In 2022, responsibility for the promotion, management, and administration of the National Symphony Orchestra transferred from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall. CI Studio was appointed to refresh the NCH identity and develop an overarching design system that would bring all of its parts together — the orchestra, choirs, and the newly established NCH Discover — under a single, cohesive visual language.

Over the following three years, we embarked on a close and collaborative journey with the NCH, developing a strategic identity system rooted in a central idea: Joy in Harmony. This concept reflects both the emotional impact of experiencing a performance within the Hall and the shared ambition of its many parts to work seamlessly together — one music family, united by a common ethos.

The existing NCH acronym has been refined to improve legibility and to function more effectively alongside the bilingual title. From this, a clear and consistent approach was developed to redesign each individual wordmark, establishing a visual architecture that aligns all elements and collectively creates a unified national home for music.

Moving away from the previous reliance on a single colour pink, the new visual direction embraces a vibrant, dynamic palette designed to resonate with younger audiences and move beyond the elite associations sometimes linked to NCH. The colours translate seamlessly across digital platforms and can be adapted to suit specific events or seasons. Typography is always applied in black over the colour fields to ensure clarity and legibility, while maintaining a cohesive and contemporary aesthetic.

A custom, single-weight display typeface was designed by type designer, Archie Heaslip, for the NCH, to bring typographic cohesion across all promotional communications. Ceolta plays a unifying role within the wider system, connecting the National Concert Hall and its constituent parts, under a shared visual voice.

A structured grid system was introduced to work across all promotional material, derived from the five lines and four spaces of musical notation — the fundamental framework of written music. Each line and space represents a different pitch, and in turn, helps organise content, with information moving rhythmically across the grid.

The work culminated in a comprehensive set of brand guidelines and a complete suite of print and digital design templates, providing the in-house team with a robust, flexible system for future communications. The roll-out across digital and signage are ongoing and will be unveiled in tandem with the opening of the new Discover Centre.

"The refreshed National Concert Hall and its constituent parts are now in absolute harmony as one music family. Energetic, contemporary and attuned to ever-adjusting contexts, the hall and its music residents project an outward, creatively curious and cohesive voice we are all proud to be part of.

In CI Studio we found an agency with the right brand and sectoral experience, a partner who worked with our varied stakeholders to ensure everyone contributed and felt listened to, creating a brand architecture and visual identity system that everyone bought into and which critically aligned with our strategic objectives. Thank you to CI Studio for bringing us on this journey".

Rosita Wolfe, Head of Marketing, National Concert Hall