COMPETITION PURPOSE
The Forests Stretch from Horizon to Horizon Across the Verdant Expanse of Kočevska...
With over 80% forest coverage, it is almost surprising that wood, this priceless natural resource, was once well-utilised but has been so underused in recent decades.
Global and local circumstances in the past decades nearly erased the value of wood and the importance of local forest-wood chains. This neglect led to a steep decline in the wood processing industry across Slovenia, and consequently, to fewer enrolments in vocational secondary programs focused on woodworking.
We found ourselves in a situation where we could only helplessly watch raw logs leave our forests and cross our national borders, unprocessed.
Climate change and the crisis of globalisation have brought us back to the idea that wood is an excellent raw material—but it must be used differently: enriched with new knowledge and design, crafted using modern technology in harmony with the refined skills of traditional craftsmen.
It is no surprise, then, that wood is becoming one of the key materials in the green transition.
In 2013, as a response to this situation, the Kočevje Grammar and Secondary School launched the initiative for the Festival of Wood, with strong support from the Municipality of Kočevje.
We aimed to create a platform for reflecting on the opportunities offered by our forested region. We wanted to remind the local population of the value of wood as a natural asset—something that should not be taken for granted, even if it often is—and hoped to raise awareness of the high-quality natural environment we live in.
We wanted to connect with local entrepreneurs, as well as scientists in Slovenia and abroad. In short, our goal was to raise awareness and transform our attitude toward forests and wood—something we can be truly proud of.
This new awareness naturally brings with it the knowledge and skills to process wood and, ultimately, to sell it successfully with as much added value as possible.
The Festival of Wood is announcing the international (Prime)Chair design competition. A professional jury will select two design solutions, which will be presented as prototypes at the 2025 Festival of Wood Awards Ceremony.
Alongside each first prize, the jury will also choose two honourable mentions in each category, which will be showcased visually at the opening event.
The competition is open to creative and imaginative individuals aged 18 and above.
When we think of Kočevska, a picture of a magnificent forest landscape comes to mind—untouched nature, rich in wildlife, where the bear, wolf, and lynx reign supreme.
But Kočevska is more than that. It holds a special secret: its seemingly endless forests jealously guard their exceptionally valuable treasures. These silent and mysterious corners of ancient nature are among the few remaining virgin forests in Europe.
Slovenia has 14 virgin forests, and nearly half of them are in Kočevska. This region’s forest heritage includes six virgin forests, covering a total area of nearly 219 hectares. The largest among them, Krokar, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017.
www.kocevje.si
www.kocevsko.com
AWARDS
KEY DATES | EXPRESSIVE CHAIR
A TRIBUTE TO THE RICHNESS OF THE KOČEVJE FORESTS
Awarded to a chair that expresses, in an expressive, artistic, and symbolic way, a deep connection with the untouched nature and the silence of the Kočevje virgin forest.
→ Cash prize of €1,500 (pretax)
→ Prototype production of the chair
→ Certificate
→ Free accommodation in Kočevje (October 16–18, 2025)
→ Participation in the 2025 Festival of Wood awards ceremony
→ Expert-guided tour of the Krokar virgin forest
INDUSTRIAL CHAIR
FOREST DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE
Awarded to a chair based on similar general principles as the expressive chair but adapted for industrial production and commercial appeal.
→ Cash prize of €1,500 (pretax)
→ Prototype production of the chair
→ Certificate
→ Free accommodation in Kočevje (October 16–18, 2025)
→ Participation in the 2025 Festival of Wood awards ceremony
→ Expert-guided tour of the Krokar virgin forest
MEMBERS OF THE EXPERT JURY
-Prof. Janez Suhadolc
Architect and carpenter, retired professor at the Faculty of Architecture in Ljubljana, and a chair designer and maker who has created over 500 prototypes of various wooden products based on his own concepts throughout his career.
-Prof. Salih Teskeredžić
Architect and designer, full professor at the Department of Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, co-founder and creative strategist of the Sarajevo-based brand Gazzda, and recipient of numerous international design awards, including the Red Dot and the Interior Innovation Award – Winner. He has also been nominated several times for the German Design Award.
-Nikola Radeljković
Founder and member of the group Numen/ForUse, which works in the fields of conceptual art, scenography, and industrial design for leading European furniture manufacturers, including Prostoria. He is the artistic director of the brand Nunc and a visiting professor at several design education institutions.
-Andrej Palman, dipl. inž.
Wood technology engineer, former expert associate at the Kočevje Business Incubator and practical skills teacher at Grammar and secondary school Kočevje.
-Špela Šubic
Museum counselor and curator at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO). A significant part of the industrial design collection under her care consists of seating furniture, primarily chairs.
-Izr. prof. Rok Kuhar
Architect and industrial designer, head of the Department of Industrial and Unique Design at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana. He is the co-founder of Studio Raketa, which specializes in graphic and product design as well as interior design, and the recipient of numerous international awards.
-Tomaž Sešlar
Founder of the company Rexdesign d.o.o. An expert on the work of Niko Kralj, he has revived many of Kralj’s nearly forgotten designs.
-Asst. Prof. Mojca Perše
Architect specializing in design and interior architecture, Vice Dean for Artistic Activities and Head of the Laboratory for Creative Industries at the Faculty of Design. She is also a lecturer in the Department of Interior Design and Product Design.
-Doc. Primož Jeza
Architect and designer, lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, University of Ljubljana. He is the founder of primozjezastudio, author of the book Interior Primož Jeza 9+1, selector of the Month of Design Ljubljana, and recipient of many awards, nominations, and honours, including the Red Dot Award.
Albin Škalič, Ing. lesarstva
Wood technology engineer, director of the company Murales
