Designers often approach their work linearly, defining the outcome at the creation of the design brief. Consequently, the end result often merely visualizes the predetermined idea agreed upon in the brief. While the design may meet standards, it frequently lacks originality and that spark that makes it unique. People tend to think along established paths,…
Read MoreTeaching
The strategic designer
I am currently preparing a semester for 2nd-year design students focused on strategy. In this module, the students will engage in real assignments provided by external partners and will learn how to apply strategies to achieve their goals. Throughout a series of six project lessons, students will acquire the skills to think and work strategically…
Read MoreStorytelling in design
Storytelling plays an important role in both my teaching and my work as a designer. In my design classes, I use storytelling techniques as tools for inspiration. Within each interaction between a user and a design lies a story. Whether it’s the design of an exhibition, a book, a public space, or even an object,…
Read MoreCoaching the graduation projects
New Design and Attitude, 4th year students (2022) My role encompasses guiding students from the initial concept stage through project execution and final presentation. The goal of these graduation projects is to demonstrate that students are ready to enter the professional world by showcasing their ability to analyze the world critically, by defining their role…
Read MoreSpeculative design – tutoring the 3rd year design students
I am fascinated by speculative design. It is a powerful tool that helps to conceptualize and visualize possible futures to gain a better understanding of the present. That is why I was extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to tutor the speculative design semester for 3rd-year students. The project consisted of eleven lessons, during which I…
Read MoreEducator
The world is constantly changing, so is design. As an educator, I currently work at the St. Joost School of Art & Design (Breda & Den Bosch, The Netherlands), where I help students to critically look on the changing world, discover the dynamic design practices and find their own position and role as a designer…
Read MorePresentation and workshop on space pollution
I gave a presentation and workshop on space pollution for kids, at Stanza International Bookshop in The Hague. The story of the presentation was based on the picture book I wrote and illustrated “Beyond the Sky – The great space clean-up”. I used paper cut out illustrations from my book, to tell the story of…
Read MoreCreative thinking workshop
As a designer and educator I have a fascination for developing methodologies and learning processes that activate creative thinking. That is the reason why I made a research on methodologies that stimulate thinking and have created a one-day creative thinking workshop for students. In multiple assignments students were generating unexpected ideas by using methods that…
Read MoreInter-cultural city park: Beijing – Breda – Den Bosch
Workshop: 2017, inter cultural hybrid parkA 5-day workshop organised for the CAFA (Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing) and Akv St’Joost (Breda and Den Bosch) students. The area of focus were three parks, in Breda, Den Bosch and in Beijing. The places were chosen because of their similar recreation purpose, but due to the different…
Read MoreClean space – workshop
Workshop: 2017, Clean space workshopA 5 day workshop for students. Students were engaged to conceptualize and design a campaign to give attention to the problem of space debris. I invited artists from the European Space Agency artist in residence program and an analog astronaut to give inspirational speeches, and feedforward on the projects.
Read MoreVisual storytelling
A 4-day blended workshop on visual storytelling for students. In this workshop the students created their own visual story. It was a visual adventure where visual experiments and intuitive work were standing in the foreground. The story and concept were shaped by making images and experimenting with images. I invited several speakers (illustrators, animators, designers…
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