What Studio Ongarato does

Studio Ongarato is a privately held, founder-led multidisciplinary design studio founded in 1994 in Melbourne, Australia, and operates from owned offices in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Toronto. The studio delivers brand identity, signage and wayfinding, placemaking, environmental graphics, art curation, publication design, digital design, packaging, and campaign design for enterprise clients in cultural institutions, luxury hospitality, premium retail, corporate and commercial real estate, fine dining, and mixed-use development. Its work is characterized by narrative-led design that integrates brand strategy with physical environmental design, custom typeface development, and curated artist collaborations to produce holistic experiential outcomes.

The studio's competitive positioning relies on three decades of accumulated reputation, deep relationships with internationally recognized architects (HASSELL, Bates Smart, OMA, UNStudio, Wood Marsh, Cox Architecture) and artists (Bill Henson, Nobuyoshi Araki, Emily Floyd, Rolf Sachs), and an international office footprint that enables direct enterprise engagement across APAC, the Middle East, and North America. Notable engagements include the National Gallery of Australia, W Shanghai, the Jackalope Hotel, Phoenix Central Park, NAB Place, Medibank Place, and the Harmay Cosmetics Shanghai flagship. The studio's recognition record includes 11 Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) Design Awards in 2017 including the Pinnacle for Studio of the Year, multiple SEGD Global Design Awards, and a 2024 Tokyo TDC Excellence award.

Studio Ongarato is co-directed by founder Fabio Ongarato (Creative Director) and Ronnen Goren (Director), with Craig Winterburn leading the Americas. The studio operates a bespoke, project-based revenue model with fees negotiated individually per engagement; pricing is not publicly disclosed. There is no evidence of venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment, and the studio remains wholly founder-controlled. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Studio Ongarato

Legal name

Studio Ongarato

Website

https://studioongarato.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studio Ongarato is a Melbourne-headquartered, founder-led multidisciplinary design studio operating in four cities, delivering brand identity, wayfinding, placemaking, and art curation for cultural institutions, luxury hospitality, premium retail, and major commercial developers across Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Design and Identity Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Brand identity design
• Signage wayfinding systems
• Placemaking strategy
• Environmental graphic design
• Experiential brand design

Headquarters

HQ city

Prahran

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Design Consultancy Services: Studio Ongarato generates revenue through professional design consultancy services including brand strategy, identity design, environmental graphics, wayfinding systems, and placemaking for enterprise clients in hospitality, cultural institutions, retail, and commercial sectors. Projects are typically bespoke, large-scale engagements with premium clients.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Studio Ongarato is a multi-disciplinary design studio offering an integrated portfolio of branding, placemaking, wayfinding, environmental graphics, digital design, publication design, art curation, campaign design, and packaging design services. The studio delivers bespoke, large-scale design consultancy engagements for enterprise clients in cultural institutions, luxury hospitality, premium retail, and commercial real estate sectors. Projects span brand strategy, identity systems, immersive environmental design, navigation systems, and curated art programs that connect brands with their audiences through physical and digital touchpoints.

Product overview

Studio Ongarato is a multi-disciplinary design studio with 30 years of experience creating culturally influential brands, places, and experiences. The studio offers an integrated portfolio of services including Brand Identity, Signage & Wayfinding, Placemaking, Environmental Graphics, Digital Design, Publication Design, Art Curation, Campaign Design, and Packaging Design. Working across hospitality, retail, cultural institutions, and commercial developments, the studio collaborates with architects, artists, and photographers to deliver holistic brand experiences. Studio Ongarato operates from offices in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Dubai, and the Americas, serving international clients across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Identity Services Comprehensive brand strategy and visual identity development including logo design, typography, color systems, and brand guidelines for institutional and commercial clients in cultural, hospitality, retail, and commercial sectors.
• Signage and Wayfinding Design of navigation systems, directional signage, and environmental wayfinding solutions for buildings, precincts, and public spaces, including dynamic signage technologies such as flip-dots, three-sided prisms, and LCD screens.
• Placemaking Creation of immersive brand environments and spatial experiences that connect brands with their audiences through physical design interventions for hospitality venues, commercial precincts, and cultural spaces.
• Environmental Graphics Large-scale visual design applied to architectural spaces including wall graphics, installations, and decorative elements that reinforce brand narratives across hospitality, cultural, and commercial environments.
• Digital Design Website design, digital platforms, and interactive media that extend brand identity into digital touchpoints for cultural institutions, hospitality brands, and retail clients.
• Publication Design Editorial design for books, magazines, catalogues, and printed materials that communicate brand stories through thoughtful typography and layout for institutional clients and brands.
• Art Curation Commissioning and curation of artwork for commercial and hospitality spaces, integrating art programs with brand environments. Includes collaborations with renowned artists such as Nobuyoshi Araki, Polly Borland, Bill Henson, Emily Floyd, and Rolf Sachs.
• Campaign Design Visual campaign identities and marketing materials for exhibitions, events, and institutional initiatives for cultural institutions and brands.
• Packaging Design

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 Australian Graphic Design Association Design Awards including Pinnacle for Studio of the Year (2017)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers32 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• Bates SmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration with Bates Smart on commercial office projects including 161 Collins Street refurbishment and 85 Spring Street residential project. The partnership combines architectural expertise with brand and wayfinding design for integrated outcomes.
• HASSELLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with HASSELL on workplace branding projects including Medibank Place headquarters, ANZ Centre, Arup Melbourne offices, and Western Australian Museum. The collaboration delivers integrated architecture and environmental design outcomes.
• OMAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with OMA on AIR CCCC restaurant and culinary campus in Singapore. Also worked with OMA partner on Western Australian Museum project alongside Hassell.
• Wood Marsh ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Kisume Japanese restaurant project in Melbourne, combining architectural interior design with brand identity and art curation.
• Nic Graham and AssociatesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior design partnership for QT Melbourne hotel project, integrating hotel interior design with environmental graphics and signage.
• Cox ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Wesley Place commercial precinct in Melbourne, combining architectural design with placemaking and wayfinding signage.
• Circa Morris-Nunn ArchitectsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Moss Hotel Hobart project, combining heritage building architecture with brand identity and environmental design.
• Nobuyoshi ArakimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist collaboration on Kisume restaurant project featuring photography works. The partnership brings artistic depth to hospitality brand experience.
• Polly BorlandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist collaboration on Kisume restaurant project alongside Nobuyoshi Araki photography.
• Bill HensonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing artist relationship dating to 1997 Scanlan Theodore collaboration. Henson created atmospheric photographic series for 85 Spring Street project portraits.
• Emily FloydmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist commissioned for Jackalope Hotel project including iconic seven-metre tall Jackalope sculpture.
• Rolf SachsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational artist contributing sculptural works to Jackalope Hotel project.
• Andrew HazewinkelmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist commissioned for Jackalope Hotel sculptural works.
• Kate RobertsonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotographer capturing alchemic transformation imagery for Jackalope Hotel project.
• UNStudiomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partnership on STH BNK By Beulah mixed-use development in Melbourne.
• March StudiomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture collaboration on Rain Room pavilion and Black Star Pastry Shanghai store.
• TRAUM IncstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on STH BNK project creating Next x Now short film melding technology, humanity and nature.
• Future LaboratorystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrend forecasting partnership for STH BNK project to validate cultural forces and societal changes.
• LinehousemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partnership on Black Star Pastry Shanghai store and other projects.
• Four Seasons HotelsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury hotel operator secured for STH BNK development in Melbourne.
• Centre PompidoumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis Centre Pompidou to open gallery in Melbourne as international cultural partner for STH BNK development.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lippincott: Brand strategy and design firm serving enterprise clients across financial services, hospitality, and consumer sectors — comparable premium positioning and enterprise client profile.
• Bruce Mau Design: Boutique design studio focused on systemic brand and environmental design with a strong cultural-institution track record — comparable scale and experiential design philosophy.
• Saffron Brand Consultants: Independent brand consultancy with strong cultural-institution and hospitality credentials, offering brand strategy and identity design — overlaps with Studio Ongarato's narrative-led, culturally-oriented practice.
• Mucho: Independent brand and wayfinding studio specialising in identity, signage, and environmental graphics for cultural and hospitality clients — directly comparable service mix.
• Landor & Fitch: Global brand consultancy delivering brand strategy, identity, and environmental design across hospitality, retail, and cultural sectors — overlaps directly with Studio Ongarato's core service stack.
• Pentagram: Largest independent design consultancy globally, with a partner-led model producing brand identities, environmental graphics, and signage systems for cultural and enterprise clients — the most direct structural and offering-level comparable to Studio Ongarato.

Broad incumbents

• Mother Design: Design arm of the Mother creative network, producing brand identity and campaign design for major consumer and cultural clients — broader agency but overlapping premium positioning.
• R/GA: Large global experience design agency offering brand, digital, and experiential design across enterprise clients — broader portfolio but overlapping enterprise field-sales motion.

Regional players

• Designworks (Australia): Boutique Australian brand and wayfinding consultancy serving cultural, hospitality, and commercial clients — directly comparable offering within Studio Ongarato's home market.
• Frost*collective: Leading Australian independent design studio delivering brand strategy, identity, and wayfinding — comparable service stack and Australian market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInau.linkedin.com/company/studioongarato
• Instagraminstagram.com/studio.ongarato

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Studio Ongarato