- Other
At Slagwerk, designing isn’t just about creating. It’s about listening to the space, to the material, and to the rhythm of the maker himself. The name echoes the musical roots of founder Koen Van Dijck, who grew up in a joyful cacophony of sound: pots, pans, boxes, drum kits. Everything was an instrument; every strike a form of expression. That innate sense of rhythm evolved into a passion for craft.
Van Dijck’s path may be unconventional, but it’s remarkably coherent. His hands have always sought connection. First through drumsticks, now through chisels. The energy remained; only the medium changed. Where he once played percussion in waves of sound, he now does so through lines, volumes, and textures. Slagwerk became a new translation of an old hobby: a furniture workshop where precision and intuition alternate like beat and backbeat. What leaves the workshop here is custom work in the truest sense of the word. One-on-one creations, tailored to place, person, and context. Each piece of furniture is composed like a drummer assembling his kit, with a view to the full composition. In this case: the interior.
The hands of Koen Van Dijck have always sought connection. First through drumsticks, now through chisels
Slagwerk stands for craftsmanship where the gap between thought and action is minimal. Van Dijck is both designer and maker, allowing each detail to flow directly from his vision and hands. This results in objects that are clear in form, rich in material, and precise in atmosphere.
Carefully selected wood types form the starting point of his creations. Their grain, colour transitions, and imperfections are not flaws, but foundations. It’s not about masking or uniformity. Slagwerk works with the wood’s character. Every piece carries something unique: a memory, a layered quality, a rhythm you don’t hear, but feel. 
These pieces of furniture actively participate in the interior. A table, cabinet or bench doesn’t simply sit alongside something else, it becomes part of the space. At Slagwerk, craftsmanship isn’t a goal in itself. It’s a way of being present and communicating personality; through the work, the material, and the environment. And above all through the joy of making and the passion for the craft. Because whether it’s sound or shape, rhythm never disappears. 
Curious about the book ‘Belgian Craftsmanship III’? It is available via shop.imagicasa.be.
Photography by Karolien Bogaerts - Atelier Kostum
Text by Carolien Depamelaere