berrant
rchitecture Aberrant Architecture

In 2022 we completed a bold retrofit of a shop on Camden High Street, London for our client Biju Bubble Tea.

We began the project by building an understanding of Biju Bubble Teas’ brand ethos and the unique characteristics of the existing space. For this reason, the project adopted a sustainable, light touch retrofit approach where new finishes were only applied where necessary.

The sensitively restored shop frontage design saw the Biju logo picked out in white lettering on a punchy Biju green façade. The bifold doors allow the entire façade to open up directly onto the busy high street, inviting the Hussle and bustle of Camden into the store.

Inside, the existing palette of unfinished plaster ceilings and walls, paired with a new grey industrial grade floor, creates a distinctive yet hardwearing backdrop for a series of colourful interior additions in the distinct Biju brand shades of yellow, blue, green and pink.

Bubble tea fans are greeted by a striking green interior wall treatment that wraps around a bespoke ceramic tiled counter in blue, with yellow coloured grout, pink tile edging & skirting highlights. An area of half cut tiles, picked out in an accent colour, guides customers to the till point area while the counter tops, made from recycled food packaging, are supplied by smile plastics.

Above the counter a series of pendant lights hang on pink cords, illuminating the wide array of bubble tea ingredient options below. These “ALGÂU” lights are innovatively made by combining seaweed with recycled waste paper to create a bio-material which is 100% sustainable. These are complemented by a series of strip lights that are mounted vertically on the adjacent wall.

A series of shelves at the front of the store creates a small retail area for customers to browse tea products to enjoy at home while a new custom-built metal staircase in a striking shade of Biju pink, provides staff access to the lower ground storage, preparation area and staff toilet.