Something remarkable is happening in Gelderland! The Ministry of Make! and the Province of Gelderland are joining forces with designers, businesses, researchers, creative makers, experience experts, and residents to embark on a bold experiment. Together, they’re learning how to think and act differently in response to major spatial challenges – challenges related to energy, water, food, and nature, as well as the critical interconnections between them.
This experiment brings policy and practice together through making – by building, designing, and prototyping. Think of scale models that explore future possibilities for specific sites or offer visions of how areas could be developed in more sustainable, inclusive, or creative ways.
Working Together
Commissioned by the Province of Gelderland’s Ruimtelab, the Ministry of Make! is organizing a dynamic program of workshops, design studios, discussions, and an exhibition. Together with local residents, subject-matter experts, civil servants, businesses, and designers, the project will transform ideas and case studies into practical, implementable spatial strategies for the future of Gelderland. Beginning in September 2025, the Ministry of Make! and the province will launch a series of on-site design studios focusing on energy, water, food, and nature. At the heart of each studio will be the urgent housing challenge, explored at locations directly connected to each theme.
This collaborative, place-based approach will generate practical insights, foster new networks, and create inspiring examples of alternative development models. In the coming months, the Ministry of Make! will work with a wide range of partners through an open and interactive program of public events, workshops, and presentations. Architects and designers will play a vital role – making solutions visible and tangible, and helping people imagine and shape what the future could look like.
CASA, the Arnhem-based architecture platform, will facilitate conversations and debates. The results of the entire program will culminate in a public exhibition at the Huis der Provincie in Arnhem, scheduled for fall 2026
About the Main Partners
Province of Gelderland
Shaping the physical environment of Gelderland isn’t solely the responsibility of the government. We shape our space together. That’s why the province actively seeks input and collaboration from the creative sector, businesses, knowledge institutions, and residents. Through the Ruimtelab, we explore solutions we might not reach alone – which is why we invited the Ministry of Make! to participate.
The Ministry of Make!
Founded in 2022 by ZUS, MANN, and the IABR, the Ministry of Make! is an independent platform dedicated to addressing the defining social and spatial challenges of our time. It focuses on urgent issues such as the housing crisis, the energy transition, and the impacts of climate change – working through imagination, courage, and cross-sector collaboration.
The Ministry activates through action, visual storytelling, and collective learning. It invites everyone to join the process of rethinking, redesigning, and remaking the spaces we live in.
Together, the Ministry of Make!, the Ruimtelab, and the Province of Gelderland are seeking to collaborate with cultural and social organizations across the region, forward-thinking developers, and innovative changemakers from all backgrounds.
For more information, visit: www.ministerievanmaak.nl
For press images, interview requests, or further inquiries, contact: info@ministerievanmaak.nl
