Project R-15397

Designing with Soil. A nomadic approach to designing relations between humans and soil. (Research)

Ecological challenges (drought, flooding, soil erosion, biodiversity) in the fragmented, Flemish cultural landscape put pressure on human and more-than-human actors, calling for a systemic transition towards a resilient and sustainable landscape. This project conducts research by design into the role and meaning of soil (a more-than-human actor) in the necessary transition of the cultural landscape. The studied interaction between human actors and soil reduces the latter to an abstract volume. The invisible, and therefore undervalued, underground world of soil life and soil processes demands visibility and care. With a case study around the project North-South Limburg, this project researches a context in which the cultivation of soil is anchored in the past (productive landscape), but also connected to the future (new infrastructure). Using 'nomadic thinking' as a methodology, the project seeks to stimulate and visualize the collective memory surrounding local soil. Nomadic practices, including walking, encourage an attitude of care in which a 'being-with' the soil can be established. To make this 'being-with' the soil tangible, the role of Living Labs will be explored. These situated laboratories make space for 'designing-with' the soil in which human and more-than-human actors can address ecological challenges together in a participatory way.

16 November 2024 - 15 November 2026