beli-mikser-logo-600x600png-01.png

srb | eng

YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS

Young Balkan Designers (YBD) is Mikser organization’s regional talent platform aimed at discovering, developing and promoting creative talents of the Balkan region in the field of sustainable design. The initiative also aims at unifying the regional design scene, bringing it closer to the international audience, strengthening its potential by providing additional education and practice to emerging designers, while at the same time contributing to the restoration of multi-cultural cooperation in the Balkan region.

In 2023 Mikser curators teamed up with the visionaries of the NUNC company in launching a special edition of Young Balkan Designers competition, creating a unique opportunity for the next generation of Balkan designers to join Nunc on its mission to reinterpret the region’s rich tradition and culture into innovative and recognizable contemporary design products. 

Nunc is a furniture manufacturer from Slavonia, Croatia. It debuted on international design scene in 2019 at the furniture fair in Cologne Germany, and it has been growing and conquering international markets ever since. Nunc’s witty and refreshing approach to design of everyday objects comes from collaboration with emerging designers from the entire region, many of which have debuted on the regional and international scene via Young Balkan Designers platform.

The competition theme “Here and Now – Hybrid Solutions for Contemporary Living, Work, Exchange and Play” calls for sustainable, smart, flexible design solutions for ever-changing environments and circumstances we live in nowadays. Technological breakthrough opens new possibilities of remote working and flexible working arrangements that also affect configuration of our personal and communal spaces. On the other hand, the global health crisis gave us time to reflect on our personal values and aspirations, leading to mass self-reflection on the ways we want to spend most of our day – where, when, with whom and why.

We challenge young designers to explore new furniture and space functions for in-between and overlapping areas of everyday worlds: home, work, school, public spaces, fun, intimate and communal zones, urban and rural environments, static and moving experiences.

The international jury panel consists of Marva Whilshire Griffin, curator of Salone Satellite at Milan International Furniture Fair, industrial designer Henriette Waal, professor at Eindhoven Design Academy and Director of Experimental Research of Atelier Luma in Arles; product designer Nikola Radeljkovic, of Numen/For Use collective based in Croatia; Jelena Matic, product designer and professor at Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade and Maja Lalic, architects and founder of Belgrade’s Mikser Association.

The Jury will select the most inspiring works to be exhibited at the YBD for NUNC Exhibition during Belgrade International Furniture Fair, where NUNC product development team will choose the projects to be further developed into real NUNC products and exhibited at the famous International Milan Furniture Fair.

The competition is open till September 2023.

The winners will be announced on October 2nd.

 

Full Competition Text HERE 

Back to YBD Balkan Design in Milan Balkan Design in Milan initiative connects all relevant design presentations of Balkan companies and design collectives during Milan Design Week

Back to YBD Meet Young Balkan Designers 2022 The winning projects of the Young Balkan Designers competition that will represent regional creative scene at Salone Satellite of Salon

Meet Young Balkan Designers

Back to YBD Meet Young Balkan Designers 2022 The winning projects of the Young Balkan Designers competition that will represent regional creative scene at Salone Satellite of Salone del Mobile are selected by the international jury of relevant figures in the field of contemporary design and

...

Balkan Design in Milan

Back to YBD Balkan Design in Milan Balkan Design in Milan initiative connects all relevant design presentations of Balkan companies and design collectives during Milan Design Week 2022 gathered around the informal Balkan Design Network established with the aim of providing mutual support and uniting voices

...

Young Balkan Designers at Salone Satellite 2022

Back to YBD Young Balkan Designers at Salone Satellite 2022 Fiera Milano, Rho / Hall 1-3 / Booth B02-C01 At the Salone Satellite of International Furniture Fair in Milan 2022, Mikser presents the winners of its signature competition Young Balkan Designers whose projects enhance human well

...

PLACES OF YBD

JURY & MENTORS

Maja Lalić

Creative Director, Mikser Association

Jelena Matić

Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade

Nikola Radeljković

Industrial Designer, Numen/ForUse

Marcus Fairs

Founder & Editor in Chief, Dezeen.com

Marva Griffin

Founder & Curator, Salone Satellite, Milan International Furniture Fair

Henriette Waal

Co-Founder & Artistic Research Director Atelier Luma / Social Design Master Tutor, Eindhoven Design Academy, Netherlands

Loukas Angelou

Designer and Co-founder, StudioLav

Vasso Asfi

Designer and Co-founder, StudioLav

Jovana Zhang

Designer & Founder, Pinwu Studio

Ana Kraš

Artist & Designer

Denis Leo Hegić

Founder, Supermaret Lab / Curator, Museum of Now

Konstantin Grčić

Industrial Designer, Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design

Jan Boelen

Artistic Director, Atelier Luma

Ladeja Godina Košir

Founder, Circular Change

Orhan Nikšić

Founder & CEO, Zanat

Tomislav Knezović

Founder & CEO, Prostoria

Zoran Jedrejčić

Industrial designer, Zoran Jedrejcic Design Studio

Ivana Borovnjak

Designer, Studio Oaza