Looking back at Charging the Commons final event: What design can contribute to commoning

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting the ๐—–๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ Final Event: ๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ป ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฏ๐˜‚๐˜๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด at the AHK CULTURE CLUB in Amsterdam. It was an inspiring gathering of enthusiasts, practitioners, and scholars, all passionate about commons initiatives.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants who joined us and to our esteemed speakers & panelists who shared their invaluable insights:
– Prof. Marcus Foth – Discussed the role of intermediaries in design practices and emphasized the significance of intermediation in commoning and institutioning processes.
Martijn de Waal explored the dynamics of commoning in urban contexts and how design can facilitate the be-commoning process.
Tara Karpinski highlighted innovative decision-making mechanisms through a case study on Quadratic Voting, showcasing how communities can translate shared values into tangible designs.
Zsuzsanna Tomor, PhD, and Micky van Zeijl provided actionable recommendations for designing digital platforms that support core commons principles such as trust and solidarity.
Maurits van Hoogevest (Commonwoods), Minouche Besters (STIPO), Sophie Bloemen (Commons Network) reflected on the role of professionals and the challenges they face in the be-commoning process.

Finally, we are excited to share three new outputs from the Charging the Commons project:

The Be-commoning model, which provides a framework for designing new commons initiatives.

The Design for Collective Decision-making Report, in which we explored Quadratic Voting as a tool for deliberation and decision-making in the be-commoning process. See here >>

Utility/Collectivity Card Deck, which was developed by AUAS students, showcases features and functions that support collectivity in designing digital platforms for the urban commons. See here >>

These outputs represent significant strides in understanding and advancing the role of design in supporting commons initiatives. We look forward to continuing this journey and seeing how these insights will contribute to future projects and practices.

To learn more about the Charging the Commons project, visit https://chargingthecommons.nl/