Officially established in the fall of 1963 at the initiative of Ljubljana City Council, Chamber of Commerce of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia and different professional associations, the Biennial of (Industrial) Design was designed as a biennial comparative exhibition of Yugoslavian and foreign achievements in industrial design. Next to Triennale di Milano, BIO was one of the most important European design events in the 1960s, and the first biennial of its kind in the world. It witnessed massive participation from designers from eastern as well as from western Europe.
The purpose of the biennial was to encourage and facilitate the development of Yugoslavian industrial production, influence the exchange of well-designed industrial objects in domestic and international markets and to raise the general level of user requirements and good taste through education and information campaigns. For more than forty years, BIO exhibitions followed the same concept created for the first biennial (BIO 1, 1964) when objects were organized according to the following categories: Furniture, Lamps, Textiles, Hospitality and Household Equipment and Appliances, Optical Objects, Electrotechnic Machinery and Telecommunication Devices, Machinery, Industrial Products from the Engineering Industry, Sports Equipment, Toys, Architectural Details, Transportation, Packaging, and Visual communications. By opening competitions in different categories, BIO showcased (industrially) designed products from everyday, public, working, and domestic environments with varying significance and importance over the years.
Already in the first exhibition, the works were arranged in groups without regard for the country of origin; thus the organizers showed their desire to create parallels and correlations between the displayed products and so highlight the comparative aspect of the exhibition. The exhibition also had a competitive aspect. An international jury presented awards: gold medals for the best product, honorable mentions and prizes for best design concepts (introduced with BIO 4, 1971).
To be part of BIO 1, manufacturers, designers, and artists either submitted work themselves or were invited to participate. However, at the request and recommendation of design associations, exhibitions from BIO 2 (1966) and up until BIO 21 (2008) were based on national selections prepared for individual participating states by their national design associations.
At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the Biennial witnessed gradual changes in its concept. BIO 21 (2008) dispensed with national selections, thereby giving everyone the opportunity to enter their works. All works were reviewed by an international selection committee, and as always, awards were presented by an international jury. In 2011, the Biennial of Industrial Design was renamed to Biennial of Design. BIO 23 (2012) was the first curated biennial, its theme being Design Relations.
The insight into the fifty years of history of the Biennial of (Industrial) Design offer also the award-winning works selected by the jury. More than 800 works were awarded.
Organisers, secretaries general, poster and corporate visual identity designers, exhibition layout designers, international jury and selection commitee members for Biennials of (Industrial) Design held between 1964 and 2012.
1st Biennial of Industrial Design
9. 10.–15. 11. 1964, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana.
Organiser: BIO Secretariat within the framework of the Museum of Modern Art.
BIO Secretary General: Marijan Gnamuš.
Poster Design: Majda Dobravec.
Exhibition Layout: Svetozar Križaj and Meta Hočevar.
Members of the International Jury:
Gillo Dorfles, Italy
Karl Gerstner, Switzerland
Åke Huldt, Sweden
Svetozar Križaj, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Zoran Kržišnik, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Stanko Mandić, Beograd, Yugoslavia
Zdenka Munk, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Mieczyslaw Porebski, Poland
Edo Ravnikar, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Vjenceslav Richter, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Ivan Štraus, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
Substitute Members:
France Ivanšek, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Vladimir Braco Mušič, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
2nd Biennial of Industrial Design
10. 6.–18. 9. 1966, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana.
Organiser: BIO Secretariat within the framework of the Museum of Modern Art.
BIO Secretary General: Marijan Gnamuš.
Exhibition Layout: Majda Kregar, adviser Edvard Ravnikar.
Poster Design: Mihajlo Arsovski.
BIO catalogue cover page design: Grega Košak. The cover page of the first part of the catalogue features the BIO 1 exhibition poster designed by Majda Dobravec. The cover page of the second part of the catalogue features the BIO 2 exhibition poster designed by Mihajlo Arsovski.
Members of the International Jury:
Stojan Čelić, Beograd, Yugoslavia
Gillo Dorfles, Italy
Åke Huldt, Sweden
Zdenka Munk, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Vladimir Braco Mušič, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Zvonimir Radić, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Edo Ravnikar, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Vjenceslav Richter, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Karl Schwanzer, Austria
Substitute Members:
Majda Dobravec, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Ivo Spinčič, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
3rd Biennial of Industrial Design
19. 4.–26. 5. 1968, Ljubljana Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: BIO Secretariat within the framework of the Museum of Modern Art.
BIO Secretary General: Marijan Gnamuš.
Special Exhibition Construction and Exhibition Layout: Matija Suhadolc and Janez Vrhunc. Visual Identity: Grega Košak.
Members of the International Jury:
Bernardo Bernardi, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Wim Crouwel, The Netherlands
Josine Des Cressonnières, Belgium (ICSID)
Edo Ravnikar, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Paul Reilly, United Kingdom (ICSID)
Juri Solovjev, Soviet Union
Gino Valle, Italy
4th Biennial of Yugoslav Industrial Design
24. 9.–23. 10. 1971, City Art Gallery, Ljubljana.
Organiser: BIO Secretariat within the framework of Ambient – Housing and Public Environment Promotion Company.
BIO Secretary General: Matija Murko.
Corporate Visual Identity: Grega Košak.
Exhibition Layout: Matija Suhadolc.
Given the increasing organizational problems, Marijan Gnamuš had suggested in 1969 that Yugoslav-only biennials alternate with international ones, an idea that Matija Murko incorporated in his proposal for the BIO 4 programme. Thus, BIO 4 became the first exhibition to show exclusively Yugoslav products; the same principle was true for BIO 6 (1975) and BIO 8 (1979). With BIO 9 (1981) this conduct was abandoned.
Members of the Yugoslav Jury:
Bernardo Bernardi, Zagreb
Stane Bernik, Ljubljana
Ješa Denegri, Beograd
Murko Matija, Ljubljana
Zdenko Praskać, Sarajevo
Radoslav Putar, Zagreb
Savin Sever, Ljubljana
Bogoljub Teofanović, Beograd
5th Biennial of Industrial Design
9.–22. 4. 1973, Ljubljana Exhibition Centre (hall C), Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Mihajlo Arsovski.
Exhibition Layout: Janez Suhadolc, Miha Kerin, Janez Koželj, Milan Zornik, Zvone Zupanek.
Members of the International Jury:
Stane Bernik, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Roberto Bonetto, Italy
Ryszard Bojar, Poland
Nenad Karpov, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
Niko Kralj, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Fedor Kritovac, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Benno Wissing, The Netherlands
6th Biennial of Yugoslav Industrial Design
11.–22. 4. 1975, Ljubljana Exhibition Centre (hall A, 1st floor), Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Matjaž Vipotnik.
Exhibition Layout: Janez Suhadolc.
Members of the Yugoslav Jury:
Lenka Bajželj, Ljubljana
Bernardo Bernardi, Zagreb
Stane Bernik, Ljubljana
Goroslav Keller, Zagreb
Branko Kraševec, Ljubljana
Peter Krečič, Ljubljana
Miloš R. Perović, Beograd
Gojko Varda, Beograd
7th Biennial of Industrial Design
25. 5.–12. 6. 1977, Ljubljana Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Ratomir Kulić and Vladimir Mationi.
Exhibition Layout: Albert Kastelec, Matija Suhadolc.
Members of the International Jury:
Stane Bernik, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Robert Gutmann, German Federal Republic
Richard Hollerith, USA (ICSID)
Ryszard Otręba, Poland (ICOGRADA)
Radoslav Putar, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Substitute Member:
Fedor Kritovac, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
8th Biennial of Yugoslav Industrial Design
4.–28. 10. 1979, Rihard Jakopič Art Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana. BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Vaso Krčmar.
Exhibition Layout: Barbara Kraigher and Franc Kveder.
Members of the Yugoslav Jury:
Majda Dobravec Lajovic, Ljubljana
Mladen Kolobarić, Sarajevo
Grega Košak, Ljubljana
Peter Krečič, Ljubljana
Ivan Picelj, Zagreb
Vjenceslav Richter, Zagreb
Slobodan Ristić, Beograd
9th Biennial of Industrial Design
24. 4.–17. 5. 1981, Rihard Jakopič Art Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Peter Škerlavaj. Exhibition Layout: Marjan Loboda, contributing author Franko Mele.
Members of the International Jury:
Roman Duszek, Poland (ICOGRADA)
Grega Košak, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Stefan Lengyel, German Federal Republic
Vjenceslav Richter, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Carla Venosta, Italy (ICSID)
Substitute Member:
Majda Dobravec Lajovic, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
10th Biennial of Industrial Design
8.–26. 10. 1984, Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress Centre and Rihard Jakopič Art Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Željko Borčić.
Exhibition Layout Concept: Stane Bernik.
Exhibition Layout Design: Ranko Novak.
Members of the International Jury:
Bernardo Bernardi, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Stane Bernik, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Philippe Gentil, France (ICOGRADA)
Stefan Lengyel, German Federal Republic
Terje Meyer, Norway
Substitute Member:
Janez Smerdelj, Titovo Velenje, Yugoslavia
11th Biennial of Industrial Design
29. 9.–19. 10. 1986, Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress Centre and Rihard Jakopič Art Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Miljenko Licul, Ranko Novak.
Exhibition Layout: Jani Bavčer, Vladimir Pezdirc, SM Delo.
Members of the International Jury:
Carl Auböck, Austria
Ješa Denegri, Beograd, Yugoslavia
Alan Fletcher, United Kingdom
Alessandro Mendini, Italy
Aladár Németh, Hungary
Substitute Member:
Stane Bernik, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
12th Biennial of Industrial Design
3.–24. 10. 1988, Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress Centre and Rihard Jakopič Art Exhibition Centre, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Marjan Kocjan.
Exhibition Layout: Marjan Kocjan.
Members of the International Jury:
Pere Aguirre, Spain
Michael Blank, German Democratic Republic
Giancarlo Iliprandi, Italy (ICOGRADA)
Stefan Lengyel, German Federal Republic
Peter J. Lord, United Kingdom (ICSID)
Ivan Picelj, Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Substitute Member:
Ljuban Klojčnik, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
13th Biennial of Industrial Design
17. 5.–14. 6. 1992, Jakopič Gallery, City Art Gallery and Iskra building lobby, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Radovan Jenko.
Exhibition Layout: Marjan Kocjan.
Members of the International Jury:
Željko Borčić, Slovenia
Maja Kržišnik, Slovenia
Masayuki Kurokawa, Japan
Bob Noorda, Italy (ICOGRADA)
Ettore Sottsass, Italy
Nils Tvengsberg, Norway (ICSID)
14th Biennial of Industrial Design
10. 10.–11. 11. 1994, National Museum of Slovenia and Jakopič Gallery, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Jože Domjan.
Exhibition Layout: Janez Kocjan, Libero Petrič.
Members of the International Jury:
Stane Bernik, Slovenia
Bob Blaich, USA
Adelia Borges, Brazil
Zdenka Burianova, Slovakia
Mai Felip, Spain (ICSID)
Peter Frank, Germany
Pilippe Gentil, France (ICOGRADA)
15th Biennial of Industrial Design
1.–30. 10. 1996, The Trg republike Square, Jakopič Gallery, lobby of the high-rise building of Nova Ljubljanska banka, high-rise building TR3 and IDCO, Ljubljana
Organiser: Architecture Museum, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Ivo Marko.
Exhibition Layout: Maja Tasič Demšar.
Members of the International Jury:
Zdenka Burianová, Slovakia (ICSID)
Verena Formanek, Austria
Hans Höger, Germany
Marcello Siard, Italy
WŁadsŁaw Pluta, Poland
Guy Schockaert, Belgium (ICOGRADA)
Vladimir Pezdirc, Slovenia
16th Biennial of Industrial Design
5. 10.–8. 11. 1998, Jakopič Gallery, Ljubljana Castle, IDCO and Rog Factory, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Visual Identity: Neva Štembergar.
Exhibition Layout: Maja Tasič Demšar, Jože Logar.
Members of the International Jury:
Gemma Bernal, Spain
Peter Frank, Germany
Theo Groothuizen, The Netherlands (ICSID)
Sadik Karamustafa, Turkey (ICOGRADA)
Janez Smerdelj, Slovenia
17th Biennial of Industrial Design
5. 10.–5. 11. 2000, Ljubljana Castle and Rog Factory, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Miljenko Licul and Julija Zornik, Studio Zodiak.
Exhibition Layout: Maja Tasič Demšar.
Members of the International Jury:
Jani Bavčer, Slovenia
Stane Bernik, Slovenia
Severin Filek, Austria
Theo Groothuizen, The Netherlands (ICSID)
Sanja Rocco, Croatia (ICOGRADA)
Substitute Member:
Maja Kržišnik, Slovenia
18th Biennial of Industrial Design
1.–30. 10. 2002, Business Trade Centre Evropa, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Špela Šubic.
BIO Project Manager: Lenka Bajželj.
Corporate Visual Identity: Dušan Jovanovič, Studio Karstium.
Exhibition Layout: Maja Tasič Demšar.
Members of the International Jury:
Severin Filek, Austria
Stephen Hitchins, United Kingdom (BEDA)
Tapani Hyvönen, Finland (ICSID)
Maja Krišnik, Slovenia
Guy Schockaert, Belgium (ICOGRADA)
Fedja Vukić, Croatia
19th Biennial of Industrial Design
15. 9.–15. 10. 2004, Architecture Museum of Ljubljana, Fužine Castle.
Organiser: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana
BIO Secretary General: Špela Šubic
Corporate Visual Identity: Jani Bavčer, Grega Vovk, Arsenal
Exhibition Layout: Maja Tasič Demšar
Members of the International Jury:
Stephen Hitchins, United Kingdom (BEDA)
Aldo Cibic, Italy
Robin Edman, Sweden (ICSID)
Czeslawa Frejlich, Poland
Ruth Klotzel, Brazil (ICOGRADA)
20th Biennial of Industrial Design
5. 10.–5. 11. 2006, Architecture Museum of Ljubljana, Fužine Castle.
Organiser: The Architecture Museum of Ljubljana
BIO Secretary General: Špela Šubic
Corporate Visual Identity: arnoldvuga+.
Application Form Poster Design: Janja Grubar.
Exhibition Layout: Mima Suhadolc.
Members of the International Jury:
Francisco Carrera, Spain
Leimei Julia Chiu, Japan
Massimo Pitis, Italy (BEDA)
Jacques Lange, Republic of South Africa (ICOGRADA)
Judit Várhelyi, Hungary (ICSID)
21st Biennial of Industrial Design
2. 10.–2. 11. 2008, Architecture Museum of Ljubljana, Fužine Castle.
Organiser: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Špela Šubic.
Corporate Visual Identity: Gigodesign.
Exhibition Layout: Studio Jure Miklavc: Jure Miklavc, Barbara Šušteršič, Jaka Verbič, Jože Carli.
Until BIO 21, exhibited works were selected by the national design associations. With BIO 21 (2008), the system of national selections was abandoned and the possibility of submitting work (through the Web) was opened to everyone. All submitted works were reviewed by an international selection committee, while, as always, an international jury decided on the awards.
Members of the International Selection Committee:
Katja Burger, Slovenia
Hilde Bouchez, Belgium
Petra Černe Oven, Slovenia
Paolo Favaretto, Italy
Rudolf Greger, Austria
Bojan Klančar, Slovenia
Gergely Nádas, Hungary
Members of the International Jury:
Iva Babaja, Croatia
Vivian Cheng Wai Kwan, Hong Kong
Paulo Maldonado, Portugal
Victor Marolin, USA
Johan Valcke, Belgium
22nd Biennial of Industrial Design
7. 10.–7. 11. 2010, Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana.
Organiser: Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana.
BIO Secretary General: Špela Šubic.
BIO Project Manager: Maja Šuštaršič.
Corporate Visual Identity: Gigodesign.
Exhibition Layout: Studio Jure Miklavc: Jure Miklavc, Barbara Šušteršič, Jaka Verbič, Jože Carli.
Members of the International Selection Committee:
Veronika Egger, Austria
Ilona Gurjanova, Estonia
Cvetka Požar, Slovenia
Barbara Predan, Slovenia
Lidija Pritržnik, Slovenia
Michał Stefanowski, Poland
Nedjeljko Špoljar, Croatia
Georg Wanker, Austria
Jonathan Young, United Kingdom
Members of the International Jury:
Luigi Ferrara, Canada
Vivian Cheng Wai Kwan, Hong Kong
Malcolm Garrett, United Kingdom
Peter Krečič, Slovenia
Sanna Simola, Finland
Design Relations. 23rd Biennial of Design
27. 9.–11. 11. 2012, Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana.
Exhibition Curators: Margo Konings in Margriet Vollenberg, Organisation in Design.
Organiser: Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana.
BIO Project Manager: Maja Šuštaršič.
BIO Director: Matevž Čelik.
Corporate Visual Identity: Kabinet 01.
Exhibition Design: Joost van Bleiswijk.
Members of the International Jury:
Giulio Cappellini, Italy
Sven Jonke, Croatia
Sophie Lovell, Germany
Jimmy MacDonald, United Kingdom
Vasa J. Perović, Slovenia
On the celebration of 50th anniversary of the Biennial of (Industrial) Design, the most important media responses were collected. Check the selection of bibliography on the Biennial of (Industrial) Design. more
The accompanying events (exhibitions, symposia, lectures, round tables, poster competitions for BIO exhibitions, seminars, movie projections, after 2006 also creative workshops, ...) have become a regular feature, which enriches and complemened the biennial exhibition and established a discourse on design. more