The first two Practice Place sessions took place at the beginning of the summer. The Practice Place is a meeting area in the exhibition space for hosting a series of gatherings aimed at encouraging the design community to collectively focus on the ecological transformation of the discipline.
The first session focused on the basics: soil. During the concluding writing exercise, participants expressed a need for more knowledge about soil, possibly through additional training. There was also an emphasis on interdisciplinary and interorganizational collaboration and the exchange of knowledge about the layers we build on. We hope that many more collaborations will emerge from this series of Practice Place sessions. With around 30 participants, including Jannemarie de Jonge, Floor Frings, and Irene Fortuyn, exhibition participants such as Joyce van den Berg, CHRITH, and La-di-da, and contributors from Collective Walden, Debra Solomon, and Lot Locher, we have at least made a good start.
Towards Bioregional Building? was the second session, which explored what it would truly take to build in a circular and bioregional manner. During the concluding meeting, one participant wrote: ‘Large storage spaces,’ which made me laugh but also rang true. Sometimes, ‘working with what is available’ can also mean ‘holding onto items for a while without knowing exactly how they will be used in the future.’ Our discussions not only covered such practical considerations, but also emphasized the need for a shift in mindset – for listening more, working slowly, spending time outdoors, walking, and taking the long view. How can we create space for this?
In September we’ll be bringing more people together around themes such as nature-inclusive design, resident initiatives, solidarity at work and beyond, and building feminism. Local meetings will also take place in Zutphen, Zeeland (Saeftinghe), and Deventer. On 10 October 2024, we will present the results at Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam. To browse the full program, please click here.
