WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION

WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION showcases the new generation of Belgian design talent.

The exhibition offers an overview of the strongest student projects from creative (higher) design education, selected by a professional jury. The six winning final-year projects from the OVAM Ecodesign Award will also form part of the exhibition. 

The exhibition features a scenography by 22222 (Karel Burssens) with the support of Plastibac, and graphic design by Nana Esi (Atelier Brenda, in collaboration with Septian Priyatna).

In 2026, WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION will take place at two venues:

from 3 to 11 October during the festive reopening of the Design Museum Gent;
from 27 October to 8 November at the WONDER Festival in Kortrijk

©️ ‘Fabiola’ by Milo Van Aelst

Bjarne Vennekens
The Separated Surface: Producing Awareness of Mass
KU Leuven, Master’s in Architecture 

Jill Bruninx
A Sparrow in Brussels
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Campus, Brussels, Master’s in Architecture

Hatice Elma
#TUIG – The Metallic Child
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Campus, Ghent, Master’s in Interior Architecture 

Estelle Taets
The Theatre Garden: A Polyphonic Approach to Beauty
KU Leuven and LUCA School of Arts, Master’s in Interior Architecture 

Zoë Reyntjens
Sea the Future – How to Build a Nest?
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Ghent Campus, Master’s in Interior Architecture 

Laura De Volder
Traces of Encounter
KU Leuven, Master’s in Interior Architecture 

Kobe Bosmans
The Extreme Stance Within the Extreme
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Ghent Campus, Master’s in Architecture 

Merlijn Allemeersch
City Of Music
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Ghent Campus, Master’s in Architecture 

Marte Van Acker
Soft Infrastructure
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Ghent Campus, Master’s in Architecture

Jill Delobelle
Bruges: A New Map
KU Leuven, Sint-Lucas Campus, Ghent, Master’s in Interior Architecture 

Celien Nuyens, Angelina Coetsier – Harold Desimpel, Remi Salomon – Arthur Reyntjens, Loïc Nachtergaele – Dante Kerckhove, Michiel Vanackere – Floor De Goeyse, Fran Defour – Remco Hooyberg, Lisa van de Korput – Linde Hoste, Elien Dedecker – Riete Stevens, Sarah Tant
Waterproof 
Ghent University, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Architecture 

Karen Verlinden
La Remontée
Hasselt University, Master’s in Architecture  

Dominik Jáger
Investigating motion design parameters for crowded digits on monochrome low-resolution small-format OLED displays
PXL University of Applied Sciences, Master’s in Moving Type & Typography  

Auke Dezeure
Handschrift 476
LUCA School of Arts, Master’s in Fine Arts, Graphic Design 

Anastasiia Vasylenko
again, again, begin
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Master’s in Fine Arts, Graphic Design 

Emma Burel
Mise en place / Mise en page
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Master’s in Graphic Design 

Gipeum Oh
How Long Will You Stay Here?
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design

Ksusha Shostakovska
A MATERIAL STUDY OF SERIF AND UKRAINIAN TYPOGRAPHY
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Graphic Design

Elise Bosmans
DIGI.ROT
Sint Lucas Antwerp, Bachelor’s in Graphic Design, Master’s in Visual Arts 

Wouter Pollaris
Overquantified
Sint Lucas Antwerp, Bachelor’s in Graphic Design / Master’s in Visual Arts in a Digital Context 

Renée Bieghs
218.W.TS.A
Sint Lucas Antwerp, Master’s in Visual Arts

Beñat Zubillaga Roa
LOTURA: Connecting Feelings Through Touch
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Bachelor’s in Industrial Product Design  

Julián Ortega Martínez
HEAL 
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Bachelor’s in Industrial Product Design

Kristina Daneva
Alivio
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Bachelor’s in Industrial Product Design 

Tijn Debusschere
Sotto: a low living set
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Industrial Product Design 

Celia Prado 
Modular backpack
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Industrial Product Design 

Fardau van der Kooi
Nea
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Industrial Product Design 

Kamila Shaha
NubiGo metered-dose inhaler
West Flanders University of Applied Sciences, Industrial Product Design 

Brent Vlerick
It’s all a puppet show
KASK & Conservatory, Fashion

Martha Battistella
Archival Traces
KASK & Conservatoire, Textile Design 

Michel Kambi
Hadithi Ya Katikati – “The story of in-between”
LUCA School of Arts, Product Design

Fareed Aziz
Al-Sanad
Sint Lucas Antwerp, Master’s in Fine Arts  

Gust Huybens
NOMAD
Thomas More, Furniture Design 

Michiel Vlaemynck
Parallel.
Thomas More, Furniture Design

Milo Van Aelst
Fabiola
Thomas More, Furniture Design 

Silke van Overveld
between the lines
Thomas More, Furniture Design

Lars Franco
Lars Franco is a Lars Franco
PXL-MAD School of Arts, Master of Fine Arts

With thanks to our jury members:

Hera Van Sande, JUNO architects, artistic director of Archipel
Siel Gybels, Intercommunale Leiedal
Pieter Billiet, architect at Atelier Toekomst
Tine Poot, Flemish Architecture Institute
Karel Burssens, scenographer at 22222
Tina De Keyser, set designer at 22222
Nana Esi, graphic designer at Atelierbrenda
Septian Priyatna, graphic designer at Atelierbrenda
Siegrid Demyttenaere, Design Museum Gent, DAMN° magazine
Hannelore Caenepeel, Kortrijk XPO, Design Nation
Erik Desombere, Erik Desombere Studio
Corbin Mahieu, Studio Corbin Mahieu
Lauren Fonteyn, Flanders District of Creativity
Giel Dedeurwaerder, designer
Elien Haentjens, journalist, Designpunt
Steven Dehollander, Pilipili
Karla Basselier, Fedustria