Diageo YunTuo

Located in the fertile valley of Dali, Yunnan Province, the Diageo YunTuo Complex is the brand’s first single malt whisky distillery in China. Designed by OLI Architecture of New York, the 13,500 m² project combines a state-of-the-art production facility with a fully integrated visitor experience, including guided tours, tasting rooms, retail, and cultural engagement spaces. The design responds directly to the site’s dramatic topography, following the natural slope of the land to create a seamless relationship between architecture and landscape. An elevated second-floor tour path provides immersive views into the whisky-making process while maintaining a clear separation between production and visitor circulation.
Deeply rooted in the tradition of whisky-making and informed by the practice’s strong connection to place, the YunTuo Complex draws inspiration from the extraordinary natural and cultural environment of the Dali valley. The project embraces a sensory approach to architecture, using sculpted spaces, richly textured materials, natural light, shadow, and sound to create a deeply immersive visitor experience. Rather than functioning solely as a production facility, the complex is conceived as a destination that celebrates craftsmanship, landscape, and cultural exchange.
The master plan interprets the vernacular architecture of the Bai people of Dali in dialogue with the spatial traditions of historic Scottish whisky distilleries. This cross-cultural approach generates a series of interconnected courtyard-like spaces that encourage exploration and discovery while supporting sustainable environmental performance through natural cross-ventilation and thermal mass. The architecture balances local identity with an internationally recognizable whisky-making heritage, creating a unique expression that is both rooted in place and globally relevant.
The Visitor Center is organized as a collection of low, stone-clad buildings that reference the artisanal origins of whisky production. These volumes gradually transition into more sculptural cast-in-place concrete forms, reflecting the evolution of the visitor journey from landscape to architecture, and from tradition to innovation. Positioned along the contours of the site, the buildings open toward expansive views of the Cangshan Mountains, celebrating the natural terrain and creating a terraced progression that reinforces the site's connection to the surrounding valley.
Throughout the project, architecture, landscape, and production are carefully woven together to create a cohesive experience. Visitors move through a sequence of spaces that reveal the story of whisky-making while engaging with the distinctive character of Dali’s environment. By combining native architectural references with a contemporary design language and the global culture of distilling, the Diageo YunTuo Complex establishes a memorable destination that reflects both the spirit of the region and the future of Chinese single malt whisky.