The publication Utvrde – sudbina jednoga grada (Fortresses – The Fate of a City), designed by Studio Tumpić/Prenc, won Silver in the Book Design category at the 20th anniversary edition of the European Design Awards.
The award was presented for the graphic design of a scientific publication dedicated to Pula’s fortification heritage, created for the Historical and Maritime Museum of Istria. The book was edited by Katarina Pocedić and Katarina Marić and, through archival materials, photographs, maps and technical drawings, provides an overview of the development of the city’s defence system, as well as military and architectural achievements from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The recognition comes after the publication was already selected among the best-designed Croatian books of 2025 in the Hrvatska lijepa knjiga competition.
The book’s design concept is rooted in the nature of its content. Different types of materials, from historical documents to technical drawings, were transformed into a format resembling an official naval officer’s file folder. A binding inspired by old maps, kraft paper covers, metal rings and binding cord create the impression of a working archival document, while pages of different formats and tones further emphasise the layered nature of the publication. Sturdier dividers improve navigation through the content, and the book as a whole was conceived to gradually acquire the characteristics of a personal archival folder through use.
In addition to Studio Tumpić/Prenc, the project involved Tina Erman Popović and the printing house Kerschoffset.
This year’s edition of the European Design Awards was also marked by the competition’s twentieth anniversary. On that occasion, the organisers presented the “Agency League”, a ranking of Europe’s most successful design studios. Studio Tumpić/Prenc was included among the 50 most awarded studios and ranked fifth in the Packaging Design category.
The European Design Awards are considered one of Europe’s most significant recognitions in the field of communication design. Unlike many industry competitions, the winners are not selected by designers but by an international jury composed of design journalists and critics, providing the award with additional weight and a broader professional perspective.
