collaborations
for future
collaborations for future
The laboratory for unexpected collaborations
Collaborations for Future is a design research program exploring effective collaboration between the creative sector and the scientific field to address climate challenges.
In the Netherlands, creatives are encouraged to tackle societal issues, including climate change. Research highlights the positive impact of the creative field on complex problems. Yet, existing systems often impede creatives' efforts for change. This lab emphasizes the importance of designers teaming up with climate scientists for lasting solutions. Collaborations for Future offers a platform for exploring effective and sustainable collaboration methods without prescribing specific topics, aiming to foster meaningful change.
The collaborations
Lisa Mandemaker
Speculative Designer
Nikki Kluskens
TU/e
Lisa and Nikki seamlessly blended their tools and approaches, embracing "exploratory action research." They've explored metaphors and interpretations of energy and power, collecting diverse perspectives to understand public perception. Aiming to counter gloomy energy transition narratives, they use speculative design to empower individuals and foster productive debate about future roles.
Colette Aliman
Social Designer
Tim van den Akker
University Utrecht
Despite time challenges, Collette and Tim engaged deeply in each other's practices. Field trips to De Biesbosch fueled their brainstorming and experiments with scientific models. Focusing on the modeling community, they explore how sound enhances understanding of complex infographics, aiming to evoke emotions and drive impactful change.
Merel Witteman
Communication Designer
Roderik van de Wal
University Utrecht
Merel and Roderik are reconciling the scientist’s quest for understanding with the designer’s drive to solve. Inspired by popular campaigns and climate fiction, they focus on Arctic ice melt and sea-level rise, aiming to motivate public action where influence remains, to provoke, mitigate, and adapt to climate change.
Brogen Berwick
Design Researcher
Brogen and Isabela have explored scientific modeling and climate policy through discussions with PBL members. They've reflected on their practices and are seeking a shared focus. By visualizing future scenarios and experimenting with climate policy language, they aim to engage the public. Their Beijing trip for climate negotiations enriched this collaboration.
Riad Salameh
Art Practitioner
Arnoud Apituley
KNMI
Riad and Arnoud's collaboration involves open dialogue, sharing resources, and exploring technologies. They aim to merge cultural heritage with modern meteorology at KNMI, questioning knowledge forms and their impacts. By integrating diverse voices, they seek to enhance accessibility, appreciation, and educate audiences to drive changes in consumer behavior.
Andrea De la Peña
Material Researcher
Evy Gobbens
NIOZ
Initially struggling with distance collaboration, Andrea and Evy connected in person. In Texel, Andrea admired Evy's expertise in bird species interactions. Immersed in birdwatching, they recognized the human-bird bond's role in fostering climate empathy. They aim to create an inclusive installation embodying the Wadden Sea.
Myrthe Krepel
Social Designer
Pieter Pauw
TU/e
Pieter and Myrthe are investigating the role of language in communicating about the climate crisis. They aim to play with the language used around climate change, both in content and form, as well as with the human body as materials to experiment with political and public debate. More information on the development of their collaboration will be coming soon.
Willie Vogel
Architect
Researching material flow's vast scale is challenging. Willie delved into deeper research and discussions to understand Frederike’s work. Focusing on sand, they seek to make its climate significance tangible through diverse representations, aiming to communicate effectively and influence policymakers, designers, architects, developers, and material producers.
Karl Moubarak
Digital Designer
Frank Selten
KNMI
Karl and Frank began collaborating by touring their workspaces, discovering a shared passion for technology and community. They've explored themes like KNMI's sustainability, political role, and crowdsourced weather reporting. Using board games to spark discussions, they aim to engage diverse audiences, from households to KNMI scientists, in behavioral change.
Matilde Stolfa
Geo Designer
Matilde and Hailey focus on the changing Wadden Sea intertidal area. They aim to raise awareness beyond science by involving Texel locals, bridging research and public awareness. Through discussions, they identified common goals, shaping their focus through upcoming fieldwork to spark curiosity and reach diverse audiences.
Unexpected
Encounters
The eventseries on collaboration and climate change!
How do we feel, talk, see, embody and agree on climate change?
Foundation We Are, Social Design Showdown and Pakhuis de Zwijger will host a series of talks as part of this design research programme. During these events we invite various inspiring speakers who work in different domains to set up unexpected encounters to find out how to make sense of climate change and find ways to work together. In the final encounter, policymakers, politicians, and diplomats are invited to discuss agreements on climate change. The dialogue aims to understand the intersections of governance and environmental responsibility, focusing on the potential of collaborative agreements. The discussion will cover necessary diplomatic strategies and agreements for navigating global climate challenges, providing insights into effective responses and actions.