Historic K67 kiosk showcases Yugoslav design heritage

One of the legendary K67 kiosks, a concept designed in the 1960s by Prešeren Prize laureate Saša J. Mächtig, has taken on a new purpose outside Ljubljana's Delo tower building.

Reimagined by creator Matija Jašarov, it will now serve as a micro-gallery, pop-up shop, venue for intimate concerts and a place for short interviews, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

A blast from the past, the K67 is one of the most recognisable works by industrial designer and architect Mächtig, who was recently declared one of the two winners of the 2026 Prešeren Prize, the top national accolade for lifetime achievement in the arts.

The iconic polyfiber, steel and glass module has been part of the 20th-century design collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) since the 1970s. It was also a centrepiece of a major MoMA exhibition on Yugoslav modernist architecture in 2018.

In the past K67 units were exported to a number of countries across the world, and there are still some active ones, including in Ljubljana.

Refurbished some three years ago, the one in front of the Delo publisher headquarters has now been given a new role, no longer as a classic food or newspaper stand. According to Jašarov, the red kiosk has become "a space for micro-dosing culture: small but powerful cultural shots for anyone passing by".

Jašarov, active in music, video and art, said the idea came about spontaneously.

"When I was looking for an office, I spotted this iconic kiosk in an advert. I immediately knew that such a piece of Slovenian design history deserved more."

Mächtig himself, who took part in the kiosk's renovation and installation, attended the recent reopening.

The event also marked the first month of the JUS Project pop-up shop, an artistic and commercial project named after the renowned abbreviation for the Yugoslav Standard, the quality and design ethos of products from the former Yugoslavia.

The online shop features a curated selection of items celebrating Yugoslav and Slovenian design heritage, from prints of the K67 kiosk to objects inspired by unique Yugoslav aesthetics.

Photo: Marko Delbello Ocepek