Not A Studio's Olivino wins Platinum A' Design Award

Olivino, a former industrial exhibition hall turned fine-dining restaurant, has won Platinum in the A' Interior Space and Exhibition Design Award. The recognition spotlights adaptive reuse as a design strategy that preserves historic structure while reshaping spaces for hospitality.

Why it matters: - Olivino adds another high-profile example of adaptive reuse in hospitality, showing how industrial buildings can be converted without erasing their original character. - The Platinum A' Design Award can raise Not A Studio's profile in a global design market that values technical rigor, sustainability and cultural continuity. - The project offers a reference point for designers, owners and planners looking for ways to reuse existing structures instead of starting from scratch.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Olivino by Not A Studio a Platinum winner in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category. - The project is a Michelin-level restaurant created inside a former industrial exhibition hall in Como, Italy. - The award announcement was dated August 26, 2026. - Interested readers can view the project on the award page.

The details: - Olivino preserves the steel dome, column-free volume and skylight grid of the original hall. - A circular glass revolving door was repurposed into a bottle-shaped wine cellar that works as a spatial divider. - A sculptural inverted copper stove anchors the open room and helps guide circulation. - The design uses custom metalwork, art paint finishes, handmade brick and gold foil detailing. - Lighting was coordinated to keep the space visually clear while supporting atmosphere. - Mechanical, electrical and plumbing lines were concealed within upgraded roof assemblies. - The roof upgrades improved waterproofing and thermal insulation without disturbing the preserved shell. - Natural and artificial light are layered to shape the dining environment.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a broader industry move toward heritage revitalization and reuse as a form of sustainability. - The design favors insertion over replacement, which helps preserve spatial memory while giving the building a new commercial function. - The award jury's emphasis on creativity, technical proficiency and social contribution aligns with the project's mix of preservation, function and experience. - For Not A Studio, the win reinforces a restrained architectural approach centered on human experience and warmth.

What's next: - The recognition may help Not A Studio pursue more adaptive reuse and hospitality commissions. - Olivino stands as a model the studio and other designers can point to in future projects that balance preservation with new use. - The A' Design Award says it continues to promote projects that advance design and benefit society.

The bottom line: - Olivino turns a preserved industrial shell into a refined restaurant, and the Platinum award signals that careful reuse can be both technically strong and commercially compelling.