Jaap De Maat

Biography

I'm Senior Lecturer and Stage 2 Leader for the BA Graphic Communication Design course at Central Saint Martins. My academic path began with a BA in Graphic Design from Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam in 2007, followed by an MA in Information Experience Design at the Royal College of Art in 2014. In 2024, I gained Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, which recognises leadership in higher education teaching and learning.

I've been teaching on the Graphic Communication Design programme at Central Saint Martins since 2010, working across both the BA and MA. Over the years, my role has evolved through various positions - from BA Associate Lecturer in Typography to Digital Subject Leader, including a year as Acting MA Course Leader in 2016-17. I've also taught at institutions like the Royal College of Art, University of Westminster, and Chelsea College of Art and Design, experiences that have shaped how I think about design education.

My teaching practice centres on collaborative learning environments and educational approaches that challenge traditional hierarchies, working through both physical and digital spaces. Through various educational interventions, I work to develop, foster, and nurture communities where staff and students can genuinely celebrate what each person brings to our constantly shifting creative disciplines.


Drawing on foundational educational theories, makerspace pedagogies, and open-source learning communities, I'm interested in frameworks that integrate community-driven knowledge exchange and adaptive physical-digital learning spaces - investigating post-digital learning environments that move beyond simply replicating traditional classroom structures.

My research focuses on open-source methodologies, tools, systems, and computation within design education and learning communities. Tools fundamentally define what designers can make, which has led me to focus on enabling students to (re-)create, (re-)invent, and (re-)develop their own design tools as their practice evolves. This approach leads to more organic design processes where tools can be constantly reshaped to meet individual needs. Rather than focusing on single specialisms, it provides multimodal forms of communication design that better reflect contemporary design practice.

My background as both educator and designer shapes my pedagogical approach. Industry experience across the Netherlands, UK, and Brazil informs my teaching, helping ensure students receive relevant professional insights. I combine innovative workshops and pedagogical approaches with critical literature analysis, working toward educational environments where creativity, technology, and community come together to prepare students for shaping design's future.