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Royal Society of Sculptors Campaign

Saving Dora House: £1m Restoration

South Kensington is home to Dora House, a unique Grade II listed building, which is the HQ of the Royal Society of Sculptors. Despite its rich artistic history, Dora House was in urgent need of repair. We were briefed to create a name, identity and supporting campaign to raise £1m to fund the restoration of the facade.

The Brief

To create a fundraising campaign name and identity to support the restoration of a heritage building.

Our Services

  • Branding & Design
  • Marketing
Dora House before and after restoration

Two things struck us from the outset. Firstly, there needed to be a sense of urgency. The building was in an extremely poor condition so the Society couldn’t hang around. 

And secondly, the work was focused on the building’s ornate exterior which stands out from the white, stuccoed Italianate villas in the neighbourhood. This presented an opportunity to make the most of Dora House’s unique look and help people connect with this space where the creative have always congregated.

Eschewing the in-house moniker ‘Dora House Facelift’, we researched comparable projects and developed a range of possible routes for the campaign name. 

‘Saving Dora House’ was the favourite as it evoked emotion, whilst conveying the urgent need to conserve part of London’s heritage.

A Distinctly Elegant Visual 

Whilst the Royal Society of Sculptors brand is very contemporary, this campaign needed to be distinct from the rest of its collateral and speak to the restoration project. 

For the typeface, we sought inspiration from the elegant shapes of the balconies and curved gables. We supplemented this with a charming illustration of Dora House to help build the connection with Dora House and make the need more ‘real’ – how could anyone risk losing this magnificent building?

Telling The Restoration Story

Our work supported the fundraising ask to members, patrons, charitable foundations and trusts. The web presence explained the need and encourage online donations. As the funds accumulated, the communications switched to keeping members and visitors in the loop about the forthcoming closure. Then, the restoration began. 

Our copy and artwork graced the hoarding along London’s Old Brompton Road and our  ‘quick win’ ideas – such as taking photos of the scaffolding going up – meant we could make fun animations for social media. Our role was to ensure that everyone felt part of what was happening by sharing content, for example, we featured the President’s trips to meet the various skilled artisans who helped bring Dora House back to life.

Opening The Doors

Finally, we created the invites for members and funders to see the ‘new’ Dora House. The concept of ‘opening the doors’ was used as the mechanic for the print invites, sealed with a sticker, announcing ‘welcome back’ to members and ‘thank you’ to funders.

Before and after photos were then turned into a temporary exhibition for the launch parties as well as into social reels. 

The first show opened in early 2023 and it’s been amazing to see everyone experiencing Dora House in her full glory!

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