Press Release
Piu Interiors Receives the Silver A' Design Award for Alp Bakery Cafe Interior in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
Piu Interiors recognized for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 26, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Alp Bakery Cafe Interior by Piu Interiors has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided 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 Silver A' Design Award
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
More About Alp Bakery Cafe Interior
Alp Bakery is a small scale cafe interior located in Gokturk, Istanbul. The project transforms an existing book cafe into a bakery with a clear spatial organization and efficient service flow. The design includes a street level seating and service area supported by a lower floor kitchen and storage spaces. Materials such as wood paneling, ceramic flooring and painted metal elements are used to define the interior. The layout supports both takeaway use and short term seating while maintaining continuous circulation within a compact footprint.
About Piu Interiors
Piu Interiors is an Istanbul-based interior architecture practice led by architects Pınar Ünalan and Cihan Ünalan. Partners in both life and profession, they develop projects through a shared design language shaped by dialogue, research and long-term collaboration. Their work spans residential, hospitality and retail environments, with a focus on spatial clarity, material sensitivity and everyday functionality. Working closely with clients, makers and consultants, the studio guides projects from concept to completion. Across projects of different scales, the studio maintains a consistent approach, focusing on spaces with a strong relationship to their users and a sense of longevity.
Award Record
This recognition makes Piu Interiors a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. All of the awards belong to the 2025 - 2026 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Entries typically include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. Awarded interior designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/interior
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/177042
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/177042
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!177042
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/363094
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
- Alp Bakery Cafe Interior
- Function
- Cafe Interior
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Dim Gray, Dark Gray, Dark Olive Green, Midnight Blue and Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Piu Interiors
- Country
- Turkiye
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #177042
Credits
- Team
- Pinar Unalan and Cihan Unalan
- Image Credits
- Photographer Sinan Çırak
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Alp Bakery in Istanbul brings the spirit of a French patisserie into a contemporary urban setting. The design highlights a striking deep blue facade with classic awnings, oak wood paneling, brass accents, and mosaic flooring that recall timeless European cafes. Inside, soft lighting and carefully selected furnishings create a welcoming yet sophisticated atmosphere. The project balances artisanal charm with modern hospitality design, offering both comfort and elegance.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for Alp Bakery came from the refined elegance of French patisseries and the warmth of European cafe culture. The design aimed to reinterpret this atmosphere within the dynamic context of Istanbul, blending traditional charm with contemporary sensibilities. Deep blue facades, oak wood finishes, and brass details were chosen to reflect both authenticity and modern sophistication, creating a space where artisanal flavors meet refined hospitality.
- Research
- Practice based design research. The objective was to transform an existing cafe into a bakery with efficient service flow and a renewed spatial identity. Site analysis, user observation and layout studies guided the methodology. Data was gathered through measurements, circulation mapping and material testing. The process involved designers, craftsmen and the client. The result is a compact layout supporting fast service and short stays. The project shows how adaptive reuse can improve daily business performance and neighborhood engagement.
- Challenge
- The main challenge was transforming a long established local cafe into a new bakery concept with a different spatial identity and atmosphere, while still welcoming existing customers. The design needed to create a fresh experience without losing the familiarity of the location. Another key constraint was time, as the commercial space required a fast turnaround. Design development, fabrication and construction were completed within a tight schedule to enable early reopening.
- Realization and Technology
- The project was realized through a fast track construction process with on site coordination and custom fabrication. Wood paneling, service counters, shelving systems and metal details were produced off site and assembled on location. Durable ceramic flooring and painted finishes were selected for intensive daily use. Lighting includes recessed spots, linear LED strips and integrated fixtures. A lower floor kitchen and service areas were planned to support efficient food preparation and staff circulation.
- Operation and Interaction
- Visitors enter from the street into a compact seating area that connects directly to the service counter. The layout allows quick takeaway orders while also supporting short and long stays. Seating along the windows and walls keeps circulation clear during busy hours. Staff movement is supported by a lower floor kitchen and storage area, allowing efficient preparation and service without interrupting the customer experience. The space encourages both quick visits and relaxed use.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in February 2023 in Gokturk, Istanbul and was completed in March 2023. The space previously operated as an industrial style book cafe with a different layout. The transformation included a one month design development phase followed by one month of construction and on site implementation.
- Specifications
- The bakery includes a 60 m2 street level seating and service area with direct access to outdoor seating. A 40 m2 lower floor contains the main kitchen, storage and wc facilities. The layout supports takeaway service, short stay seating and continuous customer circulation. Materials include ceramic mosaic flooring, wood wall paneling, painted metal elements and stone countertops. Lighting combines recessed spots and integrated LED strips. Climate control and ventilation systems support daily operation.
- Keywords
- Parisian bakery, neighborhood cafe, bakery interior, small scale retail, adaptive reuse, fast track renovation, wood and tile interior, urban cafe design, Gokturk Istanbul, hospitality interior
