The Design Bureau is a student-led design studio. We create strategic visual communication solutions that please the eyes, engage the mind and inspire action.

We undertake a rigorous and collaborative design process that involves listening, research, strategy, conceptual development and design development.

About the Design Bureau

We're not just your creatives, we're your creative partners. 

We’re a bunch of dedicated, inspired designers who care about solving design and communication challenges. We deliver projects that spark conversations and elicit change.

Whether you’re a client seeking design solutions, or a student seeking a place where you can work on real-world projects, we can help.

We craft strategic and effective communication design solutions across a variety of media formats including print, digital and motion design.

We’re your collaborative partners.

Our approach

We’re methodical in our design practice and fluid in our thinking. Pragmatic yet inspired.

Curiosity underpins everything we do. We start by listening. Then we dive into research and strategy. Next, comes conceptual and design development. It all adds up to a rigorous and collaborative design process. And that equals communication design outcomes that effect the change you want to see.

Our approach centres around one main thing: collaboration. So if you’re ready to explore the possibilities, come on the journey with us. The end destination will be one you were planning on, and are excited to arrive at.

Our projects

From startups to research institutes, we work with clients who care about social good.

Put simply, we do great work for people doing good things (really good things).

  • Baker Institute
  • BioMelbourne
  • Cabrini Health
  • Peninsula Larder
  • Smart Cities Research Institute
  • Swinburne University of Technology
  • BioMelbourne Network: Designing a bright new future
  • Health Kite: Finding the cure for a complex interface
  • Rooftop living laboratory: environmental design
  • 'Peninsula Larder: creating a world-class brand' - rebranding a luxury food market product. Work- strategy, identity design,packaging, print and wed media.

How to get involved

Prepare for your future in contemporary design practice

Are you an undergraduate Swinburne design student undertaking a professional or industry placement? Want to get some real-world studio experience under your belt before you graduate? You’ve come to the right place.

In the Bureau Studio, you’ll be guided by Dr Shivani Tyagi, lecturer in Communication Design and Design Research at Swinburne's School of Design.

Get set to work on a range of diverse, real-world design projects. Apply your design skills in real-work contexts, build your confidence and communication skills, learn how to solve complex problems and work collaboratively. Take your folio to the next level and multiply those industry connections.

Build the confidence to take your career wherever in the world you want to go.

Get in touch to find out more designbureau@swinburne.edu.au. 

Dive headfirst into a dynamic work environment.

Are you a Swinburne design student who’s hungry for real-world experience before you graduate? The SoDA Accelerator can help.

Get contemporary design practice experience and expert guidance from Dr Emma Fisher and Professor Simone Taffe, lecturers in Communication Design at Swinburne's School of Design and Architecture.

Within our 25 credit point coursework unit, you’ll work in tight-knit creative teams with real external clients, to take design projects from go to whoah! Define the scope and objectives of your projects in return briefs, build your relationship and project management skills, and develop design proposals.

Take the wheel as you develop creative approaches and technical solutions. Emerge with a showstopping folio, boosted confidence, and the technical and on-the-job skills to help you land that dream job.

You can apply to be part of the Bureau Accelerator as:

  • An elective unit of study within your Bachelor (must have credit points), or
  • A core unit of study within the Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) (Honours) as an alternative to Industry Placement.

To find out more, contact Manager of the SoDA Accelerator, Dr Emma Fisher efisher@swinburne.edu.au.

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Contact the Design Bureau

If you have any questions, want to work with us or simply want to have a chat, get in touch with us by emailing designbureau@swinburne.edu.au or call 9214 3608.

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