Mast Brothers. In the Beginning ...
What did we do?
Where It All Started
Our acclaimed 2016 retail project in Shoreditch, East London.
Following our formation, one of our earliest projects was assisting Mast Brothers in launching their UK flagship store. The challenge? A fast-tracked delivery to meet a fixed opening day—Valentine’s Day.
Ambitious, yet achievable with the right methodology. From concept to completion, including planning consents, the project was delivered in under three months. The result: a contemporary, sleek design aligned with the brand’s identity, featuring a carefully zoned layout:
- Exhibition & display area fronting the public realm
- Main retail shopfloor as the core commercial space
- Back-of-house manufacturing zone for production
- Rear packaging & sorting area with ancillary functions
A landmark project that set the tone for our future work.
Services
- Strategy
- Stakeholder Management
- Feasibility
- Design Development
- Pre-Application Submittals
- Planning Documentation
- Planning Submittals
- Associative Artwork
- Framework of Consultants
This early project gained attention from peers, future clients, and the press alike.
The project allowed us to showcase our skill set and ethos moving forward: services delivered at speed, robust commercial awareness, connections with trusted partners in delivering the project goals.
Our team collaborated with a master carpenter and the company brand director to deliver the design vision.
The finalised returns are intriguing, fun, light and drew immediate footfall (public, industry figures, bloggers, press).
Showcasing the production of the company produce, chocolate made ‘from bean to bar’, informed the return architecture, user way-finding and site zoning.
Located in the heart of Shoreditch, East London, the space acted as a catalyst for wider development of Redchurch Street and the wider area, with many anchor eateries and retail operators becoming neighbours thereafter.
The project showcased our skill set, executing our design works at speed (with flair and accuracy) alongside our trusted design partners (contractor, master joiner).
Related Project
Hillier Fashion Studio. London HQ.
Shoreditch, London, UK
Redesigning the East London Headquarters of a Leading Fashion & Jewellery Designer
A Creative Hub for Katie Hillier at the Rochelle School, Shoreditch.
Brass Architecture was engaged to appraise and upgrade the existing studio space for renowned UK fashion and jewellery designer Katie Hillier. Located within the prestigious Rochelle School, Shoreditch, the brief called for a bold yet functional transformation—an inspiring environment where creativity could thrive.
A Thoughtful & Elegant Intervention
Our design approach was simple yet impactful:
- A feature storage & display wall along the perimeter, balancing aesthetics with functionality
- A new timber mezzanine to effectively zone the space, enhancing workflow and usability
A refined yet practical reinvention—where fashion, craftsmanship, and architecture seamlessly align.
