Montcalm East is an exercise in perspective. The exterior counfounds the eye; the interior plays with shape and form, and alludes to the changing perspectives of Shoreditch’s fluid creative culture. Our instinct was to ‘look up, look down, look around’ because, in Shoreditch, invention is everywhere. A photographic theme draws the threads together: guests’ can capture photographic records of their stay and monochromatic decor is softened with swatches of RGB colour.

From cocktails to room keys, there are references to the hotel’s photo lab and a guest’s ability to create instant impressions of East London life. Through stark, monochromatic slogans and a logotype to reflect the unsettling angularity of the building’s windows, the hotel draws guests into the world of the maverick creator. The message is clear: this is an urban destination, not a city stop-over.