The laboratory serves as a hub for knowledge production and testing collaborative methods. The Nordic STS Conference in 2025 took place at two historic campuses: the KTH Reactor Hall at the Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University. (More information at the link https://www.nordicsts.se/program/) Anique Hommels and Andrew Karvonen took part in one of the round tables (https://www.nordicsts.se/keynote-speakers/
A panel titled "Laboratories as Agents of Urban Transformation," chaired by Anique Hommels and Martin Emanuel, focused on Urban Living Labs (ULLs) as tools for urban development. While ULLs have the potential for significant transformation, they frequently remain isolated projects led by small groups, disconnected from broader government practices. As a result, the lessons learned are rarely integrated into city policies, and short-term interventions often overlook historical contexts. The panel discusses how more extended time frames and global perspectives could enhance the impact of ULLs on urban transformation.
In Session 1: "Learning and Transforming in Urban Laboratories," Andrew Karvonen presented on "Urban Laboratories, Process Learning, and the Rise of Experimental Governance." Joanna Bach Glowinska discussed "Urban Living Labs: Promoting Community-Driven Urban Transformation," while Denver Nixon explored "Formal and Informal Learning in Urban Mobility Experiments: Critically Exploring the Continuum in Maastricht, London, and São Paulo."
In Session 2: "Futures and Pasts in Urban Laboratories," chaired by Martin Emanuel, Daniel Normark presented "Aligning and Tinkering: Street Experiments and the Situated Coordination Between Maps and Materialities in Reconfiguring Situated Urban Truth Spots." Anique Hommels addressed "The Past in Today's Urban Interventions: 'Urban Living Labs' and 'Usable Pasts'," and Mark Dijk examined "Urban Experiments' Struggle for Transformative Planning Impact: The Case of Maastricht."
