BRAND ACTIVATION DESIGN AND INSTALLATIONS
How We Transformed Market Halls Victoria's Rooftop Into A Cuban Summer Destination
Clients: Market Halls Victoria & Eminente Rum
Project type: Brand Activation
Duration: 5-month outdoor install
The Brief
When premium Cuban rum brand Eminente partnered with Market Halls Victoria for their summer terrace activation, they needed more than just decoration. They needed a space that told a story, one rooted in Cuban heritage, natural craftsmanship and a genuine connection to the land. That's exactly the kind of brief we love.
Our goal was to transform the Victoria rooftop into a summer destination that felt warm, characterful and authentically on-brand, without tipping into heavy-handed branding. Both clients were aligned: they wanted luxury and subtlety in equal measure.
Market Halls wanted their identity to remain present. Eminente wanted theirs woven in with a light touch. Getting that balance right was at the heart of every design decision we made.
The challenges were real. The layout is fixed- no moving furniture, no painting walls, no permanent fixings. Everything had to work within the existing structure. The install also needed to last five months outdoors, withstand the elements and be delivered in under four weeks from brief to completion. Not much margin for error.
The Challenges
The Creative Solutions
We leant into natural materials from the start: rattan, jute, bamboo and wood, layered with tropical foliage and bursts of orange birds of paradise, a colour that sat perfectly within Eminente's own brand palette. The result was a space that felt gathered and organic rather than designed to within an inch of its life. We created bespoke mat clusters and slatted wall features for the fences, fitted using temporary damage-free fixings, each one incorporating laser-cut brand logos with just the right amount of presence. Eminente's own scarves were hung throughout the bar ceiling and we built dried floral arrangements housed in their branded rum bottles, one of the most talked-about details of the whole install.
The parasols presented a specific challenge: the client wanted them dressed, but existing heaters meant we had to design carefully around safety. Our solution was custom-made tassels, developed in collaboration with Lanna Volk, a small female-owned business in Thailand, who made them entirely by hand in colourways we designed together. Nikkita collected them in person. Every element was sealed and lacquered for outdoor durability, built to look as good in month five as it did on day one.
The Results
Both clients were delighted with the outcome, and so were we. The terrace became exactly what it was always meant to be: a warm, immersive summer space with Eminente's story threaded through every detail, sitting beautifully alongside the Market Halls brand.
If you're looking for a brand activation or outdoor terrace transformation that balances creativity with real-world practicality, we'd love to chat.
