Orb Sideboard by Yilmaz Dogan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Bronze A' Design Award in Furniture Design Competition Category.
BronzeFurniture· 2025
Orb Sideboard
by Yilmaz Dogan
Client: QZENS Furniture
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #168205The Design
About Orb Sideboard
The Orb sideboard blends Art Deco elegance with Byzantine architectural influences, drawing inspiration from the Ancient Roman Hippodrome in Istanbul. Its symmetrical form, aerodynamic curves, and circular side doors maximize space while maintaining a refined aesthetic. Crafted from hand shaped wood with lacquer finishes, veneered interiors, and precision cut surfaces, Orb integrates a custom hinge system for seamless functionality. Gold accents enhance its luxurious appeal, embodying historical influence within contemporary design.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Orb Sideboard is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Orb Sideboard is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Orb Sideboard splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Where to Get It
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Grand Interview
Your integration of Byzantine architectural elements and Art Deco aesthetics in the Orb Sideboard is striking - could you elaborate on how the Ancient Roman Hippodrome specifically influenced your design decisions regarding form and symmetry?
The Ancient Roman Hippodrome in Istanbul served as a key inspiration due to its massive elliptical form, rhythmic colonnades, and axial symmetry. I was fascinated by how the Hippodrome unified grandeur with geometric precision. In the Orb Sideboard, the sweeping arc of the circular side doors echoes the racing tracks, while the linear rhythm of the cabinet front mirrors the colonnade alignments. The entire piece is arranged along a strong central axis, recalling the Hippodrome’s architectural order. This helped me translate a monumental historical form into an object of refined domestic scale.
The circular side doors of the Orb Sideboard feature a unique opening mechanism - what inspired this innovative solution, and how did you overcome the technical challenges of implementing this custom hinge system while maintaining the seamless aesthetic?
The circular doors were conceptually inspired by ancient rotundas and Byzantine domes—symbols of divine symmetry. To preserve the purity of the circle while ensuring functionality, we designed a custom hinge mechanism that allows the doors to rotate open without visible hardware. It was technically demanding: the doors required precise weight distribution, tolerance calibration, and magnetic stabilization. Collaborating closely with our engineering team in Ankara, we prototyped and iterated the mechanism multiple times to achieve a motion that feels effortless and visually uninterrupted.
The Orb Sideboard's interior features a Bosphorus Deep blue tone - how does this specific color choice relate to the cultural and historical narrative you are conveying through this piece?
The Bosphorus Deep blue tone was chosen to evoke the mysterious depth and richness of the strait that divides and unites East and West. This hue carries a symbolic weight—it references Ottoman tiles, Byzantine mosaics, and the maritime importance of the Bosphorus throughout history. By embedding this tone in the interior, we create a hidden layer of storytelling. The color acts as a metaphor for cultural convergence and timeless beauty—an interior world that pays tribute to Istanbul’s dual heritage, often unseen but profoundly present.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Orb is a design that merges the timeless aesthetics of Art Deco with inspiration drawn from Byzantine architecture. With its symmetrical form, aerodynamic curves, and meticulous craftsmanship, it brings a sense of timeless elegance to modern interiors. Featuring a spacious interior, custom shelves for bottles of different heights, and uniquely designed circular side doors that open without occupying extra space, Orb offers both functionality and aesthetics.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width: 222 cm, Height: 74 cm, Depth: 50 cm. It offers a spacious storage area with four doors. The circular side doors open with a unique mechanism that prevents space loss. The interior shelves are designed to accommodate bottles of different heights and various accessories.
- Tags
- Orb, Art Deco, Byzantine, Hippodrome, Luxury, Wood, Metal, Copper, Timeless, Elegance
- Production Technology
- Orb is crafted with high-quality lacquer finishes and custom metal details. Its body is made of of hand-crafted shaped wood and the interior has wood veneered, rail shelf units. Precision-cut surfaces achieved through cnc technology provide a smooth and sophisticated appearance. The circular door mechanism, supported by a unique hinge system, enhances functionality. Gold accents elevate the luxurious feel of the design.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest design challenge of Orb was integrating the circular side door mechanism without compromising functionality. This was resolved through a custom hinge system and interior cladding solutions. A dynamic opening mechanism was developed while preserving the design’s seamless form, achieving both aesthetics and practicality.
- Research
- The design process of Orb began with an in-depth study of the structural elements of the Ancient Roman Hippodrome and Byzantine architecture. By analyzing circular and linear forms, a balance was created to adapt these influences into contemporary furniture design. The selected materials harmonize historical inspiration with modern functionality.
- Inspiration
- Orb is inspired by the Ancient Roman Hippodrome. Built in the 3rd century AD on the site of present day Istanbul, this architectural marvel was a major gathering place for society, hosting chariot races and major events. The large-scale circular and linear elements of the Hippodrome influenced Orb’s design language. Its balanced form reflects a historic heritage within contemporary interiors.
- Project Duration
- Designed in Istanbul, where it was inspired, and manufactured in Ankara, the Orb sideboard was completed in 2023.
- Operation Flow
- Orb provides a unique opening experience with its specially designed hinge system. The side doors open seamlessly with a gentle push, revealing an interior elegantly finished in Bosphorus Deep blue tone. The adjustable shelf system ensures both functionality and flexibility, offering a refined and practical storage solution.
- Image Credits
- A. Murat ARIK
Erinç ULUSOY
Giray AYDOS
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