About
Nikola Kalevski
Art Director & Designer
My vision is to translate identity and cultural heritage into contemporary design. Through the reinterpretation of Glagolitic forms, I explore how design objects and interiors can carry meaning beyond function. Identity is a fundamental human need, and design has the power to make it visible, tangible, and present in everyday space.
Translating identity and cultural heritage into contemporary form
Kalevski is a product designer working at the intersection of design and art, where objects are conceived as carriers of meaning rather than decorative elements. His practice is rooted in the belief that design is not an aesthetic layer, but a process through which identity, history, and values are translated into physical form.
Born in Zagreb and shaped through education and life in the Netherlands, Kalevski graduated in Product Design from Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. His graduation project — a Glagolitic bench — laid the foundation for an ongoing exploration of form, identity, and cultural heritage through contemporary design.
Design, in Kalevski’s work, is not an added layer but a starting point. Each object begins with a question — of identity, context, and presence. Form is shaped through material, proportion, and space, allowing meaning to emerge without excess or explanation.
Cultural references are approached as structure rather than symbol. The Glagolitic script forms the conceptual foundation of his work, treated as a living visual language and translated into contemporary objects. Identity and cultural heritage remain present through form itself — subtle, embedded, and open to interpretation.
KALEVSKI DESIGN is a Zagreb-based design studio working across product design, custom-made projects, and author-driven collections. The studio develops objects, interior elements, and spatial works that exist between design and art, shaped by context, material, and intent.
An in-house production line enables prototyping and small-scale production, supporting a hands-on design process rooted in material exploration and precision. This allows each project to evolve through direct engagement — from concept to refined object.
The studio collaborates with private clients, institutions, and cultural partners on bespoke products, interiors, spatial objects, and conceptual projects.
