Meet Our Members: Kate Pleban, Director at Maynard Australia
Introduction
As the Director of Maynard Australia, Kate Pleban sits at the intersection of urban design, graphic clarity, and human behaviour — helping people navigate some of the most complex spaces in our cities. Her journey into wayfinding is layered, personal, and rooted in a lifelong fascination with how humans move through the world.
When asked what she does, Kate gives an answer that is both simple and deeply specialised: “I’m the Director of Maynard Australia – we specialise in Wayfinding, Graphic Design and Industrial Design. In a nutshell, we design information systems that help people navigate complex spaces, such as train stations, airports, stadiums, and hospitals.”
It’s work most people never consciously notice, yet rely on constantly — the signs, maps, systems, and cues that allow thousands of people to move with confidence through spaces that would otherwise overwhelm. And for Kate, this blend of clarity, structure, and human-centred design is exactly where she feels most at home.
Her path into wayfinding began long before she knew the term existed. “Both my Undergraduate and Masters were in Urban Design,” she explains. “I’ve always been fascinated by how people utilise and move through space — whether that be at a city scale, or an individual building.” That fascination, combined with “a love of graphics and maps” and a deep curiosity for human behaviour, eventually converged in a career where all three meet seamlessly.
There’s a sense of inevitability to Kate’s story — as though everything in her early years was nudging her toward this exact discipline. She describes growing up with a Signwriter dad and a Teacher mum, two influences that shaped both the creative and analytical sides of her thinking. “I always felt half of my brain was creative, and the other half was analytical. Art and Maths were my favourite subjects at school, which naturally led me down the path of Architecture and Design.”
And then comes the unexpected source of inspiration — The Brady Bunch. “I watched a lot of the Brady Bunch growing up, and Mike Brady’s job seemed really fun to me. He got to draw for a living, and walk around the city carrying important rolls of paper.” It’s a small, charming insight into the images and characters that stick with us long enough to shape the direction of our lives.
One of the biggest turning points in Kate’s career arrived after she worked for Maynard in London in 2015. When she eventually returned to Australia, something serendipitous happened. “Julian (Maynard) approached me to see if I was interested in establishing Maynard Australia. I jumped at the chance, but it was a really steep learning curve.”
What followed was a period that demanded everything she had. “I was working 60-hour weeks on a large project/bid, trying to set up the business, and completing my Masters. It was the most challenging, but most rewarding time of my career to date.” That chapter didn’t just shape the business — it shaped Kate as a leader.
Outside work, Kate has thrown herself into a completely different challenge: learning to surf. “It’s a real punish,” she admits, laughing. “The ocean always has a way of humbling you — just when you start to feel a little confident or cocky, it will knock you down without warning.” Yet despite that, surfing has become a joyful constant. “I love the process of learning something new, and the thrill of catching a wave keeps me coming back day after day.”
Water has been a thread through Kate’s life from early childhood. She shares a story that is both confronting and revealing: “When I was two, I almost drowned in our backyard pool.” What could have become a lifelong fear instead evolved into the opposite. “Despite that, I’ve always been a water baby, and moving to Sydney (from Melbourne) really reignited my love of swimming.”
Today, swimming is woven into her weekly rhythm — a grounding practice she returns to again and again. She swims in the ocean every day in summer and at least twice a week in winter. Her Friday morning swims with Bondi Salties are “always the highlight of my week.” And the legendary Bondi to Bronte swim has become a personal ritual. “It challenges me so much mentally, but is ultimately my form of meditation.”
At Desk Space, Kate finds something equally nourishing: connection. “I live on my own, so I really appreciate the social aspect of coming in to work at Desk Space,” she shares. Being surrounded by other creatives feels energising and grounding. “If you make the time to listen, everyone has a little creative fire burning inside of them — and being surrounded by that enthusiasm is really uplifting.”
We also love learning the small but meaningful details about our members — the things that show us who they are beyond their work. Kate’s blend of determination, humour, and vulnerability, whether in the surf or in her design practice, is exactly the kind of spirit that enriches our community.
Before wrapping up, we always ask members for a recommendation — a book, film, or show that’s stayed with them. Kate doesn’t hesitate: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. “It’s a tale of 55 imaginary cities; exploring themes of memory, connection, placemaking, and the monotony of spaces like airports. It sounds really ‘urban design’ nerdy, but it’s a fun adventure!”
We’re so happy and honoured to have imaginative, thoughtful members like Kate in our community. If you’d like to learn more about her work with Maynard or get in touch, you can visit the Maynard website here.
