ESTAFETTE

synopsis

lenght

loop

year

2026

university

LUCA School of Arts, Belgium

technical info

Experimental film

ESTAFETTE explores instability as a physical and ecological condition, focusing on the shifting landscape of the Scheldt estuary. Developed through architectural and artistic research, the project proposes a way of working with, rather than against, the unstable ground.

The film documents the construction and transformation of a temporary structure that combines a steel framework with organic materials such as reeds and hemp. As the structure evolves, it reflects a broader idea of «wetlandforming» — a mode of inhabiting landscapes shaped by tides, decay, and renewal.

Rather than presenting a fixed outcome, the work follows a continuous process of change, where design, the environment, and time remain in flux.

Caro Van den Hole

Bert Heytens

Frederik De Smedt

Julie Van Mulders

Artist Bio (short, collective)
ESTAFETTE is developed by a group of artists and researchers from LUCA School of Arts working across architecture, design, and visual arts. Their collaborative practice combines material experimentation, ecological thinking, and spatial research, exploring how design can respond to changing environments and unstable landscape.

Individual bios

Caro Van den Hole
Caro Van den Hole is a designer and researcher based in Ghent, working across material research, scenography, and spatial practice. Her work explores how materials, environments, and narratives intersect, often through collaborative and research-driven projects within LUCA School of Arts.

Bert Heytens
Bert Heytens is an architect, artist, and educator at LUCA School of Arts. His practice moves between architecture, scenography, and artistic research, focusing on spatial narratives, sustainability, and experimental design methodologies.

Frederik De Smedt
Frederik De Smedt is an architect and researcher based in Ghent, working across architecture, urban design, and scenography. His practice combines design, digital modeling, and research, with a focus on spatial experimentation and collaborative processes.

Julie Van Mulders
Julie Van Mulders is an interior architect and researcher working on material-driven design and sustainable spatial practices. Her work focuses on regenerative materials, circular design, and the relationship between making, research, and environmental thinking.