Domain NORTHSIDE is a premier mixed-use district in North Austin, home to some of the city’s best shopping and dining. Our long-time collaboration with DNS’ owner, Northwood Retail, includes tenant marketing, site signage, and a collection of art and graphics throughout 38 acres of restaurants, retail, apartments, structured parking, and public spaces.
Domain Northside
Design for a delightful guest experience
Services
- Experiential Design
- Art Installations
- Signage and Wayfinding
In 2020, Northwood was looking to invite guests back to the in-person retail experience. We designed a series of large-format creative installations to enhance Domain NORTHSIDE’s online presence by encouraging guests to share their selfies with the tag #DomainNORTHSIDE. We've since created more than a dozen seasonal installations that attract passers-by, families, influencers — and lots of canine portraits. One particularly famous feline has also found his way to the fun.
Surprise and Delight
Beyond the static graphics on the walls — and sometimes the floors — we‘ve introduced an augmented reality feature that builds engagement and sharing. A QR code invites guests to discover an AR filter — opened automatically in Instagram — that activates the installation. As our go-to social platforms move to prioritize video, we continue to adapt our approach in order to maximize Domain NORTHSIDE’s online presence.
Asterisk brings incredible creativity and range to our on-property installations. From concept to execution of everything from selfie walls to larger-than-life topiary bunnies, they are a very valuable creative partner.
Alison Goodman | Senior Marketing Director, Domain NORTHSIDE
Better Hop to It
For the spring season, we designed six unique topiary bunnies to be temporarily planted in the landscaping around the district. This family of lagomorphs includes the Flower Child, the Mad Hatter, and an homage to Austin favorite Willie Nelson. We illustrated two-dimensional concept drawings of each form, then worked closely with a fabrication partner to translate the concepts into durable, three-dimensional sculptures that delight visitors of all ages (and species) each April.
Art as Wayfinding
To help shoppers return to one of the district’s five color-coded parking structures, large graphic installations punctuate primary vehicular ingress and egress areas. Guests who park in Domain NORTHSIDE’s “Green Garage” may not recall its name, but they are likely to remember the whimsical green mural that greets them when they pull in.
Some locations with high rates of foot traffic also double as selfie backdrops. In addition to our delight in seeing our work all over social media, our client tracks the project’s reach and impact on #DomainNORTHSIDE.
