Prostoria Net pavilion & exhibition showcasing Prostoria’s design spirit

It comes as no surprise that Prostoria has, in the space of ten years, grown from being a small manufacturer of upholstered furniture into a formidable industrial operation based on a philosophy of research-based design where sustainability is embedded in the design process. This exhibition, celebrating 10 years of rapid development of Prostoria as a successful international design brand, presented the notion of furniture design as a demanding technological process of development which, in addition to functionality and ergonomics, also focuses on comfort as an important factor. For the “Prostoria 10” project, a large part of the content was originally created – from the photographs related to the “Revisiting Architecture” project (art direction by Biro), which is connecting the values of modernist architecture of Zagreb with the design language of Prostoria’s products, all to way to the “Art in the Factory” set of art installations created by the sculptor Anđela Vilić, made from remnants of the production materials, and the “The Essence” sculptures created by the Boir studio, which present natural materials and master skills present in Prostoria. The exhibition was divided into 10 rooms, and it ended in the “Bacva” gallery, which is marked by number 10 and whose theme was “Makers at the Core”, where, in addition to a short selection of Prostoria’s designs, all 233 employees of this brand were presented in an impressive animation. The exhibition is also accompanied by a short film titled “Prostoria 10”, which shows the development of Prostoria. Prostoria was born into an industry that did not have a natural leader and succeeded, with time, to win that position for itself. It grew on the ruins of a once powerful Croatian furniture industry, propelled into decline by the transition from social ownership to free-market capitalism. Prostoria decided to base its manufacturing culture on its own previous industrial heritage. “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. 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. “ – highlighted Tomislav Knezovic, Prostoria’s CEO.