SPI Group member Stoli Group has selected Shigeru Ban Architects to oversee the development of the Kentucky Owl Park project.

Under the contract, Shigeru Ban will design and build rick houses, a bottling centre, a distillery and offices on a 420-acre site in Cedar Creek Quarry, Kentucky, US.

Once complete, Kentucky Owl Park will be used by Stoli Group’s American whiskey division.

SPI Group owner Yuri Shefler said: “When evaluating architectural firms for Kentucky Owl Park, it was imperative that the selected group boasted a strong portfolio of work, but also that their plans for this initiative truly pushed the boundaries within the design world.

“The plans incorporate unique highlights and nods to the industry and its history.”

“We are looking forward to Kentucky Owl Park being the next masterpiece from Shigeru Ban Architects, who bring an unparalleled background of more than 100 innovative and environmentally sustainable projects completed to date.”

The company has arranged for a vintage dinner train to stop at the Kentucky Owl Park, to increase tourism and help connect to other distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a self-guided tour designed by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

Shigeru Ban Architects’ managing partner Dean Maltz said: “We are honoured to have been chosen to build Kentucky Owl Park and are eager to bring the joint vision of Stoli Group and Shigeru Ban to life.

“This is an opportunity for us to challenge ourselves like never before, as these plans serve as our first Kentucky distillery and incorporate unique highlights and nods to the industry and its history, while prioritising light and a connection to nature, features the architectural world has come to expect from our firm.”