Surroundings Studio
Surroundings Studio is a Santa Fe-based landscape architecture and master planning practice serving civic, academic, hospitality, and high-end residential clients across the American Southwest. Founded in 2008, the ten-person principal-led firm specializes in water-conscious design, native ecologies, and innovative stormwater management.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersSanta Fe, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Surroundings Studio does
Surroundings Studio is a landscape architecture and planning practice founded in 2008 and headquartered at 1611 Paseo De Peralta in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The firm provides landscape architecture, master planning, urban design, and wayfinding services across civic, academic, commercial, hospitality, and high-end residential sectors. Its core technical differentiation centers on water-conscious design for the arid American Southwest, including proprietary stormwater acequia systems modeled on historic agricultural infrastructure, native planting strategies, and culturally resonant public space design. The firm operates as a principal-led professional services studio with each project run by a Principal-in-Charge from kickoff through close-out, supported by dedicated project managers and a ten-person team that includes three principals (Kenneth Francis, Faith Okuma, Joseph Charles), a senior associate, an associate, four landscape designers, and a studio+finance manager.
The studio generates revenue through project-based professional services fees for landscape architecture, master planning, and wayfinding engagements. Pricing is quote-based and tied to scope, complexity, and site conditions, with multi-year contract cadences typical for master planning and civic infrastructure work. Go-to-market is sales-led and principal-driven, relying on earned media through industry award recognition (40+ documented awards including ASLA National Honor Awards and Jeff Harnar Awards), publication features in Landscape Architecture Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and Martha Stewart Living, and long-term collaborative relationships with regional architecture firms such as Lake Flato and SSWA Architects, as well as engineering firms like Bohannan Huston. The firm serves clients across New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Oklahoma, with a customer base that includes municipal governments (City of Santa Fe, Austin, Albuquerque, El Paso), federal agencies (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), universities (Texas A&M, SMU-in-Taos), hospitality operators (Fairmont, Drury, Heritage Hotels), and cultural institutions (Wheelwright Museum). Two of three principals hold National ASLA Fellowship, signaling exceptional senior domain authority.
Surroundings Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Surroundings Studio
- Legal name
- Surroundings Studio LLC
- Website
- https://surroundings.studio
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Surroundings Studio is a Santa Fe-based landscape architecture and master planning practice serving civic, academic, hospitality, and high-end residential clients across the American Southwest. Founded in 2008, the ten-person principal-led firm specializes in water-conscious design, native ecologies, and innovative stormwater management.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Surroundings Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Architectural Services (54131)
- SIC
- Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial Landscape Design & Installation (HSAIABAJ), Residential Landscape Design (HSAIABAA)
Keywords
Where Surroundings Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Fe
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Surroundings Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Landscape Architecture: Project-based fees for landscape architecture services including master planning, site design, construction documentation, and project oversight. Revenue is generated through direct client engagements for residential, civic, academic, hospitality, and commercial projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Surroundings Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Surroundings Studio is a landscape architecture and planning firm providing professional design services including landscape architecture, master planning, urban design, and wayfinding across the American Southwest. Services are project-based and cover residential, civic, academic, commercial, hospitality, parks and trails, and master planning sectors, with each engagement led by a Principal-in-Charge from kickoff through close-out. The firm specializes in native ecologies, water-conscious planting design, creative stormwater management including acequia-inspired systems, and culturally resonant public space design rooted in Southwest history, culture, and ecology.
Product overview
Surroundings Studio is a landscape architecture and planning studio providing a comprehensive portfolio of services centered on landscape architecture, master planning, and wayfinding. The firm operates as a single unified service practice rather than a platform with discrete products, offering project design and implementation across multiple sectors including civic, academic, commercial, hospitality, parks and trails, residential, master planning, and urban design. Projects range from residential gardens to regional wildlife refuges, campus master plans to urban parks, all shaped by the firm's expertise in native ecologies, water-conscious planting, stormwater strategies, and culturally resonant public space design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Landscape Architecture Core landscape architecture service creating enduring designs that foster connection to land and inspire timeless wonder, with expertise in the American West's history, culture, and ecology. Serves residential, civic, academic, hospitality, commercial, and parks and trails clients across the Southwest region.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40% of site devoted to open space at Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Surroundings Studio
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Surroundings Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Surroundings Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- BiohabitatscoreCollaborated on Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center (Southwest's first urban wildlife refuge) and Seaholm Intake Design Competition. Biohabitats provided ecological engineering expertise as part of multidisciplinary teams for green infrastructure projects.
- Formative ArchitectscoreCollaborated on Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center design-build project. Formative Architects served as architects for this Southwest's first urban wildlife refuge visitor center.
- Weddle GilmorecoreCollaborated on Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center. Weddle Gilmore served as architect for this award-winning project.
- SSWA Architects (Studio Southwest Architects)coreLong-term collaboration on multiple projects including El Corazon, New Mexico School for the Arts, SMU-in-Taos, and La Posta Affordable Housing. SSWA provides architectural services while Surroundings leads landscape architecture.
- Lake FlatocoreCollaborated on New Mexico School for the Arts campus master plan. Lake Flato brings regional expertise in academic architecture.
- Bohannan Huston IncmajorEngineering partner on Violet Crown Cinema Plaza and Railyard District projects. Provided civil engineering and streetscape design services.
- Domiteaux + Baggett ArchitectsmajorCollaborated on Violet Crown Cinema Plaza urban design project. Architects for Railyard District central plaza completion.
- Wilson & Co EngineersmajorEngineering partner on Southwest Activity Node (SWAN) Regional Park. Collaborated on complex site drainage solutions for 98-acre park project.
- Laureate EducationmajorClient for Santa Fe University of Art + Design Campus Master Plan. Laureate Education acquired the former College of Santa Fe and engaged Surroundings for site improvements.
- City of Santa FecoreMultiple projects including El Parque del Rio, Southwest Activity Node Park, Midtown Campus Vision. Major municipal client for civic infrastructure and park projects.
- City of AlbuquerquemajorClient for International District Library Story Plaza project. Major municipal client for civic infrastructure.
- City of AustinmajorClient for Seaholm Intake Design Competition - Top 10 Finalist out of 76 international entries for treating urban runoff through green infrastructure.
- City of El Paso TXmajorMultiple projects including Murchison Rogers Park revitalization and El Paso Downtown Tree Plan. Major municipal client for parks and urban design.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreClient for Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center - Southwest's first urban wildlife refuge. Federal agency client for major civic project.
- Drury HotelsmajorClient for Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe - historic Saint Vincent's Hospital renovation into modern hotel with landscape architecture and master planning.
- Heritage Hotels and ResortsmajorClient for Casa Esencia - transformation of oldest restaurant in Albuquerque into 21st century luxury event space.
- Fairmont Hotels & ResortsmajorClient for El Corazon de Santa Fe - downtown fractional ownership property park design over existing parking lot.
- El Toro LandscapemajorPreferred landscape contractor on multiple projects including Area 51 Residence, Luz del Dia, New Mexico School for the Arts, Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe Summit Residence. Long-term working relationship.
- Lockwood ConstructionmajorContractor on El Parque del Rio and Santa Fe University of Art + Design projects. Long-term working relationship for construction implementation.
- Hunt Real Estate PartnersmajorClient for Tradition Student Housing at Texas A&M and Cimarron Canyon Park. Dallas-based real estate developer for student housing and community development.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Surroundings Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- OLIN: OLIN is a Philadelphia-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning studio with award-winning civic and cultural projects. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in providing high-end landscape architecture and master planning services, though at a larger scale and broader national portfolio.
- SWA Group: SWA Group (now operating as Studio-MLA after merger) is a long-established landscape architecture and urban design firm with national reach. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in offering landscape architecture and master planning services across civic, hospitality, and academic sectors, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- James Corner Field Operations: James Corner Field Operations is a New York-based landscape architecture and urban design firm known for large-scale public realm projects such as the High Line. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in offering landscape architecture and master planning for civic and cultural clients, though focused on larger-scale and higher-profile urban projects.
Direct peers
- Design Workshop: Design Workshop is a landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with offices across the U.S. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in providing integrated landscape architecture, master planning, and community design services to civic, residential, and hospitality clients, with similar emphasis on context-driven design.
- Andropogon Associates: Andropogon Associates is a Philadelphia-based ecological landscape architecture and design firm. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in emphasizing native plantings, ecological restoration, and stormwater-conscious design for civic and institutional clients, sharing a similar boutique, mission-driven positioning.
- Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects: Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects is a Chicago-based landscape architecture firm with national projects. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in offering high-end landscape architecture and master planning for cultural, civic, and residential clients, sharing a similar boutique scale and design-led positioning.
- Reed Hilderbrand: Reed Hilderbrand is a Cambridge, MA-based landscape architecture firm specializing in campus, cultural, and ecological projects. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in offering context-driven landscape architecture and master planning for academic, civic, and institutional clients with strong design reputations.
- Ten Eyck Landscape Architects: Ten Eyck Landscape Architects is an Austin, TX-based landscape architecture firm with Southwest and national reach. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in serving academic, civic, and hospitality clients across the Southwest with context-sensitive, water-conscious landscape architecture.
- Land Collective: Land Collective is a Pittsburgh, PA-based landscape architecture firm. It is comparable to Surroundings Studio in delivering boutique-scale landscape architecture, urban design, and master planning services to civic, academic, and private clients.
Others
- OLIN Partnership (Lake|Flato): Lake|Flato Architects is a San Antonio, TX-based architecture firm and one of Surroundings Studio's longest-standing design partners. It is comparable as an ecosystem partner whose projects frequently integrate with Surroundings' landscape architecture, sharing regional Southwest focus and academic/civic client base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Surroundings Studio compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Surroundings Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Surroundings Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Surroundings Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Surroundings Studio 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 Surroundings Studio
What does Surroundings Studio do?
Surroundings Studio is a landscape architecture and planning firm providing professional design services including landscape architecture, master planning, urban design, and wayfinding across the American Southwest. Services are project-based and cover residential, civic, academic, commercial, hospitality, parks and trails, and master planning sectors, with each engagement led by a Principal-in-Charge from kickoff through close-out. The firm specializes in native ecologies, water-conscious planting design, creative stormwater management including acequia-inspired systems, and culturally resonant public space design rooted in Southwest history, culture, and ecology.
Is Surroundings Studio a public or private company?
Surroundings Studio is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Surroundings Studio founded?
Surroundings Studio was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Surroundings Studio based?
Surroundings Studio is headquartered in Santa Fe, United States, in the North America region.
How does Surroundings Studio make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services - Landscape Architecture.
Who are Surroundings Studio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are OLIN, SWA Group and James Corner Field Operations. Direct peers are Design Workshop, Andropogon Associates, Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, Reed Hilderbrand, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects and Land Collective. OLIN Partnership (Lake|Flato) is listed as an others.
Does Surroundings Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Surroundings Studio.
What industry is Surroundings Studio in?
Surroundings Studio'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 and its SIC code is 7340.