Sandbox Innovation for Civic Experimentation

The city has been the centre of the great transition in automation, climate crisis and demographic shifts. As a result, cities are also the first to encounter the wicked problems of our time. These complex challenges demand innovation in every sector, as well as the ability to collaborate and learn across sectors. Truly inclusive, smart solutions in the city must be built on the foundations of civic legitimacy, and operate through joint action by multiple stakeholders.

We believe that the role of citizens should extend beyond mere participation, rather, citizens should become the agent of civic experiments. Together with Daegu Technopark, tech-enterprises and local citizens, Dark Matter Labs is developing new frameworks and strategies for the city through combining technology and civic innovation. The project aims to address 5 themes, selected by the local residents:
1. Deteriorating fine dust pollution,
2. Street safety for children and youth,
3. Illegal dumping of domestic waste,
4. Urban water management in the context of climate change and uncertainty,
5. Child safety and childcare.

The project operates with the principles of collective sensemaking, open experimentation, distributed agency, and civic commons. The developed framework will be the baseline of a 3-year trajectory of civic experiments supported by Daegu Technopark and KAIA (Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement).