Dezeen Magazine

Irish Design 2015 initiative aimed to "put Irish design on the map"

In this movie Dezeen produced for Irish Design 2015, Karen Hennessy of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland reflects on the achievements of the initiative, which promoted the work of Irish architects and designers around the world.

Irish Design 2015 Ó exhibition
Aodh Furniture's Aran Chair was one of the piece of Irish design showcased by Irish Design 2015

Irish Design 2015 was a year-long project led by the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland and backed by the Irish government, which aimed to raise the global profile of Irish design.

Irish Design 2015 Liminal exhibition
Notion and Mourne Textiles showcased various pieces of furniture and a rug

"Irish Design 2015 is a government-backed initiative about celebrating and showcasing Irish design in its many forms both nationally and internationally," Hennessy explains in the movie, which Dezeen filmed for Irish Design 2015 in Dublin and Kilkenny, Ireland.

Irish Design 2015 Liminal exhibition
Ceramics by Andrew Ludick were part of Irish Design 2015's flagship exhibition, which was called Liminal – Irish Design at the Threshold

"It is about putting Irish design on the map, and we did it through a range of initiatives from design weeks to architecture biennales to fashion weeks to international trade events."

The initiative showcased over 2,000 designers to over 1.4 million people via more than 600 projects.

Irish Design 2015 Connections exhibition
Connections was a travelling exhibition that toured Irish embassies around the world

A travelling exhibition called Connections toured Irish embassies around the world, presenting work by over 50 designers in a series of capsules that could be packed down into compact flight cases.

Irish Design 2015 Unfold exhibition
The Unfold fashion show took place during London Fashion Week

The initiative also put on shows promoting Irish design at events including Milan Design Week and London Fashion Week.

Irish Design 2015 New Horizon exhibition
The New Horizon exhibition was held in London

The New Horizon programme of installations presented work by 10 emerging Irish architecture firms at the London Festival of Architecture as well as the Chicago and Shenzhen/Hong Kong architecture biennales.

Irish Design 2015 Liminal exhibition
Liminal – Irish Design at the Threshold was an exhibition that was first shown Milan

The flagship exhibition, which toured Milan, New York and Eindhoven before ending up in Dublin, was called Liminal – Irish Design at the Threshold. It paired different Irish designers and manufacturers together to create new products especially for the exhibition.

Irish Design 2015 Liminal exhibition
Liminal – Irish Design at the Threshold travelled to New York and Eindhoven before ending up in Dublin

"The exhibition was based on collaborations and collaborative practice," says Louise Allen, head of international programmes for Irish Design 2015.

Irish Design 2015 Liminal exhibition
The exhibition paired different Irish designers and manufacturers together to create new products

"What's been incredible about this story is actually seeing the evolution the products but also the relationships between various companies and designers that have participated."

Irish Design 2015 Liminal exhibition
The exhibition featured interactive installations

One of the most striking collaborations showcased at the Liminal exhibition was an installation called The Ogham Wall by Grafton Architects and concrete moulding company Graphic Relief, which was also installed at the V&A museum for London Design Festival.

Irish Design 2015 Ogham Wall insallation
The Ogham Wall was installed at London's V&A museum

The installation interpreted letters from the ancient Irish Ogham language as a series of three-metre-high cast concrete fins.

Irish Design 2015 Ogham Wall insallation
The installation interpreted letters from the ancient Irish Ogham language as a series of three-metre-high cast concrete fins

Another exhibition during London Design Festival was called Ó. This show, which was put on at the Old Truman Brewery in London before relocating to the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny later in the year, focused on Ireland's craft tradition.

Irish Design 2015 Ó exhibition
Ó later relocated to the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny

"Ó in the Irish language means 'from'," Hennessy says. "Many of the objects come from very traditional materials – be it glass, ceramics, textiles, or wood – reaching back to that time and place where things from nature were so important to who we are as a nation."

Irish Design 2015 Ó exhibition
The show focused on Ireland's craft tradition

According to a recent report commissioned by Irish Design 2015, Ireland’s design sector accounts for €38bn in exports and employs 48,000 people.

However Alex Milton, programme director of Irish Design 2015, says the focus of the initiative was not purely economic.

Irish Design 2015 Ó exhibition
It showcased works in glass, ceramics, textiles and wood

"The design sector in Ireland is of huge significance culturally and socially in terms of being able to define what Ireland is and what it can become," he says.


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"What design means in an Irish context is a sense of place, a sense of narrative and the ability to communicate with the world."

This movie was filmed by Dezeen for Irish Design 2015 in Dublin and Kilkenny, Ireland. All images are courtesy of Irish Design 2015.