Press Release
Connect To Turkiye Aegean Part Event by Turkish Airlines Is Granted the A' Design Award in Event and Happening Design
Turkish Airlines honored for event and happening design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 23, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the A' Design Award in the Event and Happening Design category for Connect To Turkiye Aegean Part Event by Turkish Airlines. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached 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 A' Design Award Explained
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
More About Connect To Turkiye Aegean Part Event
Connect To Turkiye Aegean Part is a multi-city cultural event designed as a moving narrative rather than a fixed event in one venue. Guests are guided through several cities, and each city offers its own theme and sensory experience. Interaction takes place through space, story and setting instead of screens. At the archaeological site of Ephesus, all installations were built on elevated modular platforms, so no adhesives, anchors or heavy equipment touched the ancient ground. Heritage preservation and local authenticity are placed before spectacle and scale.
About Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines is the national flag carrier of Türkiye, connecting continents through a global network that spans more countries than any other airline. Established in 1933, the company has evolved into a prominent actor in international aviation, operating a modern fleet and delivering passenger and cargo services across global destinations. With its main hub in Istanbul, it enables efficient connections between Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, supporting the movement of people and goods at a global scale. Through its operations, Turkish Airlines contributes to international mobility, trade, and tourism, reflecting Türkiye’s role as a strategic bridge between regions.
Award Record
This recognition makes Turkish Airlines a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Event and Happening Design Award
The A' Event Design Award is an international event design competition recognizing good event designs by leading event designers and organizers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to event designers, corporate event planners, wedding planners and festival organizers from all countries. Entries typically include trade fairs, award ceremonies, festivals, conferences, exhibitions and concerts. Awarded event designs are published at https://desingers.org/design-category/event
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission 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. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated 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. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates 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, the upload of a work and the 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. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://desingers.org/175016
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/175016
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!175016
- Laureate Profile: https://desingers.org/d/371066
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
- Connect To Turkiye Aegean Part Event
- Function
- Event
- Category
- Event and Happening Design
- Discipline
- Service Design
- Industry
- Branding & Advertising and Arts
- Colors
- Saddle Brown, Black, Steel Blue and Sienna
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Turkish Airlines
- Country
- Turkiye
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #175016
Credits
- Image Credits
- All visual and media credits: Turkish Airlines
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This project is a multi-city cultural experience designed as a moving narrative rather than a fixed event. What makes it unique is its seamless integration into historical landscapes, use of non-invasive design, and guest flow tailored for emotional impact. It prioritizes heritage preservation, local authenticity, and meaningful interaction over spectacle or scale.
- Inspiration
- This project was inspired by a desire to showcase Türkiye not through spectacle, but through substance—its landscapes, heritage, and human warmth. Instead of relying on a single venue, we envisioned a multi-location narrative, rooted in authenticity and respect. The concept was informed by cultural research, sustainable practices, and a belief that experiential design can connect people more meaningfully than traditional formats.
- Research
- Qualitative design research was conducted to explore how experiential travel shapes perception of place and brand. Objectives included measuring emotional engagement in heritage environments. Methods included cultural analysis, field visits, and interviews. Participants were 200+ international guests. Results showed higher recall and emotional affinity. Insights informed the user-centric, mobile event structure, influencing brand perception and sustainable tourism models.
- Challenge
- The main challenge was designing a large-scale event within protected heritage sites without altering or damaging any historical elements. Navigating local regulations, gaining permits, and aligning with archaeological preservation laws required intense coordination. Balancing cultural authenticity, guest comfort, and logistical feasibility—across five cities—demanded precision, sensitivity, and adaptive creative planning.
- Realization and Technology
- To ensure the protection of the archaeological heritage of Ephesus, the entire event infrastructure was designed with non-invasive methodologies. All installations—including the stage, exhibition units, and audience areas—were constructed on elevated modular platforms, preventing any direct contact with the ancient ground. The stage design was intentionally compact, respecting the spatial proportions and sightlines of the Agora. Power distribution was planned with minimal intervention; temporary cabling systems and lightweight, low-impact lighting were used.
- Operation and Interaction
- The project unfolds as a guided cultural journey across multiple cities. Guests move through carefully planned stages—each city offering a unique theme and sensory experience. Interaction happens through space, story, and setting rather than screens. Seamless logistics, local immersion, and meaningful pacing ensure comfort and emotional connection, resulting in stronger memory retention and deeper brand engagement.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in January 2025 with concept development and planning in Istanbul. On-site preparations began in April 2025 across the selected cities. The event was held from May 26 to May 30, 2025, covering Istanbul, Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, İzmir, and Ephesus. It concluded with a gala evening at the Agora of Ephesus on May 29, 2025.
- Keywords
- Turkish Airlines, Cultural event, destination, marketing, experiential design, sustainability, heritage, UNESCO sites, Ephesus, Gala
