Colour and Form Course, Ljubljana, 1961–63

First held from 5 to 11 May 1961 in Ljubljana, the Colour and Form Course contributed significantly to the further education of Slovenian designers and their integration into the industry. Stemming from the need to understand colour as a basic element shaping our perception of objects and the surroundings, the workshop was created at the initiative of the new industrial design programme at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Geodesy, in cooperation with the Housing Research Department at the Urban Planning Institute of the People’s Republic of Slovenia. The architect France Ivanšek (1922–2007) played a key organizing role. The lecturers were Erik Berglund, C. G. Boulogner, and Gösta Sandberg of the Swedish Industrial Design Association’s Colour School, who conducted lectures and practical workshops introducing Slovenian professionals to the characteristics of the Natural Colour System and its applicability in everyday life. The first workshop was followed by two more in 1962 and 1963. It was so well received that it led to the establishment of the Colour and Form Club, which brought together designers, producers, and consumers with the aim of improving colour and design culture more broadly.