Design Lead : Macallan Whiskey

Project Overview: Design Lead for The Macallan Estate Open House

As the Design Lead for a team of eight, I was tasked with transforming a high-end luxury townhouse into a multi-floor immersive experience that replicated the iconic Macallan Estate in Scotland. This event, “The Macallan Estate Open House,” spanned six floors and featured eight uniquely designed spaces, each crafted to evoke the heritage, luxury, and storytelling synonymous with The Macallan.

• Design Lead - Experience Design | 3 months
• Services: Design Lead | Brand Strategy | Experiential Design | Deck Design
• Industry: Spirits / Liquor

Key Responsibilities:

• Design Leadership: Support and lead the team and design strategy in creating cohesive visual concepts that balanced luxury with authenticity.
• Room Design & Execution: Collaborated with team to create overall look and feel for each of the eight rooms, including the sourcing and selection of high-end furniture and décor to reflect The Macallan brand.
• On-Site Styling & Event Execution: Oversaw the dressing and decoration of each room, ensuring that the final execution aligned with the event’s creative vision and met brand standards.
• Architectural Modeling: Co-created a scale architectural model of The Macallan Estate & Distillery in Scotland, serving as a centerpiece of the event, enhancing the storytelling aspect and guest engagement.
• Stakeholder Presentations: Collaborated on the creation of the descriptive and inferential concept designs to key stakeholders, securing approvals and driving alignment across the project.

Goals:

1. Replicate The Macallan Estate: Recreate the essence of the original estate in Scotland through meticulous design and experiential elements, immersing guests in the brand’s heritage.
2. Maximize Social Sharing: Design visually captivating spaces that encourage social media engagement, amplifying event reach through guest-generated content.
3. Elevate Brand Engagement: Drive deeper emotional connections with guests by offering immersive, sensory-rich experiences that reflect The Macallan’s luxury positioning.
4. Boost Event ROI: Enhance overall attendee satisfaction and event ROI through carefully curated designs that integrate user insights.

Constraints:

• Spatial Limitations: Worked within the architectural constraints of a pre-existing townhouse, adapting the design to fit a multi-floor layout while maintaining flow and coherence.
• Budget Allocation: Managed the budget for high-end furnishings, décor, and materials without compromising the quality of the immersive experience.
• Time Restrictions: Delivered all design elements under a tight timeline, ensuring that all rooms were styled, decorated, and ready for final event execution.
• Brand Alignment: Ensured that every design choice reflected The Macallan’s premium brand image and storytelling ethos while meeting stakeholder expectations.

Outcomes:

• Enhanced Client Satisfaction: Led research and design strategy efforts, incorporating user insights into every aspect of the event, resulting in a 30% boost in attendee engagement.
• Significant Media Exposure: Achieved 3,000+ media impressions and leveraged insights to design engaging spaces for 279 guests, elevating The Macallan’s visibility.
• Increased Event ROI: Improved the overall event experience, driving a 15% increase in event ROI through heightened guest interactions and emotional impact.
• Social Media Amplification: Created visually stunning and socially shareable moments that significantly amplified event reach across digital platforms.