1874 ᱩᱠᱩ ᱵᱟᱨ by Cosmo Chuah is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱨᱚᱫᱟᱨᱥᱚᱱᱤ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ Competition Category.
ᱠᱟᱥᱟᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ· 2026
1874 ᱩᱠᱩ ᱵᱟᱨ
by Cosmo Chuah
Client: Lab Two Design
A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #173841The Design
About 1874 ᱩᱠᱩ ᱵᱟᱨ
1874 ᱫᱚ ᱢᱟᱞᱮᱭᱥᱤᱭᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱮᱱᱟᱝ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱥᱟᱭ ᱥᱮᱨᱢᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱟᱹᱣ ᱫᱩᱠᱟᱹᱱ ᱚᱲᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱨᱮ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱩᱠᱩ ᱵᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱵᱚᱞᱚ ᱫᱩᱣᱟᱹᱨ ᱫᱚ 1960 ᱥᱮᱨᱢᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱠᱤᱨᱟᱹᱰᱟᱹ ᱫᱩᱠᱟᱹᱱ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱧᱮᱞᱚᱜ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱥᱟᱢᱟᱝ ᱛᱟᱭᱚᱢ ᱨᱮ ᱫᱚᱦᱚ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱤᱛᱨᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱨᱠᱷᱟᱱᱟ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱸᱪᱟ ᱨᱩᱯ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜᱼᱟ᱾ ᱫᱩᱦᱲᱟᱹ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱠᱮᱯᱷᱚᱞᱰᱤᱝ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱩᱬᱩᱛ ᱠᱟᱴᱷᱟᱢ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱟᱨ ᱢᱟᱨᱮ ᱡᱤᱱᱤᱥᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱛᱩ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱩᱨᱟᱹᱱ ᱡᱤᱱᱤᱥ ᱦᱟᱴ ᱠᱚ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱟᱹᱜᱩ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱢᱩᱞ ᱚᱛ ᱛᱟᱞᱟ, ᱪᱮᱛᱟᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱸᱛᱷ ᱠᱚᱣᱟᱜ ᱟᱹᱰᱤ ᱦᱟᱹᱴᱤᱧ ᱫᱚ ᱫᱚᱦᱚ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱯᱮ ᱴᱚᱴᱷᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱦᱚᱲᱠᱚ ᱫᱩᱠᱟᱹᱱ ᱥᱟᱢᱟᱝ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱵᱟᱨ ᱥᱮᱫ ᱟᱨ ᱚᱱᱟ ᱛᱟᱭᱚᱢ ᱰᱷᱩᱸᱣᱟᱹ ᱧᱩ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱥᱮᱫ ᱠᱚ ᱟᱹᱭᱩᱨᱚᱜᱼᱟ᱾ ᱩᱠᱩ ᱫᱩᱣᱟᱹᱨᱠᱚ, ᱩᱥᱩᱞ ᱢᱟᱸᱪᱠᱚ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱟᱨᱥᱟᱞ ᱛᱮ ᱦᱟᱦᱟᱲᱟ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱟᱹᱭᱠᱟᱹᱣ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢᱚᱜᱼᱟ᱾
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ
1874 ᱩᱠᱩ ᱵᱟᱨ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱟᱣᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ 1874 ᱩᱠᱩ ᱵᱟᱨ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- 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.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 1,995 square feet
- Tags
- Hidden bar, Vintage design, Scaffolding architecture, Sustainable interior, 1960s grocery theme, Upcycled materials, Industrial nostalgia, Reclaimed aesthetics, Secret entrance, Retro-futurism
- Production 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.
- Design 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Project Duration
- 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.
- Operation Flow
- 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.
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