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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

(running 2024-current)
[Essay for Centre Pompidou] (September 2025)

PROJECTS IN THE EDUCATION-SOCIETY NEXUS

OUR PUBLICATIONS

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

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

Bueno de Mesquita, N., Cila, N., Groen, M., & Meys, W. (2018). Socio-technical Systems for Citizen Empowerment: How to Mediate Between Different Expectations and Levels of Participation in the Design of Civic Apps. International Journal of Electronic Governance, 10(2), 172-195.

Golchehr, S. & Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2018). Data-driven Design for Civic Participation. In O. Devisch, L. Huybrechts & R. De Ridder (Eds.), Participatory Design Theory (pp. 56-70). Oxon: Routledge.

Bueno de Mesquita, N. & Hamers, D. (2017). Mapping Invisibility, RTD Conference, 27, 423-437

Hamers, D. Bueno de Mesquita, N. Vaneycken, A., & Schoffelen, J. (Eds.). (2017). Trading Places: Practices of Public Participation in Art and Design Research. Barcelona, Spain: dpr-Barcelona

Golchehr, S. & Bueno de Mesquita, N. (2015, May 21-22). Introducing Digital Methods For On-going Engagement for Design in Public Space: How Mining and Mapping Social Media Data Can Help Inform Spatial Designers About a Local Context. [Paper presentation]. Design, Social Media and Technology to Foster Civic Self-Organisation Conference, Hasselt, Belgium.

MEET THE TEAM

Research Coordination SI–LAB
Tutor and Supervisor Focus Module Cartographic Explorations
Researcher Design Research Framework

FORMER TEAM MEMBERS

Jaïr Salomon van Dijk
Former Research Associate in Colonies of Benevolence, Design Deal Project. SI–LAB: Feb 2025/Jan 2026

Freja Kræmmer Nielsen
Former Research Associate in Colonies of Benevolence, Design Deal Project. SI–LAB: Jun 2024/Jan 2026

Niene Boeijen
Former Research Associate in GO-CAWH Project. SI–LAB: 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
Former Research Associate in GO-CAWH Project. SI–LAB: Sep 2024/Jan 2025

Olga Korosteleva
Former Research Associate in Colonies of Benevolence Project. SI–LAB: Jun 2024/Jan 2025

Lucas Zoutendijk
Former Research Associate in GO-CAWH Project. SI–LAB: Sep 2023/Feb 2024

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

Keywords

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