Events

Growing societal and environmental issues need multidisciplinary, innovative, and entrepreneurial solutions. To address these needs, the NL Knowledge House launched a call for proposals for institutions with expertise in Renewable Energy Transition and Climate Change Mitigation last year. The goal is to connect international minds to accelerate sustainable innovations through a Living Lab: a model of student-centric research projects based on real-life societal and business issues.

After evaluating 36 expressions of interest, a professional jury selected the initiative by What If Lab on Sustainable Public Places for kampung residents in Jakarta to pave the way for the first Living Lab project by the NL Knowledge House Indonesia.

What If Lab: Sustainable Public Places

The Living Lab initiative submitted by What If Lab builds upon the successful What If Lab: Sustainable Public Spaces initiative, showcased in the Erasmus Huis Jakarta from February until April, 2024. This earlier project fostered collaboration between Indonesian and Dutch social designers to co-create sustainable public spaces with the residents of Kampung Susun Kunir, Jakarta.

As one of the world’s most densely populated megacities, Jakarta knows little freely accessible public space and faces numerous social challenges regarding climate and responsible use of available materials. The collaboration encouraged designers to explore the meaning of sustainability for kampungs on the frontlines of climate change and develop co-created solutions to mitigate its impacts.

Living Lab: create tangible steps towards a sustainable future with kampungs in Jakarta, Indonesia

Kampung, translated as an urban village, has been understood in a derogatory way for decades as being identified as disorganized and sometimes even labelled as a slum. Despite this, millions of Jakarta’s inhabitants are directly or indirectly tied to the kampungs through work or living, and kampungs will continue to exist in the future. Therefore, it is crucial to demonstrate a sustainable path forward for these communities.

Building on the foundation laid by the designers from What If Lab, the upcoming Living Lab invites students to immerse themselves in Kampung Susun Kunir and its neighboring kampungs. The goal is for students to connect with residents and generate innovative ideas for climate change mitigation and circular economy practices. This initiative aims to benefit the current residents and ensure sustainability for future generations.

Concretising the Case Study and Seeking Collaborations

A significant milestone in this journey was the NL Knowledge House work mission held from June 18-20, 2024, which aimed to further concretize the case study and explore collaborations with Indonesian higher education institutions.

On June 19, the project was officially launched with presentations by Nuffic Southeast Asia, Saxion University of Applied Sciences as the lead partner from the Netherlands, and Dinda Ciptaviana from Kampung Kollektief (succession of What If Lab). The following day, representatives from higher education institutions visited the Kampung Susun Kunir, Jakarta, which will become the research site for Dutch and Indonesian students collaborating in this Living Lab. This visit allowed them to witness the real-world implementation of Kampung Kollektief's work and identify opportunities for Dutch and Indonesian students to shape a greener and more sustainable neighborhood.

Next Steps

The project has now reached a crucial phase where students and the case owner will meet each other and define the objectives and desired outcomes of their project. The Living Lab is set to officially start in September 2024, marking the beginning of an exciting journey towards sustainable development and climate change resilience in kampungs in Jakarta.