About Us
Metaphor is a multidisciplinary design and strategy studio working at the intersection of people, place and experience. Founded in 2000 we are a compact, highly experienced team with an extensive global network of collaborators. This allows us to combine strategic thinking with specialist expertise, delivering projects of scale, complexity and ambition across different sectors and geographies. We work with organisations worldwide - including tourism boards, cities, airports, universities and cultural institutions—to shape masterplans, experiences and narratives that reflect identity, engage diverse audiences and create long-term value.
What We Do
We specialise in masterplanning and strategy—helping organisations turn complex ambitions into clear, fundable and deliverable plans.
Our work bridges strategy, design, interpretation and storytelling. We take a user-centred approach, focusing on how people experience places, spaces and information - whether they are visitors, passengers, communities or audiences. We design experiences around people, place and behaviour.
We help you to:
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Understand your audiences and what drives their behaviours, expectations and emotions
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Map journeys across physical and digital environments
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Translate complex ideas into clear, engaging and accessible experiences
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Develop place-based narratives that reflect local identity, culture and history
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Integrate spatial, digital and creative interventions to enhance engagement and wellbeing
From cultural regeneration and destination development to passenger experience and public engagement, we create frameworks that guide projects from early vision through to delivery.
Our Approach
Our approach is analytical, creative and grounded in delivery.
We break down complexity—using diagrams, visual tools and strategic frameworks to align stakeholders, communicate ideas clearly and build confidence across teams. This ensures that projects are not only visionary, but also practical, fundable and achievable.
We combine audience insight, business planning and design thinking to create proposals that are robust and sustainable. By understanding both human behaviour and organisational objectives, we develop solutions that deliver lasting impact.
We also work collaboratively, bringing together the right mix of designers, artists, digital specialists and technical experts to suit each project—extending our reach while maintaining a focused and agile core team.
Our values:
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We turn complexity into clarity
We specialise in translating complex ambitions, data, and ideas into actionable, fundable, and deliverable plans. Our insight-led approach ensures every project is grounded, achievable, and strategically aligned.
We design experiences people remember
Our work focuses on human behaviour and emotional journeys. We create spaces and experiences that resonate with audiences, improve wellbeing, and leave lasting impact.
We collaborate globally
Our compact core team works with a diverse network of specialists across the world. This allows us to bring the right expertise to every project while maintaining agility, focus, and high-quality delivery.
We deliver measurable impact
We combine creativity, strategy, and practical planning to produce outcomes that are sustainable, resilient, and deliver real value for organisations and the people they serve.
We champion diversity and inclusion
We believe diverse perspectives make better design. We create work that reflects and engages all communities, ensuring experiences are accessible, equitable, and meaningful.
If you want to get in touch, please email our Creative Director - Kara Dickinson kdickinson@metpahor-design.co.uk