Embracing innovation: NorthHouse breaks through into the WANA region

NorthHouse has made a global name for themselves by transforming world famous events, such as Coldplay live at Al Wasl Dome for the 2022 Dubai EXPO and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee — Party at the Palace, into visually unparalleled, electrifying shows that have the public, press and entertainment industry talking about them.

NorthHouse is a creative agency and design studio focusing on projection and video design for live shows, events and installations. The agency creates beautiful immersive experiences combining art, video design and technology and one of many great examples was seen at the Expo through Coldplay's breathtaking show at Al Wasl dome. Thousands of people experienced a stunning 360 degree immersive show and millions had the opportunity of experiencing the top-end of live entertainment from their homes — all around the world.

With the UAE entertainment industry projected to expand at a CAGR of 9.0 per cent from 2021 to 2028, NorthHouse’s timing is just right.

Over the years, NorthHouse has been consistently on the world stage through shows such as the SuperBowl Half-time show and a huge range of brand events, artist tours and immersive installations. These shows have cemented their success and quality of their creative direction, design and technological expertise on a global scale.

Following their Dubai Expo success, discussions with large scale events across the MENA region for 2023 and 2024 have opened-up and NorthHouse was involved with film score composer and music producer Hans Zimmer’s latest trip to Dubai.

Tom Bairstow, creative director and founder at NorthHouse, said: “We’re in talks with various people about some incredible projects ranging from multi-media art installations to brand events and we were in Dubai for a week with Hans Zimmer’s team, playing a part in his live show, but also creating something really special that we’re looking forward to sharing later this year."

Tom Bairstow has built up NorthHouse over the past 12 years in London, UK, assembling an extraordinary team of creatives, designers, producers and technologists to create spectacular shows and experiences all over the world.

Due to such a high volume in demand, Bairstow has dramatically increased the team over the past 12 months to accommodate such a vast range of global projects. He said: "We have to be incredibly selective over the projects we take on. We're in such a fortunate position to have so many amazing opportunities land on us every week but we're always so focused on ensuring that the projects we work on are created to the highest level."

"Right now we're incredibly focused on two huge shows within the UK — Eurovision and the King’s Coronation, but we're so thrilled to be planning a few very special projects in the MENA region later this year, Dubai and Saudi Arabia in particular."

“We're really noticing such an incredible shift in interest in experiential design, particularly in the region and are very much looking forward to bringing our ideas to life. NorthHouse embraces innovation and collaboration and working in the MENA region is a huge leap forward for their global portfolio," he added.

Bairstow explains: “We're not the kind of creative agency and design studio to throw meaningless content on a screen, we're very design driven, everything needs a deeper purpose and narrative. We always need to be creating art and driving innovation forwards. We thrive on collaboration. Understanding the narrative and conceptual needs of a client alongside the fact we can then design and create the visual experience tailored to their needs is probably one of our greatest superpowers,” he added.

NorthHouse has a super team which has everyone asking, ‘How do they do that?’ and this question is sure to follow them into the MENA region and beyond as they keep raising the bar in creativity.

• KT Network