At Ankuva in Bilkent in 2008, we designed an example of restaurant design in Ankara in KYMA, named after the Greek word kyma, meaning "wave". We designed a space that broke with the usual restaurants of its time, a perspective that guided all our design decisions.
Restaurant Design in Ankara: Materials and Atmosphere
We brought together timber, brick and warm tones to create a relaxed, lively atmosphere inside, with varied seating and details building an original restaurant identity aimed at a young, social audience; in a restaurant for a young crowd, this liveliness responds directly to expectations. We kept the materials and floor finishes consistent with this energetic atmosphere.
A Dynamic Layout in a Mall Setting
We designed the layout to suit the dynamic nature of a shopping mall, treating every detail in a language that matches this energetic profile and varying the seating for groups of different sizes. As the umbrella organisation of the global retail and shopping centre industry also notes, a young, dynamic atmosphere directly affects customer loyalty in mall restaurants. This matches KYMA's design philosophy directly, and our lighting scenarios support this dynamic character too.
Brick and timber textures supported the intimate character of the space, a language we carried across every surface, with the lighting designed to strengthen the lively atmosphere. You can explore similar work on our restaurant and café projects page. We kept the same youthful language in the furniture too. We describe our approach to projects for a young audience in detail on our restaurant design services page.
Conclusion: A Restaurant Interior Ahead of Its Time
At KYMA, CO Mimarlık developed a youthful restaurant design in Ankara that combines materials, atmosphere and spatial layout in a single experience, an original approach that broke the usual patterns of its time and a lively energy visitors feel the moment they step inside. Over time, KYMA became one of the standout venues at Bilkent Ankuva, especially popular with a young crowd; a design ahead of its time and a signature already visible in our early projects.
In the press: KYMA was featured, together with interviews with CO Mimarlık, in the November–December 2008 issue of Indeco ("Spaces with Character") and the January 2009 issue of MAG ("The Signature Behind Enjoyable Venues"). CO Mimarlık in the Press →
