Social Innovation Lab

The Professorship in Social Innovation (SI-LAB) focuses on the social dimensions of transition challenges. It positions social innovation as a key driver in the development of technological solutions, while recognising a gap in understanding its role and practical implementation. To address this gap, the professorship collaborates with institutional partners such as municipalities, provinces, and governmental bodies like Rijkswaterstaat. Together, they examine the challenges these organisations face and contribute expertise in participatory design strategies.

The lab’s researchers bring together a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise, including cartographic methods, participatory design, social sciences, archival research, GIS, and geotechnology.

PROJECTS IN THE RESEARCH-EDUCATION NEXUS

Design Research Framework

(running 2024-current)

Knowledge Systems for Design Research [Publication]

[Essay for Centre Pompidou] (September 2025)

PROJECTS IN THE SOCIETY-RESEARCH NEXUS

Mapping Workshop GO-Cawh Karlsruhe

Community Engagement in Climate Adaptive Water Hubs (CAWH)

(September 2023 - March 2025)

Cultural heritage and social innovation: research into the Colony of Benevolence Veenhuizen

(June 2024 - December 2025)

Banks-borders-bridges, Waterscapes as lines of contention or connection?

(September 2025 - December 2027)

Archival Encounters: Narrating the Landscape of Veenhuizen

(September 2023 - January 2026)

PROJECTS IN THE EDUCATION-SOCIETY NEXUS

Focus module Cartographic Explorations 2023: Veenhuizen edition

(September 2023 - January 2024)

Focus module Cartographic Explorations 2024: Eco-social design edition

(September 2024 - January 2025)

Focus module Design Anthropology 2026: Water edition

(September 2026 - January 2027)

Output from Collaborations

Veenhuizen: Narrating Landscape, Design research on cultural heritage

[pop up exhibition] (February 2024)

WETsus Economy for the Common Good International

(September 2024)

Co-authored Position Paper on Health Ownership

(forthcoming)

CWI-KUO – Working Group member

Exhibition/Tour “Veenhuizen: Decoding the Landscape”

(May 2025)

PRESENTATION MOMENTS AND MILESTONES

The Future of Design Research Education at Konstfack

[panel discussion] (January 2025)

GO-CAWH ENDREPORT

(March 2025)

Workshop: Design Research Framework at AHK

(March 2025)

Poster for RRR (Rural Roadwater Rescue) Closing Conference

(May 2025)

Research Report: Archival Encounters

(February 2026)

OUR PUBLICATIONS

Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2026). Knowledge Systems for Design Research. In O. Merhav (Ed.), Material Driven Practices. Centre Pompidou: Kandinsky Library.

Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2026). Archival Encounters: Narrating the Landscape of Veenhuizen. Design Academy Eindhoven.

Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2025). Identifying Participation Opportunities for Area-Oriented Infrastructure Planning. Design Academy Eindhoven.

Neef, R., Bueno de Mesquita, N., Leenderste, W., & Boeijen, N. (2024, June). Balancing institutional and participatory space in the management of water imbalance: A dual institutional and participatory design perspective. Paper presented at the WETsus Economy for the Common Good International Conference, Leeuwarden, Fryslân, The Netherlands. https://www.wetsus.nl/app/uploads/2024/08/ECGIC-2024_Papers-Day-1.pdf

Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2024). Mapping als Gestaltungsstrategie: Forschung und transformative Produktion miteinander verweben. In E. Krasny, B, Büscher & L. Ortman (Eds.), Porös-Werden: Geteilte Räume, urbane Dramaturgien, performatives Kuratieren (pp. 211-221). Wien: Tuira & Kant. (Free acces via https://www.turia.at/titel/poroes.php)

Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2022). Manifesto for a Design Research framework. Design Academy Eindhoven.

Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2022). Digital Performative Mapping [Doctoral dissertation, KU Leuven/LUCA School of Arts]. KU Leuven Research Repository

MEET THE TEAM

Dr. Naomi Bueno de Mesquita

Head SI–LAB

Toni Wagner

Research Coordination SI–LAB

Isis Boot

Tutor and Supervisor Focus Module Cartographic Explorations

Dr. Tzlil Sharon

Researcher Design Research Framework

FORMER TEAM MEMBERS

Jaïr Salomon van Dijk
Research Associate in cultural heritage research, Design Deal Project. Feb 2025/Jan 2026

Freja Kræmmer Nielsen
Research Associate in cultural heritage research, Design Deal Project. Jun 2024/Jan 2026

Niene Boeijen
Research Associate in water management research. March 2024/March 2025 and Former Tutor Focus Module Cartographic Explorations Sep 2023/Feb 2024 and Cartographic Explorations: Inclusive Future Studies Sep 2024/Feb 2025

Anne Vader
Research Associate in water management research. Sep 2024/Jan 2025

Olga Korosteleva
Research Associate in cultural heritage research, Design Deal Project. Jun 2024/Jan 2025

Lucas Zoutendijk
Research Associate in GO-CAWH Project. Sep 2023/Feb 2024

Neeltje ten Westenend
Tutor of Focus Module Cartographic Explorations Sep 2023/Feb 2024

Research Department

Keywords

Research

GET IN TOUCH

Do you have questions or want to inquire about a possible collaboration? Then reach out to us via the coordinator of the Lab, Toni Wagner under toni.wagner@designacademy.nl

(We do not offer PhD positions nor have other open positions at this moment)

Header Image: Anwyn Howarth