Google Boland’s Mills

Bolands Mills, located along the Grand Canal in Dublin, has a storied history. It was initially constructed in the 1830s and played a pivotal role in the city's industrial development. During the Easter Rising of 1916, it became an iconic site, where Irish rebels like Eamon de Valera and Michael Collins were involved in the fight for Irish independence. 

Over the years, Bolands Mills transitioned from milling to various commercial uses. In 2018, Google acquired this iconic building. The development ranks among the most extensive urban revitalization projects to grace Dublin's city centre in recent times. Today, It stands as a symbol of Dublin's rich history and ongoing urban renewal efforts, with the redevelopment preserving its historic significance.

Boland’s Mills, Dublin

I had the privilege of collaborating with the Dublin agency, Begley Hutton, on a unique project for Google's new offices. Google tasked me with creating a typographic mural featuring the U2 song lyric, 'You can dream so dream out loud.' These lyrics were especially fitting for an office space dedicated to idea generation and staff collaboration, fostering a culture of creativity and innovation.

In my design, I aimed to blend the historical essence of Bolands Mills with a contemporary twist. Drawing inspiration from Bolands old biscuit packaging, I incorporated elements like the slab serif logotype and a distinctive shape reminiscent of that packaging. This shape was strategically used to emphasise the key word, 'dream.'

Shadows have always been integral to my artistic style and I decided to explore this further by incorporating a tonal split shadow with a cast shadow and a bevel fill. While it presented a considerable workload, the results were rewarding.

Transferring the lettering to the wall involved meticulous measurements due to the wall's size and the balcony in front, ruling out projector use. Scaling up measurements from my 1:10 design is a traditional signwriting technique. There’s several ways in which artwork can be scaled up, this is one method I like to utilise on larger mural projects.

To infuse the space with vitality, I selected bold, vivacious colors, creating an office mural that complements and uplifts the environment.

If you would like to commission an office or external mural please get in touch, I would love to help you share your vision.