Ward
Wijnant

Which place do you currently call home and where do you work on your projects?

I currently live in Goirle with my wife and two children, which I call home. We’ve been working on this house for two years now, so I know every part of it by heart. Tilburg, where I was born and raised, remains my creative base, where I have my studio and work on my projects.

Where is your studio located & how does it look?

My studio is located in Tilburg, close to the city centre. It’s just behind the railway tracks, where the trains and the world are constantly passing by. I really value the daylight in the studio. There is a light well in the ceiling that allows natural daylight to come in throughout the day. I really appreciate this natural light because it allows me to properly see the product while I’m working on it. The studio is split into a workshop and an office area. The workshop is where the hands-on work happens. There are different machines available, including a self-developed, one-of-a-kind machine for twisting steel.

What started with making small models from metal wire, unlocked a curiosity for the material and eventually grew into the collection TWISTED. Working on these small-scale experiments triggered a way of thinking centered on expansion. The possibility to continuously grow both the scale and complexity of twisted structures, allowing for larger and more ambitious applications over time. This line of exploration became the starting point for developing the machine.

The machine is unique in its kind and specifically designed for this process: it twists separate iron rods together, forming the basic material that becomes the foundation of TWISTED. The Functional Collection is a playful extension of the TWISTED project. For this series, I reinterpret everyday objects by applying the twisting technique to familiar items such as a walker, a clothes drying rack, and a crowbar. What I enjoy most about this collection is twisting as many ordinary objects as possible, transforming them into unexpected designs while preserving their original function.

Are there any projects that are personally important to you—whether recently completed or currently in progress?

If I had to choose a personal project that is especially important to me, it would be the toilet in my own home—a space where I spend quite a bit of time ;). We recently bought a house and fully renovated it to turn it into our own place, which made the whole process very personal from the start. Within that renovation, I really enjoyed bringing my own design language into the space. This led to the idea of designing our toilet entirely in a CHUNK theme.

CHUNK is a design with a lot of texture and reflection, the irregular surface captures and reflects light, creating new shadows, nuance and depth from every angle. The entire toilet is covered with CHUNK walls, including a CHUNK lamp that reinforces the atmosphere and material language of the room. At the same time, I have somewhat restrained myself and kept the toilet in porcelain.

I also really enjoyed taking part the exhibitions: Home Sweet Home, Objects with Love at MAD Brussels with the Birdhouse (CHUNK), FEU Expo – Meet Met Met at Paris Design Week with the Ashtray (CHUNK), and FOREVER ENDEAVOUR at Museum W with the Walker (TWISTED). I especially enjoyed this way of working because I like taking everyday objects and turning them into playful, unexpected and expressive designs. It is fun to experiment with shapes and ideas and give familiar objects a completely new character.

Do you have a favourite place in your area where you like to relax and linger?

A place in Tilburg where I really like to relax is T-Huis in the Spoorpark. The Spoorpark, part of the Spoorzone, is a park located on a former railway and industrial site close to the city centre. The traces of its past are still visible: the old railway tracks have been preserved in the landscape, subtly reminding visitors of its industrial history. In summer especially, it is one of those spots where time slows down a bit, right in the middle of the centre.

Do you know a hidden gem when it comes to local manufacturers—whether it’s arts and crafts, sustainable products or food?

A great hidden gem when it comes to local production is the Trappist monastery just outside Tilburg: Abbey Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven. Located on the edge of the city and surrounded by greenery, the Trappist monks have been living here since 1884. What makes this place so special is that it is still an active site of production under strict Trappist conditions. The monks produce well-known products such as La Trappe beer, as well as cheese, bread, and other small-scale artisanal goods. Everything is made with tradition, directly connected to the monastery itself. It is this combination of craftsmanship, seclusion, and local rootedness that makes it feel like a true hidden gem. On top of that, you can also visit the monastery to eat and drink, experiencing their products on-site in a reflective setting that connects directly back to the place of production itself.

Is there anything particularly innovative in your region? Also in comparison to other places you have already visited?

An interesting example of innovation in Tilburg is the Spoorzone, a former railway yard. What used to be a closed-off industrial area behind the train tracks has been reimagined into a mixed-use environment where education, culture, and public space come together. Instead of demolishing its industrial past, the city chose to preserve and repurpose many of the original railway buildings.

The Spoorzone is home to innovative education and design environments like the LocHal, a former locomotive shed that has been transformed into a public library and cultural hub. It is not just a place to read or work, but a large-scale experimental space where learning, making, and meeting overlap.

What stands out is the scale of transformation combined with accessibility. Many cities develop innovation districts, but the Spoorzone feels open and integrated into daily life—you don’t need to “enter” an innovation hub; you naturally pass through it on your way through the city. It’s this layering of industrial heritage, public function, and contemporary design thinking that makes the Spoorzone a strong example of how innovation can be embedded into the fabric of a city rather than isolated in a specific zone.

Do you have a secret restaurant tip that you would like to share with us?

A restaurant I always like to recommend is Restaurant RAK. Located right on the water in Tilburg’s Piushaven, it feels slightly hidden away from the busy city centre, which makes it a great place. The waterfront location makes it one of my favourite spots in the city. Sitting by the water on a sunny day is hard to beat.

Is there a local shop whose products are only available in your region?

A local shop with products that are truly unique to the region is the shop at the TextielMuseum in Tilburg. Through the TextielLab, designers and artists collaborate with textile specialists to develop innovative fabrics, artworks, and design objects. Many of these pieces are produced in small editions or as one-off works and are exclusively available through the museum. Because of Tilburg’s rich textile history and the museum’s role in continuing that tradition, these products feel deeply connected to the city and are difficult to find anywhere else.

What are your 3 favourite apps that you use every day and couldn’t live without?

Instagram is where I keep up with developments in design, discover new makers, and occasionally spend far more time scrolling through than I originally intended.

Spotify is essential in the studio. There is always music playing while I’m working. Depending on my mood, it ranges from relaxed background jazz to Eminem—usually a pretty reliable indicator of how close a deadline is.

The third app is the communication app used by my children’s school and daycare. It regularly sends photos, which are essentially a preview of the state in which my children will return home later that day—usually covered in mud, paint, sand, and other unidentified substances.

Do you have any favourite newspapers or online magazines? And how do you keep up to date with politics or social and cultural issues?

I like to stay informed, but preferably in a way that fits naturally into my day without spending too much time reading articles. I mainly use NOS, which allows me to catch up on the news in the morning while simultaneously winning the daily race against the clock to get my kids to school on time.

Imagine you could be mayor for a year—what would you change?

I would invest in the department for Art and Culture of course.

One last question: If you could choose another place to live—regardless of financial or time constrains —which one would you choose?

Definitely in a self-designed house. A place in Italy would suit me well.