Material & Form Experiments
A series of self-initiated 3D explorations examining the intersection of material logic, surface behavior, and visual perception. These studies serve as a space for testing ideas that inform applied design practice.
Krijesnica — Firefly Urban Light Concept
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2020 | Krijesnica — Firefly Urban Light Concept | Independent Research
Design exploration focused on ecological light behavior and structural optimization.
The concept investigates how urban lighting can minimize light pollution and reduce insect attraction through wavelength control and precise optical direction.
The organic structural framework draws inspiration from natural branching systems, optimizing strength and rigidity while maintaining a lightweight appearance.
Illumination is directed exclusively downward, preserving the night sky and protecting nocturnal ecosystems.
This study forms part of ongoing research into how industrial design can reconcile functionality, environmental responsibility, and visual clarity in public infrastructure.
Philosophy:
Krijesnica is a call to return light to its natural role — a tool of orientation, not domination. It transforms illumination from a symbol of progress into a gesture of respect. In doing so, it reconnects the city to the cycles of nature and reintroduces the quiet poetry of the night.
KUPA / Automotive Design Concept
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2018 | KUPA / Automotive Design Concept | Independent Research
Independent exploration revisiting the enduring principles of automotive beauty.
The concept reinterprets classical proportions and timeless surface tension through a contemporary lens — opposing the transient, technology-driven aesthetics of digital futurism.
Inspired by the permanence of Swiss watchmaking, the design emphasizes proportion, balance, and material honesty over visual novelty.
Each surface line is treated as a structural statement rather than decoration, resulting in a vehicle that communicates integrity and refinement rather than spectacle.
This study reflects on the idea that true innovation lies not in constant reinvention, but in rediscovering the lasting values that define industrial elegance.
Carbon Bicycle — Lightweight Urban Mobility Concept
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2022 | Carbon Bicycle — Lightweight Urban Mobility Concept | Independent Research
Challenge: Create an ultra-lightweight urban bicycle optimized for environments where portability is as important as performance. In dense urban housing, the daily act of carrying a bicycle up several flights of stairs transforms weight from a technical specification into a decisive factor of usability.
Solution: The concept explores structural efficiency through extensive use of carbon fiber composites, minimizing metallic components to only those essential for structural integrity, threading, and load-bearing. The result is a bicycle that redefines the relationship between material, form, and function — retaining full mechanical reliability while achieving significant weight reduction.
Frame and fork form a unified carbon monocoque structure optimized for stiffness-to-weight ratio. Wheels, seatpost, and handlebar assemblies are also executed in carbon, while drivetrain, hubs, and key connectors remain metallic for durability and precision.
The outcome demonstrates a reduction of approximately 25–40% compared to conventional metal-frame bicycles, achieving a total mass below 9 kg — light enough to carry with one hand, yet structurally rigid for everyday use. The carbon architecture not only reduces physical effort but also expresses a new aesthetic of efficiency — where lightness becomes a visible design language.
Philosophy: In this concept, material becomes the design narrative. Every component exists only for a defined purpose, every gram serves a function. The result is not decorative minimalism but engineered clarity — a mobility tool refined to its essential logic.
Triangle Chair / Structural Geometry Study
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2025 | Triangle Chair / Structural Geometry Study | Independent Research
Independent exploration of geometric construction and material expression.
The design investigates how planar surfaces and intersecting lines can form a stable, ergonomic structure using a minimal number of components.
The faceted geometry draws from the logic of folded surfaces, creating a chair that appears both engineered and sculpted.
Depending on the material — wood or molded composite — the piece shifts between tactile warmth and technical precision.
This study examines how structural clarity and visual rhythm can coexist within a single continuous surface system.
Gray Elegance: Relaxed Space in Urban Style
2024 | Independent Research
Challenge:
To create a sense of luxury within a limited budget — a refined and tranquil space achieved through simple materials, artistic paintwork, and DIY elements. The aim was to demonstrate that elegance emerges from thoughtful composition rather than expense.
Solution:
The space is defined by shades of grey, where texture, light, and shadow generate depth and movement. Wall panels of rectangular fragments, suspended light threads, and soft velvet upholstery form an atmosphere of contemporary luxury within a minimalist framework. A light marble floor balances the darker volumes, while carefully calibrated proportions bring calm, clarity, and understated sophistication.
Philosophy:
Here, minimalism means intelligent use of resources — proof that even with modest means, design can achieve serenity, balance, and enduring elegance.
Sylva — Biomorphic Hoof Chair Concept
Goran Jurić | Design Portfolio | 2025 | Sylva — Hoof-Inspired Chair Concept | Independent Research
Challenge: To design a chair that balances modern minimalism with biomorphic details, transforming the natural elegance of a hoof into a subtle structural motif. The chair should feel contemporary while celebrating organic inspiration through its form.
Solution: Sylva features a clean, modern seat made from thick, cast semi-transparent polymer in a rich retro green, highlighted with Pantone Green from 2026. The soft, geometric contours of the seat provide comfort and visual clarity, appearing solid yet light due to the material’s slight translucency.
The defining detail lies in the legs: while the upper sections are sleek and minimalist, each leg gracefully flares at the base into a stylized hoof shape. These sculptural endings reflect natural curves and suggest groundedness, creating a delicate contrast with the seat’s floating modernity. The legs are engineered to distribute weight efficiently while emphasizing aesthetic refinement.
The combination of the geometric, modern seat and organic, hoof-inspired leg tips creates a dialogue between contemporary minimalism and biomorphic elegance. Light subtly passes through the seat, enhancing its visual weightlessness, while the legs offer a tactile, almost animated presence.
Result: Sylva embodies a contemporary biomorphic vision: functional, visually striking, and rooted in nature-inspired design. The chair reads as modern and sculptural, with the hoof details serving as a distinctive, understated yet memorable nod to organic form within a minimalist framework.
Philosophy: Every angle, curve, and material choice reinforces a balance of structural integrity, comfort, and visual poetry. Sylva is a statement of modern biomorphism — where clean geometry meets the subtle elegance of nature.
Elvira — Sculptural Table Concept
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2025 | Elvira — Sculptural Table Concept | Independent Research
Challenge: Develop a visually striking yet structurally refined designer table that balances transparency and sculptural presence. The table must appear delicate while ensuring stability and functionality, allowing the glass top to “float” without compromising safety or usability.
Solution: The design employs a minimalist structural logic, using three elegantly bent and widened square metal tubes to support a quadrilateral glass surface. The upper ends of the tubes flare gently to cradle the glass, distributing load evenly while maintaining a sense of lightness. The lower plane incorporates three circular protrusions, anchoring the tubes and providing subtle geometric counterpoints to the angularity of the legs. Both legs and base plate are fabricated from metal and finished in matte light copper, emphasizing warmth and tactility without visual heaviness.
The combination of transparent glass and metal creates a dialogue between solidity and ethereality. The table’s geometry reduces material use without sacrificing stability, resulting in a piece that feels sculptural yet functional.
Outcome: The design achieves a harmonious balance of form, function, and material expression. The interplay between square and circular elements, along with the copper finish, communicates refinement and precision. The table stands as both a utilitarian surface and a statement of structural elegance — light in appearance, robust in reality.
Philosophy: Materiality drives the design narrative. Every curve, angle, and contact point exists to serve structural clarity and visual harmony. The result is not mere decoration but a distilled expression of engineering grace — a table defined by purpose, proportion, and presence.
Midnight Mantle — Sculptural Armchair Concept
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2025 | Midnight Mantle — Sculptural Armchair Concept | Independent Design
Challenge: Design an armchair that conveys a powerful, iconic silhouette while maintaining comfort and structural integrity. The piece should evoke a sense of mystery and presence, creating an emotional connection with the user while remaining fully functional as seating.
Solution: The chair employs a monolithic geometric form inspired by the sharp angles and flowing contours reminiscent of a masked vigilante. Angular planes rise from the base to form high, pointed “ears” and a supportive backrest, framing the sitter in a sculptural embrace. Subtle faceting along the sides and back introduces visual depth and reinforces structural strength without adding unnecessary mass. The chair’s body is crafted from a rigid composite with matte black finish, emphasizing shadow, contrast, and a sense of weightless authority.
The design merges sculptural expression with ergonomics: the seat curves inward to support posture, while the extended back and angular “wings” create both lateral support and a commanding aesthetic. The interplay of light and shadow across the chair’s facets enhances its dramatic presence.
Outcome: Midnight Mantle becomes both a functional object and a visual statement — a seat that feels protective, formidable, and elegant. Its sculptural geometry communicates strength, mystery, and poise, transforming an everyday object into a symbol of identity and character.
Philosophy: Form and narrative are inseparable. Every plane, angle, and contour exists to balance structural logic with emotional resonance. Nocturne is not mere furniture, but a tactile embodiment of presence, shadow, and precision — a chair that elevates the act of sitting into a dramatic, immersive experience.
Azure — Gin Bottle Design Concept
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2022 | Azure — Gin Bottle Design Concept | Independent Research
Azure — Gin Bottle Design Concept
2025 | Independent Packaging Design
Concept: The bottle unites structure and fluidity through a square turquoise glass body that transitions into a cylindrical neck. The design blends geometric precision with elegant softness, evoking the balance between strength and lightness.
Fine horizontal ribbing across the glass refracts light like sea ripples, while the subtle turquoise tint captures freshness and coastal clarity. A natural cork and minimal label emphasize craftsmanship and restraint.
Outcome: A refined fusion of form and light — Azure stands as an ode to Mediterranean purity, turning glass into a vessel of identity, calm, and timeless elegance.
Movable Enclosure — Medical Electronics Housing Concept
Martin / Autonomous Urban Market Vehicle
Goran Juric Design portfolio | 2022 | Independent Research | Martin / Autonomous Urban Market Vehicle
Martin / Autonomous Urban Market Vehicle
Speculative design study exploring mobility, sustainability, and distributed urban supply systems.
Martin redefines the relationship between city logistics and marketplaces by transforming a traditional market or shopping center into an autonomous self-driving vehicle.
Instead of thousands of cars driving to the market, a single vehicle visits thousands of households on demand — guided by AI algorithms that calculate the most efficient route in real time.
The concept reduces congestion, emissions, and energy consumption while optimizing access to fresh produce through a decentralized network of mobile market units.
Applied to retail infrastructure, the project proposes a new model of urban commerce based on efficiency, accessibility, and environmental responsibility.