prostoria 10 marks decade of design with climbable net pavilion, sculptures & exhibition

‘it is a blend of teamwork and living knowledge,’ says prostoria’s Chairman speaking of the furniture company’s course through time

from a small manufacturer of upholstered furniture into a formidable industrial operation, croatian company prostoria celebrates 10 years of rapid development in an exhibition of industrial history and philosophy. titled ‘prostoria 10’, the research-based design brand presents the notion of furniture design as a demanding technological process which, in addition to functionality and ergonomics, also focuses on comfort as an important factor.

‘prostoria’s industrial base, regardless of how big it may have grown, remains in essence a creative workshop led by craftsmen who have grown to become masters in their given fields. over the years our craftsmen have learned from our designers, and our designers have learned from our craftsmen, frequently over the course of collaborative projects that may last months or years. what has arisen from this is far more than just a line of furniture products. it is a blend of teamwork and living knowledge, and as such lies at the heart of all of prostoria’s activities’, says tomislav knezovic, prostoria’s chairman.

the prostoria net (by numen / for use) art installation spreads like a large urban furniture on the lawn in front of the meštrović pavilion

all images courtesy of prostoria unless stated otherwise
image by domagoj blazevic

showcased through a short film, ‘prostoria 10’ proudly shows how the croatian company has grown into a powerful industry leader as it rose up in the transition from social ownership to free-market capitalism. with a manufacturing culture based on the brand’s own previous industrial heritage, a rich timeline narrative is revealed. from 2011, high-quality products, collaborations, exhibits and world exposure brought the business into the international global furniture market.

‘although it was the importance of design that radically defined our product portfolio and the identity of the brand, we continue to regard design as a tool for ensuring both the authenticity and the quality of the product rather than an end in itself,’ adds the chairman.

produced in prostoria’s factory, the net pavilion (numen/foruse) is perceived like a gift to the citizens and is accepted by all generations as an outdoor living room

image by domagoj blazevic

the exhibition narrates prostoria’s 10 year industrial history

a large proportion of the exhibition was created specially for the occasion: the photography of the ‘revisiting architecture’ project (art direction by biro) connects the modernist architecture values of zagreb with the design language of prostoria’s products; the set of ‘art in the factory’ installations by sculptor anđela vilić, are made from remnants of the production materials; and the ‘the essence’ sculptures created by the boir studio, present natural materials and master skills present in prostoria. divided into 10 rooms, the journey ends in the ‘bacva’ gallery, marked by number 10, themed ‘makers at the core’. in addition a short selection of the brand’s designs are presented alongside an engaging animation of the brand’s 233 employees.

‘prostoria always tries to do something not only for its success and the people within it, but for the common good. what I am proud of is the contribution to the community in development and innovation, but also in the perception of croatia outside croatia. that’s because we have raised the bar, we have focused on the products of the highest quality on the market with added value, original and innovative products and as such we place them in the world, thus creating a correct image of croatia,’ continues tomislav knezovic.

film prostoria 10 – makers at the core

oblique easy chair in the setting of an outdoor scenery highlighted by the architecture of the mestrovic pavilion in zagreb.

image by vanja solin

‘makers at the core’ as the final 10th category of the exhibition featuring a short selection of prostoria’s designs and all 233 employees presented in an animation.

image by domagoj blazevic

prostoria’s extraordinary outdoor world in the meštrović pavilion (1938). the building is a home of croatian visual artist, designed by ivan meštrović, a croatian sculptor, architect and writer.

‘makers at the core’ as the final 10th category of the exhibition featuring a short selection of prostoria’s designs and all 233 employees presented in an animation.

image by domagoj blazevic

art in the factory – art installations created by the sculptor andjela vilic are made from remnants of the production materials in prostoria’s factory.

revisiting architecture editorial (art direction: biro) is connecting the values of zagreb’s modernist architecture with the design language of brand’s products.

image by RA photos: m. mihaljevic, j. zivkovic

design process is featured with trifidae armchair (right). material’s essence sculptures reflect the use of materials of natural origin & manufacturing skills (design: boir studio).