I Like Local is five years old! If it were human it would be running around, causing mischief and starting school in a few months. As it's not actually human, instead it's grown to be a bank of over 300 posts about design and architecture in five different locations with a small but perfectly formed readership from all over the world. It's one of the only places you'll find writing about Irish design and architecture online and - call me biased - it's a damn good read. Year number five has brought with it a move to a fifth location (this time it's London) and as a result, a wealth of design and cultural inspiration. Some of the most popular posts this year have been my now annual degree show listings, but there have been other highlights too, you'll find them below. Year number six will see me stay put for the first time in ages (I'm about to start a masters in Curating Contemporary Design here in the big smoke) but I'll still be covering the best of Irish creativity amid my inevitable London discoveries. Make sure you're signed up to the mailing list for updates, keep in touch on Twitter and keep enjoying the blog!
Make Works Tour
Posted in September 2013 from London, England
One of the most exciting projects I came across while still based in Scotland was Make Works, a directory of makers and manufacturers across the country aiming to better inform and connect designers about and to the making process. The directory is now live (and still growing), but I caught up with founder Fi Scott while she and the team were on the road last summer, visiting workshops and factories all over Scotland.
Irish Design Retailers
Posted in December 2013 from London, England
My first ever article for magazine Architecture Ireland was about Dublin Design Retailers, so it seemed apt to revisit the topic of buying design in Ireland for my last. There's also a handy Pinterest map/board for you to find these great shops yourself.
O'Donnell + Tuomey at LSE
Posted in January 2014 from London, England
Here in London I've been working for the Students' Union at LSE. One of the perks of the job has been moving into the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, one of the key Irish designed buildings of the last few years. It's by O'Donnell + Tuomey and it's totes going to win this year's Stirling Prize. TOTES. Also, read more about the building in this post I wrote for LSESU's blog.
The 100 Archive
Posted in August 2014 from London, England
This year's seen the launch of the 100 Archive, Ireland's first and only living archive of graphic design. It's currently a great resource of beautiful work from 2010 to 2013, but will grow each year to give a comprehensive view of graphic design's development in Ireland since 1950.
Read all the posts from 2014
Image 1 by Ross Fraser McLean, image 2 by Philip White, image 3 via LSE in Pictures, image 4 via the 100 Archive
Make Works Tour
Posted in September 2013 from London, England
One of the most exciting projects I came across while still based in Scotland was Make Works, a directory of makers and manufacturers across the country aiming to better inform and connect designers about and to the making process. The directory is now live (and still growing), but I caught up with founder Fi Scott while she and the team were on the road last summer, visiting workshops and factories all over Scotland.
Irish Design Retailers
Posted in December 2013 from London, England
My first ever article for magazine Architecture Ireland was about Dublin Design Retailers, so it seemed apt to revisit the topic of buying design in Ireland for my last. There's also a handy Pinterest map/board for you to find these great shops yourself.
O'Donnell + Tuomey at LSE
Posted in January 2014 from London, England
Here in London I've been working for the Students' Union at LSE. One of the perks of the job has been moving into the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, one of the key Irish designed buildings of the last few years. It's by O'Donnell + Tuomey and it's totes going to win this year's Stirling Prize. TOTES. Also, read more about the building in this post I wrote for LSESU's blog.
The 100 Archive
Posted in August 2014 from London, England
This year's seen the launch of the 100 Archive, Ireland's first and only living archive of graphic design. It's currently a great resource of beautiful work from 2010 to 2013, but will grow each year to give a comprehensive view of graphic design's development in Ireland since 1950.
Read all the posts from 2014
Image 1 by Ross Fraser McLean, image 2 by Philip White, image 3 via LSE in Pictures, image 4 via the 100 Archive
