What Spaceagency does

Spaceagency Design is a London-headquartered, founder-led design consultancy founded in 2008 by Sarah Manning and Peter Feldmann, specialising in wayfinding, signage, and environmental graphic design for the built environment. The practice operates from studios in London and Milan with a team of 11–50, applying the Space Syntax methodology — a computational spatial analysis approach inherited from co-founder Manning's prior role at Space Syntax Ltd — to model pedestrian movement and circulation, alongside an interdisciplinary toolkit spanning architecture, urban design, branding, parametric design, and user experience design. Its core offerings include Wayfinding and Signage Design, Experience Masterplanning, Environmental Graphics, Placemaking Design, Digital Wayfinding Experience, and Street Furniture Design, delivered as integrated consulting engagements rather than productised software.

The firm's client base spans governments, transport authorities, airports, real-estate developers, cultural institutions, and corporates across five continents, with named engagements including Expo 2020 Dubai (commissioned to deliver the site-wide wayfinding and signage strategy plus street furniture family as lead consultant alongside Aecom), 2022 FIFA World Cup stadiums in Qatar, Changi Airport, Hong Kong Airport SkyCity, Manchester and London transport networks, HSBC University Guangzhou, Google Shorebird Campus, the V&A Museum, and Riyadh's Royal Commission. Revenue is generated on a project-by-project basis through competitive tenders, direct commissions, and — most significantly — repeat and sub-consultant engagements with tier-1 architectural practices including Zaha Hadid Architects, OMA, Aecom, Gensler, HOK, KCA International, Coen + Partners, and LAVA, with the ZHA relationship dating back to the firm's founding project.

The company is privately held and entirely founder-owned, with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or institutional shareholders, and operates without disclosed financial metrics. Its primary growth vector is geographic and vertical deepening in Middle Eastern giga-projects — particularly Saudi Arabia (NEOM, King Salman Park, Qiddiya, Jeddah Central, Riyadh Sports Boulevard) — supported by a recently established Milan studio and product expansion into digital wayfinding experiences.

Name

Spaceagency

Legal name

Spaceagency Design

Website

https://spaceagency-design.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spaceagency Design is a London- and Milan-based specialist consultancy that delivers wayfinding, signage, and environmental graphic design for airports, transport systems, sports venues, museums, and large masterplans, using Space Syntax spatial analysis and serving government and enterprise clients across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workplace Strategy & Space Standards (BPABAFAA), Space Planning & Test Fits (BPABAFAB)

Keywords

• Wayfinding design services
• Environmental graphic design
• Experience masterplanning
• Placemaking design services
• Signage strategy design

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Wayfinding Design Consultancy: Spaceagency generates revenue through fees for professional design consultancy services, including wayfinding strategy, signage design, environmental graphics, and user experience design for architectural projects and masterplans. Revenue is project-based, typically through competitive tender processes for large-scale infrastructure, transport, retail, and public realm projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Spaceagency is an interdisciplinary design studio delivering wayfinding strategy, signage design, environmental graphics, placemaking, and experience masterplanning for large-scale built environments. Projects span airports, transport hubs, retail centres, stadiums, museums, masterplans, and corporate headquarters across five continents. Engagements are typically project-based consultancy commissions procured through competitive tenders or as sub-consultant to lead architectural practices.

Product overview

Spaceagency is an interdisciplinary design studio offering wayfinding, signage, and environmental graphic design services. Their core offering comprises wayfinding and signage design strategy, experience masterplanning, environmental graphics, placemaking design, and digital wayfinding experiences. These services are delivered as integrated consulting engagements rather than as modular software products. The firm also publishes 'The Spaceagency Guide to Wayfinding' as an educational product. Projects span multiple sectors including transport (airports, metro systems, rail stations), retail (shopping centers), sports venues, cultural institutions (museums), urban masterplans, and corporate environments across five continents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wayfinding and Signage Design Comprehensive wayfinding and signage strategy and design for buildings, urban spaces, transport hubs, retail environments, and large-scale masterplans, including circulation analysis and integration with architectural design.
• Experience Masterplanning Strategic planning service that choreographs user journeys and creates consistent narratives through physical spaces, enhancing how people perceive and navigate the built environment.
• Environmental Graphics Visual communication design integrated into architectural environments, including graphic systems, signage families, pictograms, and branding elements that reinforce spatial identity.
• Placemaking Design Design service focused on creating engaging public spaces that connect people to place, enhancing urban legibility and cultural identity through strategic spatial interventions.
• Digital Wayfinding Experience Digital touchpoints and interactive navigation systems that combine cultural heritage with technology, including integrated digital interfaces within signage systems.
• Street Furniture Design Design of coordinated street furniture elements including benches, bollards, water fountains, planters, and waste bins, developed as integrated systems within public realm strategies.
• The Spaceagency Guide to Wayfinding Comprehensive illustrated guidebook published internationally on Amazon, authored by Spaceagency's founders, detailing the wayfinding design process with methodology, project stages, spatial strategy development, design concepts, and application of next-generation technology.

Named customers15 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered key, major and notable.

• Zaha Hadid ArchitectskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration dating back to first project at Stone Towers Cairo in 2010. Most recently collaborated on Infinitus HQ project in Guangzhou, China (2018), where Spaceagency developed interior and exterior wayfinding for the figure-eight form headquarters building. Partnership represents significant project wins and industry credibility.
• Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on multiple major projects including Qatar Cultural and Sports Hub (2013-2014), Qatar Presidential Hotel, Audrey Irmas Pavilion (Los Angeles), Dubai Expo UAE Pavilion competition, Al Wasl Road Regeneration (2014), and Emirates Air-Line cable car where Peter Feldmann served as project architect before founding Spaceagency. Deep co-development relationship on masterplan wayfinding and exhibition design.
• AecommajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrequent collaboration partner on major infrastructure and urban development projects across multiple continents. Projects include Riyadh Metro (station design with wave canopy), Riyadh Complete Communities (11 neighbourhoods), Connected Manchester pedestrian wayfinding, Expo 2020 Dubai (lead architect/masterplanner), Al Quoz Creative Zone (Dubai), Eastland Shopping Centre Melbourne, Grand Central Shopping Centre Toowoomba, and Dreamland Margate.
• KCA InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner on Astana Expo 2017 Kazakhstan project, where Spaceagency was appointed wayfinding and signage designer. Collaboration extended to Kazakh National Pavilion and Astana Expo Hotel interior wayfinding design.
• Pattern DesignkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 2019 Panamerican Games wayfinding and signage project in Lima, Peru, working with Pattern Design Architects. Also collaborated on Al Rayyan FIFA Stadium and Precinct project in Qatar for 2022 World Cup.
• Weston Williamson + PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint appointments on Connected Manchester pedestrian wayfinding project (2017) commissioned by Transport for Greater Manchester, and Network Rail Managed Stations wayfinding redesign (2018) for UK's managed railway stations.
• GenslermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on HSBC University project in Guangzhou (16,000 m2 training facility), The Avenues Bahrain waterfront development (1.5km linear promenade), and other projects requiring large-scale wayfinding design integrated with architectural practice expertise.
• Coen + PartnerskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead consultant partnership on multiple Riyadh Sports Boulevard districts including Athletics District, Arts District, Wadi Hanifa, and Red Sands Conservation Park projects in Saudi Arabia. Spaceagency developed wayfinding and signage strategies for these districts within the broader 140-kilometre Sports Boulevard corridor.
• HOKkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerWon international architectural competition as part of HOK team to design Palau Blaugrana Arena (12,500 seats) for FC Barcelona's Espai Barça development. Spaceagency contributed wayfinding and signage design for the new arena.
• Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on multiple projects including Synergy Campus Lingen Germany (2019), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology campus (2011-2019), Hangzhou International Office Centre competition, and Bayreuth Youth Hostel Germany (2017).
• 10 DesignnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Al Khobar South Beach Park entertainment development in Saudi Arabia (2021-2023) and GEG Phase 3 expansion in Macau for Galaxy Entertainment Group.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mijksenaar: Boutique founder-led wayfinding consultancy founded by Dutch pioneer Mijksenaar B.V., creators of wayfinding systems for Schiphol, Amsterdam Metro and numerous transit authorities worldwide. Closest comparable in terms of specialist focus, size and methodology-led approach to complex public-realm wayfinding commissions.
• Entro Communications: Toronto-based experiential graphic design and wayfinding firm specialising in transit, airport and large-scale masterplan projects globally. Direct peer in scale, sector mix (transport, infrastructure, public realm) and consultancy model targeting architects and government clients.
• ME Engineers (Holmes Wood): Holmes Wood was a San Francisco-based wayfinding consultancy acquired by ME Engineers; practices like it compete directly with Spaceagency on airport, healthcare and campus wayfinding mandates across North America and the Middle East.
• Calori Design: Specialist wayfinding and experiential design firm serving airports, transit and cultural venues in North America with a comparable founder-led consultancy model. Operates in the same narrow competitive set as Spaceagency for environmental graphics and signage strategy commissions.
• Studio Dumbar: Dutch graphic design studio known for large-scale identity and wayfinding systems (Schiphol, Rotterdam Centraal). Overlaps with Spaceagency on combining branding, environmental graphics and wayfinding into a single integrated design brief for major public clients.
• Bruce Mau Design: Design and wayfinding studio known for identity, signage and institutional projects including airports, hospitals and cultural venues. Comparable in founder-led, methodology-driven positioning serving large institutional clients globally.

Broad incumbents

• Pentagram: Largest independent design consultancy with multiple partners taking on environmental graphics, signage and identity-led wayfinding for cultural, transport and public-sector clients. Comparable partner-led, project-based model with similar award-driven positioning.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design giant with active experience design and wayfinding practice servicing airports, retail and workplace clients. Both partner and competitor to Spaceagency on projects such as HSBC University Guangzhou and The Avenues Bahrain.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consultancy and lead architect on multiple Spaceagency projects (Expo 2020 Dubai, Riyadh Metro, Connected Manchester). Represents both a major collaboration partner and a competitive threat given its in-house design capabilities across the built environment.
• Zaha Hadid Architects: World-renowned architecture firm and one of Spaceagency's closest strategic partners since the Cairo Stone Towers project in 2011. Provides a useful upper-bound benchmark for what an architecture-led practice looks like at vastly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spaceagency_lon

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 Spaceagency