Biennial of Design (BIO)

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Bienale industrijskega oblikovanja (BIO)

Arhitekturni muzej Ljubljana, Grad Fužine, Pot na Fužine 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana

http://www.bio.si

bio@aml.si

Phone386 (0) 1 540 0348

Organised byArchitecture Museum of Ljubljana

 BIO Secretariat

Events abroad

Past Events

• 28 Sep 2018

  to

  10 Oct 2018

  Austria Vienna Festival Headquarters

  
  programme

  
  

  
  

  The exhibition of projects developed for the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) by the AA nanotourism Visiting School in cooperation with the Biennial of Design (BIO), presented by Jakob Travnik, supported by the Slovenian Culture and Information Centre, Vienna (SKICA) (Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Vienna),

  at the Vienna Design Week

  more

  
  

• 19 Sep 2018

  to

  23 Sep 2018

  United Kingdom London Open Cell

  
  programme

  
  

  
  

  The exhibition of four projects developed for the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) in the period 2014 - 2016 by AA nanotourism Visiting School in cooperation with the Biennial of Design (BIO) and the projects' presentation by Jakob Travnik in the Biodesign Here and Now program, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia London,

  at the London Design Festival

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• 8 Apr 2012

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  11 Apr 2012

  Israel Holon Design Museum Holon

  
  programme

  
  

  
  

  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

  
  

  
  

  
  

Show more

The Biennial of Industrial Design (BIO) is one of the few international biennial exhibitions dedicated to showcasing industrial, product, and graphic design work selected by professional design institutions. Established in 1963, and held in Ljubljana since 1964, the Biennial of Industrial Design has developed an excellent reputation as one of the world's oldest international design events. The main exhibition is organised by the BIO Secretariat, which operates under the aegis of the Architecture Museum of Ljubljana since the museum’s founding in 1972. Decisions on all essential elements of the exhibition, with the exception of the judging, are taken by the organising committee that consists of representatives of the Urban Municipality of Ljubljana, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS), and the Architecture Museum of Ljubljana.

The BIO Secretariat is a member of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID), ICOGRADA (International Council of Graphic Design Associations), and the Bureau of European Designers' Associations (BEDA), all of which nominate representatives to participate in the BIO's international juries and present special excellence awards at each biennial.

In October 2010 the 22nd Biennial of Industrial Design BIO 22 opens at the Fužine Castle in Ljubljana with works exhibited in three groups: Products, Product graphics and Information design, and Concepts.

Mission

The Biennial of Industrial Design is a cultural event directly linked to various sectors, naming industry, the economy, the design profession, innovation, education, and development. Through its work the BIO Secretariat brings the activities of industry and the profession closer to the general public – spreading the awareness about the importance and development of industrial design, promoting Slovene design abroad, and presenting contemporary trends in the world of industrial design at home. In addition to the main BIO exhibition, many accompanying events take place during the period of the biennial – exhibitions, lectures, panel discussions, creative workshops for children and young people, and educational workshops for adults, among others.

Background

The Biennial of Industrial Design was founded as an exhibition which also demonstrated the capacity of the economy from the point of view of design. In the past, the biennial exhibitions were held at various locations in Ljubljana. In 2004 BIO 19 was held for the first time in the vast exhibition space at the Fužine Castle.

Recent editions

The 20th Biennial of October 2006 presented over 350 exhibits by designers from 17 countries (Slovene designers contributed 111 works), including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Croatia, Italy, Japan, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Works were presented in three groups: Regular industrial products, Visual messages, and Design projects. The venues of the biennial varied (in the centre of the city, at the castle, etc.). A fringe programme was also organised, including panels, exhibitions by foreign designers, presentations by publishing houses, and meetings of designer organisations, held in different cities across Slovenia.

The 21st Biennial of Industrial Design in 2008 was modernised in many ways. The BIO awards were redesigned, and the entire event received a new corporate identity, designed by GigoDesign, one of the award-winners of the 20th Biennial. For the first time in the history of the BIO the international Selection Committee examined all entries equally, be it industrial design and visual communications items or design concepts. The online registration for BIO 21 was possible for the first time – out of 421 submitted works only 126 works from 18 countries were exhibited. In addition to the main exhibition, an interesting accompanying program was prepared.

Awards

The awards of the Biennial of Industrial Design are the BIO Gold Medal, the BIO Quality Concept Award, the BIO Honourable Mentions, and the BIO Award for a Student Work. Selected by a prestigious international jury, the BIO Awards are presented at the opening ceremony, and represent a recognition of quality in design. All awarded works of the Biennial of Industrial Design are included in the international design collection of the Architecture Museum of Ljubljana.

International cooperation

BIO consolidated its orientation and independence in 1977 when it became an associate member of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID). It then widened its international connections with the professional patronage of ICOGRADA, and finally through associate membership of the BEDA. The BIO Secretariat is also a partner in the SEE project (Sharing Experience Europe: Policy Innovation Design).

In 2008 the Biennial of Industrial Design expanded its international promotion and cooperation to incorporate some of the most important international design organisations. BIO 21 was therefore advertised in all countries of the European Union and also in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, China, South Africa, and Japan. During the exhibition BIO 21 hosted a presentation of Design Management Europe Award, attended by the most notable experts on design and management in the world.

In autumn 2009 the travelling exhibition of BIO 21 award-winners was showcased in Tallin, Estonia in cooperation with the Estonian Association of Designers (EDL) as part of the Design Night 2009 event, and in Riga, Latvia in cooperation with the Design Information Center (DIC) as part of the Riga International Young Designers Biennial. The exhibition showed also the selection of Slovene works that were on display at the 21th Biennial of Industrial Design.

See also

• Architecture Museum of Ljubljana
• Architecture Museum of Ljubljana Library
• BIO Gold Medal
• Fužine Castle

External links

• BIO website (in English and Slovenian)
• BIO 19 catalogue
• BIO 20 winners

• BEDA website
• ICOGRADA website
• ICSID website
• SEE project website

• Design Management Europe Award website
• Design Night 2009 in Estonia
• Riga International Young Designers Biennial in Latvia