Design Center

The Design Center in Belgrade existed from 1972 to 1986 and it was engaged in the promotion of design and the education of customers and producers. Today, work of the Center is nearly completely unknown to the general public. The exhibition presents the original photos of chosen furniture exhibited in the premises of the Design Center in Knez Mihailova street. Beside education, promotion and publishing, center awarded the Good Design diploma to products for household furnishing, industrial machines and audio-visual devices. All the awarded products were part of the Index of Good Design, database for customers’ and producers’ use. In retail stores these products were marked by the Good Design sticker so that customers could recognize them.

The exhibition also presents the interview with Radmila Milosavljević, one of the founders of the Design Center, who speaks about work and importance of this organization, and also about the specific position of design in self-managed socialism. One of the most successful products of Yugoslav design – the Rex Chair designed by Niko Kralj – is also exhibited. The Rex Chair is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); by the mid-’80s over a million chairs were sold. Comfort, natural material and aesthetic quality makes it the favorite chair among design devotees worldwide.

Author: Ivan Manojlović

Visual identity: Ivan Benussi

Production: Museum of Yugoslav History