An incubator for a human-centered city

FutureLab is both an incubator and a development company, connecting residents, government, and partners in a new practice of democratic area development.

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Amsterdam culture

VR homes designed by
young people in Holendrecht.

Invest in people first, then in bricks and mortar. FutureLab Amsterdam is building a vital democracy.

Socratic Design. With Socratic Design, FutureLab breaks through fixed procedures, patterns, and addictions to thinking, and breaks free from entrenched practices. Residents, professionals, and the government begin their collaboration around the fundamental questions: What is a good life? What is a good neighborhood?

Democratization of Area Development. Because area development is not only technical but touches upon the fundamental democratic question of “how do we want to live together?”, openness and transparency in all phases are the values that FutureLab guarantees.

Living environment Amsterdam Holendrecht

Holendrecht. In Holendrecht, a dedicated team of residents, professionals, and entrepreneurs is working on the future of the neighborhood. Residents act as partners in both design and execution. Collective ownership is the fundamental assumption.

Tech for open development processes. Tech innovation enables a different architecture of the process. In FutureLab, Tech becomes the support for humanization in area development.

Technology as a development process for homes

Our Scenarios

Groene Hub 2.0

JongerenWonen.Holendrecht

Kennissessies | Socratic Design Academy & PMB Innovatielab

Tech voor open ontwikkelprocessen

Our Activities

Living Based on Values: the Neighborhood as a Space for a Good Existence
Holendrecht
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Holendrecht, Holendrecht, Netherlands
It seems like an enormous challenge, and indeed it is. But we have no choice but to strive for a radical improvement in the way we shape our lives and our neighborhoods; things must get better.
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Philosophizing together in the neighborhood: Southeast as a breeding ground for a good life
Amsterdam
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Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
On October 17, 2025, FutureLab organized a dialogue titled: Talks, Philosophy and Food. Together with a group of 8 young professionals, they reflected on the philosophical question: What is a good existence?
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Building the future together: Project the Future & FutureLab
Cultural Educational Center (CEC)
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Cultural Educational Center (CEC), Bijlmerdreef 1289, 1103 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
On October 1, the kick-off of Project de Toekomst took place in the CEC building in Amsterdam Southeast. A special day on which local residents, young people, educators, local initiatives, and social partners came together to work on one shared dream: a future in which the community
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Equal partnership

In Futurelab, residents collaborate with technical experts as neighborhood experts to form a collective intelligence that democratizes the process by sharing technical expertise. The black box of procedures and protocols is made transparent; residents acquire decision-making power at every stage.

About us

An incubator for a human-centered city

VR homes designed by
young people in Holendrecht.

Invest in people first, then in bricks and mortar. FutureLab Amsterdam is building a vital democracy.

Holendrecht. In Holendrecht, a dedicated team of residents, professionals, and entrepreneurs is working on the future of the neighborhood. Residents act as partners in both design and execution. Collective ownership is the fundamental assumption.

Tech for open development processes. Tech innovation enables a different architecture of the process. In FutureLab, Tech becomes the support for humanization in area development.