Brown-Forman Milan

Woodalls partnered with global spirits leader Brown-Forman to deliver their new Milan workplace, a world-class project spanning two floors in the city's vibrant Garibaldi district. Our role encompassed workplace consultancy, spatial planning and interior architecture to transform the vacant space into an immersive corporate home. The resulting environment balances operational agility with hospitality-led destination spaces, providing a dynamic regional hub designed to foster deep community connections, celebrate the brand's historic legacy and support evolving, hybrid ways of working.

Location

Milan, IT

Project Size

Two Floors

Industry

Wine & Spirits / Consumer Goods

Construction Duration

12 Weeks

Built for flexibility and togetherness

Brown-Forman required a highly flexible workplace strategy capable of adapting to a fluid, modern workforce while reflecting the company's core values of hospitality and togetherness. The operational brief dictated a strict spatial separation between focused work and client entertainment across the two floors. On the primary working floor, the environment needed to accommodate diverse working styles, offering versatile huddle spaces for energetic team collaboration alongside acoustic-protected zones for quiet, individual focus. Crucially, the brief demanded a dedicated destination floor engineered to act as a social engine for the business, embodying local Milanese culture, accommodating large-scale corporate events and providing an authentic, premium hospitality experience that translates the brand's iconic global portfolio into a physical, immersive journey for visiting clients and internal staff alike.

Arrival Experience

The seventh-floor arrival makes a striking first impression, welcoming visitors with panoramic views of the Milan skyline. This premium reception lounge transitions seamlessly into a hospitality-driven environment, establishing an immediate atmosphere of warmth, openness and brand prestige.

Architectural References

Navigating around the building's central dropped ceiling, the layout uses fluid spatial gestures and sweeping forms. Pull-across acoustic shades and curved meeting pods segment the open floor plate, creating an organic sense of movement and visibility.

Material Palette

The environmental character blends sophisticated corporate design with rich, tactile materials. Deep timber tones, bespoke metal detailing and full-height graphic galleries are balanced by soft acoustic fabrics and warm, ambient lighting, cultivating an atmosphere that feels premium yet deeply inviting.

Services

Architecture

Interior Design

Project Management

Space Planning

Where the workplace meets hospitality

The design centres on signature spaces that blur the line between a corporate office and a luxury hospitality venue. The crown jewel is the fully equipped, bespoke social bar on the upper floor. Engineered for versatility, this central hub serves as an informal meeting point by day and transforms into a high-energy event arena for townhalls and creative workshops by night. Throughout the workplace, the detailing reinforces brand identity without overwhelming the senses. Open staff kitchens, touchdown tables and breakaway lounges are interspersed with enclosed privacy pods, creating a balanced ecosystem. Every touchpoint, from curated gallery-style photography to tailored furniture, reflects Brown-Forman's rich heritage, ensuring the environment acts as a powerful storyteller for their global spirit portfolio.

Woodalls has delivered an exceptional, fluid workplace that beautifully captures our heritage. The space balances high-energy social hubs with quiet focus zones, boosting team creativity and deeply connecting us with our global legacy.