Interviewed in Zagreb, March 1st 2006

Architects Ivana Ergić, Vanja Ilić and Vesna Milutin belong to the young and upcoming Croatian architectural scene that has established a name for itself and become recognised in the last few years. Serious and dedicated to their profession, but at the same time unburdened by a strict or narrow understanding of that profession, Ergić, Ilić and Milutin started their careers immediately after graduation, when they founded the Capsula studio. They completed many projects and constructions after that, from designing interiors for HT, a town square in Samobor and subsidised housing in Cres for which they received the Vladimir Nazor Award from the Croatian Ministry of Culture. Although their professional careers have gone separate ways, they clearly share common views and sensibilities. They also share an emotional dedication to each task, the finesse and conciseness of architectural language, and a recognizable visual expression that can be felt in the graphics of their designs. Of all the protagonists on the contemporary scene, Ergić, Ilić and Milutin have probably gone the furthest in the quick and skillful assimilation of a wide range of modern trends and influences while remaining devoted to their architectural milieu.

ORIS: The contemporary younger architectural and design scene, like other creative disciplines, is characterized by its dynamic nature. Authors often form groups, work together for a while, and then continue in a different team. This has happened to you too, since you manage two architectural studios today. Please describe how you have worked together. Can you place your method of work in a wider context?

Ergić: Our cooperation is based on private relationships. Also, we share the same affinities in architecture and other forms of creative disciplines. The private relationship was gradually complemented by the professional one. We went from being students and freelancers to constituting an official and legally registered practise.