Language has been going since 1989, and so it's always a nice full circle moment when projects from the old days come back around! 25 years ago we were commissioned to develop an identity for @Axis_ballymun — a new arts and community resource centre. At the time we had the idea to involve the community in the process, and we asked a group of young people to contribute. We had a great response from the workshop and we chose an image of stacked chairs to develop further into a logo. We felt this image reflected the essence of a collective energy, connectivity and integration within the community.
For Axis' 25 year anniversary we developed this mark further to include a reference to '25', creating a continuity with the shapes in the original logo, and giving the identity a vibrant injection of colour. The 2 and the 5 spin on their 'axes' to emphasise the concept of Axis as a focal point for the arts community in Ballymun. You can see here a little analogue experiment born of a power outage in the studio!
It was a real pleasure to work on this project and it’s great to see how it has been so resilient over the last 25 years, a true reflection of the strength and integrity of this tightly knit community.
Affordable studio spaces are vital resources for visual artists. We loved creating this clean, elevated identity for @patrickstreetstudios , a supportive environment for artists in the heart of Dun Laoghaire.
We worked closely with Studio Director Clodagh Kenny to develop an identity, website and signage solution to give Patrick Street Studios a contemporary public face, while honouring the history of workers and craftsmen who lived on Patrick Street and helped to build the town and harbour.
The minimal colour palette and photography style speaks to the tools of both the worker and the artist, using raw textures like wood, stone, concrete and iron. The logo and typography reference the engraved typefaces and signage around the town, allowing the identity to feel part of the fabric of Dun Laoghaire.
“Zeitgeist”- the general mood or cultural climate of an era - and a fitting name for a project that brought Irish artists to 176 towns and cities across Germany, performing and presenting work, strengthening Ireland’s ties with the cultural powerhouse in the heart of Europe.
We jumped at the chance to work with the @irishforeignministry to produce a book commemorating the activities of Zeitgeist Irland ‘24. Featuring writers, musicians and artists such as Naoise Dolan, Wallis Bird and Felicity Clear (whose artwork, ‘imminent’ was used for the cover) among too many others to name here, the book celebrates the unique contribution of Irish artists to German culture. Written reflections, photography and creative layouts capture the breadth, scale and diversity of the project. We worked very closely with the culture team in @irishforeignministry to bring this project to life, creating something special and unique that would form an intrinsic part of the legacy of Zeitgeist Irland ‘24.
#irishdesign #bookdesign #editorialdesign
Last weekend was the launch of phase 2 of the Game Changer campaign, using the positive influence of Gaelic Games to tackle one of the most serious issues facing our society - Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence.
We met with players, coaches and community members from local clubs to create this piece, showing that everyone has a role in stopping GBV.
Many thanks to the project partners for bringing us in on this, as well as maestros @cltv.film for collaborating with us. You can learn more about the campaign at gamechanger.ie
@officialgaa@ladiesgaelicfootball@officialcamogie@ruhamaagency@whiteribbonirl@cuanagency.ie
This past weekend the sun was out for Trans Pride, a protest and celebration of transgender rights and visibility. It was also the launch of a campaign we had the pleasure of working on, highlighting the important role of allyship in the movement for equality and inclusion of trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in society. We had a wonderful time chatting to trans people and their loved ones, and of course capturing it all on video! (thanks to @thereelistsfilm ) @belongtoyouthservices@transeqtogether
We had a brill time with @foroige - Ireland’s largest youth organisation - to refresh their identity.
Keeping the original logo, our brief was to develop a new system that would capture the youthful energy and spirit of Foróige for a new generation.
Our jumping off point was the iconic 20 degree tilt of the original logo, and from there we built a system incorporating contemporary colours, weave patterns to hint at the legacy of Foróige in Irish life, and a suite of unique icons. A creative copy approach also emphasised the singular ‘space’ of Foróige in the lives of young people. This new identity was activated across a ton of exciting assets, including a new website and their Annual Report for 2024. This was a fun one, thanks for the trust @foroige 🙌
It was a treat to work with @nationalprintmuseum to design its 2024-2028 Strategy.
The design of the Strategy was based visual references that speak to the cultural and historical heritage of the Museum, but interpreting them in a new way. For example, the graphic system was influenced by the unique typographic glyphs found on the keys of the Monotype keyboard housed in the museum. Using this vibrant Monotype graphic system and a mix of black and white photography we created a piece of printed material people would want to read, want to take home and hold on to, marking a new era for the National Print Museum.
📸 @memarkhenderson@ruthcardenphotography
It was a treat for us to create this elegant identity as part of a full rebrand for an organisation working with offenders (formerly known as the Irish Association for Social Inclusion Opportunities). We created a new name and visual identity to express a more evocative, hopeful and contemporary image for the organisation.
Tosú means ‘beginning’ in Irish, and the logotype is based on a sense of something ‘rising’ - it almost looks like a rising sun, while hinting subtly at the suggestion of a person. The colour palette also references the colours of a sunrise. This interpretation of the logotype captures our key theme of hope and a belief in the possibility of positive change.
10 years ago we were brought in as part of a first-of-its kind movement for change - a movement to show that everyone had the right to love and live their lives equally. We were privileged to support the work of campaigners across the country, and contribute our skills in messaging and design to play a role in galvanising this movement. The greatest reward? On May 22nd 2015 Ireland said YES to equality and became the first country to legalise gay marriage by popular vote, a firm and certain statement from the Irish people that we were ready for a more equal future.
In our work today we continue to collaborate with LGBTQ+ groups. Unfortunately the challenges are far from over for those with marginalised sexual and gender identities in Ireland and around the world. So let's not forget the animating spirit of campaigns like #YesEquality and think - what will we be proud of in another 10 years?
❤️🌈
