NOVA ISKRA – the first design incubator in the region of SEE is now open!

NOVA ISKRA, design incubator dedicated to the professionalization of designers in Serbia and the region, as well as to establishing connections between the sectors of creative industries and manufacturing, opened its doors in Belgrade this week.

On Thursday, December 6th the design incubator NOVA ISKRA has been officially opened in Belgrade, Serbia. A unique multi-functional workspace is being established with the idea to support young creatives form the fields of design, architecture, interior design, visual communications and other related fields. A unique concept in the entire region of SouthEast Europe, NOVA ISKRA is the first realized co-working space in Serbia and the surrounding countries. Professionals from the spheres of design and architecture will have a chance to use the spatial and technical resources of NI for their individual work, as well as to take part in the numerous projects and programs which NOVA ISKRA is planning to realize, in partnership with some of the leading local and international companies, schools, institutions and experts.

NOVA ISKRA is offering a brand new model of working based on the “hub” principle, dedicated to establishing both formal and informal connections between creative individuals and teams. At the same time, NOVA ISKRA aims to respond to the needs of local authors of younger generation, who are in desperate need of quality workspace, technical resources, specialization and practical education, as well as communication to potential clients and partners.

An independent initiative of a group of cultural managers and creatives from Belgrade, the platform has been more than two years in the making, while the biggest task was the reconstruction and furnishing of the physical space in which the concept is now brought to life.  With the support of the Municipality of Savski venac, as well as numerous domestic and foreign companies who have recognized and supported the project in its early phase, a rundown space of 350m2 in the Gavrila Principa Street in downtown Belgrade has been fully reconstructed, based on the project of the Belgrade-based architecture studio Petokraka.

Beside 18 workstations for designers, which have been designed specially for the space by the local design studio Antipod and manufactured by the Serbian factory Simpo-Šik, the young professionals from the wide field of design will have a chance to use all other facilities necessary for their professional work – conference room, modeling workshop, photo booth, design library, personalized cupboard, office  and kitchen.

Beside the Municipality of Savski venac, the project has also been supported in its early phase by Telekom Serbia, Erste Bank, IKEA, Simpo-Šik, JTI and Guardian Inglass. The main technical partner of NOVA ISKRA is Samsung, while further technical partners include companies such as SBB, Dremel, Canon, Division, Art Media Group, Geze, Global Press, AWS, Doncafe, Pavle glass company, Ecolab and Beohouse. These are at the same time the companies with which first partnership projects will be realized in the future.

The communal workspace of NOVA ISKRA also offers the possibility of facilitating educational programs aimed at professionalization of young designers, but also at establishing connections between the creative and production sectors, with the focus on design as an important factor of the advancement of domestic products and companies. Even before its official opening, NOVA ISKRA has already realized its initial programs over the course of 2012, with the participation of experts from Sweden and Holland – a clear message that international cooperation and exchange will be one of the main program focuses.

The overall presence of NOVA ISKRA will be active through three main segments: DESIGNERS LAB (direct users of the NI workspace), CREATIVE HUB (network of professionals from the domains of design and architecture) and INDUSTRY HUB(network of partner copanies and manufacturers).

The NOVA ISKRA concept has been presented for the first time in February 2012, when the first open call for the use of 18 workstations has been announced. In the coming days a new open call will be announced, and a list of further candidates will be formed. All of the details will be available on the new NOVA ISKRA homepage.