What RaeburnFarquharBowen does

RaeburnFarquharBowen Ltd is an employee-owned Scottish landscape architecture and urban design practice operating from a single studio at CodeBase Stirling, with a team of eight including two Directors (Sheena Raeburn and Nick Bowen) and four to five Landscape Architects. The practice delivers landscape and urban design, masterplanning, blue-green infrastructure, active travel design, social housing landscape consultancy, hospitality landscaping, playful and learning landscapes, heritage landscape management, and climate resilient place design. Supporting technical services include Biodiversity Net Gain assessments, LVIA/LVA, conservation and management plans, Building with Nature assessments, GIS mapping using ArcGIS StoryMap, community engagement, Principal Designer (CDM) roles, and Landscape Clerk of Works inspection.

The firm's primary technology differentiator is the use of ArcGIS StoryMap as an interactive, web-based spatial planning and stakeholder engagement platform, applied to projects such as Holyrood Park, Leven River Park, and the John Muir Way. This enables live, searchable visualisation of complex geographical data for client decision-making and public consultation, supplementing traditional landscape design documentation.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts with public and private sector clients. Engagements span feasibility studies through concept design, planning applications, detailed design, and construction oversight, typically under fixed-price terms. Disclosed project values range from £1.15 million to £12.5 million across social housing, active travel, education, and public realm work. Key client segments include housing associations and social housing providers, local government and councils, educational institutions, the luxury hospitality sector (notably Gleneagles), and national/heritage bodies. New business is won through competitive public sector tendering, framework agreements, and direct commissions leveraging existing relationships with collaborating architects such as PagePark, Collective Architecture, and Grimshaw.

Name

RaeburnFarquharBowen

Legal name

RaeburnFarquharBowen Ltd

Website

https://raeburnfarquharbowen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RaeburnFarquharBowen is an employee-owned Scottish landscape architecture and urban design practice based in Stirling, serving housing associations, councils, universities, and luxury hospitality clients across the UK through project-based professional services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture & Urban Design Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Landscape Design (HSAIABAA), Commercial Landscape Design & Installation (HSAIABAJ)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Urban design consulting
• Landscape masterplanning
• Blue green infrastructure
• Social housing landscape design

Headquarters

HQ city

Stirling

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Landscape Architecture & Design Services: Project-based professional services revenue from landscape architecture and urban design consulting. Services span from initial feasibility studies through concept design, planning applications, detailed design, and construction oversight. Revenue is generated through fixed-price project contracts with public and private sector clients.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RaeburnFarquharBowen is an employee-owned Scottish landscape architecture and urban design practice that delivers landscape and urban design, masterplanning, blue/green infrastructure, active travel, social housing, hospitality, heritage and climate resilient place-making for public and private sector clients across the UK. The studio at Stirling also provides complementary assessment services (Biodiversity Net Gain, LVIA/LVA, Building with Nature, GIS mapping) and technical roles (Principal Designer, Landscape Clerk of Works) on a project-based, fixed-price consultancy basis.

Product overview

RaeburnFarquharBowen is an employee-owned Scottish landscape architecture and urban design practice offering a comprehensive portfolio of services. The core offering consists of landscape and urban design spanning landscape masterplanning, blue-green infrastructure, rural tourism, playful landscapes, active travel, social housing, hospitality, interpretation and wayfinding, learning landscapes, climate resilient places, and heritage landscapes. These design services are supported by assessment capabilities including Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments, GIS Mapping (using ArcGIS StoryMaps), LVIA/LVA, Conservation & Management Plans, and Building with Nature Assessments. The practice also provides engagement services for community consultation and technical roles including Principal Designer (CDM) and Landscape Clerk of Works functions. The portfolio is delivered from a studio in Stirling across the UK, focusing on climate adaptation, social inclusion, and regenerative growth in the built environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape & Urban Design Full-service landscape and urban design offering from initial site analysis through concept design, detailed design, and construction documentation for civic spaces, gardens, parks, and visitor facilities. Provided to public and private sector clients across the UK.
• Landscape Masterplanning Large-scale strategic landscape planning that synthesizes environmental sustainability with good placemaking, providing a structured framework for long-term development decisions. Provided to public sector clients and developers.
• Blue / Green Infrastructure Design services incorporating trees, planting, wetlands, and waterbodies to manage rainwater, enhance climate resilience, and deliver solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. Targeted at housing associations, councils and developers.
• Rural Tourism & Infrastructure Rural tourism facility design integrating necessary infrastructure for sustainable recreation, tourism, and transportation within natural landscape settings. Provided to heritage bodies and rural tourism operators such as Glentress.
• Playful Landscapes Creation of natural settings for adventure, exploration, and social interaction through play spaces designed for all ages and abilities. Provided to local authorities, housing associations and schools.
• Active Travel Planning & Design Infrastructure design prioritizing safe, accessible walking, wheeling, and cycling to improve health, address socio-inequalities, and support sustainability. Provided to Scottish Canals, Sustrans-funded projects and local authorities.
• Social Housing Landscape Design Landscape consultancy for housing associations including environmental improvements, retrofit, and new build design for climate resilient and biodiverse places. Provided to Southside, Tollcross, Queens Cross and West Dunbartonshire housing associations.
• Hospitality Landscape Design High-quality landscape design and delivery for the luxury hospitality sector, maximizing development capacity while protecting and enhancing landscape assets. Provided to Gleneagles and other luxury hospitality clients.
• Interpretation & Wayfinding Signage, wayfinding, and interpretation design guiding and informing visitors while promoting understanding and appreciation of places. Provided to heritage and rural tourism clients.
• Learning Landscapes Biodiverse and playful outdoor spaces for educational settings that spark interest in wildlife and natural systems, integrating sustainability into design. Provided to schools and universities including Dollar Academy, University of Stirling and University of Strathclyde.
• Climate Resilient Places Environmental retrofit designs for existing neighbourhoods and site planning for new development incorporating climate adaptation and landscape character assessment. Provided to housing associations and local authorities.
• Heritage & Historic Landscapes Sensitive landscape design for heritage settings, listed buildings, conservation areas, and designed landscapes requiring respectful integration of new development. Provided to heritage bodies and educational institutions such as Dollar Academy.
• Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments BNG assessment using the DEFRA Statutory Biodiversity Metric, integrating landscape design with biodiversity appraisal or providing standalone assessment. Provided to developers and public sector clients needing statutory biodiversity assessment.
• GIS Mapping Geographic Information System services using ArcGIS StoryMap to create interactive, searchable, and easily updated spatial planning resources for stakeholders. Provided to public sector clients for projects such as Holyrood Park LCMP and Leven River Park.
• LVIA / LVA Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments evaluating potential effects of development on landscape and visual environment with mitigating design measures. Provided to developers and planning applicants.
• Conservation & Management Plans Holistic landscape conservation and management strategies safeguarding natural, cultural, and heritage resources for long-term viability and resilience. Provided to heritage bodies, councils and landowners.
• Building with Nature Assessments Accredited Building with Nature assessment evaluating developments against Wildlife, Water, and Wellbeing standards for green infrastructure quality. Provided to developers, housing associations and public sector clients.
• Community Engagement Stakeholder engagement strategies partnering with event providers and community organisations to ensure local voices shape planning and design. Provided to public sector clients and housing associations.
• Principal Designer CDM Principal Designer services for landscape-led projects, managing design work coordination and health and safety risk planning during pre-construction phases. Provided to clients and project leads across the practice's portfolio.
• Landscape Clerk of Works On-site inspection, quality monitoring, and construction expertise ensuring highest quality outcomes for landscape works during implementation. Provided to clients across the practice's project portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Local greenspace use increased from 35% to 64% at Queensland Court & Gardens, with nearly one-third of residents spending time outdoors 4–7 times per week.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SustranscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSustrans part-funded the Fountainbridge Towpath active travel project in Edinburgh and the Woodside Making Places regeneration project in Glasgow. Sustrans provides funding and programme support for active travel infrastructure projects, aligning with RFB's design delivery.
• Scottish CanalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottish Canals commissioned the Fountainbridge Towpath improvements as the primary client, working with RFB as the design consultant for the Union Canal active travel route enhancements.
• The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Conservation Volunteers collaborate with RFB on environmental improvement initiatives along the John Muir Way, contributing volunteer coordination and community involvement to greening projects.
• Glasgow City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRFB partnered with Glasgow City Council on the Queensland Court & Gardens project, which was also a pilot project in Scotland's 10,000 Raingardens initiative. The council provided funding and collaborative delivery support.
• Bigg DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist Hamish Bigg (Bigg Design) collaborated with RFB and artist Eleanor Young (Fun Makes Good) on the Woodside Community Garden artwork and interpretation features.
• PagePark ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPagePark Architects designed the 42 affordable homes at Altyre Street, Glasgow, while RFB provided landscape design to complement the architecture. Regular collaborative working relationship on housing projects.
• Collective ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective Architecture designed the social housing and sheltered accommodation at West Thomson Street, Clydebank, with RFB providing the landscape design framework around the housing.
• Grimshaw ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrimshaw Architects designed the circular FIDA building at Dollar Academy, with RFB providing the landscape design including meadow slopes and biodiverse sculptural landscape.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Land Use Consultants (LUC): Major UK environmental planning, landscape, and ecology consultancy. Overlaps with RFB on BNG, LVIA, and landscape management planning for public sector clients.
• Gillespies: One of the largest UK landscape architecture practices, with deep public sector and masterplanning work. Directly comparable to RFB in service mix (masterplanning, urban design, public realm, climate adaptation) and customer segments (councils, housing associations, universities).
• Grant Associates: Bath-based landscape architecture practice with a strong portfolio in parks, public realm, and ecological design. Comparable to RFB in nature-based solutions and masterplanning, with a similar mid-sized UK footprint.
• LDA Design: Long-established UK landscape consultancy (now part of WSP) covering landscape design, masterplanning, and environmental assessment. Comparable to RFB across masterplanning, BNG, and active travel work for public clients.
• HTA Design LLP: Multidisciplinary design practice with a strong landscape architecture and masterplanning team. Competes in similar UK public realm, housing, and regeneration tenders and offers overlapping services including LVIA and BIM.
• Gustafson Porter + Bowman: Internationally recognised landscape architecture firm with UK public realm and parks projects. Comparable in design quality and award-winning positioning, though typically operating at a larger scale and budget tier than RFB.

Emerging players

• Farrer Huxley Associates: UK landscape architecture practice with a portfolio of public realm, housing, and education projects. Comparable in size and client segments to RFB.
• Optimised Environments (OPEN): Bristol-based landscape architecture and environmental design practice. Comparable in scale and specialisation in ecological design, SuDS, and climate-resilient landscape work.
• Spacehub: UK landscape and urban design consultancy working on public realm, housing, and active travel projects. Comparable in service offering and mid-sized practice positioning.

Broad incumbents

• BDP (Building Design Partnership): Large multidisciplinary design firm with an integrated landscape architecture division. Competes with RFB for public realm and urban regeneration commissions but operates as a broader architecture-led practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raeburn-farquhar-bowen
• Instagraminstagram.com/rfblandscape

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 RaeburnFarquharBowen