built
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How we work - Our process Design Factory tailors the approach to each new project to the client’s specific needs, enabling us to create unique design solutions specific to your requirements every time. However, the broad scope of our approach can be described in the following four stages:
1. Establishing the Design Direction
3. Design Development & Implementation
Great design is rarely the work of one person, more often it is a result of open collaboration
When starting each new project, we would
After presentation of the initial design concepts,
between the client company and the design
urge the importance of meeting with all parties
comments and suggested amendments would
team. Typically, we will be in very regular
involved to further discuss the brief. This helps
be analysed and incorporated, the chosen
contact with you and encourage communication
crystallise the principal aims and objectives of
concepts developed and the preferred options
directly between client representatives and
each project and establishes the core values
applied to the list of materials specified.
the designers actually doing the work. We feel
for the design stage going forward. A summary
this makes us unique and helps engender a
report of information gathered from this process forms the basis of the design phase.
closer working relationship as well as ensuring 4. Production/ Artwork
the specific objectives of each project are met precisely.
This stage includes preparation of final artwork, 2. Design Concepts
the supply of final proofs for approval, colour specifications, supervision of film separations
With the parameters of each project agreed, the
and cromalin proofs. Final artwork will be
initial design concepts would be produced. The
supplied on disc and in the required electronic
initial design proposals would show treatment of
file formats for Mac and PC. All print items can
typography, photography, illustration (if relevant),
be quality checked on press and our production
colour and, for printed literature, typical layout
team will liaise with printer on timelines and
design.
delivery if you require us to manage that aspect of the job.
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Our experience Design Factory has over 25 years experience in all areas of brand identity and visual communication. However, we particularly specialise in branding and communications design and in design for the built environment.
Design Factory is an award winning branding and
Design Ethos
design communications company. Established
can properly or fully address the brand needs. Likewise, a wholly logical approach without
in Dublin since 1983, we are based in custom
We believe that good design is key to the
a ‘magical’ design ending will never serve
designed studios on Capel Street. Our staff
creation and survival of any successful brand. We
to inspire in the way a well branded piece of
profile comprises 80% designers including;
live in a highly competitive sensory environment,
communications material should.
the two Directors, Conor Clarke and Stephen
with visual and verbal messages bombarding
Kavanagh, who both design every day and act
our attentions every day. Design Factory’s
as Creative Directors; a dedicated print and
unparalleled experience of working with
production manager; marketing communications
businesses from all facets of industry, combined
Our branding and communications design clients
and other administrative staff.
with our skills in effective strategic design, put
include some of the country’s best known
Clients
us in the unique position of being able to provide
organisations and state bodies including; IT Sligo,
Complementing our head office we have satellite
the full range of materials you require, allowing
Waterford Institute of Technology, The Road
offices in Belfast - headed up by Creative
you to concentrate your efforts in other areas.
Safety Authority, Mater Private Healthcare, Fresh
Director Alan Diver; New York - headed up by
- the good food market, the Royal College of
renowned brand strategist Larry McNaughton,
All our work is guided by the principal of ‘Logic
Surgeons, The National Gallery, 3V the safe way
and an associate office - Design Factory
and Magic’. Without a logical and defined base
to shop online and the Royal College of Surgeons
Copenhagen, which principally deals with
which identifies the core aims and values of the
amongst many others.
packaging design.
client company, no amount of attractive design
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Our team structure We believe that the importance of having a dedicated Project Manager who will be your principal point of contact throughout the contract is paramount.
(Creative) Director
(Creative) Director
Marketing and
Stephen Kavanagh,
Conor Clarke,
Brand Strategy
is an honours
is an honours
William Hart,
graduate of NCAD,
graduate of NCAD,
is an honours
Dublin, and a
Dublin. He worked
graduate from the
founding director of
at BRS Design
University of Kent
Design Factory. He has served as a committee
Partnership in Amsterdam before founding
(UK) where he studied Politics and International
member of the GDBA (Graphic Design Business
Design Factory in 1983 with Stephen Kavanagh.
Relations. Before joining Design Factory in 2003,
Association). In 1995 and again in 1996 Stephen
He has served as a committee member of the
he worked in a number of marketing roles, both
received the prestigious Donside Papers (UK)
SDI (Society of Designers in Ireland) and ICAD
in the UK and Ireland, planning and overseeing
Award for the Best Overall Entry from Ireland
(Institute of Creative Advertising and Design). He
the implementation of marketing strategy and
for his ESB Annual Reports. He is currently
has been a regular award winner at ICAD with
developing new business opportunities. William
an external assessor to the Dublin Institute of
his work featured in international publications
has worked on all Design Factory’s branding
Technology. His work has been published in
such as ‘Who’s Who in Graphic Design’, ‘Graphis’,
projects for the past 5 years, helping identify
respected international design journals such as
‘Novum Gebrauchsgrafik’ and the ‘New York Art
strategy and planning for the design stages.
‘Graphis’ and ‘Novum Gebrauchsgrafik’.
Directors Club Annual’. He has written a book on
These projects have included; The Road Safety
the relationship between Ireland and Holland in
Authority, Mater Private Hospital and Blackpool in
graphic design for the Dutch publisher BIS. Conor
Cork amongst others.
has been closely involved at a Creative Director level with most of the Annual Report projects we have produced over the last twenty-five years.
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Our commitment to design We believe that good design is key to the creation and survival of any successful brand. We live in a highly competitive sensory environment, with visual and verbal messages bombarding our attentions every day.
Design Factory’s unparalleled experience of
Design Factory is an award winning branding and
working with businesses from all facets of
design communications company. Established
industry, combined with our skills in effective
in Dublin since 1983, we are based in custom
strategic design, put us in the unique position of
designed studios in Dublin 1. Our staff profile
being able to provide the full range of materials
comprises 80% designers including; the two
you require, allowing you to concentrate your
Directors, Conor Clarke and Stephen Kavanagh,
efforts in other areas.
who both design every day and act as Creative Directors; a dedicated print and production
All our work is guided by the principal of ‘Logic
manager; marketing communications and other
and Magic’. Without a logical and defined base
administrative staff.
which identifies the core aims and values of the client company, no amount of attractive design can properly or fully address the brand needs. Likewise, a wholly logical approach without a ‘magical’ design ending will never serve to inspire in the way a well branded piece of communications material should.
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Various identity examples
ODonnell Furniture Maker s
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Case Study:
Fresh /// Full Branding
Brand mark
Packaging
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In-store signage
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Case Study:
Fresh /// Full Branding
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Royal Irish Architecture Institute /// Full Branding
Brand mark As the body representing professionally qualified architects in Ireland, the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) required a new brand identity and managed roll-out. Maintaining a consistent visual style that emphasised the clean and precise lines the organisation stands for, Design Factory developed a unifying brand mark and printed collateral that serves to both welcome existing members to the refreshed brand and emphasises its standing in the design conscious
Case Study:
and visually competitive Irish architectural market.
Awards brochure
Stationary
Brand marks for additional related projects
The purpose of the Irish Architecture Awards is to
The new brand was applied to all elements of RIAI
The brand identity creation process that Design Factory
promote the quality of current work by RIAI members at
stationery. As an added touch the logo was embossed
instigated necessitated considerable thought about the
home and abroad and to communicate to the public the
on the letterhead, compliment slip and business cards.
brand hierarchy and how the various aspects that make
variety and quality of contemporary Irish Architecture.
up the Institute’s brand work together. Under the banner
A brochure was created inviting submissions from
name ‘A Centre for Architecture’, a series of typographic
applicants. The most successful of which would form an
marks linking the Architecture Gallery and Bookshop
exhibition. Invitations to the awards and certificates for
were developed into one coherent identity system.
winners were also created as part of the project.
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Gallery and bookshop signage The new identity system extends to interior and exterior signage. These are situated throughout the centre and display information about the various sections within the Institute. The main exterior sign ‘A Centre for Architecture’ contains a slatz system to identify each of these areas, allowing simple replacement if a new element/exhibition is added.
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Lalco /// Full Branding
Brand mark
Stationary
Design Factory designed and implemented the new identity for Lalco, a property development group behind some of Ireland’s most innovative building projects. The strong, highly visible mark is architectonic and very contemporary, seeming to
Case Study:
pulse with the beat of city life.
Brand guides
ĴĐĐ
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Hoarding
Website
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Newlyn /// Full Branding Case Study: Corporate advert
Brand mark
Stationary
Website
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Blackpool Retail Centre /// Full Branding Case Study: Brand mark The new identity developed for Blackpool Shopping Centre and Retail Park was inspired by the strong sense of community in this area of Cork city. Design Factory developed the brand strategy and full identity implementation which united both developments in a single logotype.
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Signage
Branding guides
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Development identity examples
wyvern THE
CHASE vale das
Amoreiras SANDYFORD
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Wyvern /// Newlyn Developments Case Study:
wyvern
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Promotional pack for Wyvern development
Main Brochure
Drawing on the historicist style of the development
The Wyvern promotional pack was followed
as well as the area’s heritage as a Victorian seaside
by a brochure sent to a select mailing list. The
resort, Design Factory created a story complete
photographic theme was continued in this
with historical props. The pack contains a hand-
document which was conceived as a photo album
written letter, sent by a mother to her daughter in
with a variety of paper stock and special print
Australia, along with classic postcards.
finishes.
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Site Hoarding
Website
As part of the Wyvern project we created approx
The website is built using a combination of Flash
90 metres of hoardings which were used to tell the
and HTML, with downloadable PDF plans, brochure
story of historical Bray. With a use of old black and
and an interactive image gallery.
white photos combined with the descritive copy to create interest and exite the public.
Photography A series of photography was comisioned to capture the essence of Bray and its surrounding area. Some stunning locations and observations were taken. Also a 2 stage series of internal photo shoots produced an excelent catalogue images. These are used as promotional shots on the web and throughout the printed collateral.
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Smithfield Markets Proposal /// NMRC
Proposal document Property developers MRC (Market Regeneration Consortium) approached Design Factory to bring a visual unity to MRC’s bid to redevelop the area around the old Smithfield fruit-markets in Dublin’s north city centre. The solution was to create four ring-bound landscape-format A3 binders to contain the extensive documentation required for such an important pitch. The four binders were packaged in a case for ease of use. The illustration on the packaging subtly suggested aspects of the MRC proposals.
Case Study:
The bid was ultimately successful and is currently under construction.
DVD visualisation A DVD for the Smithfiels presentation was sourced for the project. Taking ditection from the look and feel of the proposal document.
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Gandon brochure
Main Brochure
We were commissioned by Devey Group
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to create a name, visual identity and promotional literature for the Gandon Centre at Grand Canal Square. The scheme was partly designed by the awardwinning architect Daniel Liebskind. It is named after Dublin’s most famous architect, James Gandon. Gandon designed two of the city’s Georgian landmarks, the Custom House and the Four Courts, both, like the Gandon Centre, taking advantage of their Liffey-side location. Liebskind’s aim for the scheme was to mirror ‘the joy and drama emblematic of modern Dublin’. The development includes a diamond shaped theatre, luxury office suites and street level shopping.
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CGI’s
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Wyckham Point /// O Malley Construction
Main brochure We were given the remit of creating a brand and full suite of supporting material for a large new residential area near Dundrum, County Dublin – an area which has seen a recent regeneration. They addressed the project by focusing on the concept of a relaxing ‘rural’ are for living within easy reach of the city and all its amenities.
Case CaseStudy: Study:
Working on this theme and with the tag-line ‘a point of difference’, the designers developed a brochure with imagery that emphasised the benefits of aspects of such a semi-rural living space. Subtle elements coloured in red highlighted each aspect of the development and pulled these through into the brochure, from the dot on the ‘i’ on the front cover tag-line to elements within each picture, such as a red dress or watering can.
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Site Hoarding
Photography
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Case Study:
Hueston South Quarter
Brochures
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Photography
CGI’s
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HSQ Hoardings
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Case Study:
Case Study:
Chesterfield
Brochure 1
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Brochure 2
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Case Study:
Number One /// Central Park
Brochure design
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Case Study:
Cairnbrook /// Newlyn Developments
Brochure Cairnbrook is a residential development set at the foot of the Wicklow mountains in Carrickmines. Newlyn asked Design Factory to produce an exclusive brochure to promote the development, its supurb lacoation and amenities. Our solution was to produce a hard backed cloth bound brochure with a heavt cloth bound slipcase. A lot of thought and attention was put into the making of this brochure with subtle but luxurious paper stocks and simple foil/emboss of the logo on both covers. Designed with very nutral tones of brown and grey with an added 5th colour silver used to add an extra lift and a touch of dramatic effect to the pages.
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Cairnbrook /// Newlyn Developments
Photography The stunning photography for this brochure were commissioned especially for the project and are the heart and soul, arround which the design is wrapped with great care and subttlety as not to detract from
Case Study:
the photos.
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Website The website for this project acts as a showcase for the homes and appartments, with download options for PDF plans and brochure.
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Tyrrells Brook /// Newlyn Developments Case Study: Brochure
Copywriting/Photography
The brochure focused on the personal accounts of
Copywriting and photography played huge roles in the
people who had moved from elsewhere to make
production of this brochure. With the central theme of
their lives in Edenderry and on the genuine sense
“real people” the logistical problems of getting all of
of community spirit those stories revealed. ‘Real stories,’ says Kavanagh, ‘and real people, no models.’
the local people involved to interview an photograph became apartent very early. With a great team at our disposal we all coordinated together to produce a very unique printed document that will be a breath of fresh
These ‘real people’ included a local publican, a school teacher and a member of the town’s rugby team. Their stories subtly demonstrated that the area had good schools and a great social scene while emphasising the welcoming nature of the community. As is increasingly common in quality property brochures, the plans and illustrations of the houses themselves appear at the very end of the brochure, covering less than a third of its pages. It is the stories that are important, as ultimately, it is they that will sell the development.
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air prospective customers.
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Vale das Amoreiras /// Newlyn Developments
Website
vale das
Amoreiras
The website was built using a combination of CSS, Flash and Java Script. The design also folowed the tile theme with the pattern running in the background. The website is a showcase for the area photography, plans and amenities of the area.
Brochure Vale das Amoreiras is a small but exclusive development of 13 homes on the Algarve in Portugal. Newlyn
Case Study:
developments wanted to get accross the meesage that these are not ordinary run of the mill holiday apartments that can be found 2 a penny in the Algarve, they are very contempory in style with the latest technology and high energy saving ratings. The architecture of the homes has a modern twist of the traditional portuguse tile theme using unique embossed patterns on the facade. This twist was brought to the brochure in the form of a simplified traditional style emboss pattern on the cover of the folder. The folder was also screen printed with white and magenta to match the logo. Great care was spent on the printing, selecting the right paper stocks and finishes to the brochure which resulted in it being given the overall winning prize for the Irish Print awards in 2008.
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Copywriting/Photography The copyriter and photographer for the VDA brochure are both located on the ground in Portugal. They both played a hugely important role in the creation of this brochure. Having people on the ground in Portugal meant that we could drawn upon their local knowledge and experiences to build a better picture of the area and amenities.
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The Lofts Case Study: Brochure Meetinghouse Lane gets its name from the Presbyterian Congregation which held its meetings in this lane off Capel Street from the mid-seventeenth to the late nineteenth century. The rich and colourful history of the area forms the basis of the narrative used to brand ‘The Lofts’, a development of eight apartments. The architects were keen to preserve the integrity and charm of the building by retaining original materials, especially the red brick so characteristic of nineteenth-century Dublin architecture.
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Elysium Case Study: Brochure Howard Holdings approached us to create a brochure for ‘Elysium’, a small development consisting of four completely restored and refurbished Regency townhouses beside the Burlington Hotel in a wealthy, residential part of Dublin. The package came wrapped in paper tied with a ribbon. It opened to reveal a book whose cover featured a watercolour of the Regency terrace and gold embossed detail. Great care was taken to use quality paper stock, photography was softly lit to add to the timeless air and extensive use was made of illustration in a nineteenth-century manner. This attention to detail is most noticeable in the execution of the plans in the brochure. Watercolour plans replicated the niceties of old-fashioned architects’ drawings, from hand-lettering to choice of colour, producing an effect which was completely appropriate for the exclusive, historic development.
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Brochure selection
Brunel Building Brochure Inspired by the engineering of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Design Factory worked with property developers JJ Rhatigan to design a brand for this new landmark building. Mirroring the stand-out nature of Brunel’s constructions across the world, the aim was to create a truly recognisable
Case Study:
destination. Design Factory complemented the logo mark with a uniquely die-cut brochure highlighting the building’s shape and containing clearly presented information about the many attributes the new construction has to offer.
The Oval Brochure & DVD
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Vantage Brochure
The Chase Brochure Brochure design for the Chase office development in Sandyford, Dublin. The name and graphics take their cue from the development’s proximity to Leopardstown racecourse. To create a distictive pack we used a clear plastic case with the branding screen printed onto it. This would give the brochure extra presence on the shelf.
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www.designfactory.ie
100 Capel Street, Dublin 1, Ireland T: +353 1 809 0010 F: +353 1 889 8222 62 / / /