El Santo, Glasgow

Robbie Crocker-Smith took the initial brief to develop the restaurant plus ‘speak-easy’ bar with a South American food & drinks offering.  The starting point was to open up the space by removing partitions installed by the previous occupants, in the process uncovering amazing original features buried behind plasterboard for decades. Inspiration was taken from the woven patterns and rich colours associated with the continent, anchored in the design by a richly-coloured tiled wall inspired by Aztec motifs.  A series of booths and seating areas break up the main restaurant providing engaging areas for conversation and socialisation, with plants adding additional layers but maintaining sightlines across the restaurant – so that patrons can ‘see’ and ‘be seen’!  To the rear the speak-easy lounge bar is accessed via a mirrored corridor with striking interactive lighting effects. The speak-easy bar gantry echoes the one in the main restaurant, adding a focal point to this relaxed and inviting lounge space.