Studio Alt Shift

In 2012, after having collaborated for over six years, RCA graduates Shai Akram and Andrew Haythornthwaite figured they’d better make things formal, so they launched Studio Alt Shift. Their London-based design practice specialises in furniture, lighting and interior spaces that tell unusual and engaging stories about people, brands, businesses and the ideas that animate them.

The studio is driven by a shared belief in the importance of making and experimentation as drivers of design innovation, and a talent for turning even the wildest ideas into physical reality. This exploratory, optimistic approach enables Studio Alt Shift to develop visual, spatial and material languages that are always personal to their client – without being tied to trends or anchored to set styles. From their base in East London, Shai and Andrew work closely with people across the world, who are drawn to the originality of their thinking, the transparency of their approach, and the warmth and energy they bring to every aspect of their work and relationships. 

Alongside physical projects ranging from commercial interiors and exhibition design to furniture collections and bespoke products, Studio Alt Shift also engages in research-driven work, including concept development, residencies and material experimentation. Shai and Andrew share their studio’s philosophy at undergraduate and master’s level at institutions including University of the Arts London and the Royal College of Art, and their designs can be found in the permanent collections of the Design Museum, London and MoMA, New York.