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but it’s not a one size fits all deal. There’s no
roadmap. It’s a dynamic thing and you need to find your own way. But there’s something heartening about knowing you’re not alone on that journey, even though you have to figure it out for yourself. We don’t really have answers just suggestions coupled with curious minds. From a societal point, you know Mabos fought so hard for its survival, but I always felt we left the real battle for creative spaces without a proper fight. Seeing the current squeezing of creative culture is heartbreaking. I don’t feel the battle is a rant anymore. I feel breathwork, audio/visual mediation sessions or just being able to pop in for a cuppa and get off grid for a bit. The periphery then is much more of a blank canvas and that’s the exciting part really as it’s to be populated with all kinds of fun, interesting and exploratory things My ambition on a basic level is that it’s like a little vibe factory. If 100 people walk into this space everyday and walk back out into the world in a slightly better state of mind, interacting with those around them – from loved ones, work colleagues to someone in their local shop – these are all tiny moments but the cumulative effect over time is quite significant. If that’s all it achieves it will be enough. On a more meta level I feel it’s potentially a space where sophisticated conversations, ideas and crucially action can be borne out that can benefit how we live and where we live. If it was to penetrate that level in any capacity it would be its greatest achievement. – How would you describe Dave as a client and collaborative partner? How was the journey from your perspective? J: At times it was turbulent, we disagree with each other a lot! Dave is an unbelievable force, and it’s great working with a client whose drive is to create a special place for art and movement and community to collide and grow. He’s DIY and punk in his attitude to making things happen, and he’s anti-establishment in his own way, which is an interesting archetype for a client who’s opening a commercial business. – What were the highlights and challenges of working with Jordan? D: I’m gonna start by saying it’s the best collab I’ve ever done. It was also the most testing. Fundamentally, we draw from the same place but we’re almost opposite in our approach and style. This can result in a lot of tension especially at the beginning when you’re finding your rhythm. I’d say I drove him mad and vice versa but we always managed to navigate through that tension and those are the moments that often lead to a really special place. It’s impossible to see the outcome when you’re in the formless unknown of it all, you just have to trust the process and then suddenly it starts to take shape. It’s a beautiful thing, ultimately, but always scary in the depths. – While working with Dave and no doubt many other suppliers and craftspeople, how did you ensure your collective vision was delivered to the standards you strived for? Who were the champions who delivered above and beyond? J: Communication is essential when you have designers, clients, and suppliers all working on a large project. Knowing when to push for more, and when to accept things as they are is also really important to keep relationships smooth and timelines in sync. Dave brought on board some extremely positive forces during the project that I feel so grateful to have crossed paths with. Dave Leyden (architect), Pete Reddy (graphic design), Simon Cullen (speaker design), Agata Stoinska (photographer) and Andy Greaves (sign-writer) were all amazing presences and collaborators. The Space Between, 28 Fenian Street, Dublin 2. jordanralphdesign.com thespacebetween.ie – How necessary do you think it is for fellow Dubliners to embrace your ethos? In your mind is the city coping with its mental and societal challenges or do we need to adopt new ways and approaches to enjoy a better balanced life? D: I think we live in crazy times and the level of incomings on a daily basis is nuts! Building your capacity to deal with that is only a good thing there’s potentially a much more sophisticated solutions-based approach and to be able to feed into that issue in a positive way where it becomes more than a talk shop but an authentic place of contemplation and considered action would be this space fulfilling its ultimate outcome. One of the themes of The Space Between is opposites, darkness and light, masculine and feminine, how they are polar opposites but ultimately that hallowed middle ground where they cross over, the space between. The opposite of contemplation is considered action. That action is then fuelled by will and that can be a very potent thing. – At the moment it centres on yoga, meditation and tea. Do you plan to explore widening the scope of the offer or are the worlds within these three pillars enough to let you thrive? D: I love spaces having a wide reach that can really cast the net. We have a dynamic community project starting in November called 50 x 50 which involves bringing our core activities to the next generation in the local area. As mentioned earlier the periphery activities is the blank canvas to be populated and for me the most exciting part as there’s no road map for this so you can really get quite imaginative. Currently, we’re running an art exhibition with a pretty cool VR installation by James Kirwan and John O Reilly. We’ve a monthly lecture series with the Jung society on The Shadow, masculine and feminine amongst other topics. Simon Cullen, who made our beautiful speakers, is creating a bespoke audio-visual meditative piece which is really exciting. We’re planning a little secret jazz club which I obviously can’t tell you anything about and a monthly podcast exploring anything from consciousness to how to sleep better! So, it’s yoga in the widest sense of the word really. 17