Tandem

23/12/11

Tandem’s 2011 Round-Robin

A castle, a crypt, a cruise liner and a city corridor … these are just some of the amazing projects we’ve worked on in 2011.

It’s been quite a year for Tandem! In the past 12 months, we have worked with some truly inspirational clients and designed and launched exhibitions at Armagh Cathedral Crypt, Lagan Legacy, Nendrum, Grey Abbey, Dunluce Castle, No. 5 Vicars’ Hill, Derry’s Blue Coat School and Visitor Centre, PRONI and the National Library of Ireland, to name but a few.

We were appointed to our two biggest jobs to date: Titanic Belfast and King John’s Castle, Limerick. Our work on Titanic is nearly done and we can’t wait to develop our ideas for King John’s in the New Year.

To help us get through all of this work we have welcomed six fantastic new colleagues and, to give us all a bit more room, moved into our beautiful new studio at Rollo House.

As well as new team members and a new home, the year also brought a number of ‘firsts’, including: publishing our first book (Hidden History Below Our Feet) and launching our first iPhone app (for Dunluce Castle) and our first multi-platform app (for NICA), for which we were commended at the annual IDI awards.

The ‘Tandem Roadshow’ has been busy too. In 2011, we clocked up over 20,000 miles and worked in locations as diverse as Connemara, Cork, Loop Head, Limerick, the Ring of Kerry, and – most recently – Dublin, where we have been working with Fáilte Ireland and other partners to interpret a visitor corridor from Trinity College to Kilmainham Gaol.

We’re very excited about what the next 12 months will bring and will keep you posted of all developments here and on Twitter and Facebook. For now, however, we would like to wish all of our friends and clients a wonderful Christmas and a happy and successful new year!

02/12/11

A fit-out fit for a king

We’re delighted to have been appointed to reinterpret Limerick’s King John’s Castle and turn it into a must-see attraction for the South-West. The project kicked off yesterday with the first design group meeting where we met the wider project team. Everyone is very excited to have the opportunity to create an amazing visitor experience at the castle and there was a great exchange of ideas.

King John’s Castle was built in 1212. Though John never visited Limerick, his castle was for centuries an important strategic and administrative centre, controlling access to the Shannon and much of Ireland. The castle has been at the centre of a lot of history and has had many functions over the years; incredibly, it was even home to a twentieth-century council housing estate!

The multi-million euro project will explore the site’s history and archaeology as well as telling the story of Limerick and the wider Shannon region. We’ve already had fun exploring Limerick city (our last research trip saw us on top of St Mary’s Cathedral!) and are looking forward to discovering much more of the county and surrounding region.

We’ll be tweeting about our King John’s journey in the coming weeks and months– follow us @tandemstudio to find out more!

27/10/11

Commendations for No. 5 & NICA!

Great news to hear that we’ve received 2 commendations at the IDI Design Awards 2011 for the interpretation at No.5 Vicars’ Hill, and the website design for the Northern Ireland Community Archive!

Our clients, Carol Conlin at Armagh Public Library, and Helen Perry of the Causeway Museum Service are delighted. Images courtesy of Paul Sherwood.

17/10/11

Dunluce Castle App Launched!

The Dunluce Castle App is now available to download on iTunes!

Featuring a short film, interactive map and audio-visual tours of the site, this free app leads you through the castle’s ruins using CGI to bring 17th-century Dunluce to life before your eyes.

Download it here to turn your virtual visit into a real and unforgettable experience.

17/10/11

New Tandem Team Member!

We are delighted to welcome our new Office Co-ordinator, Rosie Le Garsmeur, to the Tandem team!

Rosie has just joined the team from The Naughton Gallery at Queen’s University Belfast and will be a great addition to the company, contributing to the daily running of the studio, overseeing all administrative duties and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the studio.

14/10/11

Tandem Receives 2 IDI Award Nominations!

The IDI Awards 2011 nominations were announced today and we’ve been shortlisted in 2 categories this year: No. 5 Vicars’ Hill in the Exhibition Category and the Northern Ireland Community Archive website in the Website Design category.

The awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 27th October, so wish us luck and watch this space!

05/10/11

Tandem is moving!

Our new home, Rollo House, was once the venue for “squeezes”, the all night parties fashionable in Holywood in the 1790s and 1800s. They were presumably very well attended!

With all the new team members we’ve brought on board, we were beginning to feel a bit squeezed ourselves! In its 200 year history Rollo House has been ‘Mr W Shepherd’s English, mercantile and classical academy’; home to the brother of a famous chemist and to the manager of Holywood’s very own gasworks.

Of course we love history (and space) so we expect to be very happy there.

05/10/11

Reimagining the Ring of Kerry…

Two weeks ago, Andrew joined Fáilte Ireland executives and other tourism and heritage consultants on a coach tour with a difference. Travelling around the stunning Iveragh peninsula – better known as the Ring of Kerry – this busload of experts put themselves in the visitor’s shoes to understand this journey from a tourist’s perspective. At a workshop afterwards, Andrew and other colleagues suggested new perspectives on the journey as well as ways of improving the overall visitor experience to bring more tourism to ‘the Ring’.

This was the second such workshop that Andrew delivered this summer: the first was in beautiful Kylemore Abbey in Connemara. It’s a hard life!

02/09/11

Tandem publishes first book!

COMING SOON: Hidden History Below Our Feet: The Archaeological Story of Belfast.

Next week, ahead of NIEA’s European Heritage Open Days 2011, we will be officially publishing our first book, Hidden History Below Our Feet: The Archaeological Story of Belfast by archaeologist Ruairí Ó Baoill.

Using beautiful illustrations and colour images, this book brings to life for the very first time the fascinating story of the city’s archaeology, revealing a rich and complex history hidden just below the surface.

The book retails at £14.99, and during the launch week you can buy a copy at Ruairí‘s Friday lunchtime lecture at NIEA, Hill Street from 1-2pm on 9th September and at his Hidden History walking tours on Sunday 11th September at 11am & 2pm. You can also purchase online at http://www.hiddenhistorybelfast.com, which will be going live next week, and from all good bookshops.

For more information on European Heritage Open Days 2011 click here.

05/08/11

Office Coordinator Required

Tandem Design is seeking an experienced Office Coordinator to join their growing team. This new role will support the day to day management of clients and coordinate the administrative functions of the office.

You will be an energetic, high performing individual who will act as the first point of contact for telephone calls and clients. Playing a vital role in representing Tandem Design and as part of the team you will support the creation of interpretive visitor experiences to captivate, thrill and inspire audiences.

Essential Criteria
• 2+ years experience in general office responsibilities and procedures
• 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above, or equivalent, which must include Mathematics and English Language.
• Excellent computer literacy (Mac skills advantageous)
• Exceptional client facing skills and telephone manner
• Knowledge of principles and practices of general administration

Desirable Criteria
• A qualification in administration or business
• Experience working within the culture and heritage sector
• Previous experience of working in a interpretive design business
• Understanding of creative design process and printing process

Key Skills
• Strong oral, written, proofreading and interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent organisational and multi-tasking skills
• Initiative, team player, motivated and enthusiastic
• Ability to cope with deadlines and other pressured situations

To apply for this position please us a CV and covering letter outlining why you believe you are a suitable candidate.
In the event that we receive large numbers of applications for this position only those matching the criteria and key skills will be contacted.

Closing Date – Thursday 18th August 2011 at 3pm

Tandem Design is an equal opportunities employer.

26/07/11

New Tandem Team Member!

We are delighted to announce that Deirdre Murphy has just agreed to join our team on a permanent basis. Deirdre first came on board in May develop the image research for the Titanic Signature Project and has since become such a valuable and key team member that she has agreed to stay! Deirdre comes to us from the film world, having previously worked as an assistant producer on documentaries. She will be bringing her research and writing skills to all of our projects as well as strengthening our offering in the production of interpretive films.

23/05/2011

No.5 in Showcase Magazine

Our work at No.5 Vicars’ Hill has recently been featured in Showcase, the annual magazine for museum display case manufacturers, Click Netherfield. They were keen to feature our bespoke plinths due to the unusual nature of the display case and its unique combination of touch screens, rubbings and graphic panels.

17/02/2010

20 young people, 5 buildings, 1 exhibition!

Tandem’s latest travelling exhibition will be unveiled this today at PLACE on Belfast’s Fountain Street. Behind Closed Doors is an exhibition based on a project of the same name that was run by the University of Ulster’s School of Architecture last year. The project brought together 20 young people from different backgrounds and introduced them to 5 different religious buildings and to the religions practised inside them. 

Before visiting each building, the young people had the opportunity to imagine the building through drawings and keywords. During their visit, they took photographs and afterwards they reflected on what they had learned. All agreed that they had a better understanding of each faith having learned about its building’s architecture.

We loved working on this project – the young people’s curiosity and sense of adventure really shone through their artwork and photography. Behind Closed Doors brings together the young people’s drawings, photographs and commentary, and invites the visitor to share in their sense of discovery.

You can glimpse Behind Closed Doors at PLACE until 30 April.

04/02/11

Join Team Tandem

We in Tandem are fuelled by great ideas and a passion for telling people about heritage in innovative and engaging ways. We’re also quite partial to the occasional cuppa.

At the moment we’re putting our ideas into action with some pretty amazing projects: Belfast’s Titanic Signature Project and the interpretive refit of Dunluce Castle to name just two. As a result of all this activity, we have openings for a Senior Designer and an Artworker to join our ambitious and energetic design team.

We’re very proud of what we do and are looking for exceptionally talented people to fill these roles. If you think that you fit the brief, your CV and samples of your work by Friday 11 February 2011. Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be inviting people to come and have a chat with us. We’ll stick the kettle on…

Senior Designer

It goes without saying that you are creative. Not only do you have great ideas but you have the ability to articulate strong graphic schemes and strategies – and have proven this at senior level within a design team. Your portfolio will impress us with its insight and empathetic approach to communication and demonstrate an eye for compelling composition, colour and typography. 

Artworker

You’re ‘the organised one’ amongst your friends and are secretly – or maybe not so secretly – proud of this. You have an eagle eye for detail as well as extensive experience of preparing artwork to perfection for print. You can roll out a design scheme across a range of applications and materials.

24/01/11

Titanic Signature Project

Following a very competitive tender process Tandem has been appointed to deliver the graphic interpretation for the landmark Titanic Signature Project, one of UK’s biggest interpretive projects kicking off this year!

Scheduled for completion in March 2012, the Signature Project is a living monument to Belfast’s maritime heritage, located on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast’s new Titanic Quarter. The connection to the legends of the the RMS Titanic and her sister ships confirm this site’s international attraction status and this development is symbolic of Belfast’s metamorphosis from engineering powerhouse to 21st century metropolis.

The stories of ships and city will unfold over 12,000 square metres of floor space, and Tandem will be working closely with Harcourt and Event to produce the graphic interpretation for the building’s nine galleries and atrium.

What a fantastic way to ring in the new year.

20/01/11

Grey Abbey & Nendrum Outdoor Interpretation

In addition to two other ongoing NIEA projects, we will be designing 20 new outdoor panels for Grey Abbey and Nendrum, which aim to enhance visitor understanding and appreciation of both NIEA monastic sites. Our work here will dovetail with the interpretation we’ve already installed in Grey Abbey Visitor Centre along with the interpretation we’re producing for Nendrum Visitor Centre right now.

20/01/11

Tandem Are Hiring!

We are currently looking for Senior Designers with 3+ years experience and Artworkers with a keen eye for detail to join our team. If you’re interested in working in a challenging and creative environment send a copy of your portfolio and CV to

18/01/11

Dunluce Castle

We have just been appointed for the interpretive refit of Dunluce, and couldn’t be more excited to be working on this dramatic, landmark site located on Northern Ireland’s famous Causeway Coastal Route!

The internal interpretation of the site will take place across two separate rooms, giving visitors an overview of the site, its historical significance and the ongoing archaeological discoveries that continue to be made on site and in the immediate surrounding area.

The overall visitor experience will be enhanced using CGI, AV presentations, touch screens, scale models, artefact displays, and interactives which include rubbings, dress up and hands-on puzzles. Our remit also extends across the site to include exterior interpretation and wayfinding signage, audio-visual tour and iPhone App. Watch this space for updates!

18/01/11

Lagan Legacy prepares to launch!

Tandem would like to wish all at Lagan Legacy the very best of luck for the official launch of The Barge, MV Confiance which takes place on Friday. We have been on a truly epic voyage with the Lagan Legacy team since the development of the interpretive plan for the gallery space in 2008 and look forward to the grand opening of Belfast’s newest maritime visitor experience!

23/12/10

Tall Tales and Deadly Drawings: Stories for Boys and Girls at the National Library

We have finished the year on a lovely note with the installation of our latest exhibition, Tall Tales and Deadly Drawings at the National Library of Ireland.

Tall Tales explores the Irish children’s books and illustrations held by the Library. While it will appeal especially to young people, we suspect that ‘big’ children will also be enchanted and enthralled! Visitors of all ages can contribute memories of their favourite childhood books and begin a story of their own at the exhibition’s ‘Inspiration Station’.

Tall Tales and Deadly Drawings will run at the Library throughout 2011. The Library will be open over Christmas on Thursday 30 and Friday 31 December from 10.00 – 4.45 if anyone wants to make an early visit!

Professional photos will follow early in the New Year, in the meantime, these snaps will give you all a sneak peek.

21/12/10

First Derry Presbyterian Church & Blue Coat Museum

We have just been given the go-ahead to produce interpretation for The First Derry Presbyterian Church and the adjoining Blue Coat Museum, which is a conversion of the former Blue Coat School into a dedicated exhibition space.

The church, built in 1690 as a reward from Queen Mary for the bravery of the Scottish Presbyterians during the Great Siege of 1688-1689, is located within the historic City Walls, and is currently undergoing restoration to bring it back into use as a working church by February 2011 after being closed for 8 years.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to open the church to a wider audience and we’ll be responsible for telling, for the first time, the unique and complex story of Presbyterianism and the Scottish Presbyterian settlers in the north west of Ulster through a series of indoor and outdoor interpretation, including layered graphics, interactives and artefact displays.

18/11/10

Nendrum Visitor Centre

Work has just begun on updating the interpretation at Nendrum Visitor Centre following a site visit last week, and it’s great to be working with NIEA again following our interpretation of Grey Abbey Visitor Centre.

Nendrum is generally regarded as the best example of a pre-Norman monastic site in Northern Ireland, which still has ruins from the original buildings. Thought to have been set-up by St Machaoi in the 5th century, the site shares links with St Patrick and a number of other sites on the St Patrick’s Trail. In addition to this, excavations on the shore in front of the monastery in 1999 uncovered a spectacular and unique early medieval tidal mill, the earliest known example in the world!

The new interpretation at Nendrum will combine panels with hands on interactives to tell the story of community life at the monastery and update visitors on the archaeological excavation of the site, which has provided information on hydraulic engineering, mill technology and the social and ecological environment of the 7th and 8th centuries.

12/11/10

Tandem to Interpret the Causeway Coast!

We are well underway developing designs for the Causeway Coastal Route, an eighty-mile scenic coastal route which begins in Belfast in the south east of Antrim and ends in Londonderry in the north west. Working in conjunction with Consarc, Colin Buchanan and local experts, we are bringing our local knowledge and great enthusiasm about the area to interpret a range of sites of natural, cultural and historic interest through a series of outdoor signs and panels. Our interpretation will bring local stories and information to new visitors while celebrating the sites amongst local people, encouraging a sense of pride in their surroundings.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board describes the route:

“The Causeway Coastal Route covers eighty miles of coastline across two counties, beginning in Belfast in the south-east of Antrim and ending in the Walled City in County Londonderry, in the north-west. Along the way, there are fishing villages, quiet beaches, mountains and landscapes which poets and artists have celebrated in words and colour. Compare your visits to Carrickfergus and Cushendun with Louis MacNeice’s poems of the same names.

There are scenic surprises you will find on and off the route. Deserted ruins of castles, churches, cairns and forts remind the traveller of transient time. Defiant Dunluce stands on a cliff, resisting the incessant waves below.Mussenden Temple mocks the harsh cliff face below and the ruined mansion behind. Irish chieftains fought and won possession of lands, a castle and a friary in Antrim. Myths and legends abound with ghosts and giants associated with coastal and inland places. Saint Patrick’s disciple, Olcan, is buried at Armoy, not far off the main route.“

29/10/10

Island Lolly wins IDI Award!

Congratulations to Front on their success at last night’s IDI Awards! Front topped the web category for their design of islandlolly.com. Tandem did the branding for IslandLolly so we’d like to think that we played a small part in Front’s success!

14/10/10

Lifelines Nominated for IDI Award!

We’re delighted that the Discover Lifelines exhibition in the National Library of Ireland has received a nomination in the Exhibition Category for this year’s IDI Awards - watch this space at the end of the month to see if it’s a winner!

13/10/10

Tandem to Publish 1st Book!

A great first for Tandem today, as we’ve successfully tendered for the design, print and publication of a new book by renowned local archaeologist, Ruairi O’Boyle. ‘The Story of Belfast Archaeology’ will be published for Belfast City Council, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

06/10/10

Lagan Legacy Update

With the Lagan Legacy interpretative fit-out almost complete, it’s a great time to reflect on how the MV Confiance Barge has been totally transformed, from the concepts on paper through to fully realised fruition. This project has seen a tremendous amount of effort from all involved to make it truly special and unique. Charlie Warmington, a co-founder of Lagan Legacy and well known local journalist, really summed it up with this moving thank you to the Tandem team following his recent site visit:

“I really can’t find the words. The exhibition is beyond my wildest dreams. You and your team have made magic. And it’s very important magic. Northern Ireland needs something to be proud of and you’ve provided it. Thanks from my heart. Charlie.“

20/08/10

New Tandem Team Member!

We are delighted to announce that we will be welcoming Sarah Shiell into the Tandem family in September, as our new Interpretative Planner & Social Media Strategist. Having worked with her on a number of projects, we are so excited that she will be joining us on a permanent basis, strengthening our core offerings in interpretative strategy & design.

29/06/10

Lagan Legacy Update

After today’s trip to McCue’s workshop and our site visit on the barge, we have to say we’re delighted with how things are progressing. With 2 months left until the official opening, everything is coming together as planned, and it’s looking great!

18/05/10

Grey Abbey Visitor Centre

Interpretation for Grey Abbey visitor centre was completed within the specified timeline and budget, launching at the end of March 2010 to much praise from NIEA staff and archaeologists – and we are absolutely delighted with the result. The new interpretation enables understanding of the cultural and historical significance of the Abbey, and the ethos of NIEA in general, by enhancing the tourism potential and local appreciation of the site.

Our interpretation adopts a multi-layered approach to represent the different aspects of abbey life and the work of stone masons in a layered and linear manner, intertwining key facts in a connected and comprehensible way. A motion-sensor audio system plays chanting monks and combines with the new colour scheme and lighting tracks to add to the overall ambience. The space is punctuated by interactive elements, including an annotated model of Grey Abbey, a stone masons’ ledger, rubbing blocks, wooden puzzles and child-sized monks’ robes
to try on.

01/03/09

Interpretative Design & Fit-out of No. 5 Vicars’ Hill, Armagh

We are delighted to announce the commencement of our latest project – the interpretative design and fit-out at The Registry, No. 5 Vicars’ Hill in Armagh! We’ll be working closely with Armagh Public Library and the project steering group to sift through Archbishop Robinson’s incredible collection, everything from the beautiful Hogarth and Nanteuil etchings to 350 Roman Sestertii, define the key stories behind the building itself and the man who shaped Armagh during the 18th century.

19/02/10

Tandem donates £100 to Leukaemia Research!

We counted all the responses to our Christmas Card Colouring Challenge, and have doubled the twenty-five responses (worth £2 each) to make the final figure donated to Leukaemia Research £100! Thanks again to everyone who got involved!

12/02/10

Belfast 40 Under 40 Nomination!

Congratulations to Andrew who has been nominated for the Belfast 40 under 40 listing, for his work in promoting and interpreting some of our greatest heritage sites and historical assets. The 40 under 40 is a high-energy, dynamic event which salutes the up-and-coming champions of the new Belfast. The results will be unveiled at a luncheon in Belfast City Hall on 4 March, with special guest speaker Minister Sammy Wilson – well done and good luck Andrew, from everyone at Tandem!

12/02/10

PRONI Exhibition for New Titanic Quarter Site

Work is now under way with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland to deliver a permanent 100sqm exhibition for their new building which is currently under construction in the Titanic Quarter and due to open in May 2011. The exhibition theme will look back over a century of change, conflict and transformation, by exploring everything from our Edwardian heyday, WWI and through to WWII and the Blitz; a major theme for the 2011 opening which conincides with the 70th anniversary of the Blitz.

Finally, this exciting exhibition will look at the new Northern Ireland post Good Friday Agreement, and aims to showcase the breadth and diversity of PRONI’s archives to a much broader and varied target audience. We are delighted to be on board with this landmark project and look forward to working closely with the team at PRONI over the coming months.

10/02/10

Aid for Haiti Cookies (yum yum)

Just had a visit from Isabella Todd today, selling some delicious treats to raise money for Aid for Haiti! Well done Izzy, they were really tasty! (The cookies bought for loved ones at home have all been eaten too)

05/02/10

Official Launch of Discover Lifelines!

The Discover Lifelines Exhibition was officially launched last night at the National Library of Ireland in Dublin. Graham Norton, an ex-pupil of Niall MacMonagle – the man behind Lifelines, was the special guest invited to open the exhibition. We received some fabulous comments about how well the exhibition looked, and were delighted to leave with a few signed copies of the latest edition!

05/01/10

Christmas Card Update

So far we have had a fantastic response to our Christmas Card Colouring Challenge, a few of which are below! Thanks to all respondents to date, and don’t forget to send yours in because for every card returned to us we will be donating £2 to Leukaemia Research!

23/12/09

Lifelines Exhibition in National Library, Dublin

Ahead of schedule and in time for Christmas, the Lifelines exhibition was finished and installed in the National Library of Ireland in Dublin yesterday! The exhibition commemorates the immense success of the Lifelines project, started by English teacher Niall MacMonagle and his Fifth Year pupils from Wesley College, Dublin in 1985.

The students wrote to famous people asking for their favourite poem and the reasons for their choice, compiling the responses into a book using an old Gestetner machine. They received hundreds of replies from people as diverse and renowned as Mother Theresa, Bertie Ahern, Graham Norton and Judi Dench. Published by Penguin and Town House, Lifelines raised over €100,000 for Concern by 2006 and has been dubbed the ‘best poetry anthology… ever’. We highly recommend a trip to Dublin to purchase a copy of the New & Collected Edition and check out the original letters from famous people on display.

18/12/09

Christmas Card

This morning we received our first coloured-in Christmas Card, returned by Thelma from Limavady Borough Council! We’re interested to see what all you budding artists can come up with, and remember that for every card returned to us, we’ll be donating £2 to Leukaemia Research – so get colouring!

09/12/09

You Say Potato, I Say Wapato Exhibition

Wednesday evening saw the launch of ‘You Say Potato, I Say Wapato’ at Ballymoney Town Hall and the exhibition looks great!

This exhibition is all about promoting the Cultural Connections cultural diversity programme in the North East, which sees local community groups explore a diverse range of local cultures. The exhibition uses the import of the potato into Europe in the 15th century as a vehicle for exploring how cultural identity in the North East cluster area has been shaped by a rich fusion of cultural heritage.

07/12/09

Xmas at Tandem

Finally got round to putting the Christmas tree up!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Tandem!

02/12/09

Ulster Sports Museum Exhibition

The new and exciting Ulster Sports Museum touring exhibition launched on Monday evening in the City Hall’s East Entrance! We were delighted to be appointed to this project only two months ago and believe that the exhibition now in place is a true and worthy testament to Northern Ireland’s rich and varied sporting heritage and fantastic future. With the challenges of the space and the transport requirements involved, an added bonus for us was the opportunity to use the very impressive Mila Wall System, which is perfect for touring exhibitions, for the first time in Northern Ireland.

This exhibition is only the beginning and the Ulster Sports Museum Association, with Dame Mary Peters at the helm, hopes that this exhibition will generate enough support to help lead to a designated Sports Museum in Northern Ireland!

The exhibition will run in City Hall until the end of December after which it will begin its tour of Northern Ireland.

09/11/09

The White House Interpretative Fit-Out

Work is now underway to design the interpretative fit-out of the White House in Newtownabbey. The remarkable remains of this building, which was a gift from Queen Elizabeth I to one of her soldiers, is probably one of the oldest buildings in Northern Ireland and one of the true historical gems that we’re so lucky to have located right on our doorstep!

Restoration of the building is currently underway, and we’ll be telling the story of the building’s history and its role in the Williamite/Jacobite war across a range of interpretative graphics, panels, audio-visual presentations and interactives. This is a fascinating building with so many stories to tell – make sure you watch this space for regular updates!

19/10/09

Ulster Hall Brand Takes Silver at MIMAs

The Ulster Hall has done it again! This time scooping a Silver in Best Brand Campaign at the Meetings Industry Marketing Awards, recognising the industry’s top marketing minds, at the Park Plaza Riverbank, London, on Friday 16 October 2009. Tim Husbands (back right) flew the flag for Belfast City Council and Tandem. Gold went to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Venues so we were in good company!

15/10/09

No Mean City Exhibition Complete!

If you find yourself in the newly refurbished City Hall and ‘The Bobbin’ coffee shop this weekend, don’t forget to take a look at the ‘No Mean City’ Exhibition in the room just off to the left from the ‘Waking a Giant’ exhibition. ‘No Mean City’ is a celebration of the famous faces from or associated with Belfast over the last 100 years. This project previously existed as a temporary exhibition within the City Hall but didn’t really do justice to these world class portraits, so we’ve selected 68 portraits and made some new additions. The end result is a visually stunning exhibition with an interactive facility, utilising touchscreens to tell the story of each of the subjects, who range from sporting stars and singers to artists and poets.

Visitors will also have the chance to view the People’s Choice but keep your eye out for a gap in the exhibition – who will be our next successful son or daughter, and could their story one day grace these very walls?

15/10/09

Official Launch of City Hall Exhibition & ‘The Bobbin’ Coffee Shop

Today marks the grand opening of the City Hall, along with our ‘Waking a Giant’ exhibition on the industrialisation of Belfast within ‘The Bobbin’ coffee shop space, which we’ve also named and branded. The exhibition is themed around the story of Belfast’s incredible and rapid industrialisation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which saw our city become home to some of the world’s biggest industries, from linen and shipbuilding, to rope works and foundries. What’s exciting about this exhibition is that we present a broad overview of Belfast’s industrial history from the Charter of 1613 right up to the present day, taking into account a multitude of other industries along the way – did you know we even invented air conditioning?

Our main focus has always been on the one essential ingredient that so often gets overlooked… the working people! While some industrial figureheads are present in the exhibition, we have made this a visual celebration of the many anonymous workers who toiled within these industries, which at the time, were the biggest in the world. This exhibition is all about instilling a sense of pride into the people of Belfast and celebrating the achievements of our ancestors, while finding parallels with the Belfast of today, which is once again on the world stage for all the right reasons – something that is definitely worth celebrating!

08/10/09

Tandem at the IDI Design Awards!

On the night we were a heady mixture of nervousness and excitement, and at the end of it all we were ecstatic to be leaving with 3 commendations for Mountsandel, the Ulster Hall Interpretation and Ulster Hall branding, and 2 Highly Commended certificates for Titanic’s Dock & Pump-House and the NIMC Annual Report, which will have pride of place on our studio wall! There was a real range and variety of designers present at the awards ceremony, and we had the opportunity to chat to Mark Leslie from Martello media about their winning Guinness Storehouse entry. Watch this space for next year!

25/09/09

Tandem Receives 5 IDI Award Nominations!

We’re tickled pink to be in the running in three separate categories at the Institute of Designers in Ireland Awards this year, including three nominations in the Exhibitions category. We’re all heading to Dublin for the Awards Ceremony on 8 October, so keep an eye on our tweets on the night for the results as they happen!

Exhibition Category:
The Ulster Hall Interpretation & Audio Tours
Titanic’s Dock & Pump-House Interpretation
Mountsandel Wood Interpretation

Annual Report Category:
Northern Ireland Museums Council 2007/08

Corporate/Brand ID Category:
The Ulster Hall

25/09/09

Lagan Legacy Win Heritage Lottery Funding

As we reported recently on our Twitter, Lagan Legacy have been awarded Heritage Lottery Funding for their project onboard the MV Confiance, which is moored next to the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. We developed an Interpretative Strategy and Gallery Design for the team to assist with their bid and were delighted to hear of the award. The Gallery will centre around a range of artefacts, including a rather special star item from Lagan Legacy’s collection, which will be used to illustrate the huge archive of oral reminiscence of shipyard, harbour and dock workers from their ‘Oceans in Mind’ project. Work starts now on developing the content and turning it into reality – and all by June 2010!

23/09/09

My Service Life (1939-1979): William Balmer

We’re delighted to announce the arrival of our latest book design My Service Life (1939-1979): William Balmer, published by the Causeway Museum Service, which launches on 26 September 2009. The book details the fascinating story of the Ballymoney man’s life story and military career, from joining the Royal Marines just before turning 17 and being captured by the Germans during WWII, to his later tours in Malaya and Malta in the 1950s. It’s an interesting and compelling read, and we’re delighted with the result.

08/09/09

Orthoplus Orthodontic Centre Branding

Orthoplus in Ballymena is now officially open! The new brand has been unveiled and the interior and exterior signage looks fantastic! The frosted vinyl in the windows feature some fantastic ‘smile’ related quotes, which not only provides privacy to waiting patients but also raises a smile with passers by. All of us at Tandem wish the team the very best of luck with the new practice!

04/09/09

Causeway School Museum

As we approach the end of our summer the Causeway School Museum is now nearing completion. Designed by the architect Clough William-Ellis in 1914, the Causeway School is a unique venue for an authentic Edwardian school experience. We have designed and implemented the entire fit-out along with the accompanying promotional literature and school activity sheets. Hurry along before the end of September to visit this fascinating journey back in time!

04/09/09

New Galleries at Down County Museum

We are delighted to be working with Consarc on the proposed extension to Down County Museum. The proposed new building would house two distinct galleries, the first of which it is hoped would feature the 1,000 year old Downpatrick High Cross and a 4,000 year old log boat discovered in the River Quoile. We are working closely with a great team from the Museum and Consarc to develop the concept and walk-through for this gallery, an archaeological Discovery Room and the ‘Land & Sea’ Gallery, to be located in the basement.

31/07/09

Tandem appears in Attractions Management Magazine!

We’re very excited to have an article about our Ulster Hall Audio Tours featured in the latest issue of Attractions Management magazine! Check us out on page 64! You can access a digital version of the magazine online.

30/07/09

Official Open House Launch

The Official Coors Light Open House Festival in the John Hewitt. A good crowd turned up and enjoyed great nibbles, great drink and great music!

06/07/09

11th Open House Festival Programme

It’s arrived! The 11th Open House Festival Programme has just arrived and it’s looking good, featuring a cover illustration by Seattle based Natt Damm.

This year’s line up is probably the most exciting yet and we can’t wait ‘til September!

12/06/09

North West 200 Exhibition

An exhibition about the Armoy Armada and Ballymoney’s contribution to the North West 200 has recently opened at Ballymoney Museum. We were delighted to produce a set of panels on the North West 200 for the museum, to integrate with Haley Sharpe’s interpretative fit-out.

11/06/09

New DV8 Gift Vouchers

Our funky, brightly coloured gift vouchers for DV8 are now in-store!

10/06/09

No Mean City Exhibition

We are delighted to be starting work on the updated ‘No Mean City’ exhibition for the re-opening of Belfast City Hall.

The ‘No Mean City’ photographic display was one of a number of legacies to mark the centenary of the opening of City Hall. Drawing on the comment made by Thomas in 1906, “A monument to the character of the people of Belfast..”, the display pays tribute to the people of Belfast.

Formerly affixed to the wall of the west ground floor corridor of the City Hall, it is to be moved to a dedicated new location just off the main exhibition area. We are already well underway with the main exhibition area, which will feature the story of the industrialisation of Belfast through the eyes of working men and women.

The new ‘No Mean City’ photographic display is to be enhanced by the addition of interactive touchscreens where visitors can discover further details about the images and the faces on display.

08/06/09

The Prince’s Trust Baronscourt Clay Pigeon Shoot

The Second Annual Baronscourt Clay Pigeon Shoot with the Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland took place over the weekend on Saturday 6th June. It’s a great event set up by the Prince’s Trust to raise money for their continued support of disadvantaged young people in Northern Ireland and we were delighted to be given the opportunity to design the auction programme and other related collateral including shooting card, menu, and map & auction boards.

19/05/09

Museum & Heritage Show a Big Success

After two days at the Museum and Heritage Show at Earls Court London we are delighted to report that it was a great success. The two days were intensive but led to a number of discussions about many interesting and varied UK heritage projects, with our stand and lovely new brochure going down very well.

The latest technologies and services were also on display at the show and we had meetings with a broad selection of potential new suppliers for everything from video guides to temporary exhibition panel systems. The value of actually seeing these products in action will hopefully become clear over the next 6 months as we believe our offering is now stronger than ever.

14/05/09

Tandem visits the Museum & Heritage Show

Andrew and Michelle have spent the first day at the Museums & Heritage Show in Earl’s Court and seen some fantastic new products including recyclable and sustainable interpretative signage, and IMAX-style movie production. Also, there’s some really exciting new technology out there, notably Microsoft Surface - so much more than touchscreen, think Minority Report! See http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

28/04/09

Heritage Trail for Mesolithic Settlement Site

We’re very excited to announce the completion of an Interpretative Trail in Mountsandel Wood in Coleraine, the oldest archaeological site in Ireland.

We were contracted by Coleraine Borough Council to design and build an interpretative trail following our creative pitch – we felt that the significance of the site deserved interpretation that was unique and built to last, so we decided to utilise native oak structures to support bronze cast panels.

09/03/09

Ulster Hall Free Fringe and Event Horizon Launch

The Ulster Hall’s ‘Free Fringe’ was launched on Saturday night with a bash at the Hall’s Group Space, featuring local DJs and live drawing.

The ‘Free Fringe’ is an exciting mix of events such as Adult Crèches - an alternative Saturday afternoon for those with no interest in shopping, Subtext - a literature event featuring some of Belfast’s young writers and a lunchtime recital featuring a collaboration between a classical musician and an electronic artist. Tandem produced the Festival Guide which encapsulated the eclectic nature of events.

The evening also launched ‘Event Horizon’, an exhibition of posters for gigs that have taken place in the Ulster Hall’s history, as re-imagined by some of Belfast’s best and most promising designers.

09/03/09

Refurbished Ulster Hall Reopens

Friday Night saw the long awaited reopening of the refurbished and restored Ulster Hall with a spectacular Civic Gala Concert by the Ulster Orchestra.

The evening also saw the unveiling of our interpretative installation which includes a series of audio tours narrated by the Grand Dame herself, a gallery space for the newly restored JW Carey paintings and a series of poems by local poet Martin Mooney inspired by the Ulster Hall’s long history which can be found around the Hall.

The Hall opened officially on Saturday when over 500 visitors came through the doors of the Grand Dame of Bedford Street to see the results of the refurbishment.

11/12/08

Ulster Hall Branding & Events Programme Launch

Tandem was appointed in April 2008 to design the interpretative fit-out of the Hall, to feature local people's reminiscences and personal experiences through a multitude of delivery mechanisms including audio tours, interpretative panels and printed material.

The iconic Ulster Hall of Bedford Street is due to re-open in March 2009 after a £7.4million restoration and refurbishment. As one of Northern Ireland's most significant music venues, we are so excited to be working on this landmark project, the site of many historic live events including Led Zeppelin's world debut of Stairway to Heaven.

A new event programme was officially launched on 11th December 2008, along with the Hall's new brand identity.

11/12/08

Design Week Volume 23 Issue 50

Tandem have been featured in Design Week for our re-branding of the Ulster Hall. Check us out on page 4!

02/12/08

Portrait of A Nation Closing Ceremony

Mark and Andrew were recently in Liverpool to attend the closing ceremony for the Portrait of a Nation campaign, which ran throughout 2008 as a high profile strand of the European Capital of Culture 2008 celebrations. Portrait of a Nation involved a number of participating cities and focused on arts and heritage projects involving young people identifying and exploring what is special about where they come from, their local culture and communities and what they want to save, share and pass on for the future.

Tandem were delighted to develop the brand and complete set of guidelines for this landmark project after being invited to, and subsequently winning, a national creative pitch. We developed the Portrait of a Nation brand, taking the shape of the United Kingdom as inspiration. It was constructed using a mixed and diverse colour palette to represent the varied social and cultural groups that constitute our society today. We wanted the think lines of colour to represent the building blocks of a nation, signifying the idea of working together to create, enrich, and contribute to the bigger picture.

02/10/08

Tandem Brand Launch Party

A big 'Thank You!' to all of you who braved the gale force winds to make it down to the Pump-House on Queen's Island to celebrate our official brand launch with us - it's been a long time coming, but we got there in the end! It was great to see everybody and catch up.

02/04/08

New Heritage Lottery Fund Identity Launched

Tandem were invited to pitch for the HLF re-brand in October 2007 following our successful design and roll-out of the Portrait of a Nation Brand. Tandem worked closely with the Head of Information and Publications to help develop and implement the new brand and strategy, to mark the start of a new era of lottery support for the UK's heritage, and reflect the Heritage Lottery Fund's open and straightforward vision for future working.

To be involved as closely as we have with the team within HLF has been key to delivering this new Brand that has evolved over a number of rounds and now truly encompasses all of HLF's values and aims. We had the broadest of target audiences to reach along with the essential need for the new brand to fit alongside the National Lottery logo without compromising either brand. The previous HLF logo had to be reduced to a type only option to achieve this which we felt reduced the public's recognition and perception of the brand. We believe that any new brand can only be implemented once clients and their teams have taken true ownership of their new brand and the feedback we have received so far has been one of overwhelming support.