diff --git a/HighLevelReqs.md b/HighLevelReqs.md
index 4c43eb4..ead20a1 100644
--- a/HighLevelReqs.md
+++ b/HighLevelReqs.md
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ At any level, an override is only permitted if the attribute has **not been lock
 - Areas support **parent-child relationships** (e.g., Plant → Building → Production Line → Cell).
 - Each instance is assigned to an area within its site.
 - Areas are used for **filtering and finding instances** in the central UI.
-- Area definitions are managed by users with the **Admin** role.
+- Area definitions are managed by users with the **Design** role.
 
 ### 3.11 Pre-Deployment Validation
 
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ The central cluster hosts a **configuration and management UI** (no live machine
 
 ### 9.3 Roles
 - **Admin**: System-wide permission to manage sites, data connections, LDAP group-to-role mappings, API keys, and system-level configuration.
-- **Design**: System-wide permission to author and edit templates, scripts, shared scripts, external system definitions, notification lists, and inbound API method definitions.
+- **Design**: System-wide permission to author and edit templates, scripts, shared scripts, external system definitions, notification lists, inbound API method definitions, and area definitions.
 - **Deployment**: Permission to manage instances (create, set overrides, bind connections, disable, delete) and deploy configurations to sites. Also triggers system-wide artifact deployment. Can be scoped **per site**.
 
 ### 9.4 Role Scoping
diff --git a/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Auth/AuthEndpoints.cs b/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Auth/AuthEndpoints.cs
index 5e8263b..a638f51 100644
--- a/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Auth/AuthEndpoints.cs
+++ b/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Auth/AuthEndpoints.cs
@@ -86,6 +86,13 @@ public static class AuthEndpoints
             context.Response.Redirect("/login");
         }).DisableAntiforgery();
 
+        // GET /logout — allows direct navigation to logout (redirects to login after sign-out)
+        endpoints.MapGet("/logout", async (HttpContext context) =>
+        {
+            await context.SignOutAsync(CookieAuthenticationDefaults.AuthenticationScheme);
+            return Results.Redirect("/login");
+        });
+
         return endpoints;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor b/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor
index 297c058..570b02d 100644
--- a/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor
+++ b/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@
                         <li class="nav-item">
                             <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/admin/data-connections">Data Connections</NavLink>
                         </li>
-                        <li class="nav-item">
-                            <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/admin/areas">Areas</NavLink>
-                        </li>
                         <li class="nav-item">
                             <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/admin/api-keys">API Keys</NavLink>
                         </li>
@@ -45,6 +42,9 @@
                         <li class="nav-item">
                             <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/design/external-systems">External Systems</NavLink>
                         </li>
+                        <li class="nav-item">
+                            <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/admin/areas">Areas</NavLink>
+                        </li>
                     </Authorized>
                 </AuthorizeView>
 
@@ -90,11 +90,13 @@
 
     <AuthorizeView>
         <Authorized>
-            <div class="border-top border-secondary p-2">
-                <span class="d-block text-light small px-2">@context.User.FindFirst("DisplayName")?.Value</span>
-                <form method="post" action="/auth/logout" data-enhance="false">
-                    <button type="submit" class="btn btn-link btn-sm text-muted text-decoration-none px-2">Sign Out</button>
-                </form>
+            <div class="border-top border-secondary px-3 py-2">
+                <div class="d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center">
+                    <span class="text-light small">@context.User.FindFirst("DisplayName")?.Value</span>
+                    <form method="post" action="/auth/logout" data-enhance="false">
+                        <button type="submit" class="btn btn-outline-light btn-sm py-0 px-2">Sign Out</button>
+                    </form>
+                </div>
             </div>
         </Authorized>
     </AuthorizeView>
diff --git a/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Pages/Admin/Areas.razor b/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Pages/Admin/Areas.razor
index e0f9263..c93df3a 100644
--- a/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Pages/Admin/Areas.razor
+++ b/src/ScadaLink.CentralUI/Components/Pages/Admin/Areas.razor
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 @using ScadaLink.Commons.Entities.Instances
 @using ScadaLink.Commons.Entities.Sites
 @using ScadaLink.Commons.Interfaces.Repositories
-@attribute [Authorize(Policy = AuthorizationPolicies.RequireAdmin)]
+@attribute [Authorize(Policy = AuthorizationPolicies.RequireDesign)]
 @inject ISiteRepository SiteRepository
 @inject ITemplateEngineRepository TemplateEngineRepository
 
diff --git a/src/ScadaLink.ManagementService/ManagementActor.cs b/src/ScadaLink.ManagementService/ManagementActor.cs
index f409157..2d09834 100644
--- a/src/ScadaLink.ManagementService/ManagementActor.cs
+++ b/src/ScadaLink.ManagementService/ManagementActor.cs
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ public class ManagementActor : ReceiveActor
     {
         // Admin operations
         CreateSiteCommand or UpdateSiteCommand or DeleteSiteCommand
-            or CreateAreaCommand or DeleteAreaCommand
             or ListRoleMappingsCommand or CreateRoleMappingCommand
             or UpdateRoleMappingCommand or DeleteRoleMappingCommand
             or ListApiKeysCommand or CreateApiKeyCommand or DeleteApiKeyCommand => "Admin",
 
         // Design operations
-        CreateTemplateCommand or UpdateTemplateCommand or DeleteTemplateCommand
+        CreateAreaCommand or DeleteAreaCommand
+            or CreateTemplateCommand or UpdateTemplateCommand or DeleteTemplateCommand
             or ValidateTemplateCommand
             or CreateExternalSystemCommand or UpdateExternalSystemCommand
             or DeleteExternalSystemCommand