Studio Semaphore

Studio Semaphore is an Australian wayfinding and signage design consultancy with studios in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. It plans and designs navigation systems for buildings and public places. For over a decade it has worked on airports, hospitals, universities, cultural precincts and the public realm.

The studio looks beyond single signs. It builds whole systems that are easy to follow, accessible and long-lasting. It starts each project by studying the architecture, the route people take and how the site really runs. It tests sightlines, scale, materials and fabrication so the signs suit the place and last.

Its services cover the full project life, from first advice and strategy to design, documentation and delivery. They include wayfinding strategy, signage design, environmental graphics, interpretation design, user experience strategy, digital experience and map design. The studio also offers branding and identity, iconography, donor recognition and project management.

Airports are a core part of the portfolio. Projects include wayfinding and signage guidelines for Perth Airport and signage for Melbourne Airport. The studio is also working on a joined-up wayfinding solution for the Perth Airport Ground Transport Consolidation Project. Other work includes a hospital expansion in Brisbane, university campuses in Tasmania and Victoria, an art gallery, community centres, offices and housing.

Studio Semaphore works alongside architects and project teams. Its systems are refined to meet technical standards and to support daily operations. The team uses site research, user testing and stakeholder talks to understand how different people use a space. It puts accessibility and fairness at the centre, with the aim of reducing stress for people who move through complex places.

The studio has won recognition for its work. Its awards include a Merit in Wayfinding and Signage at the 2025 AGDA Awards for an office project in Perth. Other projects have been finalists at the SEGD Global Design Awards and the BEST Design Awards, and have appeared in the Asia Pacific Design book series.

The studio works across Australia. It says it supports First Nations knowledge and culture in its projects, and it aims to cut the environmental footprint of its work through efficient fabrication and careful choice of materials.

Services

• Wayfinding strategy
• Signage design
• Environmental graphics
• Interpretation design
• User experience strategy
• Digital experience
• Map design
• Branding and identity
• Iconography
• Project management