky participates in SPUR committees as part of the firm's engagement in the professional urban design and planning discourse in the Bay Area.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Francisco District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrank Fuller serves as Co-Chair of the ULI-SF TAP Committee. Jane Lin chaired the St. Helena TAP Committee. Ryan Call and Jane Lin served as panelists on the Downtown Dublin Retail District TAP and Dublin SCS Property TAP. ULI TAPs represent a significant pipeline for project visibility and client relationships.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SWA Group: Landscape architecture and urban design firm with a strong Bay Area presence and a portfolio of plazas, parks, and waterfronts. Collaborated with Urban Field Studio on the Burlingame Town Square project, and competes in the same public-realm and master planning RFPs.
• Rebar: San Francisco-based art, design, and tactical urbanism practice co-founded by John Bela. Directly comparable to Urban Field's tactical urbanism methodology and shares methodological lineage; competes for art-driven public realm and prototyping work with municipalities.
• MIG (Moore Iacofano Goltsman): Community engagement, planning, and urban design firm with California roots. Directly competes for municipal public engagement and specific plan work, particularly in the Bay Area, and overlaps with Urban Field's Research Engagement, Education & Advocacy service line.
• Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates: National transportation and mobility planning firm with deep public transit and TOD expertise. Directly competes for transit-agency planning engagements (BART, Metro LA, HSR-adjacent projects) and overlaps with Urban Field's Mobility & Community service line.
• Gehl (Gehl Studio / Gehl Architects): Copenhagen-founded urban design practice pioneering public space and public life studies. The most direct peer of Urban Field Studio: principals including John Bela were trained there, and Urban Field's core methodology is explicitly adapted from Gehl's framework for North American cities.
• Field Paoli Architects: Bay Area architecture and urban design practice specializing in campus, district, and civic projects. Teamed with Urban Field Studio on the SJSU Campus Master Plan, and several Urban Field principals previously worked at Field Paoli, making it both a former employer and active collaborator/peer.
• SITELAB Urban Studio: Bay Area urban design and planning firm working on district-scale public realm, mobility, and TOD projects. Listed as a direct collaborator on the North Bayshore Master Plan with Google's team and a co-author of the Downtown San Francisco Public Realm Action Plan with John Bela.
• Cooper Robertson: Urban design and architecture firm with a strong master planning portfolio for campuses, waterfronts, and mixed-use districts. Comparable to Urban Field's master planning and development strategy services, particularly with institutional and developer clients.

Broad incumbents

• West 8: Internationally recognized landscape architecture and urban design firm. Served as parks and open space designer on the North Bayshore Master Plan alongside Urban Field, and competes for waterfront, park, and public realm commissions at the same scale and prestige tier.
• Hassell: International design practice with master planning and urban design studios in Australia, Asia, US, and UK. Collaborated on the North Bayshore Master Plan and competes for the same large-scale master planning and TOD mandates, though with broader multidisciplinary capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Urban Field Studio