What Surface Design does

Surface Design is a Sydney-headquartered building sciences consultancy founded in 2010 that integrates three disciplines — Facade Engineering, Sustainable Design, and Materials Science — into a single delivery model for complex new-build and refurbishment projects. Its technical toolkit spans finite element modelling (Strand7), computational fluid dynamics for wind and thermal comfort studies, advanced materials testing (XriteColor Spectrophotometer, glass stress measurement, WindMaker air infiltration), and proprietary capabilities in closed-cavity facades (first installation in Australia at 200 George Street) and ETFE roof engineering (Minnesota Vikings Stadium). The firm provides Green Star, LEED, NABERS, NatHERS, and Section J consultancy; facade engineering for curtain wall, GRC, terracotta, structural glass, and tensile structures; and materials durability assessments and failure analysis. It serves enterprise developers (Mirvac, Investa, Macquarie Group), state and local government (Victorian State Government, City of Sydney, Barangaroo Delivery Authority, Transgrid), universities (UTS, University of Sydney, UNSW), healthcare providers (Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, NeuRA, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital), and tier-one architects (FJMT, Woods Bagot, Gehry Partners, Grimshaw, BVN).

The firm operates from offices in Sydney and Gold Coast, with projects across all major Australian east coast cities and international engagements in Southeast Asia and the United States. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees quoted on a per-project basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed and no MRR, retainer, or licensing model exists. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct engagement from developers, architects, and main contractors (Lend Lease, Brookfield Multiplex, Richard Crookes, Grocon), supplemented by conference participation (Facade Tectonics 2016), academic publications, and earned media from award recognition. The firm has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries, operating as a founder/management-controlled private consultancy.

Name

Surface Design

Legal name

Surface Design

Website

https://surfacedesign.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Surface Design is a Sydney-based building sciences consultancy founded in 2010 that integrates facade engineering, sustainable design, and materials science to deliver complex building projects for Australian enterprises, universities, healthcare providers, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

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. Facade Engineering Consulting: Consulting fees for facade design, engineering, structural analysis, and construction-phase services across commercial, education, healthcare, and public building projects.
2. Sustainable Design Consulting: Green Star, LEED, NABERS consultancy and documentation services; Section J assessments; thermal comfort and daylight assessments; and energy efficiency design.
3. Materials Science Consulting: Materials durability assessments, condition surveys, concrete specification, failure analysis, and sustainability advice for construction projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Surface Design is a Sydney-based building sciences consultancy established in 2010 that provides facade engineering, sustainable design, and materials science services for building and infrastructure projects. The firm applies advanced simulation, testing, and engineering analysis to deliver integrated building envelope solutions for commercial, institutional, healthcare, and government clients.

Product overview

Surface Design is a building sciences consultancy offering three integrated core service disciplines: Sustainable Design, Facade Engineering, and Materials Science. These services work together to provide holistic environmental sustainable design and facade engineering for buildings. The company specializes in both new construction and refurbishment of existing buildings, with expertise spanning curtain wall systems, sustainable building certifications (Green Star, LEED, NABERS), materials durability assessment, and facade design for complex geometric forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered 304 residential apartments with 7 Star or above NatHERS rating through Green Star projects
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered key sub-consultant, key contractor partner, frequent collaborator, key collaborator, prestigious project partner, project partner, innovation partner and community partner.

• Aureconkey sub-consultantImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSurface Design was engaged by Aurecon to provide ongoing Material Science advice for the $6 billion Barangaroo redevelopment. Work included concrete selection, joint design, waterproofing, insulation, retaining wall design, and repair of existing caissons.
• Lend Leasekey contractor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSurface Design has worked with Lend Lease as facade consultant on multiple major projects including 60 Martin Place (Sydney CBD), Barangaroo Headland, and UNSW Wallace Wurth. Lend Lease serves as main contractor on these engagements.
• Brookfield Multiplexkey contractor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSurface Design has been engaged by Brookfield Multiplex (now BMPX) as facade engineer on projects including Charles Perkins Centre, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, 48-50 Martin Place, and UNSW Bioscience.
• Richard Crookes Constructionkey contractor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSurface Design has worked with Richard Crookes Construction on UTS Central, NeuRA, and LEES1 projects as facade consultant and engineer.
• FJMT (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp)frequent collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design has collaborated repeatedly with FJMT architects on landmark projects including 200 George Street (with Mirvac), Charles Perkins Centre (with Brookfield Multiplex), and 161 Castlereagh Street.
• Woods Bagotfrequent collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design has worked with Woods Bagot on multiple projects including Abercrombie Precinct (University of Sydney), UNSW Bioscience, and GPT Sydney Office Fitout.
• BVNfrequent collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design worked with BVN on UTS Science Building facade design, developing the monolithic undulating facade through new material technology.
• Grimshaw Architectsfrequent collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design worked with Grimshaw Architects on the UNSW Material Science Building and the National Arboretum Canberra (Biosphere and Reflection Pavilion).
• Groconkey contractor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSurface Design worked with Grocon as part of the VCCC project team (with PCL) and on 161 Castlereagh Entry Tension Structure.
• Rice Daubney (now HDR Rice Daubney)frequent collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design collaborated with Rice Daubney on the Al Maha Centre for Children and Young Adults (Qatar) providing GRC screen engineering, and on Chris O'Brien Lifehouse facade design.
• Johnson Pilton Walkerkey collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design worked with Johnson Pilton Walker on the award-winning 48-50 Martin Place refurbishment for Macquarie Bank headquarters, developing dome, glass bridge, and curved lift designs.
• Gehry Partnersprestigious project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design was engaged by Gehry Partners (with Darryl Jackson Robin Dyke Architects) for facade engineering on the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building at UTS, working with complex deconstructivist geometry.
• Arupproject partnerTechnology or IntegrationArup was a project consultant on One Central Park providing environmental engineering. Surface Design worked alongside them on this award-winning project.
• Robert Bird Groupproject partnerTechnology or IntegrationRobert Bird Group was structural engineer on One Central Park. Surface Design worked as facade consultant alongside them on this landmark project.
• Fender Katsalidisproject partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design was facade consultant for 4 National Circuit Barton (designed by Fender Katsalidis), which won multiple ACT Architecture Awards including the Canberra Medallion.
• Patrick Blancinnovation partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatrick Blanc, renowned vertical garden designer, collaborated on One Central Park's Living Walls. Surface Design worked on facade systems including vertical planted facades for this project.
• Taronga Conservation Society Australiacommunity partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design collaborated with Taronga Conservation Society Australia to provide Sustainable Design advice for the Sumatran Tiger Exhibit renovation at Taronga Zoo.
• Starlight Children's Foundationcommunity partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurface Design has maintained support for the Starlight Children's Foundation in 2014, fundraising and awareness building for the foundation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aurecon: Australasian engineering and infrastructure consultancy that engaged Surface Design as a sub-consultant on the $6B Barangaroo redevelopment. Comparable in its Australian market presence and facade/materials scope, but operates as a much larger generalist.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with major facade, sustainability, and materials practices. Direct overlap with Surface Design on One Central Park and many other landmark projects, but operates at vastly larger scale and broader scope.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with a large buildings practice spanning facade engineering, sustainability, and building performance. Comparable in service breadth to Surface Design but as a much larger diversified incumbent with consolidated delivery models.
• Buro Happold: International engineering consultancy with established facade engineering and building performance practices. Comparable to Surface Design in integrated building sciences delivery but with much broader service portfolio and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Atelier Ten: Environmental design consultancy that integrates building physics, facade engineering, and sustainability — directly comparable to Surface Design's coupling of Sustainable Design, Facade Engineering, and Materials Science. Operates on landmark commercial and cultural projects globally.
• Front Inc. Facade engineering and consulting firm with a boutique specialist model similar to Surface Design. Works on complex building envelopes for tier-1 architects on commercial, cultural, and institutional projects worldwide.
• Eckersley O'Callaghan: Specialist facade engineering and structural glass consultancy that works on award-winning architectural projects. Closely comparable to Surface Design's facade engineering focus, complex geometry expertise, and premium project positioning.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger: Engineering firm specializing in building technology, building envelope, and facade performance. Comparable to Surface Design's facade engineering and materials science focus, with particular overlap in failure analysis and durability assessment.
• Werner Sobek: Engineering and design consultancy specializing in facades, structures, and sustainability. Comparable to Surface Design in its integrated approach to building envelope engineering and commitment to sustainable design principles.
• Transsolar: Climate engineering consultancy focused on building physics, thermal comfort, and energy performance. Directly comparable to Surface Design's CFD, thermal comfort, and sustainable design capabilities, especially on complex facades.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surface-design-consulting

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Surface Design