Univers, a graphic design studio founded in 2001, formed MASS to provide complete signage projects, utilising our formidable signage expertise and fabrication and installation networks. Meanwhile, the Univers part of our business has evolved to focus on digital products and brands.
Clients including universities, schools, and all kinds of businesses, choose MASS to design and provide finished, installed signs because of our exceptional understanding of brand and architectural issues, legible wayfinding, and practical durability.
I’ve been involved in signage and architectural graphic design since I was graphic design lead at international architecture firm, Woods Bagot, in the late 1990s. Wayfinding, signs and architectural graphic elements are a great opportunity to take the design and delivery of built world projects to new levels. I love working with architects, interior designers, and other clients to deliver on that opportunity.
To make this possible we developed a different approach to signage projects.
Expert sign designers lead projects from conception to post-installation.
Underdone by sign makers, or initiated by a generalist graphic designer, who sees each sign as a chance to make their big statement.
A simple process to help people understand spaces, which respects the role of architects and the intelligence of users.
A wayfinding consultant telling you the architecture is all wrong, and can only be fixed with a scientific review and a raft of new sign drawings.
Great relationships with an outstanding group of specialists, selected for their suitability to each project. On-going review of progress and produced items.
Limited by capacity, or lack of good management; keeping non-expert skills in-house; trying to appear that all work is in-house.
Complete signage project services including design, documentation, fabrication and installation – there is no need to tender design and production separately.
Adding a layer of cost and management by tendering design and production separately, for relatively small contract sums, in a field which you may lack knowledge of.
Careful, enduring and suitable design, craftsmanship and attention at an appropriate price.
Low value outcomes due to selection based on the biggest design promise or lowest production price.
Ideal for one-off medium to large projects, and small-scale repeat works.
Trying to do everything for everyone.
We are responsible for the signage throughout the project.
The designer claims the fabricator was wrong, the fabricator says it was the sub-contractor, the sub-contractor says it was the installer, the installer says it was the designer.
All our planning, design, and project management work is done in our Melbourne studio.
We have great, long term relationships with a range of sign printers, fabricators, installers and other trades, who we partner with to deliver finished signs of the highest standard.