Project spotlight: an indoor golf simulation venue with relaxed-premium edge
There’s a moment in every project where the work stops being about the obvious thing on the brief, and for The Eagles Nest, that moment came early.
Because this wasn’t really about designing a fit out, not first, anyway. It was about giving a venue a soul that could actually hold weight. A brand that could carry confidence and presence the second you stepped through the door. A place that didn’t just look premium, but felt like something.
“There was a moment early on where we realised — this wasn’t about designing a fitout. It was about giving a name… a soul. The Eagles Nest.”
When NEST first stepped into the space, The Eagles Nest existed as a strong idea. Bold in name, clear in direction, but still waiting to become a world. And as tempting as it is to start with finishes, lighting plans, or where the bar should sit, the team made a deliberate choice: start with identity.
Because once you get that right, the space follows.
Where it really started
Before the eagles, before the palette, before the mood… there were three guys.
Three friends. Three founders. Connected by golf, by business, and by the kind of shared “let’s take a swing at something bigger” energy that’s hard to manufacture. That foundation mattered, because it reframed the entire project. This wasn’t about building a generic golf sim bar. It was about representing the people behind it — their dynamic, their ambition, the way they show up for each other.
“This was never just about creating a venue — it was about representing the people behind it.”
So instead of designing for them, NEST designed from them.
That subtle shift became the strategy: the brand and environment needed to reflect who these founders are, not just what the venue does. The concept had to feel personal and grounded in a shared centre. With enough tension and personality to keep it alive long after opening week.
And that’s where the three eagles came in.
Three eagles. Three energies. One nest.
The turning point came when the team stopped thinking about the venue as a category (“golf sim bar”) and started thinking about a question that’s much more useful in design:
Who thrives here?
The answer wasn’t a demographic. It was a vibe. Thinking about the personalities, laughter, banter, competition and connection that would happen here. People settling in “for one round” and staying for three. A place where mateship feels natural, and the room carries as much energy as the screens.
From there, the identity took shape around three eagles. Not as decoration, but as archetypes. Each one representing an energy that would live inside the space (and could be activated through competitions, merch drops, special events, and seasonal moments).
- The Golden Eagle — sharp, elevated, composed. The standard-setter.
- The Bald Eagle — visible, dominant, thrives under pressure. The showman.
- The Harpy Eagle — powerful, intense, a little intimidating. The enforcer.
Together they created a kind of internal balance: edge and approachability, polish and play. That blend became the blueprint for every decision that followed.
“Together, they created tension. Balance. Presence. And suddenly — we weren’t designing a venue anymore. We were designing a world.”
Letting identity lead the design
Once the identity was clear, the design decisions didn’t become simple, but they did became clean. The brief stopped being a checklist and started being a filter.
Materials needed to feel strong. Sleek. Grounded. There was also a clear thread to pull: the founders are engineers, so the team took inspiration from the engineering world in the shape of honesty in materials, considered precision, a confidence that doesn’t need to over-explain itself.
Lighting needed to do more than illuminate. It needed to hold mood and shift the space from daytime casual to nighttime atmosphere without losing its premium feel.
And then there was the tension NEST kept returning to: relaxed premium.
A place you could walk into for a casual beer and pizza, but still feel like you’re part of something elevated. Too polished and you lose the soul. Too casual and you lose the edge. The sweet spot sits right in the middle… and it’s surprisingly hard to hit without a strong concept leading the way!
The quirks (because every good space has them)
The most impactful design thinking often happens in the conversations that never show up in the drawings. The funny debates. The tiny details that, when done well, make a space feel intentional — like it knows what it is.
Case in point: what do you call the toilets in a venue like this?
Instead of defaulting to generic signage, the team explored names that matched the world they were building:
- Relief
- Drop Zone
- Penalty
Little touches like this do two things: they create delight, and they reinforce brand. They take something functional and turn it into part of the story. The team also explored swapping out predictable greenery for sculptural objects. Pieces that feel more gallery than filler. Not because plants are bad, but because random is bad. Everything needed to feel curated.
There was even an idea of framing global golf courses tied to each eagle. That was subtle storytelling layered into the walls, so the venue reveals itself over time. Not loud. Not themed. Just intentional.
“Nothing random. Everything intentional.”
Design that builds behaviour
At NEST, the work goes beyond how a space looks. It’s about how it moves.
Where people gather. Where the banter happens. Where someone lingers longer than they planned to. The Eagles Nest wasn’t just about visual identity, it was about creating a place where:
- competition feels natural
- connection happens easily
- and people want to stay… just one more round
That behavioural lens shapes layout decisions, acoustics, lighting mood, material durability, and the overall rhythm of the venue. Because the goal isn’t just a good first impression — it’s repeat energy. A venue that holds up on a quiet Tuesday and a packed Saturday night.
Built together
No space like this comes to life in isolation, and The Eagles Nest was a shared effort, shaped not just by design thinking, but by the partners who helped bring it off the page and into the real world. The furniture, finishes, and tactile details were selected and supplied in collaboration with Accent Group — ensuring what you touch and feel supports the premium ambition.
At the heart of the experience was the simulation itself, which was delivered by Premium Golf Simulators NZ, whose technology anchors the concept and makes the venue truly come alive.
And then there are the touches that feel small, but land big: like Good George, who crafted a custom Ultra Beer called Birdie, a subtle nod to the game, and to the kind of playful, considered experience The Eagles Nest was always meant to hold.
“Good design doesn’t just sit in drawings — it’s carried through by the people who help build it.”
When everyone is aligned on the concept, design, build, and experience, you don’t just get a finished space. You get something that feels epic.
From name to identity and experience
By the time NEST finished, The Eagles Nest wasn’t just a name anymore. It had presence. Personality. An energy you can feel the moment you walk in.
And that’s the real outcome, not just a venue that looks good, but a space that knows who it is. A brand that can evolve through events and rituals. An interior that holds tension in the best way: relaxed and premium, bold and welcoming, engineered and alive.
Because when identity leads, everything else stops being decoration, and starts becoming experience.
Ready to bring identity to your own project?
If you’re building a space (or brand) that needs more than a good-looking finish, something with real presence, personality, and a story people can feel — we’d love to help you!
Get in touch with NEST to start a conversation and see how we can turn your next idea into an experience.
