What DesignOffice does

DesignOffice is an architecture and interior design studio headquartered in Collingwood, Melbourne, founded in 2008. The firm is led by Joint Creative Directors Mark Simpson and Damien Mulvihill and operates with a team of approximately ten, delivering architecture, interior design and strategic brand design services. Its client base spans hospitality, retail, residential, commercial and cultural sectors and includes Milieu Property, Palace Cinemas, The Commons, Molonglo Group, Cult, Superette, Mud Australia, Handpicked Wines, ACMI and the National Gallery of Victoria.

The studio operates two complementary service lines. The core studio delivers architecture and interior design commissions on a project basis, with fees tied to scope, scale and complexity. In 2017 the firm launched Platform by DesignOffice, a sub-brand focused on strategic brand and design services for multi-location operators, extending the offering from single-site commissions to ongoing operator-level design systems. Project work has been delivered across Australia, New Zealand, China (Shanghai), Hong Kong, Los Angeles and New York.

The business model is fee-for-service project work supplemented by retained and multi-year design partnerships with operators that require design systems replicated across multiple sites. Distribution of work is by direct client relationships, repeat mandates and industry recognition, including Designer of the Year 2018 and ongoing Australian Interior Design Awards recognition through 2025. The firm is privately held, with no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions or external investors identified in the available information.

Name

DesignOffice

Legal name

DesignOffice

Website

https://designoffice.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DesignOffice is a Melbourne-based architecture and interior design studio founded in 2008, serving hospitality, retail, residential, commercial and cultural clients across Australia and internationally, including via its Platform by DesignOffice multi-location brand design service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural and Interior Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Interior design studio
• Hospitality design
• Retail design
• Brand design identity

Headquarters

HQ city

Collingwood, Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Project-based fees for architecture and interior design services across commercial, residential, hospitality, and retail sectors. Revenue is generated through professional design fees, typically scoped per project.
2. Platform by DesignOffice: Strategic brand design services creating design identities, manuals and tools for brands across multiple locations. Operates as a separate branded service offering 'Brands in Built Form'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DesignOffice is an award-winning architecture and interior design studio creating human-centred spaces across hospitality, retail, residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. The studio delivers projects through integrated architecture and design capabilities, including a specialized sub-brand Platform by DesignOffice that develops strategic brand design identities, manuals, and tools for multi-location brands.

Product overview

DesignOffice is an architecture and design studio offering two main services: its core architecture and interior design practice creating human-centred spaces (hospitality, retail, residential, commercial, institutional), and Platform by DesignOffice - a specialized service developing strategic brand design identities, manuals and tools for multi-location brands in hospitality, retail, lifestyle and property sectors. The firm operates as a single unified practice rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Platform by DesignOffice: A specialized service that works strategically with brands and creative collaborators to create bespoke design languages for use across multiple locations, delivering Brands in Built Form®.

Products and services

• DesignOffice Architecture & Design Studio Award-winning architecture and interior design studio creating human-centred spaces for enterprise clients including property developers, hospitality groups, retailers, and cultural institutions across Australia and globally.
• Platform by DesignOffice Specialized service that develops strategic architecture and design identities, manuals, and tools for hospitality, retail, lifestyle, and property brands applicable across multiple sites and locations, delivering Brands in Built Form® through proprietary methodologies including Strategic Brand Benchmark, Customer Engagement Map, and Kit of Parts Toolbox.

Named customers19 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

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Milieu PropertycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partner with eight major collaborations including Otter Place, Peel by Milieu, Bedford St, Saxon Street Display Gallery, and multiple residential developments. DesignOffice handles architecture and interior design for their property developments.
• DKO ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Peel by Milieu (8-storey apartment building) and Bedford by Milieu projects as base-building architects with DesignOffice handling interiors and common areas.
• Studio HiHomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on multiple projects including Peel by Milieu, Park & Raphael Display Suite, and creative marketing materials.
• Molonglo GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompleted multiple projects in the New Acton precinct including Nishi Display Suite, Palace Cinemas, Parlour restaurant and bar, and A.Baker restaurant/bar/bakery.
• Palace CinemascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership creating cinema interiors including Palace Central Sydney, Palace Cinemas HQ Melbourne, Palace Electric Canberra, and Palace Cinemas Raine Square Perth.
• CultmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple showroom projects for the furniture and lighting retailer including Cult Showroom Sydney, Cult Staircase Melbourne, and Nau by Cult exhibition stands.
• Mud AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple showroom projects across Melbourne Fitzroy, Byron Bay, and Los Angeles. Platform by DesignOffice developed comprehensive design manual for brand rollout.
• TaitmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated Tait's new Melbourne home for the iconic Australian outdoor furniture brand.
• The CommonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple co-working and health club projects including The Commons Martin Place Sydney, Surry Hills, George Street, South Yarra, Collins Street Melbourne, and Richmond Health Club.
• SuperettemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple fashion boutique projects in Auckland including Superette International, Superette Commercial Bay, and Superette Ponsonby.
• Space FurnituremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrisbane New Farm showroom and Melbourne showroom redesign for the furniture retailer.
• HassellmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Otter Place by Milieu as project architects alongside Hassell.
• Cantilever InteriorsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Tableau kitchen system development and Park & Raphael Townhouses with custom kitchen designs.
• Living EdgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurniture curation partnership for Peel by Milieu apartment showcasing Vitra and other international brands.
• Coco FlipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduct collaboration on Chorus collection of wall and ceiling lights.
• ByDaveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduct collaboration on Everyday Table, a versatile handcrafted table designed for domestic and commercial settings.
• Platform by DesignOffice (Handpicked Wines)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing success of Sydney cellar door, Platform by DesignOffice was engaged to develop Handpicked Wines' flagship site in Melbourne's CBD, focusing on Brands in Built Form.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Alexander &CO: Sydney-based design studio covering hospitality, retail and residential interiors with a similar boutique structure, brand storytelling and award-winning positioning.
• Foolscap Studio: Melbourne design studio working across hospitality, retail and residential interiors with a similar brand-identity-led approach. Closely comparable in scale, sector mix and Studio-of-the-Year-style positioning.
• Studio Tate: Australian interior design and architecture studio with a hospitality, residential and multi-residential portfolio that competes directly for similar developer and operator clients.
• Hecker Guthrie: Melbourne-based architecture and interior design studio of comparable size, specialising in hospitality, retail and residential projects across Australia. Operates as a direct peer with similar boutique structure and design-led positioning.
• Pattern Studio: Australian multi-disciplinary design studio active across hospitality, retail and property interiors. Comparable boutique scale and integrated architecture/interior/brand-design approach.
• Architects EAT: Melbourne architecture and interior design practice with comparable sector mix (hospitality, retail, residential) and DesignOffice-adjacent positioning in Australian design awards.
• Studio Plenty: Australian interior design and architecture studio with a strong hospitality and retail portfolio and a multi-disciplinary integrated design practice — directly comparable to DesignOffice's offer.

Regional players

• Golden (formerly Golden Design): London-based interior design and architecture studio with comparable size and a strong hospitality/restaurant portfolio across Europe and Asia. Comparable in craft and award profile but operates in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Bates Smart: One of Australia's oldest and largest architecture practices with a deep hospitality, workplace and interiors portfolio. Competes for the same premium briefs but at materially larger scale and broader service scope.

Others

• Hassell:

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/_designoffice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designoffice-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 DesignOffice