Dirk Wynants
Founder Extremis, Gijverinkhove

Founder, main designer and managing director of Extremis . Belgium, 9 May 1964, the son of a cabinet maker. Interior and furniture design at Sint-Lucas School of Architecture in Ghent, Belgium.

Dirk Wynants was involved in the distribution of international design brands until he established Extremis in 1994 with its own furniture designs for outdoor use. He is the firm’s managing director and main designer, but also works closely together with other internationally renowned designers.

Design awards
- Henry van de Velde Award, Brussels, 2001
- Interior Innovation Award, IMM, Cologne, 2003
- Les best of NOW! design à vivre, Paris, 2003
- Henry van de Velde Award, Brussels, 2003
- FX International Design Award, London, 2003
- IF Design Award, silver, Hanover, 2003
- Interior Innovation Award, IMM, Cologne, 2004 (nomination)
- Good Design Award, Chicago, 2004
- I.D. magazine, Annual Design Review, New York, 2004
- FX International Design Award, London, 2004 (best residential furniture)
- Design Award of the Province of West Flanders, Kortrijk, 2004
- Interior Innovation Award, IMM, Cologne, 2005
- Red Dot Award, 2005
- Henry van de Velde Label 2006, Brussels
- IF Award 2007, Hanover, Germany
- International Excellence Design Award, 2007
- Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany, 2008 (nomination)
- Design Management Award (“small companies” category), Essen, Germany, 2007

Management Awards
- Independent Entrepreneur of the Year, Belgium, 2001
- Hermes Award, Belgium, 2002
- Leeuw van de Export Award, Belgium, 2002
- West @ Work, Belgium, 2006
- Design Management Award (“small companies” category), Essen, Germany, 2007