Louis XIII, Rémy Cointreau
Location
Grantley Hall, North Yorkshire
Awards & Mentions
- Food and Travel Reader Awards
Deliverables
- Campaigns & launches
- Wayfinding & environment
Louis XIII is a modern icon of luxury, precise, confident and uncompromising in its presence.
Integrating the brand into Grantley Hall’s Norton Bar, a space defined by heritage, craftsmanship and historic grandeur, presented a delicate creative challenge.
Commissioned as a brand activation, the experience needed to feel unmistakably Louis XIII without overwhelming its setting. It had to complement the character of the bar while still commanding attention, creating a contemporary brand moment within a classic, highly considered environment.
This was not simply about placement. It was about creating something that would stop guests, create intrigue and feel worthy of both the brand and the setting.
Before committing to materials, fabrication or installation, we needed to understand exactly how the idea would work in the space.
A highly detailed, photoreal 3D render allowed us to visualise the activation within the Norton Bar before anything was physically made. Translucent surfaces, mirrored details, lighting and the relationship with the surrounding architecture could all be tested, adjusted and refined virtually.
The visualisation became a working design tool rather than simply a way of presenting the concept. It allowed us to explore proportion, materiality, light and detail, while giving the client and wider project team something tangible to respond to. Decisions could be made with greater confidence before moving into physical development.
From there, the concept moved through material exploration and prototyping. The challenge was to translate the qualities established virtually into something that could actually be fabricated, assembled and installed to the same standard.
Materials, lighting, structure and finish were considered together, balancing the contemporary character of Louis XIII with the craftsmanship and heritage of the Norton Bar. Each detail needed to contribute to the experience while remaining technically achievable within the space.
That progression from visualisation through prototyping and production meant the creative idea could be interrogated before decisions became expensive or difficult to change. Rather than compromising the concept during delivery, the process allowed it to become more resolved as it moved towards reality.
The result is an installation that feels deliberately part of its surroundings while remaining unmistakably Louis XIII. It commands attention without competing with the architecture, creating a focal point that feels both unexpected and entirely at home.
The activation went on to gain international visibility, featuring in Forbes as part of Louis XIII’s global hospitality collaborations. Rémy Cointreau described the Norton Bar installation as “an exceptional piece of brand visibility”, while also highlighting its contribution to rate of sale at the venue.
