ellis design studio adds art deco elements within industrial, electric bar interior in london

ellis design studio has introduced ‘electric shuffle’, a 9,000 sq ft venue in the heart of canary wharf, in london, which is set over two floors and includes 10 play spaces and two bars. the project delivers a contemporary, experiential reimagining of the classic game of shuffleboard within a conceptual space with a detailed design. 

all images courtesy of ellis design studio

as part of the brief, the game of shuffleboard has been redesigned and ‘electrified’, therefore ellis design studio took inspiration from the pioneers of electrical technology, particularly, the work of nikola tesla. the studio created an interior which fuses past references, entwining them with cutting edge gaming technology, to form an engaging and original, contemporary, multi-layered scheme. the essence of the interior design is a blend of both the glamour of the art deco period of 1940s palm springs, with the grandeur and faded elegance of early 20th century power plants and factories. the factory- inspired aesthetic is both utilitarian and industrial, and works as a perfect counterpoint to the opulence of the deco inspired elements.

the custom designed shuffleboard tables have been completely re-envisioned to form a central focus as social hubs within the scheme. the materials and lighting have been carefully calibrated to not only showcase the table as a key design feature, but also seamlessly integrate the gaming technology requirements. the table design is also inspired by the aesthetic of the grand art deco ocean liners. curvilinear forms in the timber and decorative copper pipework reinforce this look, along with inlaid copper details, leather upholstered detailing and laser cut metal elements, which complete a mix of classic and contemporary, art deco and industrial.

the main bar on the ground floor is a dramatic double height, power plant-inspired design and pays homage to both the 1940’s factory aesthetic and the early designs of electrical transmission experiments. the large central rotating light feature which dominates the centre of the main bar area is suggestive of an electrical turbine and the copper accented fluted timber detailing creates the illusion of innumerable copper tubes conducting wiring to ‘power’ the venue. featuring a custom-made ceramic bull nosed top and bespoke fluted porcelain tiles, the bar front includes industrial-inspired strapping and rivet detailing and incorporates a back-lit glass blocks, typical of aspects found in mid-century bauhaus factories.

the first-floor bar features a contemporary re-interpretation of utilitarian metal factory panelling rendered in vivid electric blue, which has been overlaid with embellished meshes and bronze domes, in a pattern reminiscent of electrical circuitry. the radial first-floor wall light is intended as a digital re-imagination of the ground floor ‘turbine’ one. a further reference to the industrial/electrical inspiration is the custom designed ‘control panel’ feature wall, which has been designed with ‘sound-to-light’ activation and vintage inspired buttons & dials. the idea is for the venue to feel as if it’s ‘alive’ and ‘powered up’.