In September 2025, as part of Zagreb Design Week’s official partner locations, we organized and realized a seven-day program of talks, screenings, exhibitions, coworking, DJ sets, and spontaneous gatherings. We called it Open Works because the idea was to actually open our works and share them with the community.
From the very beginning, it was clear that this was more than just a one-time event.
Since opening its doors, Holographik Space has consistently hosted independent cultural program, from talks and screenings to performances and exhibitions. So when Zagreb Design Week invited us to join as a partner location, we immediately said yes. At that point, we had no concrete plan, just a clear intention to do something that felt true to who we are and what this space stands for.
In the three weeks leading up to the opening, we built everything from scratch: the name , the program, and the visual identity, relying on the same things we use in our everyday work: design thinking, production skills, and a healthy amount of improvisation. We reached out to some of the leading local studios and creatives to joins us, and everyone said yes.
That’s how Open Works came together. Quickly, collaboratively, and with a lot of heart.
As the program began, each day brought something new. Mornings started with coworking sessions and free photostudio bookings, giving visitors a chance to work, collaborate or bring their personal creative projects to life.
Additionally, we set up a pop-up design store where visitors could find the latest two editions of Type01 Magazine, Open Works merch, the HW Studio capsule collection and other souvenirs. Midday was reserved for design documentary screenings, while the main program took place in the evening with talks and presentations by leading regional creatives such as Studio Size, Šesnić&Turković, Clinica Studio, Regular Company, Grupa Studio, Studio Sonda, OKO, Imelda Ramović, Fran Mubrin, Holographik Studio, Future Folklore and Studio Boir. The team from Holographik Studio also hosted design reviews and feedback sessions, and each day closed with live DJ sets, networking and conversation that carried on long after the official program ended.
To give the whole project a stronger and more complete presence, we created supporting materials such as merchandise, posters and PR articles that framed Open Works as a small but well-rounded cultural festival.
There was no external funding, no production agency and no existing blueprint to follow, only a small team, a shared idea and a strong belief that it was worth doing. In the end, Open Works became a milestone for us at Holographik Space. It proved that Zagreb’s creative community is ready and eager for spaces that connect disciplines and encourage genuine cultural exchange. The response was overwhelming, with full rooms, standing audiences and conversations that continued well beyond the official schedule. For us, this was more than a design week activation. It was a statement about the kind of culture we want to build: independent, collaborative and inclusive.
Our hope is that this program will continue to grow, attract support and connect even more people from Zagreb, the wider region and beyond. We are already thinking about future editions, new collaborations and new ways to build on what started here, because when creative work is shared openly, it creates momentum, and that is exactly what we want to keep alive.
