Museum of Architecture and Design

Contact info

Muzej za arhitekturo in oblikovanje (MAO)
http://www.mao.si
mao@mao.si
Pot na Fužine 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Phone	386 (0) 1 548 4270
Fax	386 (0) 1 540 0344
Region	SI-1
Founded by	Government of the Republic of Slovenia
Matevž Čelik, Director
matevz.celik@mao.si
Phone	386 (0) 1 548 4271
Anja Zorko, Deputy Director, CzK Head
anja.zorko@mao.si
Phone	386 (0) 1 548 4273
Online accounts:
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EU funded projects (Culture, MEDIA)

• Future Architecture Platform, 2017
  Project summary
• Future Architecture Platform / FuturA, 2015
  Project summary
• Europe City, 2013
  Project summary

Events abroad

• 26 May to 25 November 2018
  Museum of Architecture and Design presents the project Living with Water by an international team of architects and researchers, curated by Matevž Čelik and supported by the Ministry of Culture, featuring two installations and a publication, edited by Nina Granda, Matevž Granda and team, as the Slovene representative in the Slovenian Pavilion, at the International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia at Arsenale in Venice, Italy
  programme info more

Past Events

• 14 January to 17 January 2018
  An opening of the Season of Slovenian Culture in the Russian Federation 2017-2018 with the Plečnik's Ljubljana exhibition prepared by the Museum of Architecture and Design and the Plečnik House (Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana), at Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Moscow in Moscow, Russia
  programme
• 11 January to 24 January 2018
  A lecture by Matevž Čelik, Museum of Architecture and Design, and exhibition on the life and work of architect Jože Plečnik, organized in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Moscow, at Schusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow, Russia
  programme
• 6 November to 12 November 2017
  A book presentation of Symbolism of Jože Plečnik's Architecture, edited by Andrej Hrausky, the exhibition Plečnik's Ljubljana, organised by Plečnik House, Ljubljana Museum of Architecture and Design, supported by Slovenian Culture and Information Centre, Vienna (SKICA) and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Vienna, at the BUCHWIEN at Central Library on the Gürtel in Vienna, Austria
  programme
• 1 December 2016
  The book launch of Home by Dekleva Gregorič Architects, published by the Museum of Architecture and Design, with Aljoša Dekleva and Tina Gregorič (Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti), supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia London, at AA Bookshop in London, United Kingdom
  programme
• 28 May to 27 November 2016
  Home at Arsenale, a bespoke wooden library by Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, co-organised by the Museum of Architecture and Design in Ljubljana, and supported by the Ministry of Culture), as a Slovene representative at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia at Arsenale in Venice, Italy
  programme
• 29 December 2015 to 29 May 2016
  Design for a New World, an exhibition of graphic design featuring Romeo + Julija by Matjaž Vipotnik (Museum of Architecture and Design), at Museum of Yugoslav History in Belgrade, Serbia
  programme
• 28 September 2015
  Jože Plečnik: A Modern Classicist, a lecture by Dr. Peter Krečič (Museum of Architecture and Design), supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Washington, at University of Minnesota in Minnesota, USA
  programme
• 25 September 2015
  Jože Plečnik: A Modern Classicist, a lecture by Dr. Peter Krečič (Museum of Architecture and Design), supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Washington, at University of Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning in Milwaukee, USA
  programme
• 19 September 2015
  Bogo Zupančič (Museum of Architecture and Design) at the conference L'influence de Le Corbusier sur l'architecture slovène within Journées du Patrimoine 2015, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Paris, at House of Culture Firminy in Firminy, France
  programme
• 14 April to 19 April 2015
  BIO 50: 3, 2, 1 … TEST - 24th Biennial of Design, Ljubljana, an exhibition by the Museum of Architecture and Design, and Green Islands 2015 - Urban Hives, an group exhibition also featuring works by Polonca Lovšin (P74 Centre and Gallery), in the framework of the Milan Design Week at Milano Porta Garibaldi train station, Palazzo Clerici in Milan, Italy
  programme
• 16 December 2013
  A presentation of contemporary Slovene architecture and a screening of Small and Smart – Expressions of Contemporary Slovenian Architecture, produced by the Museum of Architecture and Design and ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Rome, at Casa dell'Architettura in Rome, Italy
  programme
• 11 October to 17 October 2013
  Silent Revolutions: Contemporary Design in Slovenia, an exhibition organised by the Museum of Architecture and Design, at the Moscow Design Week, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Moscow, at The ArtPlay Design Center in Moscow, Russia
  programme
• 28 September 2013
  A screening of Small and Smart: Contemporary Slovenian Architecture on Film, produced by the Museum of Architecture and Design and ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture, at the Arquiteturas Film Festival Lisbon 2013 at Cinema City Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal
  programme
• 21 September to 5 October 2013
  A lecture by Boštjan Vuga entitled Production of Publicness and screenings of Stadium Stožice from the series Small and Smart: Contemporary Slovenian Architecture on Film, produced by the Museum of Architecture and Design and ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture, at the opening of and during the exhibition SADAR + VUGA Architects: A Review at Gallery InCITE in Bangalore, India
  programme
• 13 June to 11 July 2013
  Five Years of Slovene Architecture - ARCHITECTURE= exhibition and screenings of Small and Smart: Expressions of Contemporary Slovenian Architecture in Films by the Museum of Architecture and Design, organised in cooperation with Architects' Bulletin (ab) (Architects' Society of Ljubljana (DAL)), Architectural Gallery DESSA, RAZ:UM and House of Architecture Maribor and with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Tel Aviv, at Architect’s Gallery in Tel Aviv, Israel
  programme
• 6 May 2013
  A screening of Small and Smart: Contemporary Slovenian Architecture on Film, produced by the Museum of Architecture and Design and ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture, and lectures by Jeff Bickert (ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture) and Petra Čeferin (Museum of Architecture and Design), supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Budapest, at Kino in Budapest, Hungary
  programme
• 24 April to 23 June 2013
  Iskra: Non-Aligned Design 1946–1990, an exhibition by the Museum of Architecture and Design (authors of the exhibition Cvetka Požar and Barbara Predan) at Museum of Yugoslav History in Belgrade, Serbia
  programme
• 18 April to 30 April 2013
  New Slovenian Architecture, an exhibition by Damir Kovačič and screenings of Small and Smart: Contemporary Slovenian Architecture on Film produced by Museum of Architecture and Design and ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture at BINA 2013 at Cultural Centre of Belgrade - Art Gallery in Belgrade, Serbia
  programme
• 22 March to 28 April 2013
  Silent Revolutions: Contemporary Design in Slovenia, an exhibition by the Museum of Architecture and Design, coorganised by Slovenian Culture and Information Centre, Vienna (SKICA), Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Vienna, at Design Austria - Designforum in Vienna, Austria
  programme
• 3 March 2013
  House D, a short film by Damjan Kozole, produced by Vertigo and the Museum of Architecture and Design at the 5th Budapest Architecture Film Days at Toldi Cinema in Budapest, Hungary
  programme
• 15 November 2012 to 23 February 2013
  Eight Slovene designers (from OLoOP Design, Bevk Perović Arhitekti, AKSL Arhitekti, AlmiraSadar, BelaBela, Pleksimanija, Studio Drevo and Janez Suhadolc) presented at Common Roots - Design map of Central Europe exhibition, and Cvetka Požar from Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana, as workshops and seminars participant, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Tel Aviv at Design Museum Holon in Holon, Israel
  programme
• 3 October to 15 October 2012
  Niko Kralj: The King of Chairs - On the Implicitness of a Legendary Slovenian Designer, an exhibition by the Museum of Architecture and Design at the Vienna Design Week, supported by the Slovenian Culture and Information Centre, Vienna (SKICA), Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Vienna, at Architekturzentrum Vienna in Vienna, Austria
  programme
• 12 September to 16 September 2012
  Silent Revolutions: Contemporary Design in Slovenia exhibition curated by Maja Vardjan, produced by Museum of Architecture and Design in Wold Design Capital 2012 Helsinki in Helsinki, Finland
  programme
• 4 June to 10 June 2012
  Silent Revolutions exhibition produced by the Museum of Architecture and Design at the Belgrade Design Week in Belgrade, Serbia
  programme
• 8 April to 11 April 2012
  Curator Špela Šubic from Museum of Architecture and Design / Biennial of Design (BIO) at the Holon Design Week, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Tel Aviv at Design Museum Holon in Holon, Israel
  programme
• 14 February to 2 April 2012
  Silent Revolutions: Contemporary Design in Slovenia exhibition curated by Maja Vardjan, produced by Museum of Architecture and Design at Impluvium (La Triennale di Milano) in Milan, Italy
  programme
• 22 October to 30 October 2011
  Silent Revolutions / Contemporary Design in Slovenia organised by Museum of Architecture and Design at the Dutch Design Week 2011 at Zona Ventosa/Temporary Art Centre in Eindhoven, Netherlands
  programme
• 22 September to 25 September 2011
  Silent Revolutions / Contemporary Design in Slovenia organised by Museum of Architecture and Design at the London Design Festival in London, United Kingdom
  programme

The Architecture Museum of Ljubljana was established in 1972 by the Municipality of Ljubljana. In April 2010 the management of the museum was transferred from the city to the state. Under the new name the Museum of Architecture and Design is the central Slovene museum for architecture, town planning, industrial and graphic design, and photography. Since 1992 the Museum is located at Fužine Castle.

Since 1972 the Secretariat of the Biennial of Design (BIO) (formerly known as Biennial of Industrial Design) operates under the aegis of the museum. In 2014, for its 50th anniversary, a completely new curatorial practice was implemented: the 24th Biennial of Design (BIO 50) has taken a collaborative approach, considering actual changes in the way people nowadays co-work and co-create. The international design exhibition was curated by Jan Boelen.

In 2015 the MAO launched the Future Architecture Platform, with an aim of communicating the social, environmental, economic and design potentials of architecture to the widest possible audiences across Europe. The open call was open to architects as well as to urban planners, curators, landscape architects, designers, artists, filmmakers, etc. The selected applicants present their ideas at the February Matchmaking Conference at MAO where they pitch their ideas. The Future Architecture programme of exhibitions, conferences, lectures and workshops will run between 1 March and 31 October 2016 across Europe.

Departments

The activities of the Museum of Architecture and Design have expanded since the move to the Fužine Castle. The museum now incorporates 6 departments: the Department of Historical Architecture in Slovenia, the Department of Contemporary Slovene Architecture, the Department of Industrial Design, the Department of Visual Communications, the Department of Photography, and the Department of Educational Activities. The museum also houses a specialised library.

Programme

The Museum of Architecture and Design systematically collects, stores, studies, and presents material at various exhibitions. The display The Architect Jože Plečnik 1872–1957 was based on a major exhibition of the same title at the Georges Pompidou Centre in Paris in 1986. Special themed historical exhibitions include The Modern Classic Arne Jacobsen 1902–1971: A Centenary Exhibition (2004), 17th-Century Architecture in Slovenia (2006), 18th-Century Architecture in Slovenia (2007), and 19th-Century Architecture in Slovenia (2013). Beside periodical exhibitions of Slovene architecture, the museum also hosts regular exhibitions of international architecture.

Among contemporary design exhibitions the exhibition Niko Kralj: The Unknown Famous Designer was quite a break-through: it showcased the archives, sketches, photographs, prototypes and final products of the world-renowned Slovenian industrial designer Niko Kralj (1921–2013), including the famous Rex armchair, Lupina series, 4455 and modular system furniture Futura, Savinja, Javor, Konstrukta, as well as the Mosquito chair, which was designed as early as 1953, but due to the complexity of its manufacture, it only entered regular production in 2012.

Niko Kralj, neznani znani oblikovalec // Making of by Drustvo Pekinpah on Vimeo

Education

Lectures and other educational activities, including creative workshops, take place regularly at the museum. Museum evenings are thematically structured lectures ranging from architecture, visual communications, industrial design, photography and other activities connected with museums. Taking place once a month they aim to encourage public debate about museums and different areas of expertise that are increasingly neglected in contemporary society.

In 2006–2007 the ARK - Institute for Architecture and Culture co-organised a series of lectures under the title Architectural Epicentres. These lectures focused on seven epicentres – Brazil and Mexico in the 1950s, Finland in the 1960s, Switzerland and USA in the 1980s, Barcelona in the 1990s, and the Netherlands at the close of the 20th century, while the concluding lecture focused on Slovenia and the (im)possibility of its becoming one of the next architectural epicentres. The lecturers were Keith L. Eggener, Hugo Segawa, Harri Kalha, Bart Lootsma, Nott Chaviezel, Mary McLeod, Jose Luis Echeverre, Yasushi Zenno, Rado Riha and Boštjan Vuga of SADAR + VUGA Architects. The book of essays presenting the lecture series was published by the Museum in 2008.

In 2008 in collaboration with the Pekinpah Association, the museum prepared a series of lectures in design theory about sustainable alternatives in design with international lecturers. In 2010 they published a book of lectures Sustainable alternatives in design: It's high time we start losing time featuring texts by: Dieter Rams, Ezio Manzini, Jonathan Chapman, Clive Dilnot, Per Mollerup, Victor Margolin, Cvetka Požar, and Barbara Predan. In 2010 followed a series of lectures in visual communications theory On Information Design, in collaboration with Petra Černe Oven and Pekinpah Association, featuring among other lecturers also Yuri Engelhardt, Rob Waller, and Karel van der Waarde.

The MAO educational programme related to architecture, design and photography has developed into a regular and attractive practice adapted for different target groups and ages.

MAO Mala šola arhitekture 2014/15 by MuseumArchitecture on YouTube

See also

• Museum of Architecture and Design Library
• Biennial of Industrial Design (BIO)

External links

• Museum of Architecture and Design website
• Future Architecture Platform website
• Future of Architecture lectures on VideoLectures.Net
• Architecture for Refugees - Open Source Online Platform, FAP
• MAO debates on VideoLectures.Net

Gallery

The 2010 edition of the Biennial of Industrial Design at the Museum of Architecture and Design in Ljubljana. Biennial of Design (BIO) is one of the few international biennial exhibitions dedicated to showcasing industrial, product, and graphic design work selected by professional design institutions.

The 22th edition of the Biennial of Industrial Design (BIO) at the Museum of Architecture and Design in 2010. The Biennial of Design (BIO) in Ljubljana is one of the world’s oldest international design events with a tradition of fifty years.

The 2010 edition of the Biennial of Industrial Design at the Museum of Architecture and Design. Since the first biennial in 1964 the BIO biennial in Ljubljana has presented exhibitions surveying the state of international design.

Pipistrel Taurus Electro, self-launching two-seat glider with retractable electric motor, designed by Ivo Boscarol and the Pipistrel company team (Slovenia), BIO Gold Medal winner. Exhibited in the courtyard of Fužine Castle, Museum of Architecture and Design, on the occasion of the 22nd Biennial of Industrial Design (BIO), 2010

Redesigning Our Future / Cities, government, innovation, an open lecture by Marc Steinberg at the Museum of Architecture and Design, 2015

Eight Slovene designers – (OLoOP Design, Bevk Perović Arhitekti, AKSL Arhitekti, AlmiraSadar, BelaBela, Pleksimanija, Studio Drevo, and Janez Suhadolc presented at the exhibition Common Roots – Design Map of Central Europe at the Design Museum in Holon, 2012

Corporate identity for the Museum of Architecture and Design by IlovarStritar, 2011

Corporate identity for the Museum of Architecture and Design by IlovarStritar design studio, 2011

Tapio Wirkkala, one of the most influential Finnish designers of the 20th century, Exhibition, held at Museum of Architecture and Design, 2005

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