The NWO x KABK project reflects on the research conducted by life scientists addressing current social and climatic urgencies through a ‘closed cycles’ approach. This appoaches contributes to the transition to a circular economy. The studio included shared classes and joint working groups in conversation with KABK tutors and NWO scientists, culminating in an exhibition during NWO Life 2025 in May.

The IAFD and Master Non-Linear Narrative (NLN) are two distinct educational programmes at KABK that run parallel studios on this topic, partly overlapping and informing one another.

The 'Closed Cycles' assignment challenges students to explore, understand, visualize, and communicate the scientific experiments and the scientists behind them, within a society that increasingly questions the role of science. The IAFD studio focuses on four topical research areas within the ‘closed cycles’ programme, which aims to connect and integrate various scientific studies to create sustainable, cyclical systems, closing the loops in production, consumption, and environmental processes.

Structured around four experimental research projects by NWO life scientists, the research areas include: insects on manure, biopolymers from sewage sludge, questions around non-organic fertilizers, and self-healing concrete. Each of these topics represents one scientist or team (Dr. Leo Beukenboom, Dr. S. Picken, Dr. Martha Bakker, and Dr. Robert Kleerebezem).

Elze Kurtinaityte, Jaap Schreven, Sunghee Joe
Self healing concrete, led by dr. Kleerebezem

Minwoo Park, Christian Kennecke, Jonathan Falk
Organic Fertizer (or not), led by dr. Bakker

Emma Verrijt, Darya Eroglu
Organic Fertizer (or not), led by dr. Bakker

Liza Zazimko, Zofia Glinkowska, Pim Schumacher
Biopolymer from waste water, led by dr. Picken

Falera van Balen, Raluca Nedelea-Stolz, Sonya Levchynska, Doris Peterfi
Insects on Manure, led by dr. Beukeboom

The IAFD course is led by Lada Hršak, and the NLN course is led by Niels Schrader
Photo: Lada Hršak and Julius Dusch