Stijn Debaillie on design as a form of cultural expression

Kortrijk is part of a network of cities that place creativity at the heart of their sustainable urban development. “We operate on a truly international scale. While we’re called Designregio Kortrijk, we’re active throughout Flanders, Belgium, Europe, and even the world. This allows us to create opportunities and foster collaboration with other cultures, which broadens our perspective on the world.” Stijn describes their work as “Design based on the principle: what can we do even better?”

“Within the Creative Cities network, we ask ourselves: how do we use creativity and culture to help our city grow in a sustainable way? When people think of design, they often think of expensive things, but it’s really more about design thinking. Or to put it another way: how can you approach things better? That’s not just about urban organization, but can also be about public space, how you support youth organizations, or how businesses can develop here. Together, they all shape the city and the culture that goes with it. For me, design is therefore an essential factor in pursuing sustainable development in our city and our region.”

According to Stijn, diversity is woven into the work of Designregio. “We believe it’s important to give both established designers and young, emerging designers opportunities to build a network for collaborating with companies, cities, or municipalities. So in our projects, we always consider whether we can definitely give a young talent a chance, because that can serve as a springboard for them toward a new project, a new network, or greater visibility.”