Agenda

Throughout WONDER

Parcours Parelmoer is an art project by the Belgian artist Honoré d’O. He has devised a trail through the city, for young and old alike, which invites walkers to wander or linger in a structured way. At around 15 locations, modest QR codes prompt walkers to perform an action, reflect or use their imagination. Each location thus forms a small encounter between your attention and the surroundings. Like a mental fitness tracker, the trail stretches our brains, sparks the imagination and fosters encounters. The locations along the route unfold like pearls in the city: small spaces for wonder, discovery, play and encounter. Just as a mollusc forms layer upon layer of mother-of-pearl in its shell, or even creates pearls, Parcours Parelmoer aims to bring unexpected pearls into being within the city. The trail plays, in a quasi-ironic way, with the boundary between intimate action and public visibility, leaving visitors in a state of wonder.

Product design keeps changing. New tools, new expectations, new ways of working. Staying sharp means learning from people who are figuring it out right now, not just reading about it later.

That’s what Product Design Meetup is for. Three talks from practitioners who share what they’ve learned on the job. A room full of designers and builders who care about getting better at what they do.

First speaker:
Aloka Muddukrishna
Head of UI/UX — Polestar
As Head of UI/UX at Polestar, Aloka Muddukrishna works to lead by example while striving for perfection. He has been involved in projects since the birth of Polestar and believes that collaboration and trust are crucial components to get the best from every team. Products with fine attention to detail, like Polestar's minimalist, clean and functional design, serve as a big source of inspiration. 

Aloka studied Mechanical Engineering at the National Institute of Engineering, and Automotive Engineering at Chalmers tekniska högskola. He has been in the automotive industry for over 12 years and previously worked for Volvo Cars before joining Polestar in 2018. During his time at Polestar, he has been highly involved in all Polestar projects, playing a crucial role in the Infotainment design of Polestar 2, Polestar 3, Polestar 4 and Polestar 5.

On 27 October, THE NEXT STEP by Hangar K will bring together entrepreneurs who may not be at the same stage, but who are all grappling with the same question: what is the next step? 
Start-ups that are actively building their next phase of growth. Family businesses that have been around for generations. SMEs facing a major decision. And investors looking for the next big opportunity.  
To grow or to consolidate. To continue investing yourself or to let others come on board. To enter a new market. To pass the business on to the next generation or to sell it to someone who can take it further. 
For a family business spanning four generations, that next step means something different from what it does for a four-year-old scale-up. And for those investing their money in someone else’s business, it means something else again. 
That’s precisely why we’re bringing them together. 
To hear how others have tackled it. What worked, what didn’t, and which decisions proved decisive in hindsight. But above all, to engage in conversation with one another.  
Connecting and hitting the ground running is in our West Flemish blood. You’ll feel it in every part of this day.

First speakers
Meet the first speakers:
Gunther Ghysels – Founder of Get Driven, WERKR and Tinrate
Sebastien Vandendriessche – CEO & co-founder of Spotable
We’ll be announcing more names soon.
You can look forward to inspiring business leaders, entrepreneurs and experts who, drawing on their own experiences, will each offer a unique perspective on innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing world.
Price & registration
€95.00 per person (excl. VAT)

Included in your ticket: access to the conference, networking, including food and drink

On 29 October, during the WONDER Creativity Festival in Kortrijk, Fedustria will, for the third year running, bring together business leaders from our textile, timber and furniture industries with young design talent.
With natural fibres – from textiles to wood – as the common thread, we are creating an evening full of inspiration, exchange and, above all, new connections between industry and designers.

Programme & speakers
We will start at 4.00 pm with a guided walk past some of the WONDER highlights linked to Fedustria and its members.
From 5.30 pm, we’ll welcome you to the Budafabriek, followed by one-on-one and panel discussions between designers and industry representatives, moderated by Masjien.
The programme includes a discussion with Charbel Abou Zeidan and a participating Fedustria member company about Tex Design, the Fedustria project that brings designers and textile companies together.

In a panel discussion on natural fibres, we will also be bringing together a number of designers who have received, or are set to receive, special recognition for their work in 2026. Arthur Nevejan (Wünder), nominee for the BKRK Award 2026 and Knack Weekend Designer of the Year 2026, and Emme Neirynck, winner of the VBO’s Xplorer Award (Serge The Label)
From 7.15 pm, it’s time for networking between industry and designers, with light refreshments amongst the WONDER exhibitions.
Practical information
🗓️ Thursday 29 October 2026 – Kortrijk
4.00 pm – 5.30 pm: WONDER tour (optional)
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: reception at Budafabriek
6.00 pm – 7.15 pm: talks & panel discussion
7.15 pm – 9.00 pm: networking, drinks & bites
📍 Budafabriek – Dam 9 – 8500 Kortrijk
🗣️ Language: Dutch/English
✍️ Registration deadline: 20 October 2026
💶 Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.

An initiative of Fedustria, in collaboration with Designregio Kortrijk and Trendvision. The event is by invitation only, but designers or entrepreneurs from the textile, wood and furniture industries who wish to register can contact Fedustria.

The world is in transition: weather records such as the largest forest fires, droughts or floods are being broken year after year. There is less and less free space. Can transdisciplinary design help us tackle these ecological, social and spatial challenges? With Towards Territorial Transition, Matthias Armengaud (F) and Aglaée Degros make a case for large-scale decarbonization. It presents new spatial strategies, concepts and approaches for shaping large-scale and transnational developments in architecture and urban planning with a view to decarbonisation and ecological transition. They also explore possible solutions to address and cope with the dramatic threats of climate change and the emerging social crisis. 

Territorial Portrait © Anna Positano

“THE BODY IS A STRANGE THING”

a phrase that has long been echoing in curator Erik Haemers’ mind
 a phrase he might one day use for his artistic practice
 a phrase that now gives meaning to an exhibition at 4n20 ruimte voor kunst

about the body in art, design and beyond

how is the body depicted and used in art, design and everyday life
 depicting the body in an almost abstract way; showing the body, yet not really showing it

movement, strength, vulnerability, flexibility, inspiration, care, …

what do we, as human beings, do with our bodies? how do we protect them? how do we look after them? what are they capable of?

Curator: Erik Haemers
 With a.o. An Roovers, Claire Lavendhomme, Henk Delabie, Erik Haemers + Samira Afkir, Gonzo, James Van Vossel, Jelle Annie Michiels, Judith Van Oeckel, Jutec, Katrien Beullens, Lore Stessel, Marlies Huybs, Materialise, Monique Thomaes, Murielle Scherre, Niels Raoul Boone, Nienke Baeckelandt, Orfit, Sioen, Yasmine Assbane & Zoé Komkommer

Discover how you, as a designer, can contribute to a sustainable future. In this workshop, you’ll learn the basic principles of circular design and business models, drawing inspiration from TU Delft’s groundbreaking ‘Products that Last’ initiative and leading real-world examples.

What can you expect?
We’ll get straight down to work: apply circular insights to your own work and learn how to drive change within your company or with clients. You’ll be given tools and strategies not only to apply circular design, but also to actively promote it.
This one-day workshop is a call to action. Become the designer who creates solutions that are not only beautiful but also sustainable. Please note: places are limited.

Who is it for?
For creative professionals such as product designers, product managers, interior and furniture designers, and makers of various consumer goods (electronics, accessories, furniture, ceramics, etc.) and sustainability consultants.