Sonda echoes the word sonder - the understanding that every person carries a story as rich and complex as our own
Sonda Studio designs different types of spaces, always starting with how they are experienced.
Every project is approached through a sensory lens, designing environments that support how people think, feel and function.
Below is an overview of our core services. We also welcome collaborations and opportunities that align with our values, approach, and belief in creating environments that genuinely support people.
Discovery
Understanding people + place.
Exploring what people say, what people do and what the space does before design begins.
Design
Create the right space.
We translate the findings from Discovery into sensory-aware design.
Collaborate
Working alongside you.
To help shape more thoughtful, human-centred environments.
Discovery
Before we design, we take time to understand both the people who use a space and the environment they experience.
Through listening, observation and environmental assessment, we build a picture of how people experience and use the space, what supports them, what creates friction, and where different needs and experiences exist.
People + Place
Our Discovery process looks at three perspectives:
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
We listen to people's experiences, needs and perspectives.
WHAT PEOPLE DO
We observe how people actually use, move through and adapt to their environment.
WHAT THE SPACE DOES
We assess the sensory and spatial conditions of the environment and how these may support or create friction for different people and activities.
We bring these perspectives together to identify patterns, variation, gaps and opportunities across people + place.
Rather than looking for one solution that works for an assumed average user, we look at the range of experiences that exist and where greater choice, flexibility and agency may be needed.
The findings are translated into a human-led design brief, creating clarity around what to change, what to keep, and why.
Designing for range, not average.
Design
A sensory-aware approach to interior design, guided by how people think, feel and experience space.
Interior design shaped around how a space is experienced - not just how it looks or functions.
Building on the insights from the Discovery, this phase translates understanding into spatial decisions. Layout, materiality, lighting and flow are all considered through a sensory lens, creating environments that support how people think, feel and behave.
Each project is approached holistically, balancing different needs within a space to reduce friction, support focus, and create a more comfortable and intuitive experience.
The result is a space that not only works but feels right to be in.
Key services available:
Concept design
Spatial planning
Material + finish direction
Lighting strategy
Furniture direction
Sensory layering
Design mentoring
Collaborate
Working alongside clients, design teams and collaborators to bring a sensory-aware perspective into projects.
Sonda Studio can integrate as an independent design partner, supporting teams at different stages of a project - from early concept and tenders through to design development and key decision points.
This can take different forms, from workshops and strategic input to reviewing designs and strengthening proposals.
The focus is always the same: ensuring the space is considered not just in how it looks or functions, but in how it is experienced.