Rate My Professor Maarten Van Den Driessche

Maarten Van Den Driessche, born in 1979, serves as a full-time professor at the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning within the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at Ghent University. He holds the official title of Professor of Theory of Architectural Design and Architectural Theory. Van Den Driessche studied architecture at Ghent University and Paris-la-Villette, completing his PhD in 2009 with the dissertation 'De architectuur van het schoolcomplex in de Belgische context (1842-1972): kritische analyse en interpretatie van het scholenbouwdiscours, van de iconografie van het schoolgebeuren en van de architectuurontwerp,' under the supervision of Bart Verschaffel. His career trajectory includes a research fellowship at Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany; senior lecturer position at the Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven from 2010 to 2018; and visiting professorship at RISEBA University in Riga, Latvia. At Ghent University, he is a founding member of Labo A, a scientific platform for research by design projects, and a member of Heim Collectief, which develops permanent dwellings for temporary use to address housing needs for newcomers and refugees.

Van Den Driessche's research specializations encompass design methodology, architectural criticism, architectural education, architectural drawing, and the application of typology in architectural thought, with a focus on contemporary architectural practices. He has edited and contributed to significant publications, including 'De school als ontwerpopgave: Schoolarchitectuur in Vlaanderen 1995-2005' (2005), 'De School als bouwheer: gids voor kwaliteitsvolle schoolarchitectuur' (2008), 'Robbrecht en Daem: an architectural anthology' (2017), 'G1710, GAFPA: Primary structure' (2019), 'Open call: 20 years of public architecture' (2020), and 'How did we get here? BLAF architecten houses 2003—2023' (2025). His scholarly articles have been published in international journals such as OASE, A+, Werk, Bauen + Wohnen, and Architecture, Structures and Construction, covering topics including architectural quality governance, multi-disciplinary design processes, image constructions, and school architecture. He has led projects like 'Contemporary image constructions,' 'What design documents (can) do,' 'Architecture Exhibitions in Flanders, 1983-2010,' and co-edited OASE 120: Quality Settings / Kwaliteitskamers (2025), alongside curating exhibitions such as 'Open Call. 20 Years of Public Architecture.'