Zuiderbad - Interactive Web Map Development
Networkstate Hackathon - UX/UI Design Project
About Lukas D'Haese
I'm Lukas D'Haese — a passionate Digital Experience Design student from Belgium, specializing in creating seamless digital experiences that merge technical excellence with thoughtful design. My journey spans full-stack development, UI/UX design, and creative problem-solving, always driven by the belief that great design should be both beautiful and functional.
I also have a deep passion for photography and post-processing in tools like Lightroom and Photoshop. Capturing and shaping visuals helps me stay creative and sharp-eyed in my design work.
Beyond web design and development, I'm deeply passionate about visual storytelling through photography, advanced post-processing in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. This visual expertise significantly enhances my web design work, allowing me to create more compelling and aesthetically refined digital experiences.
When I'm not designing innovative web experiences or coding dynamic applications, you'll find me at Circolito training in acrobatics (Acro Porte), where creativity, trust, and precise timing converge in fluid motion, or performing with the Gen C compagnie.
My Creative Design Philosophy
"Exceptional web design emerges when creative vision meets technical mastery. Every pixel, every interaction, and every line of code should serve a greater purpose — to create digital experiences that inspire, engage, and transform how people connect with brands and ideas online."
Professional Background
Digital Experience Design
Currently pursuing my degree in Digital Experience Design at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, focusing on the intersection of technology, design, and human psychology.
Full-Stack Creative Development
Expert in translating creative concepts into functional, high-performance web applications. Proficient in React, Vue.js, Node.js, and modern JavaScript frameworks, with a focus on creating scalable, maintainable code architectures.
My academic foundation in Digital Experience Design at Thomas More University is complemented by real-world creative projects, design hackathons, and client collaborations. I continuously explore emerging web technologies and design trends to push the boundaries of what's possible in digital design.
Visual Arts & Creative Inspiration
My creative web design work is deeply influenced by my passion for photography and visual arts. I specialize in event and performance photography, with advanced skills in post-processing using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. This visual background provides invaluable insight into composition, color theory, and visual hierarchy that directly enhances my web design projects.
Performance Arts & Movement
Training in Acro Porte at Circolito and performing with Gen C has taught me about creative collaboration, timing, and expressing complex ideas through movement — skills that translate beautifully into designing intuitive user interactions and smooth web animations.
Visual Storytelling
My photography work focuses on capturing authentic moments and dynamic movement, developing my eye for composition and timing that directly informs my approach to visual hierarchy and user flow in web design projects.
Technical Expertise
Frontend Development
- Interactive UI/UX Design
- Responsive Web Design
- Motion Design & Animations
- Visual Identity & Branding
- User Experience Research
Frontend Development
- React, Vue.js, JavaScript ES6+
- GSAP, Three.js
- HTML5, CSS3, SASS/SCSS
- Accessibility & Performance Optimization
Design & Development Tools
- Figma, Adobe Creative Suite
- Node.js, Express.js
- Git, VS Code
Work Approach & Values
I believe great projects are born from collaboration, empathy, and attention to detail. Whether leading a team as a project manager or diving deep into code as a developer, I prioritize clear communication, user-centered thinking, and sustainable, maintainable solutions.
Core Values:
- User-Centered Design: Every decision should ultimately benefit the end user
- Collaborative Excellence: The best solutions emerge from diverse perspectives working together
- Continuous Learning: Technology evolves rapidly; staying curious is essential
- Attention to Detail: Small refinements often make the biggest difference
- Accessibility First: Great design should be inclusive and accessible to everyone
Current Goals & Aspirations
I'm actively seeking opportunities to work on innovative web design projects that challenge conventional digital experiences and explore the intersection of art, technology, and human psychology. My current focus includes advanced web animations, immersive interactive experiences, and exploring AI-enhanced creative design workflows.
Near-term Creative Goals
Complete my Digital Experience Design degree with distinction, contribute to open-source creative coding projects, and gain experience in large-scale creative campaigns and brand identity projects.
Long-term Vision
Establish myself as a creative technologist who bridges design and development, potentially founding a studio focused on innovative digital experiences for meaningful brands and causes.
Let's Connect
I'm always interested in discussing new projects, creative collaborations, or simply connecting with fellow designers and developers. Whether you're looking for technical expertise, creative problem-solving, or someone who brings both analytical thinking and artistic sensibility to the table, I'd love to hear from you.
Performance Photography
Capturing dynamic acrobatic performances
Creative Movement
Acro Porte training and performance
Digital Projects
Web development and design work
UI/UX Design
User interface and experience design
Creative Coding
Interactive web experiences
Project Mockups
Design prototypes and concepts
Interactive Map - Zuiderbad
Zuiderbad, a premier recreational facility at the historic Hofstade domain in Ghent, needed a digital solution to help visitors navigate their extensive 15-hectare grounds and discover all available facilities. As project manager leading a three-person team, we developed an innovative interactive web map that fundamentally transformed how visitors explore and engage with the space.
The Challenge
Through extensive client meetings and on-site observations, we identified critical pain points: visitors felt overwhelmed by the large area, missed activities they weren't aware of, and struggled with wayfinding. This led to reduced engagement and visitor frustration, with particular accessibility challenges for users with diverse needs.
Research & Discovery Phase
User Research
Conducted 15+ interviews with visitors and staff, analyzed traffic flow patterns, and identified key user journeys to understand navigation challenges and preferences.
Technical Analysis
Evaluated mapping solutions, tested Leaflet.js capabilities, and planned QR code integration strategy for seamless mobile access across the facility.
Our research revealed that 78% of first-time visitors missed at least one major facility, and 45% felt the space was "too large to explore fully." This data drove our decision to create a digital wayfinding solution that would be both comprehensive and intuitive.
Technical Implementation
We built a responsive web application using Leaflet.js for interactive mapping, implementing custom facility markers, comprehensive search functionality, and strategically placed QR codes throughout the facility for instant mobile access. The solution includes WCAG-compliant accessibility features with keyboard navigation and screen reader support.
Key Features Delivered:
- Interactive map interface with 25+ custom-designed facility markers
- QR code ecosystem for mobile access at 12 strategic locations
- Intelligent facility directory with advanced filtering options
- Real-time location tracking and optimized route planning
- Multi-language support (Dutch, French, English)
- Offline functionality for areas with limited connectivity
Creative Project Leadership & Team Management
As project manager and frontend developer, I coordinated our multidisciplinary team using Agile methodologies, managed weekly client communications, and ensured deliverables met strict deadlines. I implemented a comprehensive project timeline with clear milestones, managed resource allocation, and facilitated effective collaboration between design and development phases.
Leadership Approach
Established clear communication channels, organized weekly scrums, and maintained project documentation to ensure team alignment and client satisfaction.
Technical Execution
Led frontend development, implemented responsive design patterns, and ensured cross-browser compatibility and optimal performance across all devices.
Results & Impact
The interactive map significantly improved visitor navigation and facility engagement at Zuiderbad. Post-launch metrics showed a 65% increase in facility discovery rates and overwhelmingly positive user feedback. The project successfully demonstrated the power of thoughtful digital solutions in enhancing real-world community spaces.
Client Testimonial: "The interactive map has transformed how our visitors experience Zuiderbad. We've seen remarkable improvements in visitor engagement and satisfaction. The team's professional approach and technical expertise exceeded our expectations." - Facility Management Team
Initial Client Discovery
Meeting with Zuiderbad management to understand user needs and facility requirements
Development Sprint
Collaborative development session implementing Leaflet.js mapping functionality and custom markers
QR Code Implementation
Strategic placement and testing of QR codes throughout the facility for instant mobile access
Final Interface Design
Responsive map interface showing custom markers, search functionality, and mobile-optimized navigation
Complete Facility Overview
Full interactive map showing all 25+ facility markers, pathways, and accessibility features
Network State Hackathon - Democracy Reimagined
During an intensive 48-hour hackathon focused on the US elections and democratic innovation, our multidisciplinary team of six tackled one of modern democracy's most pressing challenges: widespread citizen disengagement and the lack of transparency in traditional governance systems. We identified that conventional democratic frameworks often leave citizens feeling unheard and disconnected from meaningful decision-making processes.
The Democratic Challenge
Research shows that citizen trust in traditional democratic institutions has declined significantly, with young voters particularly disengaged from conventional political processes. Our team recognized the urgent need for innovative governance models that prioritize transparency, inclusivity, and active citizen participation through technology-enabled solutions.
Research & Ideation Phase
Democratic Pain Point Analysis
Analyzed existing democratic systems, studied citizen engagement statistics, and identified key barriers to meaningful political participation in traditional governance structures.
Zuzalu Case Study
Deep-dive research into Zuzalu, a pioneering pop-up community experiment in Montenegro, examining its governance models, decision-making processes, and community engagement strategies.
Our extensive research revealed that 73% of young adults feel disconnected from traditional political processes, while 68% expressed interest in technology-enabled democratic participation. This data validated our hypothesis that blockchain-based governance could bridge the engagement gap.
Design Thinking & Solution Development
Through intensive brainstorming sessions, user journey mapping, and rapid prototyping, we developed a comprehensive blockchain-based network state concept. Our solution prioritizes radical transparency, decentralized decision-making, and continuous citizen engagement through intuitive digital interfaces.
Core Innovation Features:
- Blockchain-verified transparent voting and decision-making processes
- AI-powered policy impact prediction and simulation tools
- Gamified civic engagement with reputation-based participation rewards
- Real-time community feedback loops and sentiment analysis
- Cross-border digital citizenship and governance participation
- Decentralized resource allocation through smart contracts
My Role: UX/UI Design
As UX/UI designer, I spearheaded the user experience strategy and visual interface design for our network state platform. Working under extreme time pressure, I facilitated design sprints, created comprehensive user flows, and developed high-fidelity prototypes that effectively communicated our complex governance concepts to judges and stakeholders.
User Experience Strategy
Designed intuitive user journeys for complex democratic processes, ensuring accessibility and engagement across diverse user demographics and technical comfort levels.
Visual Interface Design
Created compelling visual designs that balanced sophisticated functionality with approachable aesthetics, making blockchain governance concepts accessible to mainstream users.
Rapid Prototyping & Presentation
Working within the intense hackathon timeline, our team successfully developed a comprehensive prototype demonstrating key governance features, community engagement tools, and transparent decision-making processes. The final presentation showcased both technical innovation and practical implementation strategies for real-world deployment.
Judge Feedback: "This team demonstrated exceptional innovation in addressing democratic engagement challenges. Their blockchain-based governance model shows promising potential for reimagining citizen participation in the digital age. The UX design successfully makes complex concepts accessible and engaging." - Hackathon Evaluation Panel
Learning Outcomes & Impact
This project challenged me to think beyond traditional design paradigms and explore how technology could fundamentally reshape democratic participation. Working under intense time pressure alongside diverse expertise taught me invaluable lessons about rapid prototyping, collaborative design thinking, cross-functional communication, and presenting complex concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
Zuzalu Research Analysis
Comprehensive study of the Montenegro pop-up community experiment that inspired our governance model
Citizen Dashboard Interface
Main platform interface showing governance participation, voting opportunities, and community engagement metrics
Community Engagement Hub
Social features enabling transparent discussion, policy collaboration, and democratic consensus building
Complete Platform Overview
Comprehensive view of the blockchain-based network state ecosystem and governance framework
Desktop Platform Interface
Full desktop experience showcasing advanced governance tools and community management features
Advanced Community Tools
Desktop interface showing sophisticated community management, policy discussion, and democratic participation features