The Open Environments Lab (OEL) is a research department specialising in design research in «blasted landscapes».[1] The OEL works on situated and immersive research approaches in landscapes that have been irreversibly shaped and altered by humans. Through the integration of design, ethnographic methods for ecological attunement and participatory practices to engage local communities, as well as applied design practices through immersed prototyping, the research department seeks to develop a new design culture and practices that resonate with the multimodal ecological crisis.

The aim is to create «patches of hope» [2] in catastrophic times [3]. Unlike classical restoration approaches, the OEL incorporates bioregionalism [4], queer ecologies [5], and convivial conservation [6] into its design strategy to develop proposals for new species assemblages and associated habitats. Following Donna Haraway's term «sympoiesis» [7], sympoietic design [8] is applied as a guiding principle that considers both human and non-human needs in the creation of shared habitats, contributing to a planet-centric design perspective.

The OEL is organised in different studios that conduct design research in specific ecosystems experiencing profound decline in species diversity, habitats, and ecosystem conditions. These established research networks combine ecology, biology and anthropology, as well as local knowledge and cultures. The studios — such as the Open Oceans Studio, Open Wetlands Studio and Open Forest Studio — function as platforms that engage with relevant ecological and sociopolitical stakeholders. They propose local, situated approaches that could transform ruinous environments into liveable habitats for both human and other-than-human species.