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DesignNewswire · COMO, Italy ·

Selectum Babil Residence by Nilgun Kucukbicak Wins the Bronze A' Design Award in Construction and Real Estate Projects Design

Nilgun Kucukbicak of Motto Architecture acknowledged for construction and real estate projects design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, July 7, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ Selectum Babil Residence by Nilgun Kucukbicak of Motto Architecture, designed for Motto Mimarlik, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Construction and Real Estate Projects Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The award was conferred within the 2024 - 2025 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.

About the Bronze A' Design Award

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.

About Selectum Babil Residence

Selectum Babil is a residential complex designed with a five-star hotel concept in a tourism district of Antalya. The development combines residential units, commercial areas and shared social facilities. Two blocks hold 97 units in Block A and 84 units in Block B, with a ceiling height of 3.30 m. The architectural approach draws inspiration from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, placing greenery on the terrace levels. Shared amenities include indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, a restaurant, a gym and a bar. Owners pay a shared fee to reach the hotel services.

About Nilgun Kucukbicak

Established eight years ago, Motto Architecture was founded on a singular belief: architecture is not just about building structures - it’s about building vision. Since then, we have grown into a multidisciplinary studio with a global footprint, serving as design and consultancy partner to numerous renowned hotels and international brands. We operate with a fully integrated approach, offering architectural design, interior design, structural engineering, electrical, and mechanical systems - all developed in-house. This enables complete creative and technical control across every stage of a project, from concept to execution.

About Motto Architecture

Motto Architecture is a project office led by Nilgün and Ömür Caner Küçükbıçak, specializing in the design and execution of five-star hotels on an international scale.

Award Record

With this recognition, Nilgun Kucukbicak of Motto Architecture is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.

About the A' Construction and Real Estate Projects Design Award

The A' Real Estate Design Award is an international architecture competition recognizing good real estate projects by architects and enterprises worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to real estate designers, architectural firms, interior designers and construction companies from all countries. Typical entries include residential complexes, commercial buildings, industrial properties, mixed-use developments, hospitality establishments and educational facilities. The awarded real estate designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/real-estate

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

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
Selectum Babil Residence
Function
Residence
Category
Construction and Real Estate Projects Design
Discipline
Spatial Design
Industry
Architecture
Colors
Dark Olive Green, Dark Slate Gray, Dim Gray, Black and Gray
Images
5
Client
Motto Mimarlik

The Recognition

Laureate
Nilgun Kucukbicak
Country
Turkiye
Brand
Motto Architecture
Recognition
Bronze A' Design Award
Edition
2024 - 2025
Design ID
#175160

Credits

Team
Nilgun Kucukbicak – Team Leader, Interior Architect & Environmental Designer, Omur Caner Kucukbicak – Team Leader, Structural Engineer & Implementation Detail Specialist, Sinem Kocadag – Architect, Ilayda Kablan – Architect, Kamilla Afraim – Interior Architect, Basri Gokirmak – Interior Architect, Mehmet Bulbul – Mechanical Solutions, MSc Mechanical Engineer and Mustafa Sari – Electrical Solutions, Electrical Engineer

Design Details

Unique Properties
Located in one of Antalya’s tourism districts, Selectum Babil Residence is designed with a hotel concept, integrating residential units, commercial areas, and social facilities. Its architectural approach draws inspiration from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, incorporating greenery on terrace levels to create a setting intertwined with nature. Developed by Selectum, the project combines tourism functions with contemporary urban living.
Inspiration
Its architectural approach draws inspiration from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, referencing their multi-layered terraces and integrated greenery to create connections between built spaces and nature.
Research
The project is a two-block development designed as a five-star hotel concept featuring luxury villas. It offers shared amenities including indoor and outdoor pools, spa, restaurant, gym, bar, and mini club. Owners benefit from hotel services through a shared fee, covering facilities from laundry to buffet dining. Construction began after the permit was granted in February 2025 and is currently at the structural shell stage.
Challenge
The greatest challenge during the design process was obtaining approval from local authorities for a concept not previously present in Antalya. Technical staff struggled to understand solutions combining residential units within a large hotel concept. The project frequently faced questions about how residential and hotel functions would coexist.
Realization and Technology
The project features reinforced concrete structures per seismic codes, insulated walls, aluminium windows with thermal glass, underfloor heating, inverter HVAC, oak parquet and ceramic floors, security steel doors, solar panels, rainwater reuse, compliant fire safety, CCTV, and six elevators. Kitchens include built-in appliances by Siemens, Franke, or Samsung; wet areas use Grohe, Hansgrohe, or Vitra fixtures.
Operation and Interaction
The design consists of two blocks within a five-star hotel concept that includes luxury villas. Shared facilities comprise indoor and outdoor pools, spa, restaurant, gym, bar, and mini club. Fully operated as a hotel, property owners pay a shared fee to access five-star hotel services. Amenities provided range from laundry services to buffet-style dining, ensuring resident comfort throughout their stay.
Project Duration and Location
The project received its construction permit in February 2025 and is currently in the structural shell phase.
Specifications
The complex has 7 floors with 97 units in Block A and 84 in Block B. Ceiling height is 3.30 m. It includes 4,880.80 m² of indoor parking, 2,469.91 m² of commercial area, 17,832 m² of residential area, and a total site area of 49,143 m².
Keywords
Residential Development, Sustainable Design, Mixed-Use Project, Seismic Resistant Construction, Landscape Integration, Smart Building Solutions, Solar Energy

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