Experience to Draw On is a design created as the official gift for the European Union presidency of the Republic of Croatia in early 2020. The object reimagines a pencil as a tribute to Eduard Slavoljub Penkala and his groundbreaking invention — the first mechanical pencil patented 115 years ago. While retaining the original, simple internal mechanism (graphite core, spring, sliding tip, and protective metal mask), the new design elevates the pencil into a refined, modern instrument. Its form transitions from a circular cross-section at the tip into a square profile at the base — a deliberate gesture referencing the square as a recognizable Croatian symbol, echoing national identity through geometry. Finished in anodized aluminum with an ecological red coating, the pencil becomes more than a writing tool: it stands as a symbolic object — a bridge between heritage and contemporary design, between functional utility and cultural expression.

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Client:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia

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Art direction:
Superstudio Design Projects

Product design:

Maja Jandrić

Graphic design & illustration:

Iva Hrvatin

Copywritter:
Rebbeca Mikulandra

Photography credits:

Marija Gašparović

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Year:

2020