Love behind designs for Diageo's Johnnie Walker House

The first experience space for Diageo whisky brand Johnnie Walker has been developed, designed and built by Love.

The four storey Johnny Walker House will open in Shanghai’s French Concession will be used initially to market Scotch whisky to the Chinese market.

The Manchester design agency was tasked with creating the initial concept and design, working alongside Asylum in Singapore of the interior design and build of the house, since last September.

The design for the house was inspired by the theme ‘whisky conversations’ and aims to help Chinese consumers discover more about Scotch whisky, with each room featuring displays and interaction sets which engage with guests in order to tell the brand story. These include sculptures, an interactive multisensory blending table and original artefacts from the Johnnie Walker archive.

David Palmer, creative director of Love, explained: “Whisky is a complex liquid that’s all about discovery and The Johnnie Walker House concept mirrors this. We’ve taken the provenance of whisky, the art of blending and the rich story of Johnnie Walker and woven them into the very fabric of the space.

“This creates an experience that is rich, immersive and full of stories giving the VIP visitors to the house a new and rare currency, true whisky knowledge. From the peat and barley walls to the precise 24° angle of the flooring, each detail reflects some element of the Johnnie Walker story," he added.

Since being awarded the brief in September, Love has been tasked with further Diageo projects across Asia, Europe and Latin America.