Learning in action
THE LAB OF PRACTICE
HOW TO ESCAPE A FRAMEWORK
Our ambitions are bold: To radically shift how we understand and shape the spaces between our buildings and in parallel build the capabilities that enable cities, businesses and institutions to become learning organizations—adaptive, forward-thinking, and ready for what’s next.
With more and more incoming requests to help out and the growing body of proof of how experimentation can lead to successful transitions, in spring 2025 the Lab has launched the Lab of Practice to make the learning accessible to municipalities, businesses and people around the globe.
Municipalities—large and small—face remarkably similar challenges.
Incremental improvements are no longer enough. True transformation demands more than optimizing the status quo. We are constrained by paradigms of our own making. The Lab of Thought was founded to break through those limits. It is a platform designed to explore, challenge, and reimagine our collective thinking.
Grounded in community-driven experimentation and science-based activism, the Lab has generated new insights and outcomes that have proven valuable to both public and private organizations worldwide.
Rethinking the Street Starts with chanGing the Mindset
We believe real urban transformation begins with two essential ingredients:
First, a mindset—one that reveals the deeper structures shaping our cities and opens up radically different perspectives on what’s possible.
Second, a skillset—the ability to turn thought into action through experimentation, iteration, and a culture of learning. Together, these enable the kind of long-term, systems-level change we need.
Vision & Narrative Development
We help cities craft compelling, future-oriented narratives for human-centred public spaces. These visions serve as alignment tools—building shared purpose across stakeholders and sparking collective momentum.
Policy Innovation
We collaborate with municipalities to design forward-thinking policies that unlock new possibilities for public space, mobility, and social cohesion. Policy, not as constraint, but as a tool for transformation.
Experimental Design & Implementation
From hypothesis to street-level impact, we design and execute urban experiments that generate evidence for systemic change.
Our approach: bold experiments with clear learning objectives, in service of ambitious transitions—even when outcomes are uncertain.
Measurement & Impact Evaluation
We design evaluation frameworks that capture the full value of urban interventions—not just what changes, but for whom and why. We make visible the social, spatial, and systemic impacts of human-centred design.
The Lab of Thought - Unsollicited experimentation
The Lab of Thought started as a way to challenge the status quo in mobility thinking. Founded by Prof Marco te Brömmelstroet, Jonne Kuyt and Matt Crisp, the organisation aims to gather insights and learnings from self initiated experiments. These fieldlabs help imagine alternative futures and narratives for our cities.
Rather than imposing solutions, The Lab executes ideas of what ever they think is relevant for cities, citizens and stakeholders. The Lab of Practice was founded to disseminate this methodology and to help cities realise meaningful transitions.
Our process and way of working
The Lab of Practice - Learning in action
Organisations are not built for transitions and change so it won't be a surprise most leadership have a hard time escaping the organisation's gravitational pull. The learning from the academic research and field labs are turned into applicable methodologies for organizations to use. The Lab of Practice helps organizations to master the methodologies and skills required for transitioning towards new futures.
We have a standard onboarding program and tailored programs for specific situations or requests. Feel free to request an introductory call so we can tell you more about it.
Evidence Through PracticE
Some of the municipalities and organisations we collaborate with to radically innovate and work on mobility transitions.
Radical thinking only delivers transformative results when grounded in real-world application and supported by credible evidence. The following case studies offer a glimpse into the measurable and evolving impact of our methodologies.
While the full scope of long-term, sustainable change unfolds over time, we remain committed to continuously monitoring and updating these projects to reflect ongoing learning and results.
For a deeper understanding of the outcomes and systemic shifts generated through our work, we welcome requests for introductions to relevant cases or direct conversations with partner municipalities or organisations.
City OF Voorburg
City of Haarlem
Province OF Overijssel
Ready to rework your thinking.
If you’re a business, municipality, or mobility stakeholder looking to break out of the status quo, explore viable alternatives, and initiate meaningful experiments—connecting with our work may be of real value.
The Lab of Practice has built a robust body of knowledge and hands-on expertise over the years, grounded in real-world transition projects across cities and regions. We don’t just talk about change—we help design, test, and scale it.
Curious about what the Lab of Practice can offer your municipality or organization? Download our intro sheet or get in touch—we’d be happy to explore what’s possible together.