ABOUT ROEL VANDEBEEK

Roel’s creativity is a personal journey of design, object, installation, and even music. Some of those pursuits include: the Matra Simca project, his playlist and
a new Spanish wind.  

The world of Roel Vandebeek is a tactile experience. A natural observer and multifaceted talent, Roel shares his unique view of the way things can be through the quantity and diversity of his creative expressions. His scope of work spans art, industrial and interior design, often smartly blurring the line between all three.

Roel loves a challenge and finds freedom in the constraints. When left to work on a brief, he is at once in his element and at ease; dipping into the sanctum of his mind where the possibilities are endless. The quest for solutions is led by an interactive dialogue between subject and design, with design as the creative solution to the problem.

His consequential process is unique in that it is always the same, but with wildly original results: he listens carefully, absorbs deeply and ideates plentifully. Never starting with an idea in mind, he keeps close to the question and utilises the essential aspects. Through this, he is guided to a culmination of ideas, the execution of which is a dynamic tapestry of elements. It is rare to find him using the same fabrication twice, and yet, his style is distinctive. A humorous approach lends insight into the way he thinks and breaks the wall between art and design. Experiencing Roel’s work is to feel the pleasure of surprise, a surge of optimism and a wave of revelation. Not everything is as it seems: The world can be re-seen through questioning eyes—if you dare to ask and see.

Roel’s designs live the questions. They are solutions to the challenges he loves, but they are characteristically inconclusive, evoking in the audience an open-ended view of the world. It lands like a memory of what life was like before we so carefully defined it all, and lets you unroll your definitions back into sensing and feeling. This idea sits in the back of your mind long after you have interacted with a Roel. We can find in his work both an accessible and enjoyable exposure to high concept design, but one that also encourages our adaptability—he challenges us and so inspires us to challenge ourselves. 

Design by design, Roel creates the world in which his mind has long been living.

Publications

Explore a selection of interviews and reviews of Roel’s work featured in the media.

“You can’t beat nature, and with a material like clay you just have to follow along”

—Earth Anthology 2: Clay Table

“You can’t beat nature, and with a material like clay you just have to follow along”

—Earth Anthology 2: Clay Table

“Ik vind het belangrijk het DNA van een bedrijf te voelen en het metier met eigen ogen te aanschouwen”

—De Schone Slaper: Trends

“Ik teken eigenlijk een soort verlengstuk van hun persoonlijkheid, in een bepaalde vormentaal gegoten.”

—Kim Clijsters is een handtas: Knack

“Lize Spit zei dat het leek alsof ze bij de psycholoog zat, al kreeg ze geen diagnose maar een kunstwerk.”

—Ontwerper kruipt in huid van BV’s: (hBvL bijlage)

“De kern van Belgisch design is voor Vandebeek flexibiliteit.”

—Designbijbel: De Standaard Magazine

“Ik vind het belangrijk het DNA van een bedrijf te voelen en het metier met eigen ogen te aanschouwen”

—De Schone Slaper: Trends

“Lize Spit zei dat het leek alsof ze bij de psycholoog zat, al kreeg ze geen diagnose maar een kunstwerk.”

—Ontwerper kruipt in huid van BV’s: (hBvL bijlage)

“Ik teken eigenlijk een soort verlengstuk van hun persoonlijkheid, in een bepaalde vormentaal gegoten.”

—Kim Clijsters is een handtas: Knack

“De kern van Belgisch design is voor Vandebeek flexibiliteit.”

—Designbijbel: De Standaard Magazine

“You can’t beat nature, and with a material like clay you just have to follow along”

—Earth Anthology 2: Clay Table

Awards

2023

BLT Built Design Awards (CH) Winner '23 — Dubio
BLT Built Design Awards (CH) Winner '23 — Woodface Acoustic
Muse Design Design Award — Starry Night
German Design Award Winner — Woodface Acoustic
Architect & Design Collection Gold Award — Woodface Acoustic

2022

Henry van de Velde Label — Space-R
Architect & Design Collection Gold Award '22

2021

Red Dot Design Award Winner — Space-R

2020

Good Design Award Winner Australia — Lever Handle Anvil

2019

Winner German Design Awards — brick Dubio
Second Prize ‘In4care’ — Digital Harp

2018

Winner Belgian Building Award — Brick Dubio
2nd prize BKRK competition ‘Bread’ — Baking Mold
Henry van de Velde Award, winner Efficiency — Brick Dubio

2016

Nominee Public Space Award — Finally Home in Heindonk (B)

2014

Ovam Ecodesign Award Pro nomination — Woodface
Henry van de Velde Label — facade cladding Woodface

2013

CORE 77 Award in Food Design — Facing Food
Henry van de Velde Label — Facing Food

2010

Flemish Monuments Award for Pietersheim — interior 
Communication Award for Batibouw booth — Infobeton

2008

- Henry van de Velde Label — kitchen towel Spot Towel
- Henry van de Velde Label — urban furniture Soft Seat 

2007

Henry van de Velde Label — urban furniture Ensemble

2006

Henry van de Velde Label — chip bag Fork Pocket

2004

Selected for the Henry van de Velde awards 

2003

Selected for the Henry van de Velde awards 

2002

Selected for the Henry van de Velde awards 

2001

Selected for the Henry van de Velde awards 

2000

Selected for the Henry van de Velde awards 

1998

Selected for VIZO Design Department 

1997

Selected for the fund of Design and Entrepreneurship — Koning Boudewijnstichting

1994

Cultural distinction — Province Limburg
1st prize furniture design for the Committee for the Art Crafts — Province Limburg 

1993

1st prize furniture design competition for Euregionaal + M.E.C.C. Design Award — Maastricht
Award for the audio and video installation of the future (BOSE)
1st prize competition in tactile art — Brussels 

1992

Honorary award for the design of illumination in square — Lummen 

Exhibitions

2023

Genk

Labo Enzoo

2022

Genk

Paardenstallen C-mine / Expo De Tuin Der stilte (aug–sep)

2022

Milan

The object becomes (Movie)

  • Milan Design Week, Sep 6-7, 2021
  • Milan Design Film Festival, Oct 23, 2021
  • Vancouver - Architecture and Design Film Festival (North America): Nov 11-12, 2021
  • Madrid - Casa Valonia, Nov 25, 2021
  • Brussels - Millenium Festival - May 5-12, 2022
  • Paris - Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, May 12, 2022
  • Brussels - EU Bauhaus Festival / Building a Bright Future Conference, Jun 10, 2022
  • Brussels – Flagey, Sep 21
  • Napoli - EDIT Design Festival, Oct
  • Marseille - Centre Montévideo, May 17, 2023
2019

Gent

Generous Nature Design Museum 

2019

Milan

Generous Nature Zona Tortona

2018

Sint-Truiden

Haspengouw design

2018

Kortrijk

Kortrijk Interieur Installation

2018

Saint-Aimbroix

Saint Ambroix Printemps de la sculpture mei

2018

Brussel

Henry van de Velde Brussel ‘17

2018

Opgrimbie

Opgrimbie augustus

2018

Hasselt

Ring Ring September

2017

Genk

Powers of Material

2016

Gent

Hands on Design / 8th triënnale

2016

Paris

Meet my project, door handle

2015

Genk

Precipitation of a dream

2015

Hasselt

When the pencil takes its livery

2015

Istanbul

CuriosiTies in Istanbul

2015

Mons

Madame est servie

2014

Brussels

Wood, the new gold / Gallery Design Flanders

2014

Hasselt

CuriosiTies, Modemuseum

2014

Genk

Hoezo Design, C-Mine

2013

Kortrijk

Design Regio Kortrijk

2013

Genk

Exp-O, C-Mine

2013

Genk

Humin

2012

Hong Kong

Playing Senses

2012

Hasselt

Asian Elephant Parade

2012

Genk

Hoezo Design, C-Mine

2011

Brussels

This is Humin / Gallery Design Flanders

2011

Eisden

De bomen in

2011

Hasselt

Picknick de Luxe

2010

Grand-Hornu

Belgium is Design

2010

Hasselt

Transplant Hasselt

2010

Brussels

Toegepast Fit TO Boost / Design Flanders

2010

Brussels

Fighting The Box / Elektriciteitscentrale

2010

Brussels

Let's Stick Together / Design Flanders

2009

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards

2008

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards

2007

Brussels

Beauty: 5th Triënnale Design

2007

Waterland

Belgian Design 1 /Purmerend Museum

2007

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards

2006

Hasselt

Installations, CIAP

2006

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards

2005

Brussels

Second hand, second life

2005

Sint-Truiden

Delicious

2005

Sint-Truiden

Retrospective Exhibition Roel Vandebeek

2004

Hasselt

Living in motion

2004

Gent

Labo on the beach

2004

Brussels

HE Prijsbeesten

2004

Liege

Design 2004

2004

Roeselare

Friet Fashion

2003

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards / Gallery Vizo

2003

Tongeren

Jongens van de buurt

2002

Hasselt

Toegepast 7 / Z33

2002

Gent

100 Years 100 Chairs

2002

Brussels

Ladders Zat / Gallery Vizo

2002

Houthalen

Holy Sit

2001

Winterslag

Kerosine

2001

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards / Gallery Vizo

2001

Brussels

Design in green / Gallery Vizo

2000

Brussels

Henri van de Velde Awards / Gallery Vizo

2000

Lljubljana

Bio 2000

2000

Waterschei

Our House

2000

Brussels

I and Out / Gallery Vizo

2000

Genk

Voor Piet, door Piet

1999

Brussels

Meubelbeurs Focus on Flanders

1999

Hasselt

Between Art & Technique

1999

Brussels

Design Te Kijk / Gallery Vizo

1999

Waterschei

Our House

1999

Knokke-Heiset

Minimal

1999

Bree

Chambre Pipi

1999

Hasselt

De Rode Lijn

1999

Gent

2nd triënnale for Design in Flanders

1998

Kortrijk

Stand Vizo

1998

Ljubljana

Bienale Industrijskega Oblikovanja

1998

Ostend

Vlaams Meubeldesign, Caino Kursaal

1997

Barcelona

Arte Flamenco Actual: Design

1997

Gent

Arte Flamenco Actual: Design

1997

Ieper

Contemporary Flemish Furniture Design

1997

München

Talente

1996

Hasselt

Installations, CIAP

1995

Brussels

Designers and businesses, a perfect symbiosis

1994

Frankfurt

Thema Domus

1994

Oldenzaal

Van Gils

1994

Genk

Overmorgen

1994

Brussels

Student works

1993

Brussels

Tactile Art

1992

Hasselt

Openings

1992

Brussels

Passage à niveau

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