Ukrainian confectionery Namelaka has achieved a triumphal victory in the European category of the prestigious international award The Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2026. The expert jury and the international community appreciated the unique concept of the establishment, which harmoniously combines ultra-modern architectural solutions with deep Ukrainian cultural motifs.

Concept and Architectural Embodiment of Space

The creation of the confectionery's unique interior was handled by the renowned Nemov studio under the direct leadership of talented designers Roman Movlaiko and Yelyzaveta Redkina. According to the authors' vision, the concept of the establishment is built around warm Ukrainian memories closely associated with early childhood, strong family ties, and traditional family recipes. Instead of standard mood boards, the specialists conducted a deep and detailed analysis of the cultural 'DNA', building the entire space on the basis of subtle emotional and cultural memory.

The Role of Color and International Jury Evaluation

One of the defining and key elements of the winning design was color itself, which sets the tone for the entire room. As award judge Sarah Felch noted in her commentary, color literally shapes and defines the space of the confectionery, serving as the core of the entire story — from the general large-scale design to the smallest details and interior solutions.

Contradictory Data

Despite the convincing victory in the main European category of the prestigious award, Namelaka also entered the official shortlist of finalists in the adjacent 'Europe - Color' category, though the main award in this specific direction went to the Madrid healthy food restaurant Superchulo, whose interior was designed by Spanish designer Pablo Roig.

About the Award and Significance of Recognition

The Restaurant & Bar Design Awards is an authoritative independent international institution that has annually recognized the best establishments from around the world since 2008 for outstanding design of restaurants, cafes, bars, and other gastronomic spaces. Receiving such an award by a Ukrainian project in 2026 highlights the high global level of the domestic architectural and design community.