From 14 to 18 September, DISCO Lab invites students, researchers and the artistic community to step outside the laboratory and explore the local ecologies of Noord-Brabant through a week of seasonal walks, workshops and hands-on activities.
How can a bio lab become more connected to the landscape and ecosystems that surround it? The Seasonal Lab Walks explore this question by bringing laboratory practices into conversation with local soils, organisms, materials and seasonal cycles.
Throughout the academic year, DISCO Lab will organise four seasonal weeks: Autumn Lab, Winter Lab, Spring Lab and Summer Lab. Each programme combines field-based activities with work in the laboratory, exploring how locally sourced and seasonally dependent materials can contribute to more regenerative ways of working.
The first edition, Autumn Lab, takes place from 14 to 18 September.
Join mycologist Pim van de Noort for a guided walk through Mastbos in Breda. During the walk, participants will slow down and explore the world of wild mushrooms, learning about the role of fungi in nature, edibility and other aspects of mycology.
Meeting point: Grand Café de Boschwachter, Mastbos, Breda
11:00 until approximately 14:00
Please bring suitable clothing for the weather and something for lunch.
Regenerative farmer and forager Roos Konings will lead a day of foraging and working with locally harvested materials at Volksschool Groene Woud in Sint-Oedenrode. Together, participants will harvest wild grains and seeds from the invasive species Jumping Jack and learn how to make seed oil. The group will also collect willow branches, learn about the inhabitants of willow trees and explore basket making.
Volksschool Groene Woud, Bunderdreef 2, Sint-Oedenrode
10:00 to 16:00
Please bring suitable clothing and boots, as well as snacks and lunch.
As part of the Compos(t)ing collective, St. Joost School of Art & Design hosts an afternoon exploring regeneration and bio art practices. The programme includes an introduction to the Seasonal Lab, a presentation by Machteld van de Voorde on plant-based pigment making and an introduction to cold fermentation by alumnus Niels van Rijsbergen. Participants are invited to join the conversation and brainstorm about regenerative and bio art practices.
St. Joost, Beukenlaan 1, Breda, starting in room BC112
From 14:00
The programme continues in the DISCO Lab in Den Bosch. Participants will process materials collected during previous walks, including tree branches and seeds, and explore what can be done with locally harvested materials in the bio lab.
DISCO Lab, Parallelweg 21, Den Bosch
From 14:00
On the final day, participants will work with clay harvested in Drimmelen during the previous year to make plant pots. The session offers room for experimentation and imagination around how harvested materials can be used within the bio lab.
DISCO Lab, Parallelweg 21, Den Bosch
From 14:00
The Seasonal Lab Walks combine exploring and learning from local environments with giving something back. Activities range from supporting organic farming and collaborating with forest rangers to participating in reforestation projects.
The walks are organised together with local experts, foragers and alumni, including Roos Konings, Pim van de Noort, lichenologist Willem Bosma, Niels van Rijsbergen and Melike Karaslan. The programme is arranged by DISCO Lab coordinator Michaela Davidova.
Students and researchers are welcome to participate. Exact times and locations will be shared with registered participants prior to the activities.
Interested in joining the Autumn Lab? Sign up and explore the local ecologies surrounding the DISCO Lab.
The Regenerative Art and Design (RAD) research group seeks to contribute to a new generation of regenerative designers and artists who address the pressing need for transitions that support planetary health. By taking whole systems responsibility through collaborative practices, the group aims to create transformative pathways for reimagining design futures grounded in care and ecological integrity.
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