Žan Kobal is a designer, researcher and writer based in Ljubljana. After graduating Cum Laude in Industrial at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design Ljubljana, he continued his studies at Design Academy Eindhoven obtaining a Master’s degree Cum Laude in Contextual Design.
Approaching design as an investigative medium, his work often crosses the traditional boundaries of design by delving into film and installation to frame objects as narration devices, unfolding how material, craft and discourse co-create reality.
Active internationally, he is one of the founders and an active member of Het Collectief.
Education
2018-2020
Contextual Design MA (Cum Laude)
Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2013 - 2017
Industrial Design BA (Cum Laude)
Academy of Fine Arts And Design, SLO
Awards & Nominations
2020
Gijs Bakker Award nominee,
for excellence in thesis research
2018
Prešeren Award,
for outstanding bachelor thesis
2016
Young Balkan Designers: New Analogue
Exhibitions & Workshops
2022
BIO27 — Super Vernaculars
(Futuring)
2020
Truh Tellers, IN Residence
(Online Workshop)
2020
Phatom Of Design, Onomatopee, Eindhoven
(Nostalgia For A World That Never Existed as part of Live From The Living Room)
2020
Dutch Design Week Online, Eindhoven
(Graduation Show)
2019
Dutch Design Week, Area 51, Eindhoven (Het Collectief x Border Objects)
2019
Neuhaus, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam
(Het Collectief)
2019
Milano Design Week, Park Associati, Milano
(Insecure: Public Space in the Age of Big Data)
2019
100% l’Expo, Villette Makerz, Paris
(Neoweaving)
2016
Balkan Design Bienale, Beograd
(Chair 001)
Press
Living Room Learning, DisegnioDaily, 2020
Design to think about: from corona quilt to personal urn, NRC, 2020
More-Than-Human Centered Design: From Bauhaus to Neuhaus , ArchitectYourLife, 2019
Fuorisalone 2019, The Complete Guide District By District, ElleDecor IT, 2019
Insecure: Public Space In The Age of Big Data, ZERO, 2019
Insecure: video surveillance and the design of awareness, DesignAtLarge, 2019
Best architecture events we visited during last Milan Design Week 2019, ARCHIVIBE, 2019
Appuntamenti principali e mostre organizzate da Porta Venezia in Design, CoseDiCassa, 2019
All the insecurity of a safe world. How our behaviors change under the eye of the cameras, CieloTerra, 2019
The exhibitions and the Palaces of Milan, DesignDeffusion, 2019
"Porta Venezia In Design", Fuorisalone and events, MilanoToday, 2019
2018-2020
Contextual Design MA (Cum Laude)
Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2013 - 2017
Industrial Design BA (Cum Laude)
Academy of Fine Arts And Design, SLO
Awards & Nominations
2020
Gijs Bakker Award nominee,
for excellence in thesis research
2018
Prešeren Award,
for outstanding bachelor thesis
2016
Young Balkan Designers: New Analogue
Exhibitions & Workshops
2022
BIO27 — Super Vernaculars
(Futuring)
2020
Truh Tellers, IN Residence
(Online Workshop)
2020
Phatom Of Design, Onomatopee, Eindhoven
(Nostalgia For A World That Never Existed as part of Live From The Living Room)
2020
Dutch Design Week Online, Eindhoven
(Graduation Show)
2019
Dutch Design Week, Area 51, Eindhoven (Het Collectief x Border Objects)
2019
Neuhaus, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam
(Het Collectief)
2019
Milano Design Week, Park Associati, Milano
(Insecure: Public Space in the Age of Big Data)
2019
100% l’Expo, Villette Makerz, Paris
(Neoweaving)
2016
Balkan Design Bienale, Beograd
(Chair 001)
Press
Living Room Learning, DisegnioDaily, 2020
Design to think about: from corona quilt to personal urn, NRC, 2020
More-Than-Human Centered Design: From Bauhaus to Neuhaus , ArchitectYourLife, 2019
Fuorisalone 2019, The Complete Guide District By District, ElleDecor IT, 2019
Insecure: Public Space In The Age of Big Data, ZERO, 2019
Insecure: video surveillance and the design of awareness, DesignAtLarge, 2019
Best architecture events we visited during last Milan Design Week 2019, ARCHIVIBE, 2019
Appuntamenti principali e mostre organizzate da Porta Venezia in Design, CoseDiCassa, 2019
All the insecurity of a safe world. How our behaviors change under the eye of the cameras, CieloTerra, 2019
The exhibitions and the Palaces of Milan, DesignDeffusion, 2019
"Porta Venezia In Design", Fuorisalone and events, MilanoToday, 2019