Every year, the Stimuleringsfonds issues two open calls that offer interdisciplinary coalitions the opportunity to use an integrated design approach to investigate how large-scale spatial transition processes can be tackled and how the spatial quality of the Netherlands can be improved. The projects supported within the open calls have a time span of at least one year in the first phase and up to two years in subsequent phases. The themes and objectives of the various open calls are determined in consultation with a programme council. Five open calls have been issued to date: Prachtige productielandschappen, Anders werken aan wonen, Bouwen vanuit de bodem, Wegen naar welzijn and Ruimte voor rechtvaardigheid.

In 2021, the Creative Industries Fund NL issued an Open Call for Prachtige Productielandschappen (Beautiful Production Landscapes). This call was aimed at multidisciplinary coalitions comprising, among others, government bodies, landowners, network operators, food producers, nature organisations, residents’ collectives and designers. The aim of the call was to use a design approach to create new multidisciplinary coalitions and strategic visions or design proposals for the transition of our production landscape.

Now that the 12 selected projects have been completed, it is time to take stock. Did the call have an impact, and if so, how? And what is needed to make such design-based research more impactful in the future? Read about it in the Dutch essay Prachtige productielandschappen in de praktijk, (Beautiful production landscapes in practice), written by Marieke Berkers.