Gen C – Acrobatic Performance Company Website
Zuiderbad - Interactive Web Map Development
Reflections – New Media Art Hackathon
Networkstate Hackathon - UX/UI Design Project
About Lukas D'Haese
Digital Experience Designer & Developer
Belgium-based web designer specializing in:
- UI/UX Design & Creative Problem-Solving
- Frontend Development (React, Vue.js)
- Photography & Visual Storytelling
- Performance Arts & Creative Collaboration
Background
Digital Experience Design
Student at Thomas More University. Focus: technology + design + psychology.
Frontend Development
Expert in React, Vue.js, JavaScript. Creative concepts → beautiful web experiences.
Visual Arts & Creative InspirationVisual Arts
Photography and visual arts influence my web design. Expert in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
Performance Arts & MovementPerformance Arts
Acro Porte training at Circolito. Skills: timing, collaboration, creative expression.
Visual StorytellingStorytelling
Photography → composition skills → better visual hierarchy in web design.
Technical Expertise
UI/UX & Interaction Design
- 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 ConnectConnect
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
Project Mockups
Design prototypes and concepts
Interactive Map - Zuiderbad
Project Impact
Transformed visitor navigation at Zuiderbad: Delivered an interactive web map that makes all 25+ facilities easily discoverable, provides seamless mobile access via QR codes, and created an intuitive digital wayfinding solution for the 15-hectare recreational complex.
Key Achievement: Successfully participated in a multidisciplinary team to create a scalable mapping solution that solves real wayfinding challenges. The project demonstrates strong project management skills, technical problem-solving, and ability to deliver user-centered solutions on schedule within an academic collaborative environment.
The Challenge We Solved
Zuiderbad, a premier recreational facility at the historic Hofstade domain in Mechelen, needed a digital solution to help visitors navigate their extensive 15-hectare grounds and discover all available facilities. As a team, we developed an innovative interactive web map that fundamentally transformed how visitors explore and engage with the space.
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.
How We Delivered This Impact
1. Research & Discovery
Conducted 15+ interviews with visitors and staff, analyzed traffic flow patterns, and identified key user journeys. Research revealed many first-time visitors missed major facilities, validating our approach.
2. Technical Solution Design
Evaluated mapping solutions, implemented Leaflet.js with custom facility markers, and planned QR code integration strategy for seamless mobile access across the facility.
3. Team Leadership & Project 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.
Technical Implementation & Features
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
✨ Proven Results & Long-term Impact
The solution exceeded expectations: Successfully delivered a complete digital wayfinding system that makes all facility locations easily discoverable through intuitive navigation. The project demonstrates effective team leadership, technical problem-solving, and ability to create practical solutions that enhance user experience in real-world environments.
Why This Project Matters: This showcases my ability to lead complex technical projects from conception to delivery, manage cross-functional teams effectively, and create digital solutions that solve tangible user problems while maintaining high technical standards. The successful collaboration and on-time delivery prepared me for professional project management challenges.
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
Reflections
New Media Art × Performance art (30CC / Innovation:Lab)
Title: Reflections: Realtime Visuals for Contemporary Circus Performance
Samenwerking: Lukas D'Haese, Arthur, Arno
Context
Hackathon organized by Innovation:Lab and 30CC Leuven, focused on the intersection of performance, technology, and art.
Concept
- Develop a contemporary juggling performance where:
- Camera tracking follows juggling props
- Movements generate realtime visual trails
- Digital visuals act as a performer on stage, not a background element
Implementation
- Creative coding
- Web-based realtime visuals
- Research into camera tracking and interaction
Process
- Artistic and technical experimentation
- Prototyping interaction between performer and digital layer
- Iteration through failure and testing
Outcome
- Conceptual prototype demonstrating performative technology
- The images are called reflections_0...
intro - speeddating
Meeting the other artists and learning about their projects in the form of speeddating
blobtracking
Trying blobtracking for the visuals after a recomendation by on of the experts
Concept
Working out a concept for a potential performance
Trails
Experimenting with different kinds of trails and deciding which ones look best
Trying on a real setup
First time trying the setup in a real environment
Network State Hackathon - Democracy Reimagined
Hackathon Achievement
Successfully completed 48-hour design challenge: Led UX/UI design for innovative blockchain-based network state concept that reimagines democratic participation. Delivered comprehensive design solution under intense deadline pressure, demonstrating ability to rapidly prototype complex governance technology concepts.
Personal Growth: This hackathon experience pushed my design thinking to new limits. Working under time pressure while collaborating with designers taught me valuable lessons about rapid prototyping, stakeholder communication, and maintaining design quality under stress. The challenge significantly expanded my ability to work in high-pressure environments.
The Challenge We Tackled
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.
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.
How We Achieved This Success
1. Research & Problem Analysis
Analyzed existing democratic systems and studied citizen engagement statistics. Research revealed 73% of young adults feel disconnected from traditional political processes, validating our blockchain-based approach.
2. Solution Design & Innovation
Through intensive brainstorming and rapid prototyping, we developed a comprehensive blockchain-based network state concept prioritizing transparency, decentralized decision-making, and continuous citizen engagement.
3. UX/UI Leadership & Execution
As UX/UI design lead, I spearheaded user experience strategy, facilitated design sprints, and created high-fidelity prototypes that effectively communicated complex governance concepts under extreme time pressure.
Core Innovation Features Designed:
- 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 intuitive digital interfaces
- Cross-border digital citizenship and governance participation
Challenge Completion & Professional Growth
Successfully completed the intensive 48-hour design challenge through creative problem-solving and rapid execution. The project demonstrated my ability to lead UX design under extreme pressure, translate complex concepts into accessible interfaces, and collaborate effectively in high-stakes multidisciplinary environments.
Key Professional Achievements: This experience showcased my capacity for rapid prototyping, collaborative design thinking, cross-functional communication, and presenting complex technical concepts to diverse audiences. The challenge validated my approach to making sophisticated governance technology accessible through thoughtful UX design and proved my ability to perform under pressure.
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
Gen C – Acrobatic Performance Company Website
Project Impact
The new Gen C website gives the acrobatics company a digital stage that truly represents their energy and artistry.
- Present shows and photos in a clean, emotional way
- Communicate upcoming events and workshops
- Strengthen their professional image for new partners and audiences
- Centralize everything — from storytelling to bookings — in one consistent platform
The Challenge We Solved
Gen C had a vibrant identity offline, but their digital presence didn’t reflect that personality. We needed to translate movement and emotion into a functional, maintainable website, without it feeling overloaded or static. The biggest challenge was capturing the fluidity of acrobatics in a simple web experience that performs well on any device.
How We Delivered This Impact
Minimal Design Language
Highlights photos and performances, keeping the focus on emotion and movement.
Smooth Motion
GSAP-powered transitions and section reveals reflect the rhythm of their shows.
CMS-Driven Structure
Allows the group to easily update upcoming shows, team members, and events.
Accessibility & Performance
Optimized for mobile, fast loading, and inclusive for all audiences.
Technical Implementation & Features
Key Features Delivered:
- Next.js for fast, modern architecture and SEO-friendly routing
- GSAP + Framer Motion for animation choreography
- Tailwind CSS for modular styling and design consistency
- Responsive & mobile-first design
- CMS integration for content updates without code
- Lazy loading and optimized images for performance
Proven Results & Long-term Impact
Since launch, the website has:
- Boosted audience engagement and visibility for shows
- Simplified communication with event organizers and venues
- Scalable base for future expansions
- Stronger online identity consistent with their creative mission
The result: a digital home that moves — just like the performers behind it.
Performance Highlight
Signature acrobatic show moment
Team Collaboration
Dynamic group performance
Artistry in Motion
Fluid choreography captured
Showcase Moment
Emotional finale