Press Release
Ruya Akyol Is Honored with the Silver A' Design Award for Baia Sofa Sofa in Furniture Design
Ruya Akyol honored for furniture design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Silver A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category for Baia Sofa Sofa by Ruya Akyol, designed for Ruya Akyol Studio. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 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 assessed 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.
Regarding Baia Sofa Sofa
Baia is a multifunctional sofa that redefines modern living through a seamless integration of relaxation and productivity. Its elegantly curved form creates a bed like corner lounge for extended comfort, while a narrower backrest offers a refined, upright seating area. A discreet, integrated oak desk positioned behind the backrest functions as a home office, side table, or decorative shelf. Artisanal oak details, zigzag joinery, and rounded wooden corners enhance the design, while premium Italian upholstery ensures a refined aesthetic and lasting comfort.
About Ruya Akyol
Rüya Akyol, completed her education at Istanbul Technical University, Politecnico di Milano and Domus Academy with honors in Industrial Design and Communication Design. She worked with Claudio Bellini in Milan and Philippe Starck in Paris as a designer and studio director for many years before she established her own practice. As a Milan based designer and consultant, she provides product, furniture, and spatial design, as well as brand identity and art direction services. The holistic design approach that she embraces, creates homogeneous and clear brand identities. The designer's style is a synthesis of contemporary Italian and minimalist Scandinavian.
Award Record
With this recognition, Ruya Akyol is a winner of 4 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2023 - 2024 and the 2024 - 2025 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Furniture Design Award
The A' Furniture Design Award is an international furniture competition recognizing good furniture designs by best furniture designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to furniture designers, product designers, industrial design studios and furniture brands from all countries. Typical entries include chairs, tables, sofas, beds, cabinets and shelves. The awarded furniture designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/furniture
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is 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. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously 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. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which 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, uploading a work and receiving a 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. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/167916
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/167916
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!167916
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/351026
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
- Baia Sofa Sofa
- Function
- Sofa
- Category
- Furniture Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Furniture & Home
- Colors
- Light Gray, Dark Gray, Gainsboro, Rosy Brown and Dim Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Ruya Akyol Studio
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Ruya Akyol
- Country
- Italy
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #167916
Credits
- Image Credits
- Halit Besli
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Baia redefines the modern sofa with a dual purpose design. Its curved backrest creates distinct zones: a spacious, lounge like corner and a narrow, upright seating area. The integrated oak desk serves as a home office, side table, or decorative shelf. The unique leg structure, with zigzag joinery and handmade rounded corners, adds sculptural elegance. Upholstered in premium fabric, Baia blends craftsmanship with contemporary living needs.
- Inspiration
- Baia is a furniture solution inspired by the evolving dynamics of modern life, where working from home has become part of our daily routine, and sofas serve as the centerpiece of living areas. As spaces shrink and multifunctionality becomes essential, Baia seamlessly combines a comfortable sofa with an integrated desk that functions not only as a workspace but also as a side table for moments of relaxation in the lounge like corner or as a decorative shelf in the living area. This thoughtful design underscores the balance of form and function that defines contemporary living, accommodating both productivity and comfort.
- Research
- Today, our living spaces serve multiple purposes beyond hosting guests; they are places for work, reflection, relaxation, and socializing, both physically and digitally. As the centerpiece of the living room, the sofa must evolve to accommodate this shift while maintaining its role as an anchor for both comfort and style. Baia meets these modern demands with a versatile hybrid design, integrating seating and a multifunctional desk that transitions effortlessly between uses.
- Challenge
- The biggest challenge was finding the perfect balance between elegance and multifunctionality. Designing a sofa that seamlessly serves as both a relaxing lounge and a discreet home office was complex. The desk needed to be almost invisible yet functional, without compromising comfort. This led to the idea of a flowing curve that integrates all these needs, creating a unified form where the desk blends naturally into the sofa’s silhouette, serving multiple purposes effortlessly.
- Realization and Technology
- The Baia sofa features an internal wooden frame constructed with precision joinery for structural integrity. Its distinctive oak desk and legs are crafted using traditional woodworking techniques, including hand finished rounded corners and zigzag joinery for enhanced artisanal detail. The visible leg structure is engineered for stability with minimal visual weight. Upholstery is done with high-density foam and premium fabric, ensuring durability, ergonomic comfort, and refined aesthetics.
- Operation and Interaction
- Baia is designed to adapt to different ways of living. You can lounge comfortably in the spacious, curved corner perfect for stretching out, sitting cross-legged, or cuddling. The narrower seating area is ideal for shorter, more upright interactions. The built-in oak desk behind the backrest serves as a home office, side table, or display shelf, effortlessly blending work and relaxation in one cohesive design.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in September 2024 and will be exhibited in Salone Satellite during Salone del Mobile. It is getting produced in İstanbul, and will be presented in Milan in April 2025.
- Specifications
- Width 2000 x Depth 1130 x Height 800 cm
- Keywords
- sofa, furniture, comfortable, smart, multipurpose, versatile, cozy, seating furniture, luxury
