Bram Vanderbeke
Based in Ghent, designer and artist Bram works at the intersection of art, design, and architecture. His practice ranges from functional objects to site-specific interventions and is shaped by a strong hands-on approach and a preference for raw, industrial materials. In this interview, he speaks about building as a central part of his process, questions of scale and context, the role of collaboration, and how the urban environment and creative scene in Ghent influence his work..
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How would you describe your artistic practice?
I am a hands-on designer and artist based in Ghent, Belgium. My practice moves between functional and sculptural work, ranging from autonomous objects to site-specific interventions. I am particularly drawn to rough, industrial materials such as aluminium and concrete. As a maker, building is central to my process: I often begin a project intuitively by making physical models or 1:1 prototypes. Our atelier reflects this approach, with a clear division between a “clean” model-making space and a more dirty production area where we can produce many elements ourselves. Much of my inspiration comes from the urban environment—rhythms in architecture, textures in pavements, or the raw shapes found on construction sites.
Your work moves between art, design, and architecture. What questions or themes consistently accompany your work?
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I often refer to my works as “architectural objects” or “pragmatic sculptures,” as I play with the boundary between sculpture and functionality. I am interested in how smaller objects can influence space and architecture. I like to work across different scales and have the ambition to create very small objects, such as jewelry-scale pieces, as well as larger works that move toward the scale of a pavilion. Alongside this, I also work very intuitively in the atelier. Sometimes a project begins simply from a desire to work with a specific material or technique, and from there a new project develops. I enjoy exploring new textures and challenging myself to discover interesting construction techniques.
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Many of your works are in direct dialogue with their surroundings. What interests you about the relationship between object, space, and user?
Context plays an important role in my work, especially in my site-specific projects. I often collaborate with architects, focusing on a detail within a larger architectural framework. This provides a clear context to respond to, which I find both challenging and rewarding. I like to reinterpret banal architectural elements—such as doorsteps, door handles, or columns—and transform them into something personal and expressive. These site-specific works often feed back into my autonomous practice, and I usually work on several projects simultaneously. I am always curious about how people interact with my objects: some have a clearly defined function, like a bench or a doorstep, while others remain deliberately ambiguous, inviting users to invent their own way of engaging with them.
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The principle of stacking appears repeatedly in your work. What does this physical act mean to you?
My works always have a sense of rhythm. I like stacking elements and repeating shapes and textures, because this creates a certain calm in pieces that may appear quite brutal at first glance. As a child, I wanted to become a bricklayer, so this act of stacking is something I have been doing for a long time. In addition, I often work with heavy materials, making stacking a very logical way of building, especially when creating larger pieces. I also pay close attention to the placement of seams, allowing them to add an extra layer of value to the work.
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You live and work in Ghent. What is it like to live there, and how does the local art and design scene influence your work?
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It is a very small but very vibrant city to live in. The city itself has a nice mix of historical and contemporary architecture. I have many architect, artist, and designer friends here. We all meet at the same bar, where we have conversations about our work as well as possible collaborations. There are two art schools and an architecture school, so because of that, there are also many young creative people living in the city.
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​As a co-founder of the collective BRUT, you work in exchange with other designers. What role does this collective practice play in your own work?
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Collaboration is a fundamental part of my practice. With BRUT, we like to work on projects where we show our own individual works in relation to each other, as well as in relation to some collectively designed pieces. For a recent show in Kortrijk, in collaboration with Artecetera, we also invited many other projects by artists, designers, and architects, all of which were presented in dialogue with one another. Next to BRUT, I also frequently collaborate with French designer Wendy Andreu, with whom I have already made three collections: Pyramids, X Series, and Woven. I have also collaborated with Belgian photographer Sybren Vanoverberghe; together we made several sculptural wall pieces. These exchanges challenge my thinking and often lead to unexpected and enriching outcomes. In the atelier, I also often collaborate with assistants and interns on the design and production of my pieces. I value these collaborations as well, as it is very interesting to be able to reflect together on new work.
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What are you currently working on – or what is inspiring and occupying you at the moment?
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Wendy and I just had a duo show that opened with Uppercut Gallery. We are showing some new collaborative pieces from a series called Woven, alongside some of our individual works. We are currently also collaborating on the shop furniture for the new Design Museum in Ghent. Last year, I worked on many proposals for art integrations in larger architectural projects, and I hope to realize some of these projects in the coming year. In addition to that, I want to experiment a bit more with wood as a material, alongside the materials I already work with, and see where this will lead me.
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