Press Release
1874 Hidden Bar by Cosmo Chuah Wins the Bronze A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
Cosmo Chuah honored for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 23, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ 1874 Hidden Bar by Cosmo Chuah, designed for Lab Two Design, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Bronze A' Design Award Explained
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
More About 1874 Hidden Bar
1874 is a hidden bar set within a century-old shophouse in Penang, Malaysia. The entrance is placed behind a facade that recalls a 1960s grocery store, while the interior is industrial and raw. Reclaimed scaffolding forms the core framework of the bar, and vintage objects were sourced from local secondhand markets. Much of the original flooring, ceiling and walls was retained. Three zones lead guests from the storefront to the bar and then to the smoking area. Hidden doors, elevated stages and adjustable lighting support the sense of surprise.
About Cosmo Chuah
Cosmo Chuah, founder of LAB TWO DESIGN, is an interior designer based in Penang, Malaysia, with over two decades of experience since entering the field in 2000. His multidisciplinary practice spans residential, commercial, and exhibition design, often blending narrative, materiality, and spatial context. Cosmo has received recognition in both domestic and international design competitions and actively participates in regional design dialogues across Asia. His work reflects a commitment to contextual relevance, creating spaces that are functionally effective and culturally resonant, contributing meaningfully to Malaysia’s evolving design landscape.
Award Record
This recognition makes Cosmo Chuah a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted in the 2025 - 2026 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Typical entries include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. The awarded interior designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interior
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/173841
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/173841
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!173841
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/370014
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.labtwodesign.com/portfolio-collections/my-portfo
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- 1874 Hidden Bar
- Function
- Hidden Bar
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Midnight Blue, Dark Slate Gray, Black, Dark Slate Blue and Indigo
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Lab Two Design
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Cosmo Chuah
- Country
- Malaysia
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #173841
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This bar breaks convention by combining a nostalgic 1960s grocery store facade with a rugged, industrial interior made from scaffolding and salvaged items. The stark contrast between old and raw materials evokes surprise and curiosity, while the use of recycled materials promotes sustainability and social conversation.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the cultural richness of a century-old shophouse and the owner's desire to create a non-mainstream, buzzworthy bar, we explored the idea of contrast—between nostalgia and industrial rawness. The hidden-bar concept combined with a nostalgic grocery store front evokes a sense of mystery, surprise, and storytelling.
- Research
- We conducted contextual and ethnographic research to understand local nightlife expectations, user psychology, and historical architecture. Surveys and interviews with patrons and bartenders informed functional layout. The result was a concept that resonates emotionally and functions efficiently, blending storytelling, reuse, and social engagement into a viable business model.
- Challenge
- We faced the challenge of balancing conservation with innovation. Limitations from heritage regulations and limited budget pushed us to creatively reuse materials like scaffolding and old furnishings. Sourcing suitable vintage items was time-intensive. Achieving contrast while maintaining cohesiveness was a key design tension we resolved through iterative prototyping.
- Realization and Technology
- We retained much of the building’s original structure—flooring, ceiling, and walls—while using reclaimed scaffolding for the bar's core framework. Vintage objects were sourced from local secondhand markets. The design evolved through mood boards, full-scale material mockups, and close collaboration with local craftsmen to preserve authenticity and texture.
- Operation and Interaction
- The bar guides guests through three distinct zones—storefront, bar, and smoking area—creating a journey of visual and spatial transformation. Elevated stages improve visibility, hidden doors enhance the mystery, and repurposed elements create interactive nostalgia. Lighting is customizable for ambiance and performance, enhancing mood and efficiency.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project began in August 2024 in Penang, Malaysia. From initial concept to final construction, the design phase and build were completed efficiently, with the bar officially opening in October 2024.
- Keywords
- Hidden bar, Vintage design, Scaffolding architecture, Sustainable interior, 1960s grocery theme, Upcycled materials, Industrial nostalgia, Reclaimed aesthetics, Secret entrance, Retro-futurism
