Ministry of Make! x Gelderland

The Ministry of Make!, on behalf of the Ruimtelab of the Province of Gelderland, is organizing a series of knowledge sessions, design ateliers, workshops, discussions, and an exhibition. Together with residents, experts, civil servants, businesses, and designers, the Ministry of Make! explores promising spatial ideas and examples applicable in Gelderland. Everyone contributes a piece of the puzzle. On 9 September 2025, the Ministry of Make! and the Province of Gelderland will launch a series of practical design ateliers focused on the themes of energy, water, food, and nature. The housing challenge will play an important part in all of these ateliers. They will take place at locations that fit the social themes and generate practical insights, new networks, and inspiring examples of successful projects, as well as demonstrate alternative and improved approaches.

In the coming months, the Ministry of Make! will actively collaborate with various partners. Together with citizens, stakeholders, architects, and designers, the project will focus on making spatial solutions visible and tangible and enabling everyone to envision the future. The discussions will be organized at the CASA architecture platform in Arnhem and at the Architectuurcentrum in Nijmegen.

The results will be presented in an exhibition at the House of Province Gelderland in Arnhem in the fall of 2026.

The project uses research by design to explore the role of space in complex spatial challenges.

Four design teams, selected through an open call to the Ministry of Make! network, will address the region’s specific and multifaceted challenges. The teams will work alongside residents, entrepreneurs, and other local stakeholders to develop tangible models and scenarios, test ideas through pilots, and map opportunities and bottlenecks at various scales. In parallel, the teams will organize discussions in which citizens, policymakers, and designers can engage in dialogue.

The design ateliers are at the heart of the learning process: they will examine how existing plans (such as NOVEX) and initiatives such as ‘circle farming’ can be connected and strengthened. Their ongoing documentation and reflection on the process will generate a comprehensive knowledge base applicable to future spatial and governance innovations.

The goal of Ministry of Make! x Gelderland is to jointly develop creative and concrete proposals that improve the spatial future of Gelderland by linking social challenges to design and translating and connecting abstract policies into inspiring practical examples. The Ministry of Make! also wants to demonstrate that spatial change is not solely the government’s responsibility, but one that citizens, designers, entrepreneurs, and knowledge institutions can share. The project provides opportunities for experimentation, new alliances, other forms of knowledge, and administrative renewal. Through various design ateliers and manifestations that address real-life challenges, MvM! fosters open dialogue and shared ownership. The ultimate aim is to create a Gelderland that functions well and inspires other regions in the Netherlands and beyond. 

The process runs from July 2025 to the end of 2026. In early 2025, the program started with preliminary discussions about the Environmental Vision and the spatial design of the province. This was followed by thematic meetings, an open call for design teams, and dialogue sessions spread throughout the year. In the fall of 2025, the ‘autumn debate’ will take place, during which the urgent challenges will be broadly discussed. Starting in October 2025, the design teams will work on four test locations. In spring 2026, the first results will be presented and discussed. The project will culminate in an exhibition at the House of Province Gelderland in Arnhem during the IABR (September–December 2026). Throughout the entire process, knowledge, tools, and lessons will be documented and shared via social media publications, podcasts, and the Ruimtelab. This way, the project will continue to serve as a valuable source of inspiration and an example of a collaborative, learning-oriented, and future-oriented approach to spatial development even after its completion.