IAF – Open House Dublin 2021

Last year marked our third year of collaborating with the Irish Architecture Foundation on their annual Open House Dublin festival. Despite the continued uncertainty around the likelihood of an in-person programme in 2021, the brand needed to evolve with a clear and unique direction.

We sought inspiration from the programme and found it in the short film ‘Aerial’ which was part of the Site Specific series. We wanted to explore a different perspective, bringing to light a typically unseen view of our city. We used Google Maps to explore Dublin’s most iconic buildings from above. By outlining the contours of the city’s rooftops we developed a rich collection of shapes that were stitched together and moulded into infinite patterns. Though abstract, the patterns were reminiscent of architectural plans and alluded to the idea that participants gain access to an often hidden world.

The website was again integral to the programme delivery and with the IAF’s direction, we took the opportunity to relook at its design with accessibility principles in mind. Motion graphics energised all digital communications and we brought the brand to the streets via digiboards, metropoles, tote bags and a series of self-guided architreks.