The Henry van de Velde Awards have been celebrating Flemish designers, companies, products, projects and services for over 25 years. The award winners have a positive impact on the economy and the society. We proudly present you the 21 products, projects and services that win a Henry van de Velde Award. Deciding on the winners was no easy task for the jury, since there were 304 submissions in 7 categories to choose from.

The award winners reflect the multitude of what design, creativity and innovation can be. Read on the get the complete overview of the 21 winners, but first this call to action: the 12 Henry van de Velde Gold Awards are distributed by Flanders DC, together with the OVAM, Bokrijk and BOZAR, on 22 January 2020 in BOZAR in Brussels. And you get to decide who wins the Public Gold Award, so we need your help! Read about the 21 Henry van de Velde Award Winners, pick your favorite and vote, so your favourite design wins the Henry van de Velde Public Gold Award 2020!

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Business Innovation Award

1. Demetra - Portable measuring device for dermatologists

Design: Verhaert
Client: Barco

Demetra is a flexible, wireless handheld device for dermatologists. With only one device, dermatologists can take any kind of picture, dermoscopic, clinical close ups and overview pictures.It also makes mapping, follow-up, and comparison of skin images smoother and smarter.

2. Gymna PRO - Stretcher

Design: Yellow Window
Client: Gymna

“An everyday product is allowed to be special,'' this is Gymna’s credo. During the development of the new treatment table stretcher, the purpose was to look critically at the traditional treatment table stretcher and to reinvent this one. Besides the design, the needs of the patient and the physiotherapist were taken into consideration. Using new techniques, materials and improvements, innovative solutions came up and proffered for everyday problems.

3. The EMC - Electronic measuring device for forest management

Design: Yellow Window
Opdrachtgever: Timbtrack

The Timbtrack EMC (Electronic Meter Connect) is an electronic indicator with a cable and a gps localization, sending digitally the measured data of trees in the wood to a platform for the organization of forestry operators.

Collaborative Award

1. IXZO! - Innovative learning platform

Design: Knight Moves
Client: Gemeenschapsonderwijs (GO!)

A learning platform for innovative schools who try to pursue a student oriented approach. This means there is is more autonomy for pupils and teachers are supported to be able to work more as a coach for groups or idividual pupils.

2. Oase - Sensorial spaces for people with physical and/or mental disabilities

Design: Bailleul Ontwerpbureau
Client: Het GielsBos

Sensorial spaces for people with physical and/or mental disabilities. Supervisors get the necessary tools in the spaces to make their clients laugh, to stimulate senses, to challenge them or to bring them to rest.

3. TEK STIEL - A social artistic project of the city of Genk

Design: Studio Linde Hermans
Client: Stad Genk
Partners: STEBO, Vrouwencentrum Genk

A social artistic project of the city of Genk where artistic co-creation stands central. A multicultural group of women comes together to share their knowledge and craft. Along the way the project takes shape which results in a range of tote bags, made of old fishing nets, beautiful (portrait) pictures and a publication.

Consumer Award

1. Vibe - Communication tool

Design: pars pro toto
Client: Jabbla, we all have a voice

The Vibe is an inclusive communication tool especially developed for the growing group of mobile young people with aphasia. Designing the tablet, focus was on the user and his environment. During the research, several obstacles came up which were solved in this new computer.

2. Morrow - Autofocal smart glasses

Design: Achilles Design
Client: Shito NV

A pair of interactive glasses on which you can adjust the focal point with just one push on the button, properly build in the frame. This technology can be integrated in almost every frame so everyone can express their own personality.

3. Zyzo - Communication tool for elderly

Design: Hybrio (het collectief van de ontwerpbureaus Namahn, KAN, Ixor, Voxdale & Fosfor)
Client: Zyzo nv

Zyzo is a new social (familiar) network that is designed especially for elderly (80+) who can’t really work with smartphones and tries to connect them faster with their children and grandchildren. Via the Zyzo’s mobile app family members send pictures and video messages to the Zyzo device. You can also send appointments and reminders with the app. Zyzo is initially regarded as familiar, social network, but can also be deployed in the health sector.

Design-led Crafts Award, by Bokrijk

1. Hey Jute - The forgotten qualities of a natural product

Design: Alexander Marinus
Client: Zigmund Pront

The Hey Jute cushion is a high-end artisanal product for which a new application was developed for forgotten material which results after extensive research for context, value and application. Jute is the second most-cultivated textile fibre in the world.

2. Lunair - Wall lightning out of rests of wood or marble

Design: Filip Janssens
Developed for Maakbaar (Bos+)

Lunair is a unique lighting object made of recycled material from leftovers of wood, natural stones and marble. The standing wall light shines indirectly and softly. It puts the beauty of imperfections of recycling material in the spotlight.

3. Twin Mirrors - Conversation piece

Design: Ben Storms

Twin Mirrors has a reflective function, literally and figuratively. The mirror itself gives a distorted view of reality, because of the curved shape and because a reflection can never be objective. The black mirror is a copy of this distorted reality and puts a blur on it. The hard reality fades and more space occurs for a (subjective) interpretation of the facts.

Digital Products Award

1. Toddler Zoo - Game app for toddlers

Design: Next Apps

Toddler Zoo - Mix & Match is a funny and educational puzzler for toddlers, available in the Apple Store. Children learn in a playful way about animals, what they are called and what sound they make. They can try to find a specific animal or just be creative and build funny animals.

2. Sportkompas - An orientation tool for kids between 8 and 10 years old that helps making the right choice in sports

Design: Studio Dott
Client: SportaMundi vzw
With the support of Sport Vlaanderen

By participating at Sportkompas children and their parents get a clear vision of what sports they are good at and what they like to do. This ensures more fun and motivition for children.

3. Woningpas - Digital platform for home data

Design: Leap Forward
Client: Vlaams Energieagentschap

A free digital passport which collects all info about your house. Here the owner can find info about certificates, licences, attestations and data about energy (from the energy performance certificate or EPC) and so on. With Woningpas the government wants one unique and overall file for a house.

Graphic & Communication Award

1. B401 Bruggenbouwers - Campaign about the completion of a viaduct

Design: Heren Loebas
Client: City of Ghent - Urban Renewal Service

For the completion of flyover B401 in Ghent, the city started a campaign by which it wanted to inform the inhabitants and the users of the flyover about the process. For example, they have put up 14 portraits of inhabitants and their vision on the future of the flyover as pieces of art on the pilars of the flyover.

2. Helblauw - Book

Writer: Thomas Meinecke
Design: Eva Moulaert van Dear Reader,
Client: het balanseer

Eva Moulaert of Dear Reader, developed a transforming font for Helblauw which intensifies the content of the book of Thomas Meinecke. The typography takes the concept of bastardization further: little by little the text transforms from a classic serif to a broken writing.

Eva Moulaert, Dear Reader, het balanseer

Eva Moulaert, Dear Reader, het balanseer

3. Opera Vlaanderen Seizoen 2018/2019 - Graphic design

Design: Bureau BoschBerg (Sang Vandenbosch)
Images: Hans Op de Beeck
Client: Opera Ballet Flanders

For the theme 'Mortality', Opera Ballet Flanders worked together with Hans Op de Beeck. The stills from the movie Staging Silence formed the basis for the new campaign images for the production and global for the season. The result is a new, intriguing picture that quickly attracts attention in the streets. The creation of illusion is key.

Habitat Award

1. The Light Machine - Lightning

Design: Bernard Rommens (RotorGroup)
Client: Re-Volt

A qulity design, the kind of slow that lasts. With this lightnight, the designers rebel against the disposable culture.The Light Machine is inspired by a mix of film set lightning, military jerry cans and mechanical details of a machine. The dimmer can be adapted to the exact preferred voltage that’s showed on the integrated voltage meter.

2. The Waterbench - A rainwater collecting bench

Design: Barbara Standaert
Client: Ebema N.V.

The Waterbench is a all in one bench, planter and rainwater tank. The rainwater naturally seeps through the porous concrete cover and is collected in a water-tight concrete reservoir where the plants find their water and food. The porous concrete guarantees a dry seat, also on rainy days.

3. Touchswitch - Touch display light switch

Design: In house team Niko
Client: Niko

A recurring problem with interactions with an electrical installation is that it’s often not clear to the user which button to use. Nowadays a house has many light spots and other functionalities.A second problem is that there is a large amount of buttons on the wall. Clients prefer a compact switch on the wall. With the innovative switch Touchswitch Niko solves all these problems.


The Henry van de Velde Awards pride themselves on being on top of recent evolutions within the design world. This results in yet another shuffle of categories for which  designers, companies and organisations could apply. Many amongst them were desperately looking for the category Ecodesign. The Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM) and Flanders DC however decided not to reuse this category. Back in 2008, when ecodesign was first introduced as a separate category, it showed its importance  for design and the direction design was to take. In the meantime, the awareness that ecodesign is an integral part of good design, has grown. Therefore, it no longer needs to be a category for which you can apply, it’s a necessity for all the award winners. Consequently, all submissions were evaluated on their ecodesign aspect.

As for ecodesign, do note that there will be a Henry van de Velde Ecodesign Gold Award by OVAM on 22 January, as well as a Gold Award for Young Talent, Company, Lifetime Achievement and the Public Award. The Ecodesign Award has transformed to a special award, an inspirational award for which you can’t subscribe.

The Henry van de Velde Awards are glad to welcome a new partner this year. The Henry van de Velde Design-led Crafts Award will be distributed by Bokrijk. Bokrijk focuses on craftsmanship and techniques and applies it in their museum. In the past few years, Bokrijk has invested in the social relevance of this heritage for craftsmanship now and the generations to come. Bokrijk has a programme VAKlab, that stimulates and supports craftsmen in their entrepreneurship. This brings us seamlessly to the meaning of the Henry van de Velde Design-led Crafts Award by Bokrijk, which is given to a unique object or one produced in limited series with an exceptional design and aesthetically combined with excellent craftsmanship and innovative use of materials, intended for consumers to whom sustainability, originality, exclusiveness, aesthetics and a high-quality finish are of paramount importance. Bokrijk, VAKlab and Flanders DC proudly present you the result of this year and the years to come.