Urban Design - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The urban design market size is expected to grow from USD 74.5 billion in 2025 to USD 79.01 billion in 2026 and is forecast to reach USD 114.80 billion by 2031 at 7.80% CAGR over 2026-2031. This report is Segmented by Type (Master Planning and Land-Use Planning, Urban Design, Public Realm and Landscape Design, and More), Sector (Mixed-Use and Township Developments, Transportation and Infrastructure and More), Investor Type (Public and Private), and Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa) the Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value in USD.

Global Urban Design Market Trends and Insights

Urban Population Growth

Urban population growth is expanding the need for planning, public-space design, land-use management, and infrastructure coordination. Cities housed 45% of the global population of 8.2 billion in 2025, and most population growth through 2050 is expected to occur in urban areas. This growth puts greater pressure on housing, mobility, public services, and climate adaptation systems. Municipal governments need long-term plans that guide development while protecting access to public facilities and essential infrastructure. The Urban Design Market benefits because planning requirements usually begin before construction, extending demand across the development cycle. Firms with experience in land-use policy, implementation planning, and public consultation can compete for broader assignments.

Secondary City Development

Secondary cities are becoming an important source of planning and design work as population and economic activity spread beyond major capitals. The UN Development Programme expects secondary cities to account for nearly 40% of Asia-Pacific GDP growth by 2030. The report also projects that more than 200 new cities could emerge in ASEAN by 2030. These locations often need support in establishing zoning systems, infrastructure priorities, and public realm standards. Their authorities may have ambitious development objectives but limited procurement and delivery capacity. This creates opportunities for firms that combine local regulatory knowledge, stakeholder engagement, and practical master-planning capability.

Lengthy Approval and Zoning Processes

Long approval processes reduce revenue visibility in the urban design market by delaying later design phases and construction work. A 2026 Wisconsin Policy Forum study of 6 U.S. cities found that projects requiring zoning changes took a median of 510 days to reach construction, compared with 86 days for projects requiring staff-level review. The difference can make it harder for clients and consultants to forecast design schedules. Delays also arise outside the United States when rigid rules or stalled financing interrupt approved redevelopment work. Clients may limit the scope given to outside advisers until the regulatory path is clearer. Urban design market firms, therefore, need strong approval strategies, realistic schedules, and clear communication with public agencies.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Urban Regeneration and Redevelopment
• Infrastructure and Transit Investment
• High Land, Infrastructure, and Financing Costs

Segment Analysis

Master Planning and Land-Use Planning held 31.6% of revenue in 2025, making it the largest service category in the urban design market. The category remains central because metropolitan areas, new districts, and redevelopment programs need long-term land-use frameworks. Singapore’s 2025 Master Plan is now in implementation, underscoring the ongoing role of public planning frameworks in directing development. The Royal Commission for Riyadh City published design and architectural guidelines in June 2026 for a major commercial zone. The guidance covers building facades, pedestrian corridors, and public realm quality. Urban Design, Public Realm, and Landscape Design also serve cities that use place quality to support economic development, public health, and local identity.

Transportation and Mobility Planning gains from transit investment because routes, stations, and streets require coordinated land-use and public-space decisions. The Others category includes environmental impact planning, heritage conservation advice, and digital urban modeling. These services are used when clients need a broader assessment of risks and outcomes. Zoning, Development Control and Implementation Advisory is the fastest-growing service type, with an 8.4% CAGR through 2031. This part of the urban design market is growing because clients increasingly view zoning codes and design standards as tools that shape long-term outcomes. It also requires firms to connect regulatory rules with a workable delivery sequence. Implementation advisory is becoming more valuable where projects have multiple phases, owners, and public agencies.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Type
  • Master Planning and Land-Use Planning
  • Urban Design, Public Realm and Landscape Design
  • Transportation and Mobility Planning
  • Zoning, Development Control and Implementation Advisory
  • Others
• By Sector
  • Mixed-Use and Township Developments
  • Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Public, Civic and Institutional Developments
  • Others
• By Investor Type
  • Public
  • Private
• By Geography
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Chile
    • Peru
    • Rest of South America
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia - Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Rest of Asia - Pacific
  • Middle East and Africa
    • United Arab Emirates
    • Saudi Arabia
    • South Africa
    • Egypt
    • Rest of Middle East and Africa

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific held 37.8% of the urban design market in 2025, the largest regional share. The region has a large pipeline of new and expanding cities, as well as extensive transport and renewal needs. The UN Development Programme projected that more than 200 new cities could emerge in ASEAN by 2030. Secondary cities are especially important because many are establishing planning systems while managing rapid growth. China’s urban renewal plan provides a major national setting for retrofitting existing urban areas through 2030. Asia-Pacific’s transport funding gap also sustains planning work around mobility and land use.

The Middle East and Africa is forecast to grow at an 8.9% CAGR through 2031, the fastest regional rate in the urban design market. Gulf programs are generating large requirements for master planning, public realm design, mobility planning, and implementation advice. Saudi Arabia’s commercial development pipeline supports demand for workplace, mixed-use, and entertainment districts. In the United Arab Emirates, Marsa Al Saadiyat is advancing through enabling works and infrastructure in 2026. The project was announced with an investment value of USD 27.2 billion. In Africa, the ability to convert development plans into commissions will depend on project finance and local institutional capacity.

North America and Europe are mature regions where urban design market demand is often driven by regeneration complexity instead of project volume. Long approvals, high costs, and community concerns can slow delivery in these regions. At the same time, public agencies continue to procure planning, architecture, and infrastructure advice for renewal and civic projects. Brazil’s Green Resilient Cities Programme creates a national policy setting for climate-integrated planning. This can create opportunities for firms with Portuguese-language capability and climate planning experience. Across these regions, firms need to show that design proposals can meet public goals while remaining workable within approval and funding constraints.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• AECOM
• Jacobs Solutions Inc.
• WSP Global Inc.
• Arcadis N.V.
• Stantec Inc.
• HDR, Inc.
• AtkinsRéalis Group Inc.
• Ramboll Group A/S
• Arup Group Limited
• Gensler
• HOK
• Perkins&Will
• Sasaki Associates, Inc.
• Gehl People ApS
• Surbana Jurong Private Limited
• Foster + Partners
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
• Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
• DP Architects Pte Ltd
• Lendlease Group

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support