Commons Lab

Waag enjoys to base her thinking on the concept of the commons, a shared resource managed by a community. Sustainability and inclusivity are of the utmost importance in this arena. Commons exist outside of the state and the free market and create value that cannot be expressed in financial terms alone. In food cooperatives, for example, farmers and consumers work together to grow and sell food for a fair price. The Commons Lab researches the creation and management of common resources. Additionally, we believe that everyone should own their own data and determine where and when it can be used.

The commons: a shared resource managed by a community. Sustainability and inclusivity are of the utmost importance in this arena.

The Commons lab explores how creating and managing communal facilities could lead to a more inclusive society. The lab also maps out existing commons and promotes introducing commons into many different fields. We also focus on the design of digital, legal, and financial platforms that facilitate self-organisation.

Commons are a fertile ground for bottom-up initiatives and they encourage a sense of independence and autonomy. We contribute to research into the role of commons in areas such as urban development and digital public space. We also work in the area of gaming for the commons, based on the idea that you can learn best about commons by working the concept in a game format.