AINEN burger bar by URBANJOBS transforms narrow industrial space at Tersane Istanbul
AINEN by URBANJOBS is a burger bar interior at Tersane Istanbul that transforms a narrow industrial volume into a spatial environment where food service, music, and social activity coexist. Designed by the architecture studio URBANJOBS, the project interprets the burger bar typology as an adaptive interior capable of supporting different modes of use throughout the day. While programmatically defined as a food-and-beverage venue, AINEN is developed as an experiential architectural project where spatial organization, lighting, and atmosphere shape the visitor experience beyond conventional restaurant design.
Located in the historic Tersane Istanbul redevelopment area along the Golden Horn, the leased unit presented a challenging architectural condition defined by a compact footprint and an elongated geometry. Such proportions risk turning interiors into corridor-like spaces with limited spatial continuity. URBANJOBS approached the constraint by focusing on the vertical dimension rather than attempting to expand the layout horizontally. The design activates the ceiling height through a three-dimensional ceiling installation that introduces direction, rhythm, and movement. This architectural intervention becomes a spatial device that organizes perception while guiding the relationship between circulation, furniture, and service areas.
The internal layout balances operational efficiency with spatial clarity. In response to the open-kitchen brief, the kitchen and bar run along opposite sides of the plan, framing a central axis that functions as the primary circulation path. Positioned along this axis, a multifunctional island servant operates as a key visual anchor within the interior. During daytime service the element functions as a service counter, while in the evening it transforms into a DJ platform. This dual role allows AINEN to transition from a casual dining venue to a music-oriented social environment without requiring structural changes to the architecture.
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Adaptability plays a central role in the project. All furniture elements were selected and positioned to remain movable, enabling multiple spatial configurations depending on the size of the crowd or the type of event taking place. This strategy allows URBANJOBS to avoid a rigid restaurant layout while maintaining clear operational zones. The result is an interior capable of adjusting its spatial rhythm over time, supporting both intimate dining situations and more dynamic evening gatherings.
Lighting contributes significantly to the spatial identity of AINEN. Instead of relying on conventional spotlight systems, the project introduces a layered lighting strategy that works in dialogue with the ceiling geometry and architectural surfaces. Illumination shifts between softer ambient conditions during dining hours and more atmospheric lighting scenarios for nighttime programming. This approach allows lighting to function as a spatial instrument that shapes perception and mood without fixing the venue to a single visual identity.
Material choices reference the industrial context of Tersane Istanbul while maintaining a contemporary architectural language. Dark-stained wooden chairs from the Giancarlo Piretti series for Cassina introduce a design element associated with twentieth-century furniture production. Their presence adds a layer of continuity between past and present, connecting the interior environment to the broader historical narrative of the shipyard district. Over time the materials are expected to acquire patina, reinforcing the relationship between architecture, use, and duration.
Through its spatial strategies, AINEN by URBANJOBS positions the burger bar as an architectural project capable of evolving with its users. The interior does not operate as a static restaurant environment but as a flexible framework shaped by movement, sound, and social interaction. By responding to the spatial constraints of Tersane Istanbul while supporting multiple programs, the project demonstrates how hospitality architecture can integrate operational needs with an adaptable spatial identity.
See more interior architecture projects on VA8.
Photo credit: İbrahim Özbunar I 645studio, with courtesy of v2com
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