The jury of the international design competition has made its decision public and announced the results. STEAM Budapest Bistro has won the Big See Interior Design Awards 2023 (Hospitality category), the award ceremony of which will take place on 19-20 May in Ljubljana at a trade exhibition, which will also provide an opportunity to meet the other winners and to briefly present STEAM’s competition.

The competition was judged on a set of criteria, including creativity, innovation and environmental awareness. On this basis, they were briefed on the important elements taken into account in the design.

Sustainability was important for Steam Budapest Bistro, but this criterion was inherent in the Szervita Square Bulding building, so the focus in this competition was on style, the fusion of styles and the unique design. The interior design language and use of materials of the place suggests at the same time simplicity, high quality, a relaxed approach and a perfect harmony of details.

The designers have played with the echoes of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, with their massing and curved shapes. In STEAM, Art Nouveau (terracotta masses, patterned cushions, Thonet shapes on terrace chairs) and Art Deco (marble table inserts, walnut, copper accessories) meet with an industrial influence in the industrial ceiling and minimalist wood elements.

The character of the interior space is in line with the building, and the modern Art Nouveau style is also evident in the interior. The darkened brown glass block of the counter and display kitchen, with the gallery level at the top, subtly appear as one mass in the space. While at the bottom these features are clad in rolled copper, at the top the gallery is delineated by a more transparent copper partition of the same material. The interior’s characterful copper, terracotta and walnut tones were selected by the design duo to create a sense of homeliness.

Downstairs, the guest area features an island-like seating arrangement, with custom-designed velvet terracotta sofa elements for comfort and plants for separation. Edison bulbs from the playfully suspended bubble lamps in the guest lounge provide a pleasant backdrop to the evening ambience.

The project page: https://bigsee.eu/steam-budapest-restaurant/