NWW - Navigate World Whisky
Navigate World Whisky Melrose Arch is a refined retail and tasting destination dedicated to the world of premium whisky. Working closely with the Navigate team, we reimagined and elevated the existing store, introducing immersive tasting rooms, curated product displays, and a warm hospitality-driven atmosphere. It was a pleasure collaborating with a passionate team to create a space that celebrates discovery, craftsmanship, and the stories behind every bottle.
Brand:Navigate World Whiksy | Design: Studio JDB | Shopfitter: Stuart Interiors | Location: Melrose Arch, GAU | Status: Completed | Live: Q2 2026
BOUTIQUE WHISKY STORE
My involvement with New World Whiskey actually started in 2025 on a different store for the same company. It was one of the first large projects I worked on, and it was both exciting and challenging because we were given a lot of creative freedom. For this particular NWW store, my role was mainly at the beginning of the project. I redrew the existing space and worked on some of the initial design changes, including adding a tasting room behind the main bar, exploring wallpaper options, and reworking the seating layout. One of the challenges was understanding the existing space from photographs alone. Things became much easier once Josh completed a site visit and created a 3D scan of the store, giving us a digital model to work from. What I enjoyed most was seeing how the design evolved from the early concepts into the final result. It was a great learning experience and gave me the opportunity to contribute to a project much larger than anything I had worked on before.
-Mbongeni Makhaye, render specialist
BOTTLE DISPLAY
I was introduced to the project during conceptual finalisation where the technical nature of the project needed to be fully considered. In the beginning the project was more of a response to needs and not intentional technical development. The temporary nature of the designed assets was carefully considered by the design team and this intention allowed for seamless transition between conceptual and technical stages. The challenge was to ensure dynamism was created and maintained between assets allowing for continuity in aesthetics. The well developed brand identity and brief became a tool to ensure this playfulness was the heart of the project. This playfulness informed the day-to-day tasks where structural integrity - even in temporary development - became an artful expression itself and ensured cohesion.
-Tenneal Cousins, architectural technologist
TASTING ROOMS
