BRAND ACTIVATION DESIGN AND INSTALLATIONS
Inside the Cazcabel Tequila Terrace Takeover at Shelter Hall Brighton
Clients: Shelter Hall Brighton & Cazcabel Tequila
Project type: Brand Activation
Duration: 5-month outdoor install
The Brief
Shelter Hall sits right on the Brighton seafront, one of the south coast's most vibrant social dining venues. For the second summer running, they asked us to transform their exposed outdoor terrace into a destination space. Last year it was Aperol. This year, we went full Mexican with Cazcabel Tequila.
The brief was to create a warm, colourful, authentically Mexican-inspired terrace that felt premium and handcrafted- a space rooted in Cazcabel's "Field to Glass" ethos that would draw people in from the seafront and make them want to stay. Having worked with Shelter Hall previously, including their Christmas install, we already knew the site well. That familiarity proved invaluable, because this venue comes with serious challenges.
The seafront location means relentless exposure: high winds, salt spray, heavy rain and intense UV. Every material choice and structural decision has to account for that. We were also limited to temporary fixings only. Nothing could be permanently attached to the existing structure. That constraint shaped the most exciting part of the whole project: the arch.
We engineered a freestanding central archway using custom-built weighted wooden planter bases, designed to be wind-stable while reading as a deliberate design feature rather than a workaround. The uprights rise to meet the balcony height, where greenery panels form the top of the arch, creating a stunning gateway into the terrace and leading guests directly through to Shelter Hall's separate summer bar, which we also dressed this year with a custom branded foamex insert.
The Challenges & Our Solutions
Lampshades Galore
We more than doubled the lampshade count from last year for greater impact, added colour through paint and custom hand-made tassels (made to order in Thailand, just as we did for the Victoria activation) and custom painted 40 branded table plant pots, filled with luxury faux plants, resin-sealed white decorative stones and bark-topped for the full five-month duration.
Wide flat bases and weighted bottoms keep them stable in a seafront breeze. We also designed a bespoke directional sign in Cazcabel's brand colours, with faux plants at the base to connect it visually to the arch planters across the space.
Every element (florals, panels, fixtures), is UV-treated and lacquered for outdoor longevity, so we can reuse and build on them year on year.
The Results
The result is a terrace that genuinely feels like somewhere. The arch creates a real sense of arrival, the colour and texture bring the Mexican inspiration to life and the whole space works beautifully as a summer brand activation for Cazcabel while remaining unmistakably Shelter Hall.
Looking for an outdoor brand activation or summer terrace transformation that's built to last and designed to turn heads? We'd love to hear from you.
