Who are you?

I’m Marlies Deforche, a designer working on projects that use human-centered design principles to solve social issues. My background is in interface design for commercial clients, but since 2 years I shifted towards social sector clients.

On which project are you currently working on?

I’m currently in the process of starting a small service design studio with my co-founder who is a policy advisor. We’re already working together on different projects. One is about sustainable mobility in mid-sized cities that will kick off soon. We’ll be working together with local authorities, citizens and merchants in a series of co-creation workshops to create new solutions to local mobility challenges. I’m very excited that in “mobility week” in September, we’ll actually implement prototypes of these solutions in the cities.

What do you like to do when you are not working?

I like to cook. But lately I spend most of my free time volunteering. I co-founded Co-Searching, a peer-to-peer learning community that brings jobseekers together to help each other in the search for a job. Unusedkilos is an early stage start-up that aims to help small organizations transport educational and medical donations by leveraging unused space. I’m designing the interface for Give-a-Day, a new app & website for short term volunteering. And just recently I started helping with homework guidance at the local refugee center.

Song you would like to make us discover?

That’s a tough one, I’m quite all over the place when it comes to music. One day I listen to Portuguese fado, next day I’m into hip-hop. Quite interesting sound to explore is everything by The Books.

A quote, a poem, an advice, which follows you everywhere?

“Give me strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

How do you feel at Le Phare?

Amongst friends, very laid-back!

To know more about marlies’s work: http://www.miespaties.be
To contact Marlies : mies@miespaties.be