Cultivating tomorrow’s
bridges and roads
Fieldlab for the future:
Various disciplines are involved in Nieuw Zwanenburg. Entrepreneurs, educators and researchers, designers, governmental bodies and local experts align to form our so-called ‘Five O’s’ Consortium (all displines start with the letter O in Dutch). The cohort assembles intrinsically passionate people and offers them the chance to work co-equally on the shared societal goal. The 10-acred 17th century farmstead serves as a creative workspace and a living laboratory to test innovations. Nieuw Zwanenburg is interested in projects that unite design, technology and material science, as part of a circular and regenerative biosystem.
Today’s societal challenges can no longer be tackled in isolation by governmental bodies or corporate innovation funnels. Nieuw Zwanenburg offers the opportunity for a holistic approach to problem-solving. In this fieldlab for the future a collective works on a shared societal mission: cultivating and developing bio-based materials for infrastructure.
Atelier for societal challenges
Collaboration partners of Nieuw Zwanenburg include: Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Building Balance, Waterschap de Dommel, SUMMA College, UGent en Design Academy Eindhoven, and is supported by Brabant C en ASML.
Biocomposite flax bridge: from idea to installation in six months.
This flax bridge was produced in cooperation with our partner Innova58
Bio-based infrastructure: from crops, to design, to use
From fundamental research to design research.
How does Nieuw Zwanenburg operate and how does it collaborate
Follow up pages will be online soon
Collaborating (ENG sub)
Nieuw Zwanenburg yr 1-2 (ENG)
Collaborating 2.0
the Five O’s model
At Nieuw Zwanenburg, people from five different disciplines are involved: Entrepreneurs, Educators, Designers, Governments, and local Experts: the Five O’s. Nieuw Zwanenburg is developing an open, scalable collaboration model for societal challenges, where life, space, independence, serendipity, and equality are core principles. The Five O’s together form the Nieuw Zwanenburg guild.
The presence of intrinsically passionate people from diverse backgrounds is an indispensable part of the Nieuw Zwanenburg ecosystem. The entire value chain is represented, ensuring that at every stage of development; from seed to bridge or road surface; all perspectives are taken into account. This is important because it gives us the opportunity to apply these insights to other challenges and locations. We aim to be as transparent as possible so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained through our approach.
“Nieuw Zwanenburg is a pirate’s nest - it is a neutral and independent place where experiments are wholly welcome. This characteristic needs to be nurtured…”
Rob Bogaarts, GuildsmanNieuw Zwanenburg
Nieuw Zwanenburg has a long-term goal, and reaching them together with our partners. Become a partner of Nieuw Zwanenburg. Participate in research, development, and further development of knowledge.
In addition, there is the NZ Materials Bank of biobased building materials, as well as research programs led by our partners: the NZ Fellowships. Of course, it is also possible for individuals or organizations to support Nieuw Zwanenburg.
Partnerships
Your event at Nieuw Zwanenburg?
email us for our
meeting, event- and exhibition spaces.
(on the condition that the topic aligns with our mission)