Our Modernist Design Continuum
We launched the photographic project Revisiting Architecture in 2020 to explore one of our key sources of inspiration — Zagreb’s modernist heritage. For us at Prostoria, modernism is not a style tied to a specific historical period, but a cultural foundation: a way of thinking about design as rational, honest, and human-centered. Modernist values of proportion, clarity, and optimism continue to shape everything we create. Revisiting Architecture is part of Prostoria’s communication trilogy — alongside Revisiting Analogue and Revisiting Factory — which addresses the key themes central to Prostoria’s identity and values.
In Dialogue with Zagreb’s Modernist Landmarks
We placed our products in dialogue with some of Zagreb’s most iconic modernist landmarks: the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, the House of Socio-Political Organizations (Kockica), Zagreb City Hall, the Workers’ and People’s University, and the Romanian Pavilion at the Zagreb Fair.
Architecture, Design, and a Shared Purpose
These buildings emerged at a time when architecture, art, and design worked together to create a more open and progressive society. That spirit of collaboration and clear purpose continues to resonate strongly in our work. When we design, we seek the same qualities — structural honesty, refined geometry, and a sense of warmth that encourages human connection.
Placing our furniture within these architectural spaces felt like closing a circle. Despite the decades that separate them, our designs and these buildings share a common language — one that balances rationality and emotion, precision and presence. Both are rooted in the belief that design is not about ornament but about creating meaningful spaces for living.
Continuity, Not Nostalgia
Revisiting Architecture is not a nostalgic look back, but a reflection on continuity. Zagreb’s modernism gave us more than exceptional buildings — it gave us a cultural attitude that is confident, curious, and forward-looking. By entering into a visual dialogue with this heritage, we sought to affirm that these principles remain relevant today and continue to guide how we think, create, and collaborate.
The project was an integral part of the Prostoria 10 exhibition, marking ten years of Prostoria at the Meštrović Pavilion in Zagreb. It was realized in collaboration with the Zagreb Tourist Board, architectural studio Biro Architects (Dora Lončarić, Mario Kralj, and Saša Košuta), who led the art direction, and photographers Marko Mihaljević and Jure Živković.
Modernism as a Living Legacy
Modernism taught us that simplicity can be visionary, and that design, at its best, shapes both spaces and everyday life. Revisiting Architecture is our way of honouring that legacy — not as a memory, but as a living part of who we are.
