This project involves the renovation of a confectionery shop in Eminönü, Istanbul, which has operated from the same building for 166 years. Now run by the family’s fifth-generation successor, the historic shop has maintained a loyal customer base that has also been passed down through generations. The customers’ deep-rooted sense of belonging was a key consideration in our design approach, leading us to conclude that preserving and enhancing the existing character of the space would be more appropriate than radically transforming it. Later, unsympathetic additions were removed, allowing the original character of the shop to come forward. The aim was to create a warm and familiar atmosphere, with wood taking centre stage in both the interior and the façade.
