24^th Biennial of Design (BIO) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, is opening its doors to public on   September 18^th 2014 unveiling a new concept and the results of an ambitious six month collaborative work process of 11 teams. The main show will be accompanied by an exhibition, celebrating Biennial's 50^th anniversary and its history, and a lively program NOW set to animate the city of Ljubljana for the full duration of BIO 50.

The 2014 edition of BIO is celebrating its 50^th anniversary and is doing so by breaking from tradition. The jubilee edition is curated by Belgian curator Jan Boelen, who changed the Biennial's concept into a new innovative form of design event advancing from international competition toward collaboration and experimentation. »It is necessary to break with the fetishisation of products that has alienated design from production. I believe that BIO should play a role in this field and strive to support creativity in its most delicate and vulnerable stage. This means that in the future, BIO has to increasingly play a research-based, experimental role«, explains Matevž Čelik, the director of Museum of Architecture and Design in Ljubljana.

For six months, more than 100 multidisciplinary participants from 20 countries have been collaborating on 11 chosen themes of Affordable Living, Knowing Food, Public Water Public Space, Walking the City, Hidden Crafts, The Fashion System, Hacking Households, Nanotourism, Engine Blocks, Observing Space and Designing Life. »From a constant postcard exchange between the Walking the City team members, to Skype dinners with diverse ingredients organised by the Knowing Food group, the participants have found countless ways to surprise us, displaying an engaging resourcefulness and boundless enthusiasm«, said BIO 50 curator Jan Boelen.

To mark the opening of BIO 50 on September 18^th 2014, an international jury comprising industrial designer Konstantin Grcic, design critic Alice Rawsthorn and designer and professor Saša J. Mächtig, will grant a newly established Award for Best Collaboration. The outcomes of each team's collaborative work will be exhibited at the Museum of Architecture and Design, Jakopič Gallery and at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana for the full duration of BIO 50.

Highlight of BIO 50 is also the accompanying historical exhibition celebrating its history and shedding light on the transformation and shifts in the discipline of design, our society, and ultimately everyday life in the last fifty years. To mark Biennial’s 50^th anniversary properly, a lively program of events, exhibits and lectures entitled NOW will animate the city of Ljubljana for the full duration of the BIO 50.

ABOUT THE BIENNAL OF DESIGN IN LJUBLJANA

The Biennial of Design (BIO) is one of the world’s oldest and longest-running international design events. Established in 1963 with the first exhibition in 1964, BIO explores and presents current developments in international design through a critical selection process of projects and proposals. The BIO catalogues that accompany every biennial carry exceptional cultural and historical value, representing a unique overview of design from Slovenia and around the world, as assembled and exhibited at BIO over the past five decades.

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Website: http://bio.si/en/
Twitter: twitter.com/@BIO_50

Facebook: www.facebook.com/muzej.za.arhitekturo.in.oblikovanje

Instagram: instagram.com/bio_50

DATA SHEET:

Official name of the project: BIO 50, 24^th Biennial of Design Ljubljana

Location: Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Client: Museum of Architecture and Design

Group mentors:

Aidan Cerar, Tina Pezdirc Nograšek, Tulga Beyerle, Marko Peterlin, Judith Seng, Lucas Mullie, Digna Kosse, Marko Fatur, Aldo Bakker, Tomos Research and Development Team, Dino Klobas, Gaspard Beres and Tristan Kopp, Tina Hočevar, Eugenia Morpurgo, Evan Frenkel, Tilen Sepič, Jesse Howard, Aljoša Dekleva and Tina Gregorič, Miha Turšič, Jurij Krpan, William Myers.

Team members:

Primož Pislak, Antoine Monnet, Ricardo Carneiro, Jean Baptiste Carneiro, Nuša Jelenec, Gaja Mežnarić Osole, Leonora Jakovljević, Jan Kikelj, Sergej Kuckir, Frederico Proprio, Ema Gerovac, Amelia Desnoyers, Katarina Dekleva, Tadej Kržišnik, Janez Mesarič, David Tavčar, Dea Kaker, Alessandro Fonte, Zaven Zaven, Annika Frye, Ernest Nograšek, Oloop, Dejan Kos, Klemen Smrtnik, Urša Vrhunc, Emile De Visscher, Anna Badur, Klemen Zupančič, Klara Zalokar, Liene Jakobsone, Emanuel Gollob, Matthew Collings, Sophie Rzepecky, Carolien Van den Hole, Martin Abbott, Marta Ostajewska, Mima Suhadolc, Aya Bentur, Ben Landau, Maja Baloh, Giuditta Vendrame, Paolo Patelli, Fala Atelier, Georg Rafailidis, Pedro Gomes, Brina Vizjak, Lucas Wegwerth, Corinna Dehn, Dirk Osinga, Aleksandr Mergold, Aleš Ogorevc, Gregor Bucik, Neira Sinanbasic, Martina Muzi, Maša Mertelj, Anna Kokalanova, Staša Dabič Perica, Adrian Friend, Luka Ločičnik, Lee Ivett, Urša Babnik, Mika Cimolini, Thibault Brevet, Leonardo Amico, Jure Martinec, Nataša Mušević, Marko Juvan, Coralie Gourguechon, Erazem Bohinc, Rogier Arents, Daniela de Paulis, Carlos Gendall, Joseph Popper, Andrej Strehovec, Pomme van Hoof, Tanja Grosman, Mats Horbach, Barbara Nawrocka, Dominika Wilczynska, Žiga Rošer, Silvia Susanna, Alessandro Fonte, Living Courtyards Initiative, Kaja Pogačar, Robert Veselko, Maja Pegan, Tajša Perović, Maja Jenko, Oaza, Ivana Borovnjak, Roberta Bratović, Tina Ivezić, Maja Kolar, Ana-Marija Poljanec, Nina Bračun, Maja Kolar, Danijel Kurinčič, Nuno Pires Figueiras, Polona Černič, David Lotrič, Marjeta Fendre, Tadeja Bučar, Tanja Pađan, Katja Grčman, Elena Fajt, Clara Vankerschaver, SQUAT Društvo, Duygu Olcek, Aleksandra Szymanska, Matija Čop, Stephanie Passul, Henriëtte Waal, Asnate Bočkis, Matic Vrabič, Vanja Gortnar, John Stanislav Sadar, Bennie Meek, Atelier MaDe, Ulay - Frank Uwe Laysiepen, Lena Pislak, Dimitrios Stamatis, Tjasa Avsec, David Benque, Špela Petrič, Pei-Ying Lin, Jasmina Weiss.

Partners:

Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region, Regional Creative Economy

Centre • Faculty of Architecture • Prostorož • Sašo Medved, Laboratory for Sustainable Technologies in Buildings, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering • Institute for Spatial policies (IPoP) • Steklarna Hrastnik, d. o. o. • Tiporenesansa • Kamena • Petrič, d. o. o. • Rokodelski center Ribnica • Interseroh, d. o. o. & Consensus, d. o. o. & Plastika Skaza, d. o. o. • Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering • Nataša Peršuh, Squat • Lidija Pritržnik, Gorenje Design Studio • Architectural Association (AA), School of Architecture, Visiting school • Tomos, d. o. o. • KSEVT – Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies • Kapelica Gallery • National Institute of Biology.

BIO project group:

Matevž Čelik, director

Maja Šuštaršič, Head of Biennial of Design

Anja Zorko, Head of marketing

Vera Sacchetti, advisor to the curatorial team

Nikola Pongrac, project manager

Ana Kuntarič, project coordinator

Mojca Mihailovič and Eva Perčič, groups project managers

Pika Domenis, public relations

Taja Topolovec, social media editor

Ajdin Bašič, graphic design

Curatorial Team:

Jan Boelen

Maja Vardjan

Cvetka Požar

Project end date: December 7^th 2014