Economic transition requires letting go of fossil energy, growth, and hyperconsumption — yet this is psychologically demanding. This project by Stichting Huis van de Toekomst in Rotterdam's BoTu neighbourhood makes that loss tangible and liveable. A fully functional Future Home is being built: no gas, electricity, wifi, or money. Researchers and policymakers spend two days there as part of a human-powered energy community. The neighbourhood itself — where residents already know life with less — acts as an experiential resource. Outputs include the physical home, a documentary, and a methodological reflection on the in-residence format as a transferable research tool.
Economic transition: the costs and benefits of (in)action
What does an economy look like that focuses not on GDP growth, but on well-being, ecology and justice?
What is needed to achieve this sustainable economy and how is our current economic system holding back these changes?
We are exploring these questions from a practical perspective as part of the program: ‘Economic transition: the costs and benefits of (in)action’. Together with partners from academia, the professional sector, government and social movements, we are working to shape this transition, set it in motion and anchor it. In doing so, we actively apply knowledge in practice to bring about a transformation of our current economic system.