people sitting around workplace bar

Blending experiences to inspire & connect

Diageo, Singapore

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol including iconic brands as Johnny Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray and more. Established in 1997, it is a fast-paced organisation with an entrepreneurial spirit and a culture of innovation. Diageo’s Singapore office is the APAC base and hub for a highly mobile workforce that promotes its brands in the region. We were engaged to reshape the existing workspace into an environment for building meaningful connections between customers, brands and staff.

At a glance

  1. The design offers a place for the company’s diverse brands and workforce to connect and feel at home.
  2. Activating a flexible, ‘lived-in’ space to bring the brand experience to life.
  3. Shaping new ways to collaborate with open, informal work settings.
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Our design strategy addressed two key objectives: Diageo’s desire to ‘bring the outside in’ and encourage closer relationships with partners and customers, and supporting a new working culture driven by an initiative to ‘inspire and connect’. The design satisfies the diverse needs of Diageo’s people, while offering a place for the company’s many brands to co-exist and feel at home.

An immersive brand experience unfolds through Diageo’s new space across a series of occasions that recreate scenarios where Diageo’s brand comes to life: The Store, The Home and The Bar. A focal point of the workspace, The Bar is visible throughout. This spacious, social, activated space shifts from a casual work environment in the daytime to a lively event space at night. Acoustic curtains divide the bar from the fully flexible, adjacent lounge, supporting a broad range of group activities without disrupting normal operations. Complementing the existing Johnnie Walker House space and with stunning views of Singapore, The Bar is as a must-see destination for those in-the-know.

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The Store is a space that playfully references the experience of a liquor store with an illuminated wall of bottles showcasing Diageo’s brands. Rather than a formal reception, a small maître d’ table is attended by a host who directs visitors to their destination. The open space accommodates temporary and seasonal pop-ups for brand activations. The theatrical dividing curtain helps create a memorable impression of Diageo for visitors.

From The Store, guests are invited into The Living Room, a comfortable lounge designed to reflect the style of regional heritage houses. The Living Room is the social heart of the Diageo workplace – a place for casual interactions and open collaboration. Soft seating, armchairs and residential details offer comfort and encourage relaxation. Along the windows, a range of more formal meeting rooms continue the home-like experience.

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Finally, The Home section contains The Studio, The Study and The Conservatory. The Studio has been designed as a creative workspace, flooded with natural light to create a bright, open feel. Informal collaborative settings, bench seating and an emphasis on co-working offers choice to users, encouraging experimentation and knowledge sharing. The Study is a quiet place for uninterrupted, focused work with acoustically-treated materials in an arrangement of phone booths and quiet rooms.

With wellness in mind, every seat in the new Diageo workplace now has access to views and natural light. Within The Study and adjacent Conservatory, there is a space overlooking a peaceful roof terrace and city park. This hidden corner offers a quiet place for rest and contemplation. Despite a 42% reduction in floor space from its previous office, the new Diageo workplace supports collaboration and provides choice to a 100% agile workforce.

Take the tour with Diageo’s Leesa Rawlings, Talent Engagement APAC.

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Awards

2019Good Design Australia - Winner

2019Singapore Good Design - Gold Award

2019Singapore Good Design - Winner

2018FX Magazine - Finalist

Status

Completed

Location

Singapore

Area

16,100 sq ft

Photographer

Owen Raggett, Tawan Conchonett

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