Malt & SALT

Transforming a Burger Restaurant into a Soulful Brewhouse Whisky Bar

Category : F&B

Design by : Collective Studio

Constructed by : D-Charearn

Location : Bangkok

Size : 150 Sqm.

Completed : 2017

Photo Credit : Chatnarin Pramnapan

Malt & Salt [Whisky & Soul] is another interior design project by The Collective Studio that could best be described as: “Easy… and difficult at the same time.”

The challenge began when we were commissioned to transform the well-known Hamburger Factory restaurant in the historic Ekkamai Soi 10 community into a fully immersive Brewhouse Whisky Bar experience.

And that was exactly where the difficulty started.

Redesigning a Space That Was Already Strong

The original restaurant already possessed a very distinctive identity and a well-executed interior design language. Rather than demolishing everything and starting over, the challenge became:

“How do we introduce a completely new atmosphere while respecting the strength of the existing space?”

The original layout had been designed primarily for restaurant operations, making it less suitable for the functionality and flow required for a nightlife venue and live music experience.

As a result, we carefully reorganized the spatial planning and customer circulation to better support the transformation into a whisky-focused social destination.

Reimagining the Experience

Several new functions were introduced into the space, including:

• A redesigned whisky bar area

• A live music stage

• Expanded indoor seating converted from the original outdoor zone

• New customer flow and seating arrangements suited to nightlife operations

  
  

Beyond the physical renovation, the project also required a new narrative identity strong enough to shift customer perception from “restaurant” to “full-scale whisky bar.”

Where Music, Whisky & Design Meet

Ironically, the part that became “easy” for us was the emotional direction of the project itself.

The concept of a Brewhouse Whisky venue combined with Soul & Funk live music immediately resonated with our team’s personality and creative instincts.

The atmosphere, the music culture, the warmth of whisky bars, and the energy of live performances all naturally influenced the design direction.

That emotional connection became the core spirit of the project.

The result is a space that feels layered, intimate, and alive—a venue where music, social energy, and interior atmosphere merge into one cohesive nightlife experience.

Which is why this project ultimately became exactly what we described from the beginning:

“Easy… and difficult at the same time.”