When Wilson Holloway was commissioned to design a new interior for SHOT, a London eatery whose name stands for “simple, healthy, organic, tasty,” the architecture firm was tasked with reflecting the brand’s ethos in the space itself. SHOT, which serves up superfood smoothies as well as salads, wraps and cold-pressed juices, wanted to emphasize its scientific approach to nutrition. So the firm took inspiration in Victorian medical laboratories and seized on the singular motif of white tiles – which also happen to be emblematic of the London Underground.
Located between a micro gin-distillery and an independent tailors, the shop is distinctly Londonian. Its glossy white tiles cover every surface, and a tiled aesthetic also extends to the non-porcelain surfaces, including the pendant lights – which provide a shot of colour in the mostly white space – and the wood benches. The latter are made of solid walnut bench tops and formed using a flatbed CNC machine to mimic the grout lines and rounded tile edges used throughout.
To design such a seamlessly tiled space, the firm collaborated with Dutch tile manufacturer DTile. The interior was rendered in 3D software on a customizable 150 by 150 millimetre square grid. That meant that everything that comprises the interior architecture – from the serving counter to the fridge and the kitchen door – were all integrated in one continuous tiled landscape. The four colours used for the lampshades are custom creations, and the planters housing herbs and chilis that are built into the central table and service counter wall boost the sense of a uniquely tailored space.
As the firm’s Alex Holloway puts it, “The gentle radial curves, coupled with the strict grid of the grout lines, come together to give a wonderful sinuous order to the space.”