Following an intensive four-day immersion into the rich urban, industrial, social and cultural fabric of Novi Pazar, Mikser Festival is excited to share with you the winning projects of the Mikser Residency Edition.
The residency brought together ten international creatives- winners of the Next Gen Design Open Call, for Mikser Festival, held this year in Novi Pazar. Designed as an intensive, research-driven design sprint, the residency challenged participants to investigate the urban, material, and social fabric of Novi Pazar (a city with one of the youngest demographic profiles in Serbia) and propose site-specific, circular, and youth-oriented interventions.
To foster cross-cultural exchange, the designers worked in international pairs, five teams of two, combining creatives from the Balkan region with peers from across Europe. Guided by local architect Semir Poturak and Professor Jelena Matić (Belgrade Faculty of Forestry), the teams navigated the city’s rich physical and cultural layers: its 15th-century heritage as a crossroads of Islamic and Orthodox Christian traditions; its geographical position, its major industrial pillars in textiles and furniture making; its traditional woodcarving and carpentry; its Brutalist monuments built as part of unfulfilled 1960s urban master plans; and its contemporary, profit-driven urban developments.
The 2026 Residency Winners
The residency awarded three monetary prizes to celebrate outstanding projects developed in paired teams during their workshop in Novi Pazar. Evaluation focused on conceptual development, circular design principles, teamwork, and local community impact.
1st Prize: NOVI SAV (New Stitch) by Josquin Fromagé (The Netherlands) & Lara Matic (Serbia)
“Creativity is not taught. It is released.”
A mobile, fold-out atelier on wheels equipped with sewing machines, tools, and materials. Designed as a free, accessible pop-up space, NOVI SAV empowers local youth to experiment, repair, and create without academic or institutional barriers. Taps into Novi Pazar’s rich textile manufacturing heritage by involving local master tailors (terzije) as knowledge holders and using donated garment waste to fuel a circular community supply chain.
Jury evaluation: “Exemplary cross-disciplinary teamwork between architecture and fashion design. A smart, mobile solution that celebrates local textile heritage, bridges the generational gap, and stimulates youth creativity while revitalizing public spaces.”
2nd Prize: Novi Sastavci by Alessandro Pantoja Esna (Spain) & Ekim Güney Öztürk (Italy / Turkey)
Situated at the confluence (sastavci) of the Raska and Josanica rivers, this intervention transforms an underutilized, polluted riverbank into a vibrant public meeting point with shaded wooden pavilions, Studenica marble seating, climbing grapevines, and an interactive central fountain. Reconnects citizens with their natural ecosystem while reflecting Novi Pazar’s historic position as a cultural and spatial crossroads.
Jury evaluation: “Demonstrates acute sensitivity to the riverfront and its underutilized public spaces. Outstanding creation of micro-atmospheres and biospheres while thoughtfully respecting the city’s environmental and cultural diversity.”
3rd Prize: Heritage-Flow by Janine Kerscher (Germany) & Anja Djordjevic (Serbia)
A holistic, modular design system combining storytelling, city branding, and physical community infrastructure. Features layered geometric branding (inspired by local architecture) and a modular bench made from recycled local wood, bricks, and textiles. Aims to convert an abandoned building in the old town into a active “Heritage Hub” for intergenerational dialogue and cultural events.
Jury evaluation: “A strong, highly implementable city branding and visual framework. Masterfully blends local storytelling with tourism potential, making local heritage tangible across digital, graphic, and architectural dimensions.”
Warmest Thank you to All Residency Participants
We extend our warmest congratulations to all five resident teams for their exceptional research and creative output:
BASTION — Dusan Jevtic (Serbia) & Anna Kudrjavceva (Serbia / Russia)
Blizina Raške — Hanchen Zhang (The Netherlands) & Marko SkrbiC (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Heritage-Flow — Janine Kerscher (Germany) & Anja Djorđevic (Serbia)
Novi Sastavci — Alessandro Pantoja Esna (Spain) & Ekim Güney Öztürk (Italy / Turkey)
NOVI SAV — Josquin Fromagé (The Netherlands) & Lara Matic (Serbia)
The final presentations took place on June 7th at the Design Hub in Novi Pazar, followed by the official award ceremony in the city center at Kino Mikser. Projects were evaluated according to the six core criteria: Context Relevance, Innovation, Sustainability & Circularity, Impact for Youth, Feasibility, and Collaboration Quality.
Jury Members: Maja Lalić — Creative Director of Mikser & Project Coordinator for Next Gen Design (Serbia); Pepijn Zurburg — Co-founder of What Design Can Do (The Netherlands); Henriette Waal — Artistic Leader of Veenweide Atelier & Co-founder of Atelier Luma (The Netherlands); Jelena Šuka — Architect & Project Coordinator for Next Gen Design (Serbia), and Aleksandar Velinovski — Founder of Public Room (North Macedonia).