Parthalán Place is a new cultural landmark in Tallaght. But until recently, it wasn’t a place at all. It was a space people passed through, not one they stayed in. South Dublin County Council asked us to create a name, strategy and identity for the plaza linking the Civic Theatre, Rua Red and Tallaght Library. Our role was to give it meaning, presence and a clear sense of belonging.
We created
- Research
- Brand Strategy
- Brand Architecture
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Community Engagement
- Brand Identity
- Brand Guidelines
The Challenge
The core challenge was to engage the community to create a name and identity for a new cultural quarter in Tallaght, an empty space full of promise.
It needed:
A compelling name
A clear story
A sense of arrival
Connection between the institutions
A reason for people to stop, gather or engage
We aimed to turn the space from a passageway into a destination, a place to discover, connect, and belong.
The Insight
The answer wasn’t to invent something new. It was to uncover what was already there.
Tallaght is rich in story, character and community. Yet much of that story isn’t widely known or expressed. In that, we found something powerful. Parthalán, the mythical Greek prince said to have founded Tallaght. A story hidden in plain sight. One that could anchor the future as much as the past.
People don’t connect with spaces.
They connect with places that mean something.
Giving Tallaght its story back.
By naming the space Parthalán Place, we created more than a label. We created a shared cultural address.A place where:
- Community meets creativity
- Culture meets everyday life
- People feel welcome, included and part of something
This thinking shaped everything that followed, aligning with the core ambition:
“a destination empowering a bright new future for generations to come.”
Naming
Naming was the turning point. Parthalán Place reconnects Tallaght with its origin story, giving the space depth, intrigue and meaning.
It transforms a generic “cultural quarter” into something ownable and distinctive. A name people can recognise, use and take pride in. Naming wasn’t a detail. It was the transformation.
The Identity
The identity was designed to bring the place to life. Not just visually, but physically and socially.
A system built on connection
Inspired by Parthalán’s Greek heritage, we created a series of modern graphic motifs, echoing shields and symbols, representing:
- Culture
- Creativity
- Community
A bold system of symbols, inspired by Greek shields, representing culture, creativity and community.
A system that connects across wayfinding, signage, events and communication
Parthalán Place is where community meets creativity and culture meets celebration; a destination empowering a bright new future for generations to come.
The Outcome
Parthalán Place is no longer a space people pass through, it's a place to go to, a place people recognise, use and feel part of.
The project has:
- Created a clear and ownable identity
- Unified three key cultural institutions
- Introduced a name with meaning and longevity
- Enabled the space to host events and activity
- Built a stronger sense of local pride and belonging
Most importantly, it has given Tallaght something simple but powerful:
A place to connect. A place to belong.
Brings emotion and storytelling to a place,we really liked the connection to the founding legend, and the identity and idea come through strongly.
