Biography
AboutMe
Hi, I’m Nina Mia Čikeš- a creative problem solver passionate about bridging disciplines to craft impactful solutions. My work weaves together architecture, sustainable urban planning, city resilience, energy refurbishment, and stage design; proving that even the most contrasting fields can align to tell a cohesive story.
As an architect and researcher, I focus on bringing new life and purpose to urban areas, especially post-industrial sites, by turning them into vibrant spaces for people and nature. I help cities adopt sustainable practices quickly and effectively, reshaping their systems and enterprises to create resilient, future-ready communities. My work is fuelled by curiosity and a strong respect for those who challenge norms and drive progress in sustainability.
Since 2012, I’ve navigated diverse professional landscapes, from working with landscape architecture pioneers in Berlin to contributing to Zagreb’s efforts in energy efficiency and sustainable development. Along the way, I’ve honed strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public infrastructure, and reimagine cities as adaptable, resilient environments.
Beyond my urbanist pursuits, I immerse myself in the creative realm of stage and set design, merging imagination with technical precision to create environments that tell compelling stories. Together, these experiences fuel my commitment to shaping spaces that inspire, engage, and endure.
SETDESIGN
The Stage, the Screen and Beyond
A passion for creating immersive scenographic solutions emerged in 2015, leading to collaborations on theatre productions in some of Croatian's most renowned venues. These experiences laid the foundation for a versatile career that spans concert set design, conceptual art for short films and exhibitions, and spatial installations for a wide range of events.
Drawing on classical training as a pianist, the rhythm and structure of music often inspire my designs that naturally blend artistic vision with technical precision. From set design and styling to directing music videos, each project is approached with a holistic perspective, ensuring a cohesive and polished result.
Production expertise complements creative skills, allowing for the delivery of complete and meticulously executed projects, from initial concepts to the final product. Whether on stage, screen, or in curated spaces, each creation is crafted to captivate, engage, and tell a compelling story.
TwoPaths
One Vision: Merging urban innovation and artistic creation
Throughout my journey, the intersection of architecture, sustainable urban development, and the world of art and design has been the heartbeat of my work. These seemingly diverse paths have never felt separate—they have always complemented each other, fueling my creativity and pushing me to think beyond boundaries. My love for transforming cities and my passion for creating immersive, meaningful spaces are two sides of the same coin.
Both disciplines thrive on problem-solving, vision, and the drive to make an impact, whether through the revitalization of urban landscapes or the immersive environments of the stage.
Each project, whether an architectural study or a set design, represents my desire to connect with people, to tell stories, and to make the world a more vibrant, sustainable place. They shape who I am and continuously inspire me to challenge myself, always looking for new ways to blend the technical with the artistic, the practical with the imaginative, in everything I do.
RESEARCH
SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT: Shaping Resilient Cities: A journey through sustainable development
From revitalizing industrial landscapes to reimagining urban systems, my career has been dedicated to crafting cities that are not only functional but also resilient and forward-thinking. Sustainability isn’t just a goal—it’s the lens through which I approach every project, blending innovative design with practical solutions to address complex environmental and urban challenges.
This journey began with my award-winning graduation thesis, where I tackled the ecological challenges of ballast water purification in the Kvarner region, preserving delicate ecosystems while responding to industrial demands. Since then, I’ve been at the forefront of energy-efficient building renovations, resource optimization, and transformative EU projects, all aimed at creating vibrant, future-ready cities.
Through every project, my work remains guided by a single principle: finding harmony between the needs of people, nature, and urban development while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable future.
Problems solved
Anti-Museum: Vladimir Dodig Trokut
A homage to the visionary artist Vladimir Dodig Trokut, this project transforms his eclectic legacy into an immersive anti-museum experience. Blending architecture and scenography, the space is a surreal journey through Trokut’s life and art—where shadows of his collected curiosities, personal artifacts, and iconic motifs like the hat, cane, and beard, converge. Flexible layouts, ambient sensory elements, and theatrical design create a dynamic homage to Trokut’s philosophy: a perpetual interplay of creation and destruction.
K2 House: Modern Family Retreat
K2 House is a thoughtfully designed modern vacation home near Zagreb, blending minimalist aesthetics with functional elegance. Prioritizing energy efficiency, the home features solar panels and a heat pump system for sustainable living. Clean architectural lines and a carefully planned interior layout create a bright, open, and inviting space—an ideal family retreat for comfort and relaxation.
Tara Thaller: Sjajim
The Sjajim (I Shine) music video brings Tara’s playful and spirited personality to life, blending humor and surrealism to create a vibrant visual narrative. Instead of simply following the song's storyline, the video captures its essence, emphasizing self-confidence and the joy of embracing one’s true self.
Through three transformative acts, the video explores the complex layers of human psychology—playfully illustrating how desire often emerges only after something is lost. With an eclectic and visually striking approach, the concept celebrates individuality and freedom, perfectly mirroring the energy of this catchy pop/R&B track.
Concept, styling, and production: Nina Mia Čikeš.
Tara Thaller: Oteta
Oteta ("Abducted") tells a surreal love story of two lovers entwined in an otherworldly moment, transcending time and space. A visually striking narrative brought to life through a dreamlike blend of storytelling and cinematography, created for singer and actress Tara Thaller.
View on youtube
Prada Paradoxe – A Visual Narrative
What is a paradox, if not the art of contradiction? To constantly shift yet remain whole, to be framed but never confined. Set against the surreal landscapes of Zagreb, this story explores a paradoxical self—fluid, unbound, and unapologetically authentic.
Through illusions and reframed realities, the narrative unfolds as a journey of self-discovery: breaking free from definitions, embracing transformation, and living without limits. It’s about being everything and nothing at once—never the same, always yourself.
Concept and production: Nina Mia Čikeš.
Evgeny Schwartz: The Dragon
In the satirical and allegorical theatre piece Zmaj, the set design plays a pivotal role in amplifying the story’s themes of power, freedom, and resistance. The visual concept features three dramatic layers of red latex curtains, symbolizing both the constraints of oppressive systems and the psychological barriers individuals build around themselves. These dynamic curtains move and shift, creating an evolving stage that mirrors the fluidity and complexity of the narrative.
At the heart of the design, bold letters spelling "ZMAJ" dominate the space, serving as an ever-present reminder of the dragon—the oppressive force that governs the town and, metaphorically, resides within each of us. The interplay of light, texture, and movement transforms the stage into a living, breathing entity, embodying the tension between illusion and reality.
The set becomes an active participant in the storytelling, reflecting the dualities explored in the play: power and submission, freedom and fear, individuality and conformity. Through its minimalist yet impactful design, it enhances the fable-like quality of the narrative while anchoring its deeply political and humanistic message.
The Police: A Stage of Absurd Power
The set design for Police by Slawomir Mrožek, directed by Miran Kurspahić, is a striking embodiment of the play's absurd and layered narrative. The stage is conceived as a tilted, truncated cone, symbolizing the oppressive hierarchy and the unraveling structure of the story. The performance begins at the confined, narrow top of the cone, where the play’s conclusion is set. With each act, the narrative descends further into the cone’s widening center, mirroring the unfolding plot and the descent into chaos and absurdity.
This architectural metaphor reinforces the play's themes, as the characters’ physical movement through the space parallels their psychological and ideological entrapment. The tilted design challenges spatial conventions, immersing the audience in the play’s critique of authoritarian systems and the absurdity of bureaucratic self-preservation. The set becomes an active participant in the narrative, its structure amplifying the tension and highlighting the futility at the heart of Mrožek’s vision.