Ali Moazzen Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Ersie Cafe and Restaurant in Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design

Ali Moazzen honored for cultural heritage and culture industry design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ Ersie Cafe and Restaurant by Ali Moazzen, designed for Ersie Mansion, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

About the Bronze A' Design Award

The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

More About Ersie Cafe and Restaurant

This project transforms a historic Qajar era villa into a modern cafe restaurant while preserving its architectural authenticity. Restored features include Orsi windows, intricate plaster moldings, and wooden doors. Structural reinforcement with masonry and sustainable materials ensures stability. Advanced HVAC systems and adaptive lighting enhance functionality. Accessibility features like an elevator and Braille menus promote inclusivity. This design seamlessly blends heritage with contemporary needs, creating a unique and inviting space.

About Ali Moazzen

Ali Moazzen comes from a family with a long-standing history in the eyewear industry. Their family business has been centered around the manufacturing and sale of glasses. Building on this legacy, Ali Moazzen, with his passion for history and culture, founded the Erthieh Cafe. This cafe, designed and styled with inspiration from vintage and traditional eyewear, creates a nostalgic atmosphere. Continuing this journey, he transformed the Erthieh Mansion, an old house, into a multifunctional space that serves as both a cafe and restaurant, as well as a cultural and social hub for the community.

Award Record

Ali Moazzen is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.

About the A' Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design Award

The A' Cultural Heritage Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good designs that preserve, protect, and promote cultural heritage. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to cultural heritage designers, culture industry professionals, cultural heritage specialists and museum designers from all countries. Entries typically include cultural heritage projects, cultural conversation, preservation and restoration and protection projects. Awarded cultural heritage designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/cultural-heritage

About A' Design Award & Competition

A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/165975
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/165975
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!165975
Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/361675

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Ersie Cafe and Restaurant
Function: Cafe and Restaurant
Category: Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design
Discipline: Communication Design
Industry: Arts and Social Impact
Colors: Maroon, Saddle Brown, Dim Gray, Dark Slate Gray and Black
Images: 5
Client: Ersie Mansion

The Recognition

Laureate: Ali Moazzen
Country: Iran
Recognition: Bronze A' Design Award
Edition: 2024 - 2025
Design ID: #165975

Credits

Image Credits: Photographer Peyman Rajabi, 2024.

Design Details

Unique Properties: This design revitalizes a Qajar-era villa into a cafe-restaurant, blending historical authenticity with modern functionality. Unique features include restored architectural details, preserved century-old trees, innovative space reuse, and accessibility enhancements like an elevator and Braille menus. A tribute to craftsmanship further merges history with contemporary design.
Inspiration: The inspiration for this project stemmed from a deep respect for historical architecture and a desire to revive a semi-abandoned Qajar-era villa. The unique opportunity to uncover and restore hidden architectural details, combined with the building’s rich narrative and prime location, motivated the design. Extensive research into historical preservation techniques and adaptive reuse strategies ensured a balance between honoring the past and meeting contemporary needs.
Research: he research conducted for this renovation focused on the adaptive reuse of historical architecture. The primary objective was to preserve the Qajar-era villa's heritage while adapting it for modern use as a café-restaurant. The methodology involved detailed analysis of architectural documents, structural assessments, and site visits. Tools included archival research, structural simulations, and restoration techniques. The results led to the successful preservation of key historical features, with a significant impact on local cultural tourism and heritage conservation.
Challenge: The biggest challenge of this project was navigating the delicate balance between preserving the villa's historical integrity and adapting it to a modern function. The internal challenge was the discovery of significant alterations made during the Pahlavi era, which obscured the original Qajar architecture. Externally, strict heritage conservation laws and the need for advanced restoration techniques posed obstacles. Overcoming these challenges required innovative approaches to both the design and construction processes while respecting legal and historical constraints.
Realization and Technology: The project utilized a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Original masonry structures were reinforced with steel frames for stability, while advanced plaster restoration techniques revived intricate moldings. Custom-crafted Orsi windows and restored wooden doors preserved authenticity. Sustainable materials were used for new additions, and modern HVAC systems were integrated into historical spaces. The design followed meticulous site analysis and historical documentation methodologies.
Operation and Interaction: The design seamlessly blends the old with the new, allowing visitors to experience the rich history of the building while enjoying modern amenities. The café-restaurant layout encourages flow, with clear pathways from the entrance to the main dining areas and VIP spaces. The preservation of original walls and structures enhances the atmosphere, while modern installations like the elevator and central cooling system ensure comfort and accessibility, making the space both functional and welcoming for all visitors.
Project Duration and Location: The project commenced in 2021 and was completed in 2023, located in the qazvin. The renovation aimed to transform a historically significant Qajar-era villa into a modern café-restaurant while preserving its original architectural essence. The completed design now serves as both a public space and a tribute to the building’s rich heritage, blending traditional elements with contemporary functionality.
Specifications: Land Area: 2,200 m² Built-up Area: 846 m² Structure: Masonry with steel reinforcement Installations: Central chiller and boiler system Original Features: Restored Orsi windows, plaster moldings, and wooden doors Renovated Spaces: Expanded basement, preserved vestibule, and structural reinforcements for load-bearing walls. Accessibility: Elevator for disabled access, Braille menus for inclusivity.
Keywords: Qajar architecture, adaptive reuse, café-restaurant design, historical restoration, Orsi windows, architectural preservation, sustainable design, inclusive design, masonry reinforcement, heritage revitalization