[1] Van de Walle obtained successively academic degrees in Architecture, Master's and Doctorate in the History of Art and Archaeology, specialising in the Middle Ages, at UGent.

In his scientific research at UGent, he specialised in mediaeval timber construction and the origins of the gothic style, both religious and secular, in Western Europe.

He also developed and carried out the first large-scale mediaeval city centre research in Antwerp (Het Steen castle, 1952-1953), the Besaen huis and the former Mattestraat in 1955-1957 and the Sint-Walburgis church in 1957-1961).

At the University of Ghent in his teaching he paid particular attention to applied arts in Western Europe, their techniques and the scientific research methods for which he had established a laboratory.

In addition to his scientific publications, he was also active in fields such as urban renewal, as well as what had been close to his heart in earlier days, interior design and furniture art.