Harpur Lane

The Challenge

Cairn Homes are known for building quality homes in prime locations, with world class design, planning and innovation central to every development. Cairn approached Bossanova to work on the launch materials for a development located in Leixlip Co. Kildare – Harpur Lane. The development name was inspired by Thomas Harpur (1768-1786) who along with Nathaniel Cunningham founded a renowned cotton and linen printing mill in Leixlip.

The Response

Creating a strong sense of place was key to our design. The brand mark ‘H’ is inspired by textile printing machinery dating from the 1800s and is paired with Hypatia Sans, a contemporary geometric sans serif with old-style qualities. The primary colour echoes the pop of colour that can be found on heritage buildings in the area. It is also inspired by woad blue. (Woad plant was used to produce blue dye in ancient and medieval Europe). While the colour is a nod to the past, it’s also fresh and modern – and quite unexpected for this market.

A series of illustrated patterns feature across all collateral and reflect architectural details of nearby Castletown House and the surrounding natural landscape. Content and design of the brochure highlights the many benefits of Harpur Lane and includes impactful imagery, detailed maps and floor plans. Design is carried through to create a stand-out look to capture the imagination of our audience of first time buyers, young professional couples, and young families.