Sophisticated Spirits
Housed in a historic building at the bustling corner of Magazine and Canal—just a short distance from the original 1850s-era Sazerac Coffee House—the new Sazerac House museum is a 20,000-square- foot multi-sensory journey into the spirited culture of New Orleans. As visitors explore the new Sazerac House, it’s easy to see how New Orleans’ spirited heritage evolved over the years and influenced cocktail culture throughout the world. Sit down at Sophisticated Spirits interactive counter and you’ll see just how much that celebrated culture evolved into four quintessential New Orleans-style bars. This
standout multimedia experience using a traditional bar with an interactive touch table and ultra high-resolution displays to introduce people to modern-day New Orleans cocktail culture. Sit down, choose a drink, and enjoy a virtual cocktail mixed up by a master mixologist. From the Apothecary’s Peychaud’s Spritz to Miss Marie’s Gin &
Tonic, visitors are invited to imbibe in one of New Orleans’ favorite past-times. Upon learning the mixologists’ personal stories, mixing methods, and balance of ingredients, you can’t help but feel inspired to try (or make!) something new. The design team sought to create a personal and fun connection to the Sazerac brand, while inspiring people to use their products. In the end, it becomes clear that New Orleans is the birthplace of cocktail culture. Recipes and stories have been handed down through generations of master mixologists who have honed and evolved the craft while inspiring the nation and creating an unparalleled craft culture. The Sazerac House compels visitors to craft their own cocktails and create their own memories with the help of some sophisticated spirits.
Agency
Gallagher & Associates
Practice Area
Client
Sazerac House
Industry
The Challenge
The design team rigorously prototyped, user- tested and iterated the design to solve several key challenges. Integration of physical and digital to create a unified feel across the exhibits, while incorporating four distinct bar “scenes” along the continuous physical bar top with sound bleed. Using an ultra-high-definition interactive background display and touch display built right into a granite bar top were troublesome to test without their full physical detailing and integration. Video content was filmed at the highest possible quality (RED), and playback became very demanding on the PC. Coordinating the film transitions between the display and the touch screen for a seamless appearance as bartender passes props between them. Working with local talent agencies to find actors that would feel and act like authentic New Orleans expert bartenders. Creating set designs to capture the essence of four quintessential new Orleans- style bars, without appearing to identify with any establishments within the city.
Miss Marie says “I’m ready for my selfie” and for many visitors, this prompts a selfie moment that’s become popular on social media
Jeremy Bittermann
Staircase leading to Sophisticated Spirits on 2nd floor. Bottles line the wall, connecting to the
interactive that inspires people to use them in their cocktail making at home.
Jeremy Bittermann
Design + Execution
Extruded shelving and directional speakers reduced sound bleed to create a personal, up-close experience. To create a connection between bartender and visitor, we activated the touch interface only when the visitor needed to take action, like selecting a drink.
Two cameras filmed each bartender simultaneously, using the correct camera framing/distance to create a seamless result. Using previous experience assumptions, we tweaked video encoding to balance fidelity and performance. A prototype mockup allowed us to determine the correct camera height and depth of visuals. Multiple sample shots were done before the final shoot. A final rotoscoping pass fixed any issues with continuity between the actions of the bartender above and the hand gestures on the touchscreen below.
To authentically capture the experience, actors were trained in mixology to accurately create three cocktails while keeping a conversational tone. Set design required solid art direction and hands-on partnerships to deliver.
A sample of images taken from the #SazeracHouse hashtag, showing people’s reactions to the sophisticated spirits interactive. It’s become a standout moment and the most shared experience at Sazerac House
Instagram #SazeracHouse
Project Details
Design Team
Gallagher & Associates
Collaborators
Solomon Group (exhibition fabrication, a/v integration)
Trapolin-Peer (architect)
RomeAntics (a/v systems design)
Available Light (exhibition lighting design)
History Associates (content research and writing)
Photo Credits
Jeremy Bittermann, Sazerac House
Open Date
October 2019