A year after he became the head of the architecture department of FAGG, with the established architectural direction, prof. In the academic year 1960-61, Edvard Ravnikar introduced the experimental design course B. With it, he wanted to transfer his knowledge of design to younger generations. He relied on the tradition of the Bauhaus school...
A year after becoming head of the FAGG architecture department, in addition to the established architectural major, Prof. Edvard Ravnikar introduced the experimental design major B in the academic year 1960-61. With it, he wanted to pass on his knowledge of design to younger generations. He drew on the tradition of the Bauhaus school and the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm, which he knew well. His aspirations coincided with efforts for social and university reform, where he was assisted by politicians Boris Kraigher, Dr. Joža Vilfan and the university rector Dr. Dolfe Vogelnik.
The B Design major is important for the development of contemporary Slovenian design and architecture due to the introduction of new experimental and research methods of work, a systematic and analytical approach to work in these fields, the inversion of study programs, as well as the enthusiasm with which students approached their study work and the results that we can still see in the works of former students much later.
Direction B thus falls into the category of modernization-oriented schools that operated on the basis of contemporary insights and practices of leading German schools before and after the war. If the Direction B experiment had developed in a tolerant and collaborative atmosphere, Slovenia would probably have one of the best design schools around!
Several articles have been published about the study programme B and the education of designers in the early 1960s within the Department of Architecture of the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy of the University of Ljubljana, and the works were presented at two exhibitions in 1993 and 2007. The exhibition entitled Study Programme B – the Reform of Design presents for the first time original material related to Study Programme B from various legacies and archives of participants in the reformed study programme: from the legacies of architect Prof. Edvard Ravnikar, architect Prof. Tine Kurent, architect Nevenka Sterlekar, from the archives of designer Prof. Niko Kralj, designer and architect Majda Dobravec Lajovic, architects Prof. Vladimir B. Mušič, Prof. Grega Košak, Miloš Lapajne, Katarina Bebler, Jernej Kraigher, Mojca Vogelnik, Marija Vovk and others.
Among the assistants of the B course were a number of renowned designers and architects, such as Majda Dobravec, Svetozar Križaj, Jože Brumen, Vladimir B. Mušič, Grega Košak, as well as among the students of the 1960/61 generation, such as Elza Budau, Marjan Gašperšič, Marjana Kosec, Jernej Kraigher, Majda Kregar, Saša J. Mächtig, Edo Ravnikar Jr., Peter Skalar, Bibijana Štok and Mojca Vogelnik, and from the 1961/62 generation, architect Vojteh Ravnikar stands out with his later work.
Bogo Zupančič, curator
