J ana Culek is an architect, urbanist, researcher and illustrator from Croatia, living and working in Zagreb. She is the founder of Studio Fabula, an architecture and urban design office which was founded in Delft (Netherlands), but is now also active in Zagreb. Since 2023 she is part of the teaching staff at the Urban Studies postmaster specialist program led by DeltaLab in Rijeka. In 2018 she began working on her PhD at the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, researching utopian projects in architecture and literature, and is set to defend her thesis in 2023. After gaining her masters degree in architecture and urban planning form the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb, Croatia, where she is originally from, she completed the postgraduate master program from The Berlage Center for Advanced Studies in Architecture and Urban Design as a part of the Berlage Generation XXV. Her research and design interests revolve around the topics of architectural representation, narrative structures and utopias. Working within the borders of architecture, urbanism, illustration and storytelling, she focuses and critically reflects on architectural representation and the formation of architectural thought. Her projects focus on architectural stories and the textual and visual representation of those stores. In her work, she employs narrative as a catalyst for creating spatial sequences which are illustrated through text and drawings.
Contact
janaculek[at]studiofabula.eu
j.culek[at]tudelft.nl
info[at]studiofabula.eu
Education
2018 – 2022
TU Delft Faculty of Architecture
PhD researcher
2014 – 2016
The Berlage Center for Advanced Studies in Architecture and Urban Design, Delft, NL
2007 – 2013
Faculty of Architecture, University of Zagreb, HRV
Professional Experience
2017 – present
Studio Fabula, Delft, NL
Founder, architect
2016 – 2019
Kaan Architecten, Rotterdam, NL
Architect
2013 – 2014
Urbanisticki institut Hrvatske, Zagreb, HRV
Architect
Teaching Experience
Urban Studies, DeltaLab, University of Rijeka
– Spring 2023 –
Research Based Design Studio 1 & 2 – design studio held during the second semester of the postmaster specialist program, co-tutor with Ida Krizaj Leko and Leo Modricin
– Fall 2022 –
Project Communication – seminar held during the first semester of the postmaster specialist program
Chair of Methods and Analysis, Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment, TU Delft
– Spring 2021 –
Transdisciplinary Encounters – Architecture and Literature – architectural design studio, MSc2, co-tutor with prof. Klaske Havik
– Fall 2020 –
Positions: Delft Lectures on Architectural Design and Research Methods – lecture series and theory seminar, Msc1, tutor for one of the seminar research groups on the topic of Image
– Fall 2019 –
Probing into Precedents: Skopje – research seminar incorporated with the graduation studio, Msc3, tutor
Positions: Delft Lectures on Architectural Design and Research Methods – lecture series and theory seminar, Msc1, tutor for one of the seminar research groups on the topic of Monumentality
– Spring 2019 –
Probing into Precedents: Skopje – research seminar incorporated with the graduation studio, Msc3, co-tutor with dr. Aleksandar Stanicic
– Fall 2018 –
Roles of the Architect – seminar, Msc1, co-tutor with Robert Gorny
2020
Urban Maestro Masterclass on Urban Design Governance (urbanmaestro.org) , tutor
Lectures
2022
Utopia as Critical Method – Lecture and workshop held as part of the Utopic Horizzons program organized by the Otherwise group of the Wageningen University (NL)
Dystopian/Utopian – Lecture held as part of the Private_Eye_Butler_Spy exhibition held at the ARCAM in Amsterdam
Drawing as Research – Presentation held during the Rosenberg Talks: Part 1 – Drawing as Object of Knowledge, a symposium organized by KU Leuven
Between Words and Buildings – Keynote lecture at the Crossing the Line symposium organized by the University of Brighton (UK)
2021
NOWHERE – Imagining the Global City – two-part talkshow recorded at the Nederlands Fotomuseum, with architect Kristian Koreman, co-founder of ZUS.cc (Zones Urbaines Sensibles, Rotterdam), moderated by Fátima Mzallassi, on the architectural and urban images, visions, and utopias. Organised at the occasion of NOWHERE – Imagining The Global City exhibition, by photographer Frank van der Salm
F / A Fake Authentic – Life of the Others – Lecture series organised by F / A Fake Authentic and AMArchitecture
2020
History of the Computer in Architecture – Architecture Now 22 – Live conversation at Pakhuis de Zwijger, with Teresa Fankhänel (Architekturmuseum der TUM), Sandra Youkhana and Luke Caspar Pearson (You+Pea, The Bartlett), moderated by Indira van ’t Klooster, on the occasion of The Architecture Machine exhibition at Architekturmuseum der TUM and my exhibited project (Temple for the Pictures)
Examining Utopias – paper presentation as part of the Practice of Architectural Research Symposium
Powers of Utopia – presentation as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2020 Symposium
The Disappearance of Architectural Utopias – paper presentation as part of the AMPS London 2020 Conference – The City and Complexity – Life, Design and Commerce in the Built Environment
2019
A Good Life ABC – book presentation as part of artist talks event at the Experimental Diagramming – Between Spatial Figuration and Abstraction exhibition at the Architekturmuseum of TU Berlin
Utopia as Urban Testing Ground – paper presentation held at the (Un)fair Cities – Equity, Ideology and Utopia in Urban Texts held in Limerick
Drawing as Research – presentation held as part of the Berlage alumni and student meet-up in Porto
Utopia as a Speculative Method in Architecture – lecture held as part of the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture Research Week in the format of a Peer Review Colloquium
Drawings and Texts as a Method of Architectural Research – Recent Work – lecture held in May at the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb as part of the “Architects about the Architectural Drawing” lecture series
2018
Architecture Picturebook – lecture held at the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb as part of the “Architects about the Architectural Drawing” lecture series
2016
A Flat Tale: The Picturebook as an Architectural Project – presented at the Drawing Futures Conference at The Bartlett School of Architecture, London
Publications
2023
Utopia as Urban Testing Ground (upcoming) – chapter contribution in Utopia, Ideology and Equity in Urban Texts. Fair and Unfair Cities, ed. Michael G. Kelly and Mariano Paz , Palgrave Macmillan
Dystopian Optimism: Reading “The Planet as a Festival” (upcoming) – article in the OASE #114 – Optimism or Bust, ed. Stefan Devoldere, David Peleman, Jantje Engels
2022
Examining Utopias – Comparative Scales as a Transdisciplinary Research Method – chapter in The Hybrid Practitioner, ed. Caroline Voet, Eireen Schreurs, Helen Thomas, Leuven University Press
A Good Life ABC – project publication in Construction and Design Manual: Experimental Diagrams in Architecture, ed. Lidia Gasperoni, DOM Publishers
“Utopia” – Glossary contribution for the Women Writing Architecture platform
The Flying Bunker – project coauthored with Nishi Shah, published as part of Safe New World, ed. Salomon Frausto, The Berlage
2021
“AMS to AM5 – Een eigentijdse utopie?” – review text of the “AMS to AM5” project created by The Why Factory (TU Delft) in collaboration with the AMS Institute, published on ArchiNed
2020
“Utopie als kritische methode” – feature on the ArchiNed website
“Forms of Utopia” – text and research drawings published as part of the Writingplace journal #4
“Anti-utopia” and “Ideal Cities” – two terms published in Vademecum: 77 Minor Terms for Writing Urban Places, edited by Klaske Havik, Kris Pint, Svava Riesto and Henriette Steiner
Temple for the Pictures, project drawings and process – published in The Architecture Machine: The Role of Computers in Architecture, edited by Teresa Fankhänel and Andres Lepik, The Architekturmuseum TUM
2018
“Public Domain” – published in: Showing – Alternative Designs for Museums; Non Architecture Competitions
2017
“Telling Tales” – published in: Archifutures, Vol.3 – The Site; &Beyond and DPR Barcelona
2016
“A Flat Tale: The Picturebook as an Architectural Project” – published in: Drawing Futures, Publication and Conference; UCL Press, The Bartlett School of Architecture, London
“A Flat Tale” – parts of projects published in: Fairy Tales Volume 3; Blank Space
Lexicon no.2 Agency – Advocacy – Authorship; The Berlage
“A Flat Tale” – published in: Scenes from the Good Life; The Berlage
Exhibitions
Dystopian/Utopian, conceptual design project – project exhibited as part of the Private_Eye_Butler_Spy exhibition at Arcam
November 2020
The Flying Bunker, theoretical design project- project coauthored with Nishi Shah, exhibited as part of Safe New World Berlage Design Masterclass, led by Theo Deutinger
October 2020 – June 2021
“Temple for the Pictures” exhibited as part of Die Architekturmachine (The Architecture Machine) exhibition at Architekturmuseum TUM in Munich
2019
“A Good Life ABC” – book exhibited as part of the Experimental Diagramming. Between Spatial Figuration and Abstraction exhibition at the Architecture Museum of the Technical University of Berlin
“Movement from Below” – Pop-up book exhibited at the Hongerige Wolf Festival in the Netherlands
Paromlin – Exhibition of winning competition proposals – held in Zagreb
2018
“Movement from Below” exhibited at Prix de Rome Architecture 2018 – Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam
2016
“Constructed Landscapes”, drawing – exhibited at: Land(e)scape. Drawing exhibition in a domesticated landscape; Artwort, Naples
“A Flat Tale”, architectural project as a set of books – exhibited at: Scenes from the Good Life; Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft
2015
“The Strip”, architectural project – exhibited at: “Project NL”, Exhibition, Post Office, Rotterdam
Competitions (selection)
2021
Tresnjevka Market – architectural and urban planing competition, collaboration with Dora Jerbic Oliveira, Zagreb, HR
2020
Centrum Boortmeerbeek – Masterplan – Invited competition – Boortmeerbeek, BE
Hof van Lent – Housing – Competition – Collaboration with Instill Studio – Nijmegen, NL
The Power Game – exhibition proposal – London, GB
2019
Tampere Green Link – Masterplan – Tampere, FI
Forrest, Square, Field – Masterplan – Trogir, HR
2018
Paromlin – Zagreb’s New Public Library – Awarded 5th Prize – Zagreb, HR
Learn, Stay, Play – YAC – Laveno Mombello, IT
Movement from Below – Prix de Rome 2018 – Project exhibited at Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam – Groningen, NL
2017
Non Architecture Competitions: Showing – Honourable Mention, featured in publication
Europan – Amsterdam Piarcoplein – Amsterdam, NL
Tilburg Viewing Tower
A Temple for Hilma – Editor’s Choice Award
2016
Fairy Tales – Featured in publication
Future Architecture Platform – Featured in Archifutures publication
2015
Design a Beautiful House
2014
Aluartforum
2013
Delta Rijeka – Collaboration with GRAS Architects – one of 10 finalists
2011
Think Space – Moral Borders
Europan – Dubrovnik
Oistat Theatre Architecture
d3 – Housing of Tomorrow
2010
Cilnica and Pavlinski Square and Potok Street in Senj
Home for the Elderly and Public Park in Labin