Open facade of Topkapi döner kebab with terrace, guests and view of the business.

Horeca / creatieve & technische ondersteuning

Topkapi Restaurant

A versatile catering case in which web design, own photography, QR service, interior restyling, customization and camera security came together. Always the same question: how do you create something that feels neat, usable and hospitable on a limited budget?

Web designPhotographyInterieur & maatwerkQR & techniek

The case in 30 seconds

Topkapi Restaurant

Problem: A versatile catering case in which web design, own photography, QR service, interior restyling, customization and camera security came together. Always the same question: how do you create something that feels neat, usable and hospitable on a limited budget?
Solution: Restaurant website from 2020 in which atmosphere, menu, QR routing and visitor registration formed one practical guest journey.
Role and focus: Website, customer flow
Status: Hospitality web case
Result: Page photo, project tracks

PeriodJune 2020

LocationAntwerp, Belgium

RollCreatieve & technische ondersteuning

WorkWeb, interieur, QR & camera

Core story

The website was the beginning

Topkapi had to immediately feel like a restaurant: warm, personal and without detours. The digital first impression had to do the same as the open facade: show who is behind the food and invite them to enter.

That's why I photographed not only the interior and the preparation, but also Ferdi, the owner of Topkapi. His portrait gave the website a personal face. The menu, the QR route and the registration form for the corona period made the digital layer usable when a guest was already in the business.

Gradually my role became broader. I also helped with the top floor, customization, decoration and camera security: always as creative and technical support around a specific need.

Portrait of Ferdi, owner of Topkapi, in a burgundy polo in front of the entrance to the restaurant. — Ferdi, owner of TopkapiPersonal photography for a hospitable website

Website impression

A complete restaurant website

The homepage combines the recognizable Topkapi logo with clear navigation and personal photography. The preparation brings the product close; the facade shows how open and lively the business was in the city.

Open facade of Topkapi during the day with guests on the terrace, plants and employees in the shop. — Website impressionThe original Topkapi logo, the personal kitchen photography and the lively open facade bring product, people and place together in one recognizable homepage.

First floor

From storage to extra dining room

Space was limited downstairs and in the winter the business at this busy city center location quickly filled up. On a small budget, we turned the upstairs storage space into a usable, warm dining space.

Top floor of Topkapi with a self-built illuminated window and a view of a Turkish cityscape. — Self-built eye-catcherA closed passage became a window on Istanbul

Lichtbak & raamwerk

Just get away to Istanbul

The upstairs space not only had to provide extra capacity, but also take guests out of Antwerp's city center. That's why I gave the long wall an illuminated window with a view over Istanbul, towards the historic skyline on the Golden Horn.

Behind that statue was a former passage that had been closed with plasterboard. I built the light box, the wooden window frame and the windowsill, and drew out where the hanging lighting and furniture would look best.

In a few weeks of evening and Christmas work, the storage space grew into a warm extra dining room with its own eye-catcher.

Starting pointMore capacity and atmosphere without a large renovation budget

Warm seating area on the top floor of Topkapi with brick look, wooden tables and poinsettia in the window. — Upper floorExtra seating with a warm, simple base

Other side of the top floor with sofas, tables and the burgundy custom cabinet. — Other sideThe custom cabinet became part of the new space

Maatwerk & kleine ingrepen

Small budget, individual character

Not every improvement required a major design process. A practical cupboard, an illuminated window, flowers and seasonal decorations made the difference between bare and well-groomed.

Decoration

Atmosphere in small interventions

Flowers, warm lighting and seasonal decoration brought color and attention to the store without overpowering the existing interior.

Wooden accent wall from Topkapi with warm lighting and burgundy-gold Christmas decorations. — Seasonal decorationA festive layer that continued to match the interior

Close-up of pink and orange flowers as an affordable atmospheric detail at Topkapi. — Small detailsFlowers and table decorations immediately provided more care and color

Customization in progress

Designed to fit here

The sideboard did not come from a catalog. I worked out the design for the available space; it was then built up from separate parts and assembled on the top floor.

Construction process of the sideboard on the upper floor with sawing machine, parts and two makers. — From design to implementationThe sideboard was built on site

Installation of the compartments of the custom-made buffet cabinet in Topkapi. — CustomizationCompartments tailored to the space and daily use

Local activation

Topkapi outside

At the New Year's fireworks on the Scheldt, I also helped with the concept and organization of a temporary outdoor stand. Together we determined what Topkapi could offer on that busy evening and how the issue would be practically organised.

Temporary Topkapi outdoor stand during New Year's Eve with Ferdi, employees and prepared distribution boxes. — New YearA temporary catering moment outside the regular business

Guest trip

From first impression to service

The website was not thought of as a separate screen. Each step is tailored to what a guest needs before, during and after the restaurant visit.

Invite

A warm hero and recognizable setting set the tone before a visitor has to read details.

Orientate

A compact route to Home and Menu keeps the first choice simple and calm.

Scan

QR routing brings the digital layer to the table and terrace moment.

Register

During the corona period, a practical registration form made mandatory guest registration part of the same customer flow.

My contribution

One case, many solutions

My role ranged from the digital front to practical improvements in the business. Not one fixed field, but thinking, designing and realizing around Topkapi's real needs.

Website

Structure and navigation

A clear homepage brought together atmosphere, menu, contact and the most important visitor routes.

Photography

Ferdi and the kitchen

My own portrait, interior and kitchen photography gave the website a recognizable and personal face.

Interior

Additional dining room

The former storage space was given seats, a lighting plan and a self-built window as a visual eye-catcher.

Customization

Window and sideboard

Practical objects were designed for the available space and built on site together with professionals.

Service

QR and corona registration

QR routing and the temporary registration form connected the website to the visit to the table.

Technology

Camera security

A separate camera installation gave the business a useful overview of the public space, entrance and counter.

Digital service

From website to table

QR Sticker was my own initiative for the catering industry. At Topkapi, this solution came at exactly the right time: guests could continue directly on their phone without a shared menu during the corona period.

QR StickerA tangible route from table to digital menu

Own product line

Menu directly on the table

The sticker brought the digital menu directly to the table and terrace. The same online route also supported the temporary registration form that was mandatory during the corona period.

The website, QR scan and registration were not separate parts, but one simple guest journey that was available at the right time.

01WebsiteAtmosphere and menu

02QR scanTable and terrace

03RegistrationCorona period

Also view the independent restaurant case of Il Boccone.

Camera security

Technology that works

In addition to web and interior design, I was already involved in home automation and camera security. For Topkapi I installed a camera system with which the most important parts of the business could be monitored from a single overview.