Happy New Year 2015

DRVO+AKUSTIKA | Belgrade Furniture Fair

WOOD+ACOUSTICS=?|TMD @ Belgrade Furniture Fair
/10-16th November 2014, Belgrade Fairgrounds, Hall 2, Level C/

Following acoustics product design workshop for students held this summer, aiming to design a bench which should, beside sculpturality, demonstrate, in the best way, the acoustical properties of wood, TMD department of University of Belgrade Faculty of Forestry presented two realized projects at Belgrade International Furniture Fair 2014: University awarded prototype of acoustical TERCA Table by student Uroš Janković, followed by the realized product from the workshop - acoustical bench WOOD+ACOUSTICS=? by group of authors./ Sledeći radionicu na temu oblikovanja proizvoda inspirisanih akustikom drveta, održane tokom letnjih meseci, a koja je imala za cilj projektovanje klupe koja će pored svoje skulpturalnosti na najbolji način predstaviti i akustična svojstva drveta, TMP odsek Šumarskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu predstavio je dva realizovana projekta na ovogodišnjem Beogradskom sajmu nameštaja: prototip akustičnog stola TERCA apsolventa Uroša Jankovića nagrađenog od Univerziteta u Beogradu, i proizvod koji je usledio kao rezultat radionice - akustičnu klupu DRVO+AKUSTIKA=? osmišljene od strane grupe studenata u radionici.

Project presented at Mikser Festival in Belgrade in 2014

Workshop mentors: 
Prof MA Jelena Matić, TMD University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry
Uroš Janković, student, TMD University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry
M Arch Aleksandra Burda Teaching Assistant, TMD University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry
Workshop participants-authors: Anđela Stanojević, Miljana Stevanović, Jelena Matić, Milica Grahovac, Petar Blagojević, Sonja Rodić, Tamara Papić, Marija Prelević
Professional Consultant/Asociate: Professor dr Zdravko Popović, TMD University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry
Help in Realisation: Zov Commerce, Beograd 

Mentori: Prof mr Jelena Matić,TMP Univerzitet u Beogradu, Šumarski fakultet
Uroš Janković, apsolvent, TMP Univerzitet u Beogradu, Šumarski fakultet
DIA Aleksandra Burda saradnik u nastavi. TMP Univerzitet u Beogradu, Šumarski fakultet
Učesnici: Anđela Stanojević, Miljana Stevanović, Jelena Matić, Milica Grahovac, Petar Blagojević, Sonja Rodić, Tamara Papić, Marija Prelevic.

Stručni konsultant/saradnik: Prof dr Zdravko Popović. TMP Univerzitet u Beogradu, Šumarski fakultet
Pomoć u realizaciji: Kompanija Zov Commerce, Beograd 

KSILOTEKA: ART & PROCESS

KSILOTEKA: THE ART & THE PROCESS 

/October 16th, 2014/ 

Communicating, equally through the form and the process, the Interactive wood ibrary KSILOTEKA, designed and built by students and mentors of University of Belgrade’s TMD department, in cooperation with Strajko Co, for their Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade, aimed to highlight new views on learning about wood, through direct and unique perception of its diversity, aesthetics and tactility. A year after the first exposure in Belgrade (2012 at the Mikser Festival, the Festival of Science, the DESIGN BLOCK at Belgrade International Furniture Fair), the project has been honored with the the prestigious 35th Belgrade Salon of Architecture Award (Experiment) and the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Award (Design solution).

Komunicirajući, jednako kroz formu i proces, Interaktivna biblioteka drvnih vrsta na Šumarskom fakultetu u Beogradu, osmišljena i realizovana od strane studenata i mentora sa Odseka TMP Šumarskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu, u saradnji sa preduzećem Strajko Co, pruža novi pogled na učenje o ovom drvetu, kroz neposredni doživljaj njegove raznolikosti, estetike i dodira. Godinu dana nakon prvog predstavljanja, u Beogradu 2012. god (Mikser Festivala, Festival nauke, i u selekciji DESIGN BLOCK na Međunarodnom sajmu nameštaja u Beogradu) projekat je ovenčan prestižnom prestižnom Nagradom na 35. Salonu Arhitekture u Beogradu (kategorija Eksperiment), kao i Godišnjom nagradom Privredne komore Beograda (kategorija Dizajnerska rešenja) .

THE CONCEPT / IDEJA

Materialized in cooperation between the Faculty and the local industry, the concept breaks up with traditional frameworks of learning and passive forms of acceptance and transfer of information, highlights the ability to perceive wood (as the material of contemporary design practice) through one’s personal experience and perception. The primary function – to collect and update the variety of samples for the purpose of clarity in presentation of its biological, mechanical and physical properties is thus achieved and expanded. The project has been realized in cooperation with Strajko Co, the company with vast experience in a variety of wood species; thanks to its activities, the potential to gather a wide variety of species from all over the world, as well as the enthusiasm of young authors from the University, the effort emerged the Interactive wood library unique to the region.

Ideja Ksiloteke, koja je realizovana u saradnji fakulteta i industrije, zasniva se na razbijanju klasičnih okvira učenja i forme pasivnog prihvatanja i prenosa informacija i mogućnosti da se kroz iskustvo i ličnu percepciju formira stav o drvetu kao materijalu savremene prakse projektovanja i dizajna. Osnovna funkcija ksiloteke, prikupljanje i ažuriranje različitih drvnih vrsta u cilju preglednosti i prezentacije bioloških, mehaničkih i fizičkih svojstava drveta, je na taj način ostvarena i proširena. Ksiloteka je realizovana u saradnji kompanije Strajko, koja poseduje višegodišnje iskustvo u radu sa najrazličitijim drvnim vrstama, i fakulteta. Zahvaljujući aktivnostima kompanije, koja je godinama prikupljala uzorke iz celog sveta, i entuzijazmu mladih ljudi sa Šumarskog fakulteta, nastala je ova biblioteka drvnih vrsta, jedinstvena u regionu.

THE INSTALLATION / POSTAVKA

The structure of the interactive installation is a set of four L-shaped mobile panel elements whose advantage is in a number of combinations, which gives a flexible configuration that can form different types of scenery within the same space. The outer is a smooth, bright, monochrome surface made from Koto wood, while the inner structure hides 148 samples of different wood species, in the form of interactive perky structure with chaotic form shaped to respond to the behavior of person who passes through the installation, indicating one’s presence at the very moment. Thirteen wood species were used to create the vertical forest of sticks. They all have different color, texture, odor, sound, hardiness, elasticity and density.

Strukturu interaktivne instalacije čine 4 nezavisna pokretna pločasta elementa L oblika, čija prednost je u velikom broju kombinacija, čime se dobija fleksibilan sklop koji pruža različito formirane kamerne scenografije u okviru istog prostora. Spoljašnji, završni sloj instalacije je glatka, svetla, monohromna površina izrađena od vrste drveta Koto u čijoj potkonstrukciji su skriveni uzorci 148 različitih vrsta drveta. Unutrašnji sloj predstavlja interaktivnu bodljikavu površinu koja svojom haotičnom strukturom reaguje na ponašanje osobe koja prolazi kroz instalaciju i upućuje na njeno prisustvo. Za izradu vertikalne šume štapova na zidu korišćeno je trinaest vrsta drveta, različitih po boji, teksturi, mirisu, zvuku, tvrdoći, elastičnosti i gustini. 

STRAJKO CO / PREDUZEĆE STRAJKO

The company Strajko Co  is an exclusive importer and exporter of both exotic and native wood. It offers wood of over 240 various tree species from all over the world. It has been on Serbian market since 2006 as a part of Strajko Group that has been developing its business in Russia for 15 years. The company`s business activities are strongly related to the territory and market of the Republika Srpska and Montenegro. Since 2008, the company has been offering authors’ exclusive interiors (furniture design, staircases and complex wooden structures, and high quality flooring), and exteriors (exterior timber cladding, pergolas, facades, summerhouses), unique saunas and restorations

Preduzeće Strajko CO je ekskluzivni uvoznik i izvoznik egzotičnog i domaćeg drveta. U ponudi ima preko 240 različitih vrsta drveta iz čitavog sveta. Strajko Co je na našem tržištu prisutan od 2006. godine i predstavlja ogranak Strajko Group koja vec 15 godina uspešno razvija svoje poslovanje u Rusiji. Strajko CO svoje poslove vezuje za teritorije Republike Srpske i Republike Crne Gore. Od 2008. godine nudi i autorske ekskluzivne enterijere (komadni nameštaj, stepeništa i složene drvene konstrukcije, vrhunski parketi), eksterijere (spoljašnje drvene obloge, pergole, fasade, letnjikovci), unikatne saune i restauracije.

TMD DEPARTMENT / ODSEK TMP

Furniture and Interior Design branch of TMD Department (Technology, Management and Design of Furniture and Wood Products) works on creating graduates, with a strong technical foundation, to develop and create new concepts in furniture industry. Students successfully exhibit their prototypes on professional fairs at home and abroad, as well as on a variety of cultural events. Their efforts and work have been appreciated with numerous awards and recognitions over the years. Especially within the Master academic program `Modeling of Wood Products`, where multidisciplinary approach and interweaving of academic knowledge and personal experience in related professional fields is particularly highlighted, a number of enrolled students coming from various related academic backgrounds, with particular affection to wood and desire to expand knowledge in this field, are attracted to this module.

Usmerenje za projektovanje nameštaja i enterijera odseka TMP (Tehnologije, Menadžment i Projektovanje nameštaja i proizvoda od drveta) radi na stvaranju stručnjaka koji sa jakom tehničkom podlogom razvijaju i stvaraju nove koncepte u industriji nameštaja. Studenti uspešno predstavljaju svoje prototipove na sajmovima u zemlji i inostranstvu, kao i na različitim kulturnim dešavanjima, a njihov trud i rad nagrađivani su brojnim nagradama i priznanjima. Posebno u okviru master modula Oblikovanje proizvoda od drveta neguju se multidisciplinarnost i preplitanje znanja i iskustava iz međusobno bliskih oblasti, pa tako veliki broj upisanih studenata, koji imaju naklonost prema drvetu i želju da prodube znanje iz ove oblasti, potiče sa srodnih fakulteta. 

THE TEAM / TIM

The project has been carried out within the workshop in which students, in collaboration with their mentors, actively participated in the process of the design and realization

Projekat je realizovan u okviru radionice u kojoj su studenti, u saradnji sa mentorima, imali priliku da aktivno učestvuju u procesu projektovanja i realizacije

Project leaders: / Rukovodioci projekta: 

MA Jelena Matić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Dragan Nikolić, Strajko CO / Preduzeće Strajko
Prof dr Zdravko Popović, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet

Workshop mentors: / Mentori radionice: 
M.Arch Miljana Nikolić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
B.Sc Milica Nešovanović, Strajko CO / Preduzeće Strajko
M.Arch Milica Dejanović, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet

Students-authors / Studenti autori:
Tijana Lukić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Milan Mlinar. TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Vojislav Dacić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Oksana Čolić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Gordana Stepanović, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet

Support in prototyping / Pomoć u izradi prototipa
Emir Bećiragić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Dragan Krivokapić, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet
Uroš Vitas, TMD Faculty of Forestry / TMP Šumarski fakultet

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE PROJECT CONTACT:: 
Project Leader Prof Jelena Matić jelena.matic@sfb.bg.ac.rs, or Workshop mentor M. Arch Milica Dejanović, dejanov_m@yahoo.com

PROJECT TERCA - UNIVERSITY BEST SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONAL PAPER

TERCA | UNIVERSITY BEST SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONAL PAPER

/September 2014/ To celebrate the 206th anniversary of University of Belgrade, diplomas were awarded to the best scientific research papers, in 4 scientific groups.  The award for technology and engineering sciences paper, went to student Uroš Janković for acustic design and research of table/furniture TERCA

TERCA prototype was designed and developed by student Uros Janković, at University of Belgrade's TMD Department (Faculty of Forestry) and it also entered this year's winning selection of Young Balkan Designers competition. For more details visit the following ARTICLE

TMP | UPIS BEZ POLAGANJA PRIJEMNOG ISPITA
/18.7 i 21.7. 2014, 10-13 č, Šumarski fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu, Kneza Višeslava 1/

Kandidati koji su položili matematiku ili fiziku na nekom od tehničkih fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu ili prijemni ispit na Arhitektonskom fakultetu u Beogradu, a nisu stekli mogućnost upisa na tim fakultetima, mogu se upisati na Šumarski fakultet - Odsek za tehnologije, menadžment i projektovanje nameštaja i proizvoda od drveta bez polaganja dodatnog prijemnog ispita.

Potrebno je da zainteresovani kandidati 18.07. ili 21.07.2014. godine od 10-13 časova donesu potvrdu o položenom prijemnom ispitu iz Matematike ili Fizike sa fakulteta na kome su polagali ili potvrdu o položenom prijemnom ispitu sa Arhitektonskog fakulteta, kao i svedočanstva iz srednje škole. Potrebni formulari za upis se mogu nabaviti u skriptarnici Šumarskog fakulteta.

Za više informacija posetiti:
stranicu fakulteta: SFB.BG.AC.RS
stranicu na fejsbuku: TMP 2014 / UPIS BEZ PRIJEMNOG

Free Entry Training Space and Form

FREE ENTRY TRAINING | Space & Form 2014 
(Besplatna priprema za srednjoškolce)

Odsek za tehnologije, menadžment i projektovanje nameštaja i proizvoda od drveta, Šumarskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu, organizuje besplatni pripremni kurs za prijemni test PROSTOR I OBLIK / broj mesta ograničen, prijave do 30. aprila na projektovanje@sfb.bg.ac.rs / poslati ime, prezime, naziv srednje škole koju pohađate, i vaš kontakt telefon /
Dodane info i materijali na PROSTOR I OBLIK
/
Department of Technology, Management and Design of Furniture and Wood Products, University of Belgrade-Faculty of Forestry, is conducting a free preparatory course for the entrance exam SPACE & FORM / number of seats are limited, registration until April 30 to projektovanje@sfb.bg.ac.rs / send your name, the name of the high school you attend, and your contact phone /

Additional information and materials (in Serbian) SPACE & FORM 

GERMANY'S FIRST FEMALE University-trained ENGINEER | Jovanka Bončić 

Serbian/Yugoslav female architect graduated TU Darmstadt in 1913

Jovanka Bontschits (Jovanka Bončić- Katerinić 1887 Niš - 1966. Belgrade) was TH Darmstadt's first female graduate and Germany's first female university-trained engineer (architect) in 1913.

Before Germany she previously acquired practice in Serbian national railways. As architect, she had designed the well known university buildings: Teachers’ Training Faculty and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Belgrade, then the famous Bans Court in Banja Luka, as well as part of the spa bath in the Banja Koviljača resort.

Prize awarded by the University of Darmstadt, as well as a street in campus carry her name. The Jovanka Bontschits Prize is awarded to outstanding female graduates of the Department of Materials and Earth Sciences. It was initiated by the department’s female representatives and is funded by the gender equality budget.
More information at Jovanka Bontschits Prize

Young Balkan Designers TERCA table

YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS:
TERCA TABLE IN THE WINNING SELECTION

TERCA "musical" furniture prototype by student Uroš Janković enters the winning selection of Young Balkan Designers
/March 2014, Young Balkan Designers Competition/

TERCA by Uroš Janković (photo Predrag Mladenović)

"The fact that the wood is a material of excellent acoustic properties, therefore widely used to create musical instruments, influenced the creation of TERCA Table". The combination modern technology with traditional materials, especially wood, is the well known creative stamp of Uroš Janković, TMD student, now a proud designer/owner of Wood Line Studio, based in Belgrade, who's work entered the 25 winning designs at Young Balkan Designers 2014 competition.

With TERCA, users can play their favourite songs by inserting their MP3 or phone into the table cable port and the effects of sound will surprise you, SEE THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO OF THIS PROJECT

Ghost Project 2014: Call for International Design Competition

MIKSER FESTIVAL 2014 CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION

„GHOST PROJECT 2014: SOCIAL INNOVATION”

ABOUT GHOST PROJECT

Ghost Project is an international platform for talented individuals in the area of product design. Starting as a small local exhibition of unexecuted projects in 2006, Ghost Project has grown to one of the largest regional reviews of design talents from around the world, enhancing the exchange between designers from different cultural backgrounds and giving unique insight into upcoming design resources.

THEME
The Ghost Project’ slogan: Social Innovation calls for new concepts, initiatives and solutions that use design tools to strengthen community. We encourage projects whose innovative features are driven by social demands rather than the market. Competition embraces creative re-combination of existing assets: human capital, cultural heritage, local craftsmanship and accessible innovative technology aiming at establishing communication, sustainability and sense of common well-being within a contemporary civic society.

COMPETITION SUBJECT
Design concepts, community projects, products, furniture, lighting, interior elements, everyday objects, home accessories, fashion garments, stationary, aid products, recycled materials, etc. that offer innovative yet rational solutions to everyday problems. Criteria appreciated by the Jury: innovative features that enhance the quality of contemporary life; ergonomics; rational production costs; use of materials available locally; environmentally friendly production process; significant social impact.

JURY
Ana Kraš, Product designer, Photographer, Illustrator, New York City, USA
Jelena Matić, Furniture Designer; Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade; Serbia
Jovana Zhang Furniture designer; Design Director, Pinwu studio, Hangzhou, China
Maja Lalić, Architect; Creative Director and Founder, Mikser Festival, Belgrade, Serbia
Nikola Radeljković, Product Designer; Numen / ForUse, Zagreb, Croatia
Salih Teskeredžić, Product Designer; Professor, Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

GENERAL TERMS
The competition is open to all persons aged 35 years and younger, from all over the world.
Applicants may be individuals or groups of creators.
Each applicant may submit more than one entry.

DEADLINES
The competition is open from 30 March – 30 April 2014. The jury will announce the results of competition: The Exhibition, Ghost Project, on 5 May 2014. The Ghost Project exhibition takes place from 3 - 8 June 2014. The Mikser Festival Awards Ceremony will be held at the last day of the Ghost Project exhibition at the Mikser Festival 2014.

REGISTRATION AND PROJECT SUBMISSION
Applicants will be able to register and submit their projects by filling in a Ghost Project form online at http://ghost.mikser.rs/ until 30 April 2014.

AWARD
Award – Participation in Mikser Festival 2014:
Ghost Project Exhibition / Design Marathon - Portfolio Presentation / Design Workshops / Mikser Awards Ceremony

Winners of the Competition will become participants of the Mikser Festival 2014, Southeast Europe's largest regional festival of creativity and innovation taking place in Belgrade’s creative quarter of Savamala, from 3-8 June, 2014. The award includes:

a) Participation in the central talent exhibition Ghost Project 2014: Social Innovation;
b) Public presentation of the winner’s work at the international Design Marathon;
c) Active participation in one of the festival Creative Workshops* run by mentors who are renown international professionals coming from various fields of creative disciplines.
d) International Jury made of respectful professionals, guests of the Mikser Festival, will award the best projects with special recognitions in several product categories which will be announced at the Mikser Awards Ceremony, on the last day of the festival.

*detailed program of workshops and the list of the Jury members to be announced with the final program of the Mikser Festival 2014 at the beginning of May 2014

IMPORTANT NOTES
By submitting this application, designers commit - if selected to participate in the Ghost Project 2014 exhibition - to produce prototypes and secure their presence at the Mikser Festival in Belgrade at their own expense, to take active participation in the Mikser workshops and presentations, to bring their prototypes to the festival venue on 2 June 2014, and remove them from the festival venue on 9 June 2014.

MIKSER will exhibit the winning entries during Mikser Festival, from 3-8 June 2014. Upon the announcement of the competition results, the Organizer will contact the laureates to provide them with the official invitation letter to accompany their prototypes during the transportation and local information for affordable accommodation.

The decisions of the jury are final. Any claims arising in relation to the authorship of the design or of possible plagiarism thereof, will be the responsibility of the designer. In the event of non-fulfillment of any of the rules herein, the design submitted will be excluded from the Competition.

Inquiries:
ghostproject@mikser.rs

ORGANIZER:
Mikser Association

www.mikser.rs

Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Award to Vanja Enbulajev

AWARD FOR BEST MASTER THESIS GOES TO VANJA ENBULAJEV

This year's Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Annual Award for Master thesis awarded to TMD student.

/April 2nd, 2014, Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, Kneza Miloša, Belgrade/

The annual awards of Belgrade Chamber of Commerce for best doctoral, master and graduation thesis, inventions, design and technical innovations are granted with the aim to promote successful linking of science and business and the affirmation of inventions, designers and innovative solutions applicable in the economy.

This year's Award for Best Master Thesis goes to student Vanja Enbulajev, for her successful thesis 'Wooden Folding Chairs - The Use and Development' /Drvene stolice na rasklapanje - upotreba i razvoj/ done at the University of Belgrade-Faculty of Forestry, Department for Technology Management and Design of Furniture and Wood Products (60 ECTS Master program: MODELLING OF WOOD PRODUCTS). Annual awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, 16 April of 2014.

NEMOGUCI DIZAJN

IMPOSSIBLE DESIGN / NEMOGUĆI DIZAJN / IN BELGRADE

Exhibition of the best works from The Impossible Design Contest for young designers held in Belgrade

/4-21 March 2014, Gallery of Science & Technology of Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences (SANU) Đure Jakšića 2 Belgrade/

The contest Impossible design was organised in 2013, with the support of the Center for the Promotion of Science in Belgrade, by the Laboratory 3D Impuls, Faculty of Mechanical and Civil Engineering in Kraljevo.

The exhibition program presents 3D objects inspired by science, as well as a 3D printer and 3D scanner technology It brings out the best projects from the contest, authored by students, young designers and engineers up to 30 years old. Their projects respond to the one of the greatest challenges of science, especially in Serbia - to find a link between fundamental research and technological applications in industry and everyday life.

The program also includes 3 day lectures of renewed experts and a panel discussions:

• Thursday, March 6th, 6 pm: LECTURE: DESIGN OF THE FUTURE / Slobodan Coba Jovanović, Center for the Promotion of Science 
• Tuesday, March 11th, 6 pm: LECTURE:HOW IS IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE? / Dr. Snežana Ćirić Kostić, Laboratory "3D Impulse", Faculty of Mechanical and Civil Engineering in Kraljevo 
• Thursday, March 13th , 6 pm: PANEL:THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY 
• Tuesday, March 18th, 6 pm: LECTURE: INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND DIGITAL PRODUCTION / Prof. Kosta Krsmanović, Faculty of Applied Arts, Belgrade 
• Thursday, March 20th, 6 pm: PANEL: INTERNET AND DESIGN 

Welcome :) / More info at CPN Elementarium Portal

YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS 2014

OPEN CALL FOR REGIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION:

YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS 2014

ABOUT
Young Balkan Designers is a regional talent platform dedicated to identifying, promoting and developing creative potentials of the Balkansin the field of conceptual and product design.The two-year program consists of the regional design competition (February – March, 2014), an international touring exhibition of the winning projects (May 2014 – February 2015), and a series of residency workshops and practical trainings around the region (March 2015 – February 2016), tailored for the final three winners of the project, pursued in cooperation with the leading regional design manufacturers

As a result of the evolution of the project, two regional partner organizations are joining Mikser in organizing and managing the Young Balkan Designers project. Cooperation network among equal partners: Croatian Design Association, Public Room form Macedonia and Mikser organization from Serbia pose a fresh challenge for the project this year. Young Balkan Designers initiative aims at unifying regional design scene, bringing it closer to the international market, strengthening its creative potential by offering additional education and practice, while at the same time contributes to the restoration of multi-cultural cooperation in the Balkan region.

THEME
The Young Balkan Designers slogan for 2014: “EVERYDAY HEROES”emphasizes the power of simple, incremental changes in social behavior that designers can contribute to their community, collaborating with the locals, visioning and solving local problems and needs related to the economic crisis, limited resources, and the necessity for people to search for alternatives to inefficientpublic services. Competition Young Balkan Designers 2014 callsfor more impactful design solutions that can serve as a catalyst for social innovation in everyday lives within local communities, and mobilizes designers to provide not only the final products, but to design tools, concepts and services that help communities and individuals to solve their own problems. Offering visions of possible worlds in the limited conditions of Balkan production and economy, by facilitating people to achieve the sense of well-being rather than material wealth, Young Balkan Designers prove that more sustainable society is not an utopia in the Balkans, and that designers themselves are “the change they want to see in the world”, translating the experience of small community  projectsinto their active role in a more sustainable future both for our region, and for our planet.

COMPETITION SUBJECT AND CRITERIA
Design concepts, products (furniture, lighting, interior elements, everyday objects, home accessories, stationary, aid products), urban services, recycled materials, fashion garments, etc. that offer innovative yet rationalsolutions to everyday problems. Criteria appreciated by the Jury: innovative features that enhance thequality of community life; ergonomics; rational production costs; use of materials available locally;environmentally friendly production process; significant social impact.

JURY
President:
Konstantin Grcic, Industrial Designer, KGID (Germany)

Nikola Radeljković, Product Designer, Numen / ForUse (Croatia)
Ivana Borovnjak, Product Designer; Director, Croatian Design Association (Croatia)
Jelena Matić, Furniture Designer, Professor at the University of Belgrade; (Serbia)
Aleksandar Velinovski, Design manager; Founder, Skopje Design Week (Macedonia)
Maja Lalić, Architect; Creative Director and Founder, Mikser organization (Serbia)

GENERAL TERMS
The competition is open to all persons aged 35 years and younger, from the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey.

Applicants may be individuals or groups of creators.Each applicant may submit more than one entry.

DEADLINES
The competition is open from 3 February – 10 March 2014
The jury will announce the winners of the:Competition Level 1:Selected designers for the TOURING EXHIBITION YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS, on 15March 2014.

Competition Level 2: Selected designers for the RESIDENCY WORKSHOPS AND PRACTICAL TRAINING PROGRAM, will be announced in December 2014

REGISTRATION AND PROJECT SUBMISSION
Applicants will be able to register and submit their projects by filling in a Young Balkan Designers form online at www.ybd.mikser.rs until 10 March 2014 at 23.59

AWARDS
Award / Level 1:TOURING EXHIBITION “YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS”
Tenbest projects will be selected among the competition entries to participate in the Young Balkan Designers exhibition which will be on tour to all major regional design events and fairs including:

D Day in Zagreb (25-29 May, 2014); Mikser Festival in Belgrade (3-8 June, 2014), One Design Week in Plovdiv (20–29 June, 2014); Skopje Design Week (September 2014);Klaster Festival in Podgorica (October, 2014); Tirana Design Week (October, 2014); Belgrade Furniture Fair (November, 2014),and many more.

Award / Level 2: RESIDENCY WORKSHOPS AND PRACTICAL TRAINING PROGRAM
Three best designers will be selected among exhibition participants to attend a series of residency workshops and practical trainings around the region (Zagreb, Belgrade, Skopje), pursued in cooperation with the leading regional design manufacturers throughout the period from March 2015 till February 2016.

IMPORTANT NOTES
By submitting this application, designers commit, if selected to participate in the Young Balkan Designers exhibition, to develop prototypes or produce relevant presentation of their conceptual project and secure their transportation to Zagreb, Croatiaby 22 May 2014, at their own expense. Upon the announcement of the competition results, the Organizers will contact the laureates to providethem with the official invitation letter to accompany their prototypes during the transportation and the detailed information about the delivery location. After D Day in Zagreb designers leave their prototypeswith the YBD organizational team for the purpose of the touring exhibition for the duration of one year. The return of the selected prototypes is possible upon request and the return transportation costs need to be covered by the designer.

The decisions of the jury are final. Any claims arising in relation to the authorship of the design or of possible plagiarism thereof, will be the responsibility of the designer. In the event of non-fulfilment of any of the rules herein, or in the case of inconsistency of the prototype with the project selected by the jury, the objects submitted will be excluded from the Competition.

MAIN ORGANIZERS:
HDD / Croatia / dizajn.hr
MIKSER / Serbia / mikser.rs
PUBLIC ROOM / Macedonia / publicroom.org

INFO &INQUIRIES:
ybd@mikser.rs 
www.ybd.mikser.rs
www.mikser.rs

*Special thanks to Ezio Manzini for the inspiration for this year’s competition theme

Press Contact:
Maja Lalić, Mikser
+381 62 80 40 130

maja@mikser.rs