Rate My Professor Giel dedeurwaerdee

Giel Dedeurwaerder is an industrial product designer and guest lecturer associated with the Architecture and Design field at Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen (TU), also known as Howest, in Kortrijk, Belgium. Born in 1990, he graduated in 2011 from Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen with a degree in industrial product design. After completing his studies, Dedeurwaerder participated in several design collectives and worked as a freelancer, including collaborations with Limited Editions and Woodgroup Cras. He subsequently founded his own multidisciplinary creative studio, Giel Dedeurwaerder Design Office (GDDO), based in Kortrijk. Through GDDO, he has created designs for prominent companies such as Serax, Bastalpe, Deknudt Mirrors, Xlboom, Vincent Sheppard, Collstrop, and Decor et Jardin. His design philosophy emphasizes a precise balance between functionality, philosophical underpinnings, and proportions, enriched by his deep knowledge of art history and commitment to authenticity. Dedeurwaerder engages in long-term design research, with recent efforts centered on the proportions of elements, drawing inspiration from constructivism and artists including El Lissitzky, Gustav Klucis, and Rodchenko. He transforms initial 2D collage explorations into 3D objects, ensuring alignment with project-specific requirements for functionality, usage, materials, and structural tension.

Since 2018, Dedeurwaerder has served as a guest lecturer (gastdocent) at Howest, teaching courses in the Industrial Product Design program, such as Form Study, Form Study Lab, Presentation, and Digital Presentation Studio, as documented in university timetables. He also directs student projects, including those showcased at events like the Circular Solution Lab opening and Meubelbeurs. In collaboration with designer Brent Neve under the Utilise.objects collective, he has produced notable works like Collage Tableware for Serax, which received the Henry van de Velde Award 2019 in the Industrial Product Design category. Additionally, his involvement in the Wood Design project with Bos+, Flanders DC, and Hout Info Bois earned recognition in the Henry van de Velde Awards 2022. Dedeurwaerder contributes to sustainable design initiatives, including circular economy projects with the CICO Hub in Kortrijk, repurposing materials like city banners and flags alongside designers Saartje Allosserie and Yani Vandenbranden. His designs are available through retailers such as Finnish Design Shop, reflecting his impact in the product design sector.