Layering desire: a feminist utopian framework for beg(u)inning Living Limburg Lab

Abstract

Living Labs are a participatory methodology for collective experiments in real-life settings. We propose a “desire-based” approach that broadens the idea of value in participatory design to create more social and participant-driven Living Labs. We reflect on the case of De Andere Markt, a Lab set up in the city of Genk, as laying the groundwork for setting up the new Living Limburg Lab.

We understand desire not as a lack but rather as a productive force: a co-creative process of change with revolutionary potential. The concept of feminist utopianism is a way of “educating” this desire. Instead of providing blueprints for the future, feminist utopianism stays rooted in the complexities of the now to explore its possibilities. Similarly to participatory design, these utopias focus on present-day actions and involve those who otherwise do not have a say.

Living Limburg Lab will be housed in a former beguinage. In Medieval times, these women’s housing areas were forbidden to men. They provided a utopian space for enacting a desire for different gender relations while staying connected to society. Just like the beguinage, the Living Lab space offers a place for trying out new social configurations. With this historical context in mind, we examine how Living Limburg Lab may continue our established Living Lab practice while becoming a more desire-led environment that fosters feminist utopianism through layered methods like collage.